Effects of Text-messaging on the Academic Writing of Arab EFL Students

This paper investigates the effect of text-messaging on Arab EFL learners’ English academic writing. It also investigates teachers’ attitudes and reactions to the presence of e-texting features in their students’ writing. Qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis were employed on data obtained from the following sources: (1) a sample of freshman students’ writing, (2) a survey investigating students’ use of e-chatting in Arabic and English, and (3) a questionnaire eliciting teachers’ reactions to students’ use of texting features in academic writing. The data were collected from a student sample of the Arab Open University (AOU). The research findings show that Arab EFL students’ writing does not reveal a heavy use of texting features, which suggests that this phenomenon neither poses a serious threat nor adversely impacts students’ written English

Has the Power of Language been Compromised by the Influence of Social Media?

In discrete linguistic terminology, the power of discourse hinges on hedging together a host of key elements including conversational maxims, speech acts, situational context, reference, pragmatics, and language functions. The main instruments which lend power to these elements feature an elaborate array of lexis, grammar, phonology, and graphology. Another source of power in discourse resides in the personal characteristics of the participants/interlocutors in persuading and reaching out to their audience. In the last decade, however, the pure linguistic influence on discourse has been minimized and challenged by the growing power of social media in shaping and influencing all discourse types.This study investigates the role of social media and its networking websites such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. in influencing discourse. The study builds on the hypothesis that the different modes of social media communication have been effective in determining an individual person’s or a party’s power of discourse. Social media can create an alternative source of power which supports the creation of ideologies, cultural attitudes, and political views.The data for the present study have been compiled from materials and information shared on You Tube, Facebook and other social networking applications. The data have also been drawn from tweets on political, social, cultural, human rights issues, presidential campaigns, recent waves of immigration, etc. The data were analyzed to show how the sharing of social media memes has done the work more efficiently than the most linguistically eloquent discourse

Cell Phone Decision Making: Adolescents’ Perceptions of How and Why They Make the Choice to Text or Call

The primary aim of this study was to examine how and why adolescents make decisions regarding whether to conduct their communication via texting versus calling features of cellular telephones. Individual semistructured qualitative interviews were conducted with 41 adolescents aged 14 to 18 focusing on their use of calling and texting when communicating with friends, parents, and romantic partners. Through grounded theory analysis, a conceptual decision-tree emerged depicting a process of decision making based on communication content, communication partner, and situational limitations. Further analysis indicated that the adolescents consistently perceived texting as easier than calling in ways that were meaningful to their everyday lives. Findings reflect the complex interweaving of logic, personal preference, and concession to social constraints that goes into adolescents’ choices to call versus text

Communication: the lost art

The purpose of this study was to determine if technology, specifically text messaging, has an affect on young adult\u27s face-to-face communication. Technology is improving on a daily basis. This continuous evolution and advancement in technology has paved the way for numerous methods of communication such as texting and social media. Not only has the methods of communication increased, so has the access to these methods become unlimited. This study is important to analyze how individuals are adapting their communication habits to conform with changing technology. A survey was developed and consisted of questions such as the student\u27s age, major, preferred mode of communication, and approximately how many text messages they sent per day. Out of 116 participants 74% preferred to talk on the phone, 23% preferred to talk through text messaging, and 3% preferred to talk in person

Non-Standard Typography Use Over Time: Signs of a Lack of Literacy or Symbolic Capital?

New technologies have provoked a debate regarding the role of non-standard typography (e.g. !!!, :-*). Some contend that new technologies undermine literacy while others state that new technologies provide new spaces for expressive writing and signal a form of symbolic capital. While previous research has primarily focused on age and gender to account for non-standard typography, we analyze socio-economic variables – education and income level and the use of NST over time. This study entertains these two competing hypotheses by analyzing non-standard typography in text message exchanges over three and a half months in an underprivileged population: people living in an urban public housing. Data reveal that, within this sample, use of NST increased over time and participants with higher education levels were more likely to use non-standard typography than less educated counterparts. Experience with texting was found to mediate this effect. Findings support a symbolic capital hypothesis of non-standard typography use, suggesting NST is not associated with stigmatizing lack of knowledge or literacy, but rather may signal the knowledge of discourse norms ascribed to texting in a community

Implications of the family expert role for parental rules regarding adolescent use of social technologies

We conducted individual semi-structured qualitative interviews with a diverse group of 40 adolescents to assess their perceptions related to (a) the location of expert power within their families with respect to social technology use (cell phones and social networking sites) and (b) the implications of such power for parental rule setting and enforcement related to adolescent use of these technologies. Results indicated substantial variability in who adolescents perceived to be the family experts. Rules regarding access to social technologies existed in most families regardless of the technology type and regardless of whether parents or youth were perceived as technology experts. In contrast, family expert status had implications for the types of content rules that parents set regarding adolescents’ use of social technologies and the manner in which such rules were enforced

How Adolescents Use Text Messaging Through their High School Years

Co‐construction theory suggests adolescents use digital communication to address developmental challenges. For a sample of 214 ethnically diverse adolescents, this research used direct observation to investigate the frequency, content, and timing of texting with parents, peers, and romantic partners through grades 9–12. Analyses showed that texting frequency follows a curvilinear trajectory, peaking in eleventh grade. Adolescents discussed a range of topics, predominantly with peers. Communication with parents was less frequent, but consistent over time. Approximately 45‐65% of adolescents communicated with romantic partners, texting heavily and about topics similar to those discussed with peers. Texting may help adolescents navigate key developmental challenges of adolescence—the establishment of autonomy, intimate peer relationships, romantic relationships, and self‐identity

Social Networking and Interpersonal Communication and Conflict Resolution Skills among College Freshmen

Social networking is a current phenomenon that consists of both web-based communication with Internet users through websites and interaction with others via cellular phones. A survey conducted on 2,277 American adults found that 18-24 year olds sent or received an average of 109.5 text messages per day, which works out to be more than 3,200 text messages per month. Further, it was estimated that 713 million people ages 15 or older, which was 14% of the global population, used the Internet in June 2006, with 153 million being in the United States. The purpose of this study at social networking, specifically the activities of texting and use of the social network site (SNS) Facebook, and its impact on communication and conflict resolution skills. Twenty two college freshmen responded to an anonymous survey addressing their daily activities in social networking as well as general attitudes regarding communication and conflict resolution. The findings of this research suggest that individuals consider face-to-face interaction the most effective and preferred means to communicate and resolve conflict with others. However, the results also indicate that individuals participate in daily social networking activities at a higher rate than what has been found in previous studies. Further, participants reported using texting and Facebook to communicate and resolve conflicts in their in everyday life. Future research is necessary and encouraged to examine how social networking relates to the skills of communication and conflict resolution and its impact on interpersonal functioning

Identification Of Differences Between Information Communicated By Text Messaging And Voice Message On Feedback

This study examined the modifying effect of communication via voice or text on a cellular phone as it relates to the effects of feedback on future performance, self-efficacy, and perceived face validity. Previous literature has established an effect of positive feedback enhancing future performance and self-efficacy, and negative feedback decreasing future performance and self-efficacy, but no research currently exists on how this effect can be modified by method of delivery over cellular phone. This study examined the effect of positive and negative feedback by having participants complete self-efficacy, face validity, and performance measures. The participants then received positive or negative feedback via voice or text message on their cellular phones, and then completed a second set of measures. The results of this study did not find the expected base effect of positive and negative feedback, and showed that the forms used by participants had significantly different results. However, using a method to center scores, it was found that receiving feedback by voice significantly increased future performance when feedback was positive, and decreased when feedback was negative, in comparison to receiving the feedback by text. Future research should seek to further validate the results of this study by replicating the findings using equivalent forms. It should also look at demographic factors in relation to this study\u27s findings