Analysis of graduate students' critical reflections on their use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in a Research Writing course provides context-based insights into the ethical and pedagogically informed integration of AI in graduate-level academic writing instruction in an EFL setting.
Abstract
This study explores graduate students' critical reflections on their use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in a Research Writing course, focusing on their perceptions of the associated risks and ethical issues, as well as their views on the inclusion of AI in academic writing education. The study was conducted at a university in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and involved MA students enrolled in a graduate-level Research Writing course. Course activities included class discussions, case studies, problem-solving exercises, peer and instructor feedback, scaffolded writing assignments, and a short research project. Nine MA students volunteered to participate in the study and were interviewed using semi-structured methods, and the interviews were then analyzed using thematic analysis. Results indicate that the course supported students' development of research writing skills, critical thinking, and AI literacy, although these findings should be interpreted with caution, given the small qualitative sample size. Students reported using AI tools cautiously, verifying AI-generated content against scholarly sources, and appreciating AI for brainstorming, vocabulary enhancement, and outlining, while emphasizing the ongoing need for instructor guidance, peer engagement, and critical assessment. Participants also imagined a hybrid instructional model in which AI supplements rather than substitutes for human teaching. This study contributes to the emerging literature on AI-integrated writing pedagogy by providing context-based insights into the ethical and pedagogically informed integration of AI in graduate-level academic writing instruction in an EFL setting.
The increasing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) writing tools has changed the way English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students seek feedback on their academic writing, particularly during the demanding process of preparing a research proposal or thesis. This study aims to explore how final-semester EFL students perceive, evaluate, and respond to AI-generated feedback while writing their proposal or thesis. Using a descriptive qualitative design, this study employed a Likert-scale screening questionnaire distributed to 24 respondents, followed by semi-structured interviews with six key informants selected through purposive sampling. The findings of the questionnaire indicate that most participants perceived AI-generated feedback favorably for surface-level writing issues, with 87.5% agreeing that it helped them identify possible errors before consulting their supervisor, while only 62.5% reported cross-checking content-level AI suggestions before applying them. From a qualitative perspective, thematic analysis organized these perceptions into four components: cognitive (understanding of how AI feedback is produced and how it differs from supervisor feedback), affective (confidence balanced with doubt about accuracy), conative (direct application of surface-level suggestions versus cross-checking of content-level suggestions), and external/internal cues (trust shaped by feedback consistency and by students’ own digital literacy). When examined through Rosenberg and Hovland’s Tripartite Attitude Model, Robbins and Judge’s theory of perception, and the concept of AI Literacy, the findings show that students who engaged more critically and selectively with AI-generated feedback demonstrated higher AI literacy, while those who applied suggestions uncritically demonstrated lower AI literacy regardless of the amount of AI feedback they received. This study offers practical recommendations for students and lecturers on the wise and critical use of AI-generated feedback in the proposal and thesis writing process.
Saudah Saudah, Taufik Suadiyatno, Imansyah Imansyah· Pendidikan Bahasa dan Sastra· 0 citations
Investigation of how university students negotiate autonomy, ethical responsibility, and cognitive engagement in the context of integrating AI into a Process-Based Approach to academic writing indicates that AI-mediated writing is not only a matter of tool use but a site of negotiation, in which learners negotiate efficiency, autonomy, and authenticity.
The study highlights the importance of integrating AI into ESP instruction through pedagogically sound practices supported by ethical guidance and digital literacy by providing context-specific insights that can inform the design of responsible, effective, and ethically grounded AI-enhanced ESP instruction.
D. Zulaiha, Yunika Triana· Journal of Educational Manag...· 0 citations
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become an important tool in supporting students' academic writing. This study aimed to explore students' experience of using AI to improve their writing skills. A qualitative approach was employed through semi-structured interviews with 20 students of STKIP Muhammadiyah Aceh Barat Daya. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis with NVivo 12 software. The findings identified four main themes and seven sub-themes covering students' use of AI, feelings toward AI, perceived advantages, and challenges. Students perceived AI as a helpful tool for generating ideas, improving grammar, and increasing writing efficiency. However, concerns regarding academic honesty, limited access, contextual language, inaccurate information, and generic arguments were also reported. The study concluded that AI could effectively support academic writing when it was used critically, ethically, and responsibly.
Examination of a classroom practice using Personary, a digital mind-mapping platform with an optional AI-assisted mode, to explore how university students conceptualize competencies needed in the AI era shows that students understood AI-era competencies as multidimensional capacities rather than as technical skills alone.
Empirical evidence is contributed from educational action research showing that structured pedagogical interventions can promote the critical, ethical, and responsible use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in education.
Rodrigo Florêncio da Silva· Information· 1 citation
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