Asking for some help for my paper

[Sith 1050]

So for my english class I decided to do an argumentative paper based on, you guessed it, video games. Video game soundtracks to be more specific. It's been proven that certain soundtracks found in skill-based videogames (indie games, platformers, etc.) are designed to improve cognitive awareness and focus on the task at hand, which would be completing the game and its objectives.

 

Well, if the soundtrack can increase concentration on a task, could it be used to increase a students studying effectiveness? We are all aware of Adderall, study groups, stupid drinking-studying myths (Pro-tip: they don't work) that students utilize on a regular basis to support their education. Could a specific background music choice be the smarter and healthier alternative?

 

That's my idea. Problem is, there isn't shit in terms of studies and research to support my argument. Sure, there are arguments for music in general but I wanna hone it down to video game music. The source has to be authentic and academic. Plenty of reddit posts and other random blogs but hardly any academic studies. Any ideas?

 

Thanks,

Sith

[Shaymin 129]

Since there are no statistics on this topic you are writing about, why dont you conduct you own experiment? Have half the amount of people play a skill based game with its certain soundtrack, and have the other half play the same game without the soundtrack.

 

Conduct this experiment as many times as you need to get your solid evidence supporting your hypothesis, and write about the effects on the person the soundtrack caused. Look at the facial expressions and personality of the test subjects while they play the game. Take notes and base your writing off of that.

 

Then, put in your own input on you believe the certain soundtracks can help someone with something such as concentrating on work, or them listening to the song makes them work harder. (If this is the case of course.)

 

When is this paper due? 

[TheWaffler 117]

Well, I found this website which is a pretty decent looking site. http://blog.desktime.com/2016/04/11/why-you-should-listen-to-video-game-soundtracks-at-work/

 

Otherwise, all i found was a ton of blogs that may not be very helpful. As shaymin said, why not try your own tests?

[Sith 1050]

Because my own unfunded and unprofessional tests literally hold no academic value at all. Too small of a population, I'm not a scientist, it's hard to hold a control group over something like intelligence. Age would be an issue. Finding people would be an issue.

[Gerald 1371]

The only way I could see you making an argument for this, without direct academic research, would be to transpose processes that are similar between games and studying. I don't know how much value your teacher would find in that.

[Sith 1050]

15 hours ago, Gerald said:

The only way I could see you making an argument for this, without direct academic research, would be to transpose processes that are similar between games and studying. I don't know how much value your teacher would find in that.

 

That might be what I have to end up doing unfortunately. Wish me luck.

[allensuperbaby 0]

I mean this idea of writing about using video game soundtrack to help students study better is a great idea, but why dont you try a different type of music. I would simply make your life a whole lot easier.

[Dakota 4722]

Because my own unfunded and unprofessional tests literally hold no academic value at all. Too small of a population, I'm not a scientist, it's hard to hold a control group over something like intelligence. Age would be an issue. Finding people would be an issue.

Is it high school or college? Finding people will be a cake walk in high school literally just go to the study halls with a laptop and have them play with some headphones.

[Sith 1050]

3 hours ago, Beerman said:

Is it high school or college? Finding people will be a cake walk in high school literally just go to the study halls with a laptop and have them play with some headphones.

 

It's college. And my point was, even 100 people isn't a decent study. When it comes to subconscious behavior, the population size needs to be large. Chances are that most students that would participate would be gamers, which would invalidate my study.