Assuming no knowledge of linguistics, Understanding Digital Literacies provides an accessible and timely introduction to new media literacies for university students. It supplies readers with the theoretical and analytical tools with which to explore the linguistic and social impact of a host of new digital practices. Each chapter in the volume covers a different topic, presenting an overview of the major concepts, issues, problems and debates surrounding the topic, while also encouraging students to reflect on and critically evaluate their own language and communication practices. Features of the book include: An assortment of real-life examples to illustrate each topic, drawn from contexts relevant to students from around the world, and discussing a diverse range of media tools and practices including blogging, hypertextual organisation, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Wikipedia, websites, games and texting. A variety of discussion questions and mini-ethnographic research projects involving student exploration of various patterns of media and communication in peer group scenarios, such as Wikinomics and peer production, social networking and civic participation, and digital literacies at work Suggestions for further reading and reviews of key terms and concepts covered in every chapter, including hypertextual linking, multimodality, online language and social interaction, attention structures, social networking, online interaction and intercultural communication. A companion website providing links to useful websites and blogs, interactive exercises, stories about new literacies and interviews with researchers in the field This book will provide a key resource for undergraduate and graduate students studying courses in new media and digital literacies.