Cardona Ruiz 1

Andres Cardona Ruiz

ENC 1102
Professor Jennifer Murray
September 26, 2014
Annotated Bibliography of Communication in League of Legends
This annotated bibliography is designed to give readers a comprehensive indication of
reading regarding the nature of the discourse community that is League of Legends. Those who
are curious as to how groups of people significant distances from each other can communicate,
set up processes, and work towards a common goal without physical contact would be intrigued
as to how genres can be the medium as to which everything comes together, and function. People
that are also intrigued by online communities, as well as those that are already involved with
League of Legends would be the audience that would be interested in reading this paper. Prior to
research, I approached the topic confounded on how I was going to be able to find sources that
are credible. Although the community is large, it is not necessarily a scholarly or an objective
group that seeks to change society, or gain recognition. I refined my topic, and research
questions as specific subjects in this field yielded no results. As a result, I broadened my research
and used the information that I had discovered, and connected it with my topic.
For example, I used general selection criteria while looking for sources, drawing from
academic articles, internet sources, and popular press dealing with the general topic of how genre
is essential to this specific discourse community. The selections in this annotated bibliography
represent the field of how communication is vital in order for a community to thrive and live.
Each reference aids in the portrayal of how genres are the communicative backbone that supports
the community, and assist in the communicative furtherance of its aims. Historically,

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communities are smaller groups of people that are known and recognized by all members.
However, technological advances in the last few decades have aided in a non-physical,
anonymous, communication with people around the world. Communities now contain
anonymous groups of people with different forms of communication. However online seems to
be an effective and easily accessible vehicle of communication. Technology may have taken
away familiarity in communities, but it has helped connect people with similar interests.
Annotated References
Alberti, John. The Game of Reading and Writing: How Video Games Reframe Our
Understanding of Literacy. Computers & Composition 25.3 (2008): 258-269.
Onesearch. Print.
In this article Alberti argues that video games reveal how the reading and writing process
are inherent in order to fully participate and understand the game. Video game players are
simultaneously readers and writers as online video games are inherently dialog
discursive spaces (Alberti 2008). Video games give a visual form of writing as
communication, compared to the static quality of printed text. Online games are
discursive worlds that develop and evolve through text. Reading and writing are arenas
of socialization, communication, and ultimately, play. Texts are important genres in
video games as they help immerse the player into the online worlds and help give
meaning towards their actions.
The information in the article is both fair and accurate. Alberti is a professor of English
for Northern Kentucky University, with many publications and achievements. The article
lists its sources and was peer reviewed. Alberti argues that online games give new
pedagogical possibilities of digital writing, and can help reframe our understanding of
literacy. On the topic of communication in discourse communities, as video gamers are
the reader and the writers, without the form of texts online games would not function and
the communicative goals would be non-existent.
Hartman, Michael. "Better Communication For Winning in LoL." Altered Gamer. 17 Apr. 2012.
Onesearch.Web. 18 Sept. 2014.
This article gives tips on how to improve your communication in game. It includes
examples of the specific terminology in the community, as well as a background to the
terms. Communication is vital for victory, and becoming familiar with the terms that

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players use will allow you to understand what they are trying to convey. The terminology
also gives a shortcut in quickly exchanging information. Without teamwork, you cannot
win a team based online game. The article is short and does not fully express all the
terminology in the game, however, for those new the community this could be a helpful
first guide because it does not go that far in depth of the concepts. The site and the links
are maintained, and easily navigable. The information in this article is consistent with
other sources, as well as being unbiased.
Johnson, Matthew S.S. "Public Writing In Gaming Spaces." Computers & Composition 25.3
(2008): 270-283. Onesearch. Print.
Johnson argues within the article that the text/writing done in computer games from
players for their online communities are directed to a clear audience with specific
purposes. As well as having the potential to institute real change within gaming
communities. Textual exchange is self-motivated in online games, and impacts the
ecology of online games, as the text helps to define and facilitate the goals of the
community. Johnson states that gamers are agents who have the power, through writing,
to shape the electronic worlds (Johnson 2008). Therefore meaning of words is set
publicly through the game community to shape the game.
Civic participation in gaming environments, such as publicly hosted websites, or forums
are the training grounds for active citizenry (Johnson 2008). As gamers participate in
their communities, they affect the online game and are able to spread their
ideas/knowledge to other members in order to invoke change. All members affect the
community through the participation, and reciprocity occurs during the interaction.
Reciprocity is an essential element of the public writing in online games, as mutual
benefit aids in the aim of the communitys goals. Mathew Johnson is the Director of
First-Year Writing, and an associate professor of Southern Illinois University. The article
has the sources listed and is also peer reviewed.
Moberly, Kevin. Composition, Computer Games, and the Absence of Writing. Computers &
Composition 25.3 (2008): 284-299. Onesearch. Print.
Moberlys article gives examples as to how computer games can give
fundamental knowledge, and understanding of the compositional process. As Moberly
states, computer games fundamentally incorporate composition into their game play,
composition is thus incorporated through the use of symbols. Computer games require
players to read, and to make meaning from the symbols and words on the screen from the
game, and the players. However, computer games also require that the player writes and
modifies their actions in the game in relation to these symbols, and words.

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The symbolic constructs which are the photo-realistic graphical environments teach the
compositional process and the larger socio-political structures which are involved in said
process (Moberly 2008). This helps students construct meaning, and ultimately give their
interpretation of these symbols. Communication through the process of symbols and texts
are how players and members of the League of Legends community communicate, and
thus work with one other. The genre allows the anonymous, non-physical communication
to thrive, and gives the members an adequate tool in order for teamwork to come into
place. Moberly is an associate professor for Old Dominion University and the article is
both peer reviewed and has the sources listed.
Niek. "Why Am I Here: A Guide to Roles and Lanes." Weblog post. League of Legends
Community RSS. N.p., 23 Feb. 2012. Onesearch. Web. 18 Sept. 2014.
This is a guide that is intended for new players that effectively explains how to play the
game, what each role is, and understanding specific terminology. This guide does a very
effective job in going in depth, and explaining each aspect of the game. It describes the
five roles within the game, and what their overall objective is i.e., Support, Marksman,
Mid lane, Top lane, and Jungle. Supports babysits and protects the Marksmans because
it is the Marksmans job to deal high damage and kill enemy players. Mid laners deal a
lot of damage in team fights, and the top laner and jungler are usually tanks to absorb all
the damage and take the focus away from the teams damage dealers.
The guide additionally talks about how to effectively earn gold, what to buy, what to do
during the different points of the game, and explains the terminology. This guide is the
best one that I have seen for learning how to understand the basics, and it is very useful
for background information. Niek also talks about how to communicate with your team,
and how large a role it plays throughout the game. The information is unbiased and is
consistent with other sources. The links are maintained, and the information is fair and
reliable.
Peterson, Mark. Learner Interaction in a Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game
(MMORPG): A Sociocultural Discourse Analysis. ReCall 24.3 (2012): 361-380. Onesearch.
Print.
This article had studies in which it investigated the linguistic and social interaction of
four intermediate EFL (English as a foreign language) learners during game play in a
massively multiplayer online role playing game (Peterson 2012). The participants text
chats were collected over a one-month period and were analyzed from a sociocultural
perspective. The research showed that EFL learners properly used politeness
involving greetings, informal language, small talk, humor, and leave-takings as a

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medium through which to support the operation of collaborative interpersonal

relationships (Peterson 2012). The analysis suggests that an online game provides an
environment that benefits the sociocultural account of language development through
social interaction and collaboration in the target language (Peterson 2012). Peterson has a
PhD in linguistics from the University of Edinburgh, and is an associate professor for
Kyoto University. The article is peer reviewed and has the sources listed.
Thorne, Steven L., Ingrid Fischer, and Xiaofei Lu. "The Semiotic Ecology And Linguistic
Complexity Of An Online Game World." Recall 24.3 (2012): 279-301. Onesearch. Print.
Multiplayer online games form complex semantic ecologies that include game-generated
texts and websites that support communication inside and outside the game. Text is very
important in online games as they facilitate knowledge and give meaning to the actions of
players, and their surroundings. Texts of online games are complex linguistically as texts
contain lexical sophistication, lexical diversity, syntactic complexity, and readability
(Thorne 2012). Understanding the specific terminology is vital, as members in the
community use lexis in order to expedite the exchange of knowledge.
Within the second language development research, the studies have described the
importance of linguistic structures, vocabulary, and genre-specific text conventions as
vital as they are key components in online game worlds (Thorne 2012). Texts are highly
relevant to the actions, decisions, and problem-solving that players face when they play
online games. The relationship between the organism (player) and the environment is
what makes online games so complex, as real time communication is mixed with the
complexity of the linguistics (Thorne 2012). Genres in online video games, whether in
game or externally, are the backbone that holds the entire community together. Thorne is
a professor at Portland State University. The article has the sources listed and is peer
reviewed.
Valkrin S3/S4 Challenger Jungle, Mid, and Support Main New Stream schedule 10am6pm EST . Web. 18/9/2014.
Valkrin is a former professional League of Legends player. He is an expert in the field
and has a lot of knowledge about the game. This stream was showing how to effectively
play the jungle role in the game, and how to communicate with your team in order to win.
Valkrin focuses on helping people improve their League of legends play style. People
watching the game can ask questions and he will try to answer some of them. The chat
system in the stream can be used to communicate with other people watching and you
can see what they are saying about his opinions, play style, and their interpretations.

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Watching an analysis commentated by an expert in the field is very useful in learning

how to understand how to adapt and conform your play style into a more effective one.
Worlds Group Stage1 Day1. Riot Games. 18/9/2014. Web. 18/9/2014.
This was a broadcast game between Star Horn Royal Club (SHRC) and Team SoloMid
(TSM). The broadcasters analyzed and commented on the gameplay of both teams, and
gave their own opinions. They analyzed how the communication on both teams led to a
one sided battle as one team was able to gather more information, and work better as a
team. The ping system that provides an audible and visual signal was a form of
communication that was used a great deal, and ended up giving one team the advantage
as they had more vision on the enemy team, and gave them the edge they needed to take
advantage of the enemy teams lack of organization and communication. The information
is reliable is sponsored from Riot Games, the company behind League of Legends.
Dignitas Imaqtpie - ADC king imaqtpie, Top 20 Now Going For That Rank 1. Come get TURNT
UP With The Boys As I Grind My Life Away. 25/9/2014. Web.
Imaqtpie is a professional League of Legends player that is a member of the professional
gaming team named Team Dignitas. Imaqtpie is currently in the top 20 players of the
North American server and is an active streamer that adds his commentary of his
gameplay and the gameplay of others. Imaqtpie voices his opinions; however they are
backed up by his own research of items, and updates on the game. Other professional
players respect his opinions and usually support his opinions and actions. Tens of
thousands of people watch him on a daily basis to try to expand their knowledge and
mechanical gameplay. Imaqtpie is a Marksman and his gameplay is helpful in learning
how to play one of the five roles in the game. The stream also includes a chat function
where people can ask questions, and commentate on the stream.