Influence of neography present in digital memes on the spelling of university students

Abstract

Introduction: This study analyzes the relationship between neography in digital memes and the spelling of university students within the context of contemporary digital communication, in which the frequent use of social media has transformed academic and everyday writing practices through the incorporation of new forms of linguistic expression. Objective: To analyze the relationship between neography in digital memes and the spelling of university students during the 2025–2026 academic period by identifying the main neographic features used in digital communication and describing students' perceptions of their presence in academic and everyday writing practices. Methodology: The research was conducted using a quantitative approach, with a descriptive design and the hypothetical-deductive method. Data were collected through a survey using a structured questionnaire composed of closed-ended questions. The population consisted of 120 university students, and since all participants were accessible, a census sample of 120 students was used. The collected data were organized and analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, to describe the neographic features present in digital communication and students' perceptions of their relationship with spelling. Results: The findings revealed that the most common neographic features in digital communication were the use of emojis and symbols (40%; n = 48), omission of accent marks (24%; n = 29), abbreviations (20%; n = 24), and letter substitution (16%; n = 19). In addition, 70% of the participants (n = 84) reported that they believe social media and digital memes are related to their academic and everyday writing practices, encouraging the use of simplified writing forms in digital environments. Conclusions: It is concluded that the neographic features found in digital memes are part of university students' regular communication practices and are perceived by them as being related to the way they write in both academic and everyday contexts. The study provides descriptive evidence of the relationship between digital neography and spelling, contributing to the advancement of research in digital linguistics and education. It is recommended that innovative pedagogical strategies be implemented to promote the critical use of digital memes as a teaching resource for strengthening spelling skills. As a limitation, the findings correspond to a specific population of university students; therefore, future research should include different educational contexts and apply inferential statistical analyses to further examine the relationship between these two variables.