Two university dons have warned students against using the Short Message Service style (abbreviations) commonly used on social media in formal writings.
The dons said that the trend had become widespread and the style commonly used among students, who patronise social media, often.
According to them, the trend has been affecting the writing skills of students to the extent that they even use the SMS ‘shorthand’ style in formal writings and in answering questions in examinations.
A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, said he had so many cases of graduates who he asked to draft letters, but couldn’t do so effectively without making a recourse to the use of the SMS ‘shorthand’ style.
Ibidapo-Obe, therefore, admonished students to always differentiate between a chat and a formal writing.
He said, “When we ask graduates to do a report or draft a letter, there will be a lot of problem. The new communication tools are the major causes of this shorthand and we cannot do without technology. Students should be aware that when you do a formal writing, you should write formally and not in a chat form. You do not communicate formally using shorthand.
“This is part of the effect of technology, because this shorthand was not like this then. Ideally, in those days when you are taking note, they do not use it.”
Commenting on the effect of this, he said, “It lowers the standard of education and reduces effectiveness of those who are employing them. This should be discouraged. Good teaching can help students; teachers should teach them properly. For every word, there are similar words, instead of abbreviating. We need to teach them more.”
Similarly, a lecturer in the Department of English at the University of Uyo, Dr. Bassey Ufot, cautioned students over the matter.
“The use of phones and other gadgets is the major reason for shorthand. The need for students to chat and use abbreviations has caused this trend. When I was still in secondary school teaching, these gadgets were just coming in. So, there was nothing like that.
Students should take note,” Ufot said.
