Paper thesis

Question: Is texting, lolcats, or other forms of online communication harming or improving people's ability to communicate in writing or in speech?

Thesis: Texting, lolcats, and other forms of online communication can enhance the quantity and variety of people to talk to and does not affect their literacy and formal writing skills.

Abbreviations, alternative words and symbols are often used in text and over the internet as a way for people to send a message in a shorter space. Abbreviating has been used for decades, and thus is not a new language, therefore the abbreviation of words over text will not influence a persons literacy and formal writing. Many argue that text affects children's spelling in school but one must first learn how to spell before they begin texting, therefore texting can not be the cause of bad spelling. Texting also provides people with another form of communication through reading and writing and could possibly improve literacy, rather than harm ones writing skills. "In a typical text, less than 10% of the words are abbreviated" (Dansieh, 2011). Texting and online communication provide us with a greater quantity and variety of people to talk to along with improving our literacy skills as texting is constant reading and writing practice.

Dansieh, S. A. (2011). SMS texting and its potential impacts on students' written communication skills. International Journal of English Linguistics, 1(2), 222-229. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1045843399?accountid=1343