Having read Michaela Cullington’s “Texting and Writing,” I hold a different perspective from her. According to Cullington, texting does not affect students’ writing skills. Nevertheless, I am of the opinion that textspeak, which involves shortening and abbreviating words in text messages, does have an impact on students’ writing style. Frequently, they incorporate these abbreviations into their written work resulting in a deficiency of punctuation.
Repeated use of excessive abbreviations by a writer can become ingrained in their thinking, causing them to incorporate these abbreviations into all their writings. Cullington presents valid arguments supporting texting and its impact on writing, but I disagree and believe that texting and the use of textspeak can hinder students’ writing abilities. While texting may be enjoyable and efficient for communication with friends, teachers generally discourage it. Academic papers should adhere to proper spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
Textspeak is a form of communication that doesn’t follow traditional spelling and grammar rules. Smartphones often automatically fix spelling errors, and abbreviations are frequently used by writers. Grammar rules are often ignored, and capital letters aren’t given priority in order to save time and keep messages short. Punctuation marks are often left out as writers tend to use fragmented sentences without commas, semicolons, question marks, or other punctuation marks. Text messages don’t need to adhere to the same standards as academic papers.
According to Michaela Cullinton, sources such as USA Today, Jacquie Ream and Naomi Baron all agree on the negative impact of texting on academic writing. Jacquie Ream, a teacher and author of K. I. S. S. -Keep it Short and Simple, expressed her concerns in her book, stating that “We have a whole generation being raised without communication skills.” I share Ream’s view that our generation no longer communicates in the same way as past centuries. Nowadays, people of all ages are familiar with text messages, emails, and instant messages, which often lead to acronyms and shorthand usage, contributing to poor grammar skills among students.
One common abbreviation that is widely used is ‘LOL’, meaning laugh out loud. However, using such abbreviations is not appropriate in academic writing. It is important for today’s generation to be more mindful of their writing skills, ensuring correct spelling and avoiding the use of acronyms to condense their ideas. In her article “Learning the Language,” Perri Klass discusses how certain professions necessitate the use of abbreviations, which is one of the few instances where it is deemed acceptable.
Abbreviations can be useful and a convenient way to write a few words in just a few letters. However, teachers dislike abbreviations because the writer often assumes that the reader knows the meaning of each acronym. Instead, the paper should be an enjoyable read and not a confusing puzzle. When writing a paper for school, teachers do not approve of using abbreviations and acronyms. The writer should take the time to write out each word correctly. Michaela Cullington disagrees and believes that texting and textspeak does not hinder writing, but I disagree with her perspective.
After reading other writers’ papers and observing the use of text speak, as well as having personal experience with texting and its impact on my own writing, I firmly disagree with Cullington’s claim that texting does not influence a student’s writing. In my everyday communication through text messaging, I often rely on shorthand and abbreviations. Unfortunately, this habit has negatively affected various aspects of my writing, such as note-taking and composing academic papers. Even when trying to be mindful, I struggle to resist shortening words while writing. Therefore, based on both my personal experience and others’ perspectives, it is clear that texting undeniably affects a student’s writing abilities.
