Research Log #1

Name: John Doe

Date: March 7, 2017
EQ: Should Hawaii institute the death penalty?

Three Points to Prove: #1: The death penalty is not a deterrent to crime.
#2: The death penalty is inhumane.
#3: The death penalty is not cost effective.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Point that this Source/Information Proves: # 1: The death penalty is not a deterrent of crime.

Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove):

“When the smaller crimes go down--the quality of life crimes--then the murder rate goes down,” Mr. Carlisle said.

“We haven’t had the death penalty, but we have one of the lowest murder rates in the country,” he said. “The F.B.I.
statistics for 1998 showed Hawaii’s homicide rate was the fifth lowest.”

“At Michigan’s constitutional convention in 1961, the delegates heard arguments that the death penalty was not a
deterrent, that those executed were usually the poor and disadvantaged, and that innocent people had been sentenced to
death.”

“Culture and religion play a role, as well as political vagaries in each state.”

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?):

This website provides arguments against capital punishment. The author suggests the death penalty is not a
deterrent to crime. Surprisingly, the homicide rates of several different states that do not have the death penalty are
actually lower than those with the death penalty. Hawaii is one of these states. There are quotes from judges, governors,
and the prosecuting attorney from Hawaii, Peter Carlisle. Carlisle makes a reference to the Bryan Uyesugi case – where
the defendant shot seven of his co-workers at the Xerox copy machine company.
There is specific evidence against the death penalty that indicates it is not a deterrent to crime. For example, even
without the death penalty, Hawaii has the fifth lowest homicide rate in the nation. This proves, at least to some degree,
that a state without the death penalty can thrive as one of the safest states in the nation. Along these same lines of
reasoning, homicide rates in the states that do have the death penalty are still high, such as Texas and California. This
indicates that the death penalty doesn’t necessarily deter crime. To ground this in more specific data, the NY Times found
that during the last twenty years, the homicide rate in states with the death penalty has been 48% to 101% higher than
states without the death penalty!
Culture, religion, politics, and the overall ideologies that dominate a community influence whether the death
penalty will remain law. In more conservative states, the death penalty is more prevalent. Interestingly, at Michigan’s
constitutional convention in the 1960s, some argued that those who were executed were predominantly poor and of racial
minorities. If valid, this is concerning as it indicates corruption in the system (a system that can end life). If the death
penalty remains, more efforts must be taken to ensure the quality and fairness of the justice system through which they
will be punished.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

Bonner, Raymond and Ford Fessenden. “States With No Death Penalty Share Lower Homicide Rates.” The New York
Times. The New York Times. 22 September 2000. Web. 4 Jan 2004.

I am assuming that this is a reputable and reliable article because it was published in The New York Times Magazine.
 Research Log #1

Name: Cole Caberto

Date: 9/12/17
EQ: How do videogames affect players?

Four Points to Prove: #1: Videogames can help improve certain life skills.
#2: Videogames can help improve coordination.
#3: Videogames can be addicting.
#4: Videogames can increase aggression.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Point that this Source/Information Proves: #1: Videogames help improve certain life skills.

Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove):

“Research by Matthew Barr, a lecturer in Information Studies, shows that playing video games actually improved student
communication skills, resourcefulness and adaptability and may have a role to play in higher education,” the article said.

"The findings suggest that such game-based learning interventions have a role to play in higher education. Graduate
attributes are those generic skills such as problem solving, communication, resourcefulness or adaptability which are
considered desirable in graduates, particularly where employability is concerned,” Mr. Barr said.

“The intervention group played specified video games under controlled conditions over an eight-week period and they
showed improvements in communication, adaptability, and resourcefulness scales compared to the control group. This
supported the hypothesis that playing video games can improve self-reported graduate skills,” the article said.

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?):

This article provides some evidence of video games positively affecting certain life skills. The article details
research done by Matthew Barr, a lecturer at the University of Glasgow, that links the playing of video games to improved
student communication skills, resourcefulness, and the ability to adapt, which are all desirable skills to future employers.
The article details the procedures and results of the research done by Matthew Barr, showing a link to improved skills.
Through the research conducted by Matthew Barr, the group of students who played video games over an eight
week showed an improvement of skills compared to the control group. This research was conducted using commercial
games such as Team Fortress 2, Portal 2, and other titles that are mainly intended for entertainment, not education.
Although this research is fairly recent, being written in July of this year, this research shows the possibility of the
use of games in education, by possibility of creating interactive games that may help improve other skills. However, this
study was created in a controlled environment, and only for a period of eight weeks. I would like to know more about the
effects possibly outside of these controlled conditions, and possibly long-term video game effects over longer periods
such as a year or more. I hope this study is continued, possibly for longer periods to further understand the effects of
videogames on players.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

"Video Games Linked to Academic Achievement." Glasgow South & Eastwood Extra (Scotland),
05 June 2017. Web. 13 Sep 2017.

I assume this is reliable because it is from EBSO, and is from Glasgow University, which is a university in Scotland.
 Research Log #2

Name: Cole Caberto

Date: 9/21/17
EQ: How do videogames affect players?

Four Points to Prove: #1: Videogames can help improve certain life skills.
#2: Videogames can help improve coordination.
#3: Videogames can be addicting.
#4: Videogames can increase aggression
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Point that this Source/Information Proves: #3: Videogames can be addicting.

Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove):

“Elliott Rosenbaum, a clinical psychologist in Jacksonville, estimates he’s dealt with about 100 cases of video game
addiction in his seven years of practice. Of those, ‘about 9.9 out of 10” have involved males in their teens or early 20s,’”
the article said.

“Video games play to the next three [motivations] … social needs, esteem needs and self-actualization—essentially,
fulfilling your potential. They give the user satisfaction in all three levels,” Rosenbaum said.

“The signs of video game addiction, according to video-game-addiction.org, an educational website sponsored by CRC
Health Group, which helps people overcome addiction and related issues: falling asleep in school, falling behind with
assignments, worsening grades, lying about video game use, choosing to play video games rather than see friends,
dropping out of other social groups (clubs or sports) and being irritable when not playing a video game,” the article said.

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?):

This article talks about video game addiction, the definition of the addiction, a common demographic in those
who had the addiction, and sheds some details on how players may become addicted. The article first starts with how
games draw people to play the and possibly addicted, which basically are three of the basic motivations, which are social
needs, esteem need and self-actualization, and how these give you satisfaction and could lead to addiction. The article also
offers a perspective from a psychologist, Elliott Rosenbaum, who said that the majority of video game addiction cases
where males in their teens or early 20s, which happens to be my demographic.
The article then details the definition of video game addiction, and says that someone spending 24 to 30 hours a
week playing video games could possibly be an addict, the signs of addiction, and why teenage boys are more susceptible
to video game addiction. The psychologists then detail that rather than parents taking away video games from children,
parents should collaborate with their children, and possibly redirect their passion for gaming to other real-life passions.
The article closes stating that although video game addiction is bad, it is the least dangerous addiction.
This article offers some good insight and information on video game addiction, signs of the addiction, and
recovery. I personally am affected by this, as I play video games frequently. However, I don’t play as much as I used to,
which was about 24 hours a week at a time. The article’s statistic about the primary demographic of teenage males being
addicted to video games did not surprise, as many video games are targeted towards this demographic and often gets them
hooked. I personally agreed with the method of recovery mentioned by the psychologists, as I feel taking away electronics
does not stop the addiction, but rather makes the player more tempted to play a game once their punishment is over.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

Crumpler, David. "Hooked on Video Games, the Gift That Keeps on Giving." Florida Times-Union, the
(Jacksonville, FL), 22 Dec. 2013. Web. 21 Sep. 2017

I assume this is reliable because it is from EBSCO, and features some experts in psychology that have worked on video
game addiction before.
 Research Log #3

Name: Cole Caberto

Date: 9/22/17
EQ: How do videogames affect players?

Four Points to Prove: #1: Videogames can help improve certain life skills.
#2: Videogames can help improve coordination.
#3: Videogames can be addicting.
#4: Videogames can increase aggression.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Point that this Source/Information Proves: #3: Videogames can be addicting.

Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove):

The article states: “A 32-year-old man was found dead in an Internet cafe in Taiwan after a marathon three-day gaming
binge, the island's second death of an online gamer this year” (CNN).

“Police said gamers in the café continued as if nothing happened even when the police and paramedics arrived” (CNN),
the article said.

“According to the Taipei Times, the man was a ‘regular customer’ who often played for consecutive days” (CNN), the
article stated.

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?):

This article is from CNN, and details the death of a man from Taiwan surnamed Hsieh, during a three-day gaming
session at a internet café. The man was found dead by an employee, still seated at the table he was gaming at. His cause of
death was cardiac arrest, with the cold-temperatures of the café and exhaustion likely contributed to his death. The man
was reported to be a frequent customer of the café, who would often play for several days and often fell asleep in his
chair. Gamers even continued gaming as though nothing happened even when police came to check the body.
This article proves the dangers of video game addiction, and how it can lead down to health problems and later
death. When I was initially searching for video game addiction, I stumble across a number of video game related deaths. I
previously heard about deaths in internet cafes, and wanted to research further into them, as I was curious about why they
died. The title of the article initially shocked me, as three days of gaming seemed like a ridiculous amount of time to me.
What really shocked me about the article was the fact that the other gamers of the café did not even notice that the victim
had died, and even when the police came to collect the body, they just continued as if nothing happened. This shocked me,
as normally people often react to the sight of a dead or unresponsive person, often checking them to see if they are alright.
But these gamers sicken me, as they keep on gaming as though nothing happened. This is just one of many articles out
there detailing video game related deaths, and I hope there less deaths of this nature in the future.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

Hunt, Katie. "Man Dies After 3-day Internet Gaming Binge." CNN. CNN, 19 Jan. 2015. Web. 25 Sept. 2017.

I assume this is reliable because it is from CNN, a well-known news site.

 Research Log #4

Name: Cole Caberto

Date: 10/1/17
EQ: How do videogames affect players?

Four Points to Prove: #1: Videogames can help improve certain life skills.
#2: Videogames can help improve coordination.
#3: Videogames can be addicting.
#4: Videogames can increase aggression.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Point that this Source/Information Proves: #4: Videogames can increase aggression.

Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove):

The article states: “Violent video game play is linked to increased aggression in players but insufficient evidence exists
about whether the link extends to criminal violence or delinquency” (APA).

According to the report released by APA Task Force on Violent Media, “The research demonstrates a consistent relation
between violent video game use and increases in aggressive behavior, aggressive cognitions and aggressive affect, and
decreases in prosocial behavior, empathy and sensitivity to aggression” (APA).

“‘No single risk factor consistently leads a person to act aggressively or violently,’ the report states. ‘Rather, it is the
accumulation of risk factors that tends to lead to aggressive or violent behavior. The research reviewed here demonstrates
that violent video game use is one such risk factor’” (APA), the article states.

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?):

This article is from the APA, which is known as the American Psychological Association. The article details
about research that has linked video games as a factor of increased aggression, but insufficient evidence about whether
that aggression goes to crime or delinquency. The research was collected by the APA Task Force on Violent Media,
which is headed by chair Mark Appelbaum, PhD. The APA also urged the video gaming industry that include parental
control over violence, and for a rework of the ESRB, which is also known as the Entertainment Software Rating Board.
The task force then goes on to identify several limitations of the research, which are failure to look for differences
in outcomes between boys and girls who play violent video games, effects on children younger than 10; and the scarce
amount of research on the effects of video games on development. The research occurred between 2005 and 2013.
This article is very enlightening, and sheds some light into the fact that video games increase aggression. The
article provided much evidence of increased aggression. However, I want to know what other factors that could have
played into increasing aggression besides video games, and what video games were used in the research. I found it
interesting that the scientists could find a link between playing video games and aggression, but not enough evidence to
link video games and crime, as there could be multiple different factors involved.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

APA. "APA Review Confirms Link Between Playing Violent Video Games and Aggression."
Http://www.apa.org. APA, 13 Aug. 2015. Web. 1 Oct. 2017.

I assume this is reliable because it is from the APA, or American Psychological Association, and features the work of
several PhD holders.
 Research Log #5

Name: Cole Caberto

Date: 10/9/17
EQ: How do videogames affect players?

Four Points to Prove: #1: Videogames can help improve certain life skills.
#2: Videogames can help improve coordination.
#3: Videogames can be addicting.
#4: Videogames can increase aggression.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Point that this Source/Information Proves: #2: Videogames can help improve coordination.

Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove):

Daphne Bavelier, the TED Talk presenter said: “But I'm going to argue that in reasonable doses, actually the very game I
showed you at the beginning, those action-packed shooter games have quite powerful effects and positive effects on many
different aspects of our behavior” (Bavelier)

“Their [those who play action games] vision is really, really good. It's better than those that don't play. And it's better in
two different ways. The first way is that they're actually able to resolve small detail in the context of clutter, and though
that means being able to read the fine print on a prescription rather than using magnifier glasses, you can actually do it
with just your eyesight. The other way that they are better is actually being able to resolve different levels of gray.
Imagine you're driving in a fog. That makes a difference between seeing the car in front of you and avoiding the accident,
or getting into an accident” (Bavelier), Bavelier states.

“Actually, those action video game players have many other advantages in terms of attention, and one aspect of attention
which is also improved for the better is our ability to track objects around in the world” (Bavelier), Bavelier states.

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?):

This video is a TED talk from Daphne Bavelier, a professor at the University of Geneva, who studies cognitive
neuroscience. In this TED talk, Bavelier talks about how in moderation, video games can be beneficial in improving
coordination and other skills. Bavelier first talks about the statistics of how much video games are played, and that many
children, young adults, and even older adults play much video games. She also talks about how in the first month alone,
Call of Duty Black ops was played for a total of 68,000 years worldwide, which is a large amount of time. She then
transitions into the effects of playing action video games, one of which is improvement in certain aspects of vision.
Bavelier, through her research, has discovered that action video game players have better vision in certain aspects.
These aspects include making out small details in clutter, and the ability to make out different levels of grey. She then
transitions into how action video game players have better tracking of multiple objects, and that they are good at
switching from one task to another.
This video was very interesting, and provides some insight into some ways that video games in moderation, can
improve coordination. It provided several ways that playing video games can improve coordination, such as vision,
attention, and multi-tasking. However, these were only shown in moderation, and in lab controlled environments. With
further research, I would like to know what the effects of long term video gaming on the player, and outside of controlled
environments, as that interests me in several ways. I hope that I can continue to find new and interesting articles and video
for my research that further details the effects.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

"Daphne Bavelier: Your Brain on Video Games | TED Talk." TED: Ideas Worth Spreading.
TED Conferences LLC, June 2012. Web. 9 Oct. 2017.

I assume this is reliable because it is a TED talk from a cognitive researcher and professor.
 Research Log #6

Name: Cole Caberto

Date: 1/8/17
EQ: How do videogames affect players?

Four Points to Prove: #1: Videogames can help improve certain life skills.
#2: Videogames can help improve coordination.
#3: Videogames can be addicting.
#4: Videogames can increase aggression.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Point that this Source/Information Proves: #1: Videogames help improve certain life skills.

Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove):

The article states: “Playing an antisocial video game evokes aggressive thoughts, which in turn elicit aggressive action.
Likewise, it is conceivable that an increased accessibility of prosocial thoughts accounts for the effect of exposure to
prosocial video games on prosocial behavior” (Greitemeyer & Osswald).

According to the article: “In one of [Greitmeyer’s] studies, participants were asked to list all ideas they were thinking
about while they played the video game. As expected, participants who had played a prosocial video game listed more
prosocial thoughts than participants who had played a neutral video game. This increased accessibility of prosocial
thoughts then accounted for the effect of video game condition on prosocial behavior” (Greitemeyer & Osswaldy).

The articles states: “Participants who had played a prosocial video game responded faster to prosocial target words than to
neutral words or non-words… In contrast, participants who had played a neutral video game responded faster to neutral
target words than to prosocial words or non-words” (Greitemeyer & Osswald).

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?):

This article is a peer reviewed article from EBSCO by a social psychology professor and a Post Doc who both did
research on the effects on prosocial videogames on prosocial thoughts through priming, which is basically when exposed
to a stimulus, that stimulus may influence a response to another stimulus in the future. They tested this by having the
subjects play a neutral and prosocial game, in this case Tetris for neutral, and Lemmings for the prosocial game. They
then proceeded to test the subjects reactions to certain neutral or prosocial words, and found that those who played the
neutral game reacted faster to the neutral words, while those who played the prosocial game reacted faster to the prosocial
words.
This article is interesting in that it provides insight to how video games can affect thoughts in a positive way,
rather than aggression, a topic that is scarcely researched. This article brings up psychology aspects also, with priming
being one of the major points. The article shows that priming is not limited to videogames, and can also occur when
listening to music and other forms of media.
Overall, this article was interesting and provided insight into how positive, prosocial games can influence
prosocial thoughts, and how videogames can prime thoughts, either prosocially or increasing aggressive thoughts. I
personally find psychology fascinating in that when you are presented with something can influence how you react to
future items interests me. But I am confused about why this happens, which I think warrants further examination by future
researchers. I hope more research is done to discover new ways on how videogames can affect players in positive ways.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

Greitemeyer, Tobias and Silvia Osswald. "Playing Prosocial Video Games Increases the Accessibility of Prosocial
Thoughts." Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 151, no. 2, Apr. 2011, pp. 121-128. EBSCOhost,
doi:10.1080/00224540903365588.

I assume this article is reliable because it is from EBSO, and was categorized as peer reviewed, and was cowritten by a
professor and Post Doc.
 Research Log #7

Name: Cole Caberto

Date: 1/8/17
EQ: How do videogames affect players?

Four Points to Prove: #1: Videogames can help improve certain life skills.
#2: Videogames can help improve coordination.
#3: Videogames can be addicting.
#4: Videogames can increase aggression.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Point that this Source/Information Proves: #2: Videogames can help improve coordination.

Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove)

According to the article: “A new study fills the bill by showing that heavy video game play is associated with greater
“cortical thickness” – a neuroscience term meaning greater density in specific brain areas” (Forbes).

The article states, “What they found is that the brains of adolescents that spent the most time playing video games showed
greater cortical thickness in two brain areas: the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the left frontal eye field
(FEF)” (Forbes).

“While this study doesn’t quite show that playing hours of video games each week causes these brain areas to grow
thicker, the correlation is strong – strong enough to consider the possibility that gaming is sort of like weight lifting for the
brain” (Forbes), the article states.

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?):

This article is an article from Forbes, discussing a study that was done showing a correlation between playing
videogames and greater cortical thickness in areas that are used for higher order thinking, decision making, and hand-eye
coordination. These two areas are the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and left frontal eye field (FEF).
Together these two areas are crucial in our brain’s decision making-system, with greater thickness in these areas leading
to a great ability to juggle multiple variables and the implications, both long-term and short-term.
This article interests me, as I have always wondered if playing videogames somehow affects a player’s brain
physically and not just mentally. Although not causation, this article shows a strong correlation between playing video
games and improvement in certain areas in the brain, which govern decision making and coordination. I am personally
interested, as I of course play video games, and wondered if they have helped in some way. With further research, I
believe that the link between playing video games and improved coordination will be further strengthened.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

DiSalvo, David. "The Surprising Connection Between Playing Video Games And A Thicker Brain." Forbes.
N.p., 6 Apr. 2014. Web. 8 Jan. 2018.

I assume this article is reliable as it comes from Forbes, a business magazine.

 Research Log #8

Name: Cole Caberto

Date: 1/8/17
EQ: How do videogames affect players?

Four Points to Prove: #1: Videogames can help improve certain life skills.
#2: Videogames can help improve coordination.
#3: Videogames can be addicting.
#4: Videogames can increase aggression.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Point that this Source/Information Proves: #4: Videogames can increase aggression.

Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove)

According to the article: “Researchers in Germany used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on long-term
players of violent video games and found that they had the same neural response to emotionally provocative images as
non-gamers. This finding suggests that empathy is not blunted by playing such games long-term” (Frontiers).

The article states: “The link between violent media, such as violent movies and video games, and real-life aggression and
violence, has been discussed and analyzed since these types of media have existed. Some of this has taken the form of
tabloid hysteria, but this question has also been addressed by numerous scientific studies. Previous studies have shown
that people who play violent video games can be desensitized towards emotional stimuli (such as violence), and show
decreased empathy, and increased aggression” (Frontiers).

“The psychological questionnaire revealed no differences in measures of aggression and empathy between gamers and
non-gamers. This finding was backed up by the fMRI data, which demonstrated that both gamers and non-gamers had
similar neural responses to the emotionally provocative images. These results surprised the researchers, as they were
contrary to their initial hypothesis, and suggest that any negative effects of violent video games on perception or behavior
may be short-lived” (Frontiers), the article stated.

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?):

This article details a surprising recent showing that aggression caused by video games is short-term, and that the
increase in aggression is not long-term. The article first goes into detail on the background in the research on the subject,
in which studies in the past studied the short-term effects of video games on aggression rather than long-term effects.
They tested this with all male gamers, whom have played at least two hours daily for the previous four years. They were
then compared with control subjects whom did not have any experience with games. The gamers where then test with
MRI scanners, which showed that the tests did not show a difference between those who played video games and those
who did not.
This article was very interesting in that a new study proves that aggression does increase after playing video
games, however it is not long-term. This article provided information that supported that video games caused aggression,
but only in short-term. Although this article provided that information, I believe that it warrants further research, as I think
the researcher should use different genres of games, rather than just one in their research.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

Frontiers Communications. "Violent Video Games Found Not to Affect Empathy – Science & Research News |
Frontiers | Open-access Publisher." Science & Research News | Frontiers | Open-access Publisher. N.p.,
9 Mar. 2017. Web. 9 Jan. 2018.

I assume this article is reliable, as it details a recent study that has gone through thorough checking.
 Research Log #9

Name: Cole Caberto

Date: 1/10/17
EQ: How do videogames affect players?

Four Points to Prove: #1: Videogames can help improve certain life skills.
#2: Videogames can help improve coordination.
#3: Videogames can be addicting.
#4: Videogames can increase aggression.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Point that this Source/Information Proves: #4: Videogames can increase aggression.

Excerpts (These should provide insight into the Point to Prove)

According to the article: “South Korean police have arrested a couple for starving their three-month-old daughter to death
while they devoted hours to playing a computer game that involved raising a virtual character of a young girl” (The
Guardian).

The article states. “The 41-year-old man and 25-year-old woman, who met through a chat website, reportedly left their
infant unattended while they went to internet cafes. They only occasionally dropped by to feed her powdered milk” (The
Guardian).

“According to the Yonhap news agency, South Korean police said the couple had become obsessed with raising a virtual
girl called Anima in the popular role-playing game Prius Online. The game, similar to Second Life, allows players to
create another existence for themselves in a virtual world, including getting a job, interacting with other users and earning
an extra avatar to nurture once they reach a certain level” (The Guardian).

Analysis (How does this source support the Point to Prove?):

This article was a shocking and insightful article on the dangers of being addicted to video games, and how it can
lead to addictive and obsessive behavior. The article is about a Korean couple who, rather than take care of their actual
child, decided to take care of a virtual child in a game. The game was called Prius Online, which allowed players to create
an avatar for themselves, get a job, interact with other players, and even gain another avatar to care for after they reached
a certain level. This caused the death of the infant and the arrest of the couple for neglect. The article also shows other
incidents involving gaming addiction, including murder, and death while playing a video game for many hours.
The article was an interesting read, which helped support my point that video games can be addicting. My
question is why? Why would this couple throw away the life of their innocent child just to raise a virtual character? You
have a child at home, which comes with much responsibility. So why have them in the first place? My only hope is that
there are fewer incidents like this in the future.

Work Cited (correct MLA format):

Tran, Mark. "Girl Starved to Death While Parents Raised Virtual Child in Online Game | World News | The Guardian."
The Guardian. N.p., 5 Mar. 2010. Web. 10 Jan. 2018.

I assume this article is reliable, as it comes from The Guardian, a well known news site.