INFLUENCE OF THE INTERNET ON THE READING HABITS OF STUDENTS IN BENIN CITY, NIGERIA

                                                        ABSTRACT

This study anchored on the tenets of the magic ballet and media dependency theories, examined the influence of the Internet on the reading habits of ESPU students. It became necessary to embark on this study because of the increasing advancement and usage of the Internet in tertiary institutions and how students constantly depend on it to carry out their academic activities. The study employed the survey design with an 8-item questionnaire. The questionnaire was used to elicit data from 398 final year students from ESPU. The 398 students which were selected from the five schools in ESPU were selected using Taro Yamene's formula, simple random and purposive sampling techniques. Data obtained were presented using frequency Tables, simple percentage and mean scores with the aid of SPSS software. The study found out that the Internet does not have negative effect on the reading habits of students. The study also discovered that students use the Internet to obtain online materials to aid their reading habits.  It was also found that students encounter several challenges which include download delay, identity theft, network failure and annoying pop-ups. However, these challenges do not hinder students from using the Internet to access materials to improve their reading habits. It was recommended that students should strike a balance between the time spent online and the attention given to their academics among other things. Therefore, it was concluded that the Internet has become a pillar that holds the reading habits among students in this 21^st century.