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Gracee Veal
Professor Lohmeyer
English 101: Composition
28 Novemeber 2016

Is Texting Decreasing Students Writing Ability?

Texting is the new most common way of communication, but this isnt necessarily a
negative way of communication. Texting is upon one of the most common ways teenagers
communicate with one another. The effects of texting have become a crucial concern to many
people. Some people believe that students ability to write is declining because of texting;
although, after research this assumption may not prove to be true. Texting has no prominent
effect on students ability to write strongly and may adversely be helping with students writing
skills.
Although not all teachers think alike, some of them insist that they are seeing a drastic
plummet in the strength of papers due to students texting habits. There has been various
complaints from teachers who insist emotion, appropriate grammar, and punctuation are lacking
concepts in the students work. (Cullington 362-363). Jaquie Ream, teacher and author of Keep It
Short and Simple claims, We have a whole generation being raised without communication
skills. (Cullington 362). In other words, Ream is suggesting that communication skills are
becoming a challenge for the new generation because the only way they know how to
communicate is through texting. Although, Michaela Cullington, a college student at Marywood
University and author of Does Texting Affect Writing?, contradicts these views by conducting
her own research on the issue.
Research has shown there has not been any noticeable negative effects of texting on
writing. Cullington argues that texting is not affecting writing and may adversely be improving

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how students are writing. She conducted interviews, surveys, and analyzed the work of students
to support her argument. Cullington analyzed the work of twenty students. She looked closely to
find any textspeak, abbreviations, and other slang terms throughout the students papers. In the
twenty students essays, she found absolutely no evidence that texting affected the students
writing technique.
After Cullingtons research, she found that students are not seeing their texting habits
carrying over into their work. Students are in complete agreeance with Cullingtons argument.
Abbreviations such as jk (just kidding), lol (laugh out loud), brb (be right back), and ttyl (talk to
you later) are all commonly used when texting, but these abbreviations are rarely shown in
formal writing. Students realize that textspeak is not appropriate for formal writing. One student
claims that texting has a time and place but should not be used in formal writing. Another student
admits that she has accidently used abbreviations and other text speak in formal writing, but she
always catches the mistake right away. (Cullington 368).
Others research supported Cullington by showing that texting may even be beneficial for
students. In his book, Txting: The Gr8 Db8, David Crystal supports Cullingtons argument.
Crystal believes that students that have trouble with writing get more experience by texting.
Texting is a hobby students enjoy doing and do often, so eventually texting builds their writing
skills. Texting helps students feel confident about their writing. A teacher from Minnesota also
supports Cullingtons argument by explaining that through texting each person finds their
individual voice. Once a writer finds their individual voice, it is easy to express feelings which
will make the story a more effective read for the readers. (Cullington 364).
Controversy over technologies effects on the younger generation remains to be a concern.
Regardless of these concerns the fact remains that whether a student is putting their thoughts on

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paper or writing their thoughts in a text, it is still exercising their writing abilities. With the rapid
change in technology, there is no way to avoid it. The public should not worry about the effects
of texting, but instead continue to encourage students to distinguish when text speak is
acceptable and when it is not acceptable. The main objective is that students abilities while
writing formal papers should never decrease. Although, according to Cullingtons research there
is nothing to fret about, as of now.

Work Cited:
Cullington, Michaela. Does Texting Affect Writing? Graff, Gerald. They Say I Say. Ed.
Cathy Birkenstein and Russel K. Durst. Third ed. New York: W.W NORTON, 2014. 361-371
Print.