Ann N. Amicucci’s article discusses how social media can be a helpful tool for college writers while also cautioning against overreliance. She expresses four things social media Can Teach You About College Writing and One Thing It Can’t explain: the interactions between social media and writing in college form. Amicucci elaborates on how students who engage in social media can foster specific skills transferable to academic writing—for example, audience awareness, conciseness, and the ability to understand content quickly. For instance, she highlights that social media is used to help students better connect with readers in an academic setting. She also speaks on how it can support certain aspects of writing. Amicucci acknowledges that social media cannot replace the need for sustained arguments and skills within college-level writing. It requires more reflection and structured thinking than the everyday fragmented discourse of social media. As we know, social media can be very engaging and a creative tool for writing practice.
Lottridge et al.’s article, The Effects of Chronic Multitasking on Analytical Writing, points out how frequent multitasking with digital technology can impair analytical writing ability. This study shows us that chronic multitaskers can face difficulties constructing complex problems and sustaining focus on single tasks. The constant influx of distractions weakens the brain’s ability to process and retain information, which makes it harder to craft coherent and insightful analyses. Lottridge argues that it interferes with students’ ability to organize and contain information to produce profound, insightful academic writing. A multitasker experiences habits correlated with fragmented thinking and shorter attention spans, which can lead to less cohesive writing. Overall, both articles show a view of digital habits influenced by writing.
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