| The study anchored on both uses and Gratification Theory. The survey research design was adopted. The total number of 175 copies of questionnaire was administered on the four department selected from the four schools (faculties) of the institution. Findings showed that the students used text messaging to derive the benefits of cost effectiveness, sustenance of interpersonal relationship, acquisition of knowledge and ability to use text messaging when unable to make a call among others. It was also found that text messaging encourage; examination malpractices, the use of unrecognized shortenings and abbreviations, laziness to write long essays and letters and non-standard form of writing which makes it difficult to read and understand text messages. The study concluded that errors of spellings, punctuations, and tenses that have been notice in the recent time were largely due to the constants use of abbreviations text messaging by the students. It was, therefore, recommended that spelling skills should be included in secondary school and early part of higher institution’s curriculum, the users of text messaging should be made to be very conscious of spelling, abbreviations and tenses when writing offline and that the students should also be made to understand the concept of audience in communication. |
