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 IELTS
 JOURNAL 
 
116 
Sample essay 59: 
Computers have changed the way people study. 
What are the advantages and disadvantages of using computers as study aids? 
Advancements in technology have made a significant difference to the way in which people 
are able to learn, and though this is mostly beneficial, there are also some negative aspects 
that will also be considered. 
Beginning with the positive points, the ability to work on assessments and coursework on a 
computer means that work can be saved safely and transported from place to place. Before 
the arrival of computers, students traditionally had files and folders with their course notes, 
and this took up a considerable amount of room and was difficult to keep track of; now, 
complete lecture notes and much more can be stored on a flash drive that can be easily put 
in a pocket or bag. 
In addition, lectures and learning material can be made available online, allowing for a 
multimedia educational environment. This is likely to engage a wider range of students as it 
has the ability to cater for a wider range of learning styles. For example, some students 
study best by repeatedly listening to a teacher, and this can now be achieved more 
conveniently by having videos available. 
On the downside, there are occasions where information stored digitally can be deleted, 
overwritten or corrupted, all situations that do not occur on traditional paper based work. 
There is also the concern that material can be garnered from the Internet and passed off as 
the students own work, making plagiarism a potential issue. However, the concept of 
plagiarism has long been a problem, and there are computer programs available today that 
will pinpoint the source of non original work. 
In conclusion, although there are potential disadvantages, they are outweighed by the 
positives.