Play with Purpose: A Heuristic Approach to Evaluating Tabletop Serious Games for Academic Integrity Education

This article introduces a heuristic evaluation of CiteSaga, a tabletop serious game designed to enhance skills in referencing and citation, crucial for academic writing in higher education. We detail the application and outcomes of a novel heuristic evaluation framework tailored for tabletop serious games, dubbed "Play with Purpose." This framework is distinguished by its focus on eight essential categories: Learning Experience, Utility, Game Features, Social Dynamics, Adaptability, Learning and Feedback, Play Experience, and Accessibility, marking a significant contribution to the evaluation of non-digital game-based learning tools. Furthermore, we delve into the insights gained from participatory design sessions with students, aimed at evaluating CiteSaga's component appeal and game mechanics. The paper culminates in a discussion on how student feedback has informed subsequent iterations of CiteSaga, underscoring the critical role of heuristic evaluations in refining game-based learning experiences. Our findings not only advance understanding of empirical evaluation methodologies for tabletop serious games but also provide a valuable framework for future research and development in educational game design.