Airsoft in a college assignment.

Damo 2k9 · 14-12-2011 6:32pm #1

I have to do a researched report for a college assignment, and I have chose to do it on the sport(hobby?) of airsoft. Do people think this is a bit of a sore subject to write about? I just want to take peoples views on board because the examiner will more than likely see it from the same perspective.
Cheers

Inari · 14-12-2011 8:35pm

I fail to see how it could possibly be a sore subject to write about. Why do you think it would be?

Damo 2k9 · 14-12-2011 8:39pm

As to how how somebody could see the sport in the wrong light, and think its just a few lads with 'pellet guns'. Obviously im not going to put it like that in the report I was just saying.

Puding · 14-12-2011 8:42pm

i do not see it as a 'sore' subject, but i do not see it as a great subject due to the nature of the hobby as people view of grown men running around in a field playing soldiers can take over, we're not the most photogenic past time

it all really comes down to judging your audience and the type of assignment it is, focusing on the large international events in Europe is better than a few guys down the road

swiftblade · 14-12-2011 8:44pm

Getting good credible sources/refrences could be a problem. Is it an academic essay?

Damo 2k9 · 14-12-2011 9:00pm

Puding wrote: »

i do not see it as a 'sore' subject, but i do not see it as a great subject due to the nature of the hobby as people view of grown men running around in a field playing soldiers can take over, we're not the most photogenic past time

it all really comes down to judging your audience and the type of assignment it is, focusing on the large international events in Europe is better than a few guys down the road

I am talking about how airsoft is good as a team building exercise, how it helps encourage young people to get fit if they do not like other sports and stuff like that. Its basically just a report on the sport of airsoft itself, how it started and how it makes jobs with the number of sites and shops. Thanks for the help lads, and I have mentioned the international events along with the national events in ireland

DeBurca · 15-12-2011 7:52pm

Surely it can only be seen in a poor light in you present it in such a fashion
You are the author and so the sole responsibility as to how it is portrayed rests on your shoulders
You can put whatever slant/bias on it that you like, this is called journalism as is done by the media on a daily basis

So should you choose to go ahead with the idea and I think that it could work for you as it is a bit from the main stream which should work in your favour as most would probably have chosen soccer
If you do then please be good to the rest of your fellow airsofters and show us in a good light as honest players and upright citizens who enjoy a sport that generates revenue for the economy and go about the business in a law abiding manner

Personally I say go for it

Damo 2k9 · 15-12-2011 8:02pm

DeBurca wrote: »

Surely it can only be seen in a poor light in you present it in such a fashion
You are the author and so the sole responsibility as to how it is portrayed rests on your shoulders
You can put whatever slant/bias on it that you like, this is called journalism as is done by the media on a daily basis

So should you choose to go ahead with the idea and I think that it could work for you as it is a bit from the main stream which should work in your favour as most would probably have chosen soccer
If you do then please be good to the rest of your fellow airsofters and show us in a good light as honest players and upright citizens who enjoy a sport that generates revenue for the economy and go about the business in a law abiding manner

Personally I say go for it

Cheers DeBurca, I showed both the advantages and disadvantages of the sport to show less bias, and you definitely are right most people did go with soccer so I hope this intrigues the examiner a bit because it is different

Cheers for the help lads

Bemused · 16-12-2011 4:11pm

Damo,

As a working academic I think you are picking something that will likely draw attention - this is actually a good thing. Make sure though to not let your own biases creep in and adopt a critical perspective. Not sure what you are writing this for but make sure you have clarity around a couple of key themes. The literature should help you to illuminate those themes, even if it is not airsoft focused e.g. if you are contrasting young people's experience of airsoft vs competetive sport in how they relate to the adults involved, the literature can not doubt illuminate the latter while your actual data could speak to the former.

Oh and don't waffle.

Puding · 16-12-2011 4:37pm

I think it is also good to be critical of your own hobby. Do not be afraid to highlight the problems and issues with airsoft and the dangers, be critical but offer positives and solutions, this can go over will.

ironclaw · 17-12-2011 7:06pm

swiftblade wrote: »

Getting good credible sources/refrences could be a problem. Is it an academic essay?

I'm not sure what your studying OP or what the exact nature of the report, but if its an academic college piece, you can't just quote "The lads on Boards said" or from "playing a few skirmishes" You need references and again depending on your course / lecturer, you can't use websites such as Boards.ie and Wikipedia.

Personally I would avoid writing about something your heavily involved in. Not that I'm saying Airsoft is a bad topic, but writing about something you are passionate about in a academic setting can spell disaster i.e. You assume the reader is as passionate as you are and omit / skip the details.

As much as it pains me to say it, if your going to write about a sport, maybe write about a more mainstream, developed sport. (And I mean that in terms of references, not diminishing the progress etc of airsoft even in the past 2 years, let alone worldwide)

Lemming · 17-12-2011 11:46pm

ironclaw wrote: »

I'm not sure what your studying OP or what the exact nature of the report, but if its an academic college piece, you can't just quote "The lads on Boards said" or from "playing a few skirmishes" You need references and again depending on your course / lecturer, you can't use websites such as Boards.ie and Wikipedia.

This ^^.

OP, can you answer the above with "I have credible, verifiable citations". If the answer is not a very resolute and convinced 'yes', walk away from the idea.

Damo 2k9 · 18-12-2011 1:19am

Thanks for the replies lads, im in a PLC course so the assignments arent marked as hard as they would in a level 7/8 course, I talked about airsoft because its not the same as the usual football subject and the examiner might be a bit intrigued by it. As I said I talked about the advantages and disadvantages, I didnt show bias towards the sport just because I play it, I did show how it could be seen in a bad light and how it helps create jobs etc.

Again thanks for the replies but this is already handed up, dont worry I didnt describe the sport as old men running around a field and I didnt skip the details

Mr. Tezza · 18-12-2011 3:50am

Damo 2k9 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies lads, im in a PLC course so the assignments arent marked as hard as they would in a level 7/8 course, I talked about airsoft because its not the same as the usual football subject and the examiner might be a bit intrigued by it. As I said I talked about the advantages and disadvantages, I didnt show bias towards the sport just because I play it, I did show how it could be seen in a bad light and how it helps create jobs etc.

Again thanks for the replies but this is already handed up, dont worry I didnt describe the sport as old men running around a field and I didnt skip the details

When will ya kno how u got on and any chance of a copy of the report?

Zomg Okay · 18-12-2011 12:10pm

Yeah, let us know how it worked out for you and we'd love to read it if you don't mind sharing it.

Airsoft in a college assignment.

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