McKee, H. A., & Porter, J. E. (2009). Playing a Good Game: Ethical Issues in Researching MMOGs and Virtual Worlds. International Journal of Internet Research Ethics (IJIRE), 2(1), 5–37.

Zusammenfassung

This paper examines ethical issues specific to conducting Internet research in MMOGs and virtual worlds and offers visual heuristics to help researchers negotiate ethical decision-making. Part 1 develops a theoretical framework — a rhetorical approach to ethical analysis that makes use of specific heuristic tools such as rhetorical diagrams, visual mapping techniques, and comparative case analysis. Part 2 of the paper presents qualitative data from interviews with five researchers who are principally involved in researching MMOGs and virtual worlds (specifically City of Heroes, City of Villains, Lineage I & II, and Second Life) and uses the theoretical framework to classify and organize their views regarding research ethics. The resulting visual heuristics can provide guidance to Internet researchers conducting studies on or in MMOGs and virtual worlds.