THE IMPACT OF DIGITAL MEDIA ON THE WRITING CULTURE OF UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES IN DELTA STATE NIGERIA

In recent years, the widespread use of digital media has significantly transformed how university students communicate, learn, and express ideas. While digital platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook have enhanced information sharing and connectivity, concerns have emerged about their influence on students' wvriting culture and academic performance. This study examined the impact of digital media on the writing culture of undergraduate students in public universities in Delta State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and was conducted in selected universities, including Delta State University, Abraka, and the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from a sample of 398 respondents, selected through a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations with the aid of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Findings revealed that WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook are the most frequently used platforms, with most students spending between one and six hours daily online. While digital media facilitates learning, vocabulary development, and collaboration, it also promotes informal writing styles, spelling errors, and reduced originality. The study concludes that digitalmedia exerts both constructive and disruptive effects on students' writing practices. It recommends integrating digital literacy and academic writing training into university curricula, organizing workshops on formal writing, promoting plagiarism detection tools, and improving access to scholarly digital resources to enhance responsible digital engagement. Keywords: Digital media, writing culture, undergraduates, public universities, Delta State.