The Effectiveness of Artificial Intelligence-Based Learning in Improving Students' Academic Writing Skills
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62872/9fcck739Keywords:
artificial intelligence, academic writing, EFL, feedback, higher educationAbstract
Artificial intelligence (AI)-based learning tools, including ChatGPT, Grammarly, QuillBot, and Wordtune, have rapidly transformed how students draft, revise, and evaluate academic texts. This article presents a systematic literature review examining the effectiveness of AI-based learning in improving students' academic writing skills. Twenty-five peer-reviewed studies published between 2023 and 2026, drawn from Scopus-, Web of Science-, and DOAJ-indexed journals, were analyzed following the PRISMA protocol. Findings indicate that AI-based learning consistently improves grammatical accuracy, lexical richness, organizational coherence, and revision efficiency across English as a Foreign Language, English as a Second Language, and first-language writing contexts. Motivational and self-regulatory gains were also reported, particularly when AI feedback was combined with instructor mediation. However, effectiveness varied according to students' AI literacy, prompt engineering competence, and feedback type. Overreliance, diminished critical thinking, and academic integrity concerns emerged as recurring moderating factors. This review's novelty lies in synthesizing evidence across heterogeneous AI tool types and educational contexts rather than isolating a single application, thereby mapping both convergent benefits and unresolved tensions. The article concludes that AI-based learning functions as an effective scaffolding mechanism rather than a substitute for writing instruction, and proposes a pedagogical model integrating human mediation to sustain long-term writing competence.
Downloads
References
Abdullah, S., Aqil, M., Sanjani, F., Wahyudin, A., Putri, T. H., Dinda, F., & Thohir, M. (2025). Role of artificial intelligence-based machine learning in improving the quality of students' academic writing. 2025 5th International Conference on Electronic and Electrical Engineering and Intelligent System (ICE3IS), 24-29. https://doi.org/10.1109/ice3is66769.2025.11281284
Aladini, A. (2023). AI applications impact on improving EFL university academic writing skills and their logical thinking. Educational Sciences Journal. https://doi.org/10.21608/ssj.2023.320166
Aljuaid, H. (2024). The impact of artificial intelligence tools on academic writing instruction in higher education: A systematic review. Arab World English Journal. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/chatgpt.2
Alsolami, A. (2024). The effectiveness of using artificial intelligence in improving academic skills of school-aged students with mild intellectual disabilities in Saudi Arabia. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 156, Article 104884. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2024.104884
Apriani, E., Daulay, S. H., Aprilia, F., Marzuki, A. G., Warsah, I., Supardan, D., & Muthmainnah. (2025). A mixed-method study on the effectiveness of using ChatGPT in academic writing and students' perceived experiences. Journal of Language and Education. https://doi.org/10.17323/jle.2025.17913
Chen, C., & Gong, Y. (2025). The role of AI-assisted learning in academic writing: A mixed-methods study on Chinese as a second language students. Education Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020141
Deep, P. D., & Chen, Y. (2025). The role of AI in academic writing: Impacts on writing skills, critical thinking, and integrity in higher education. Societies, 15(9), Article 247. https://doi.org/10.3390/soc15090247
Dja'far, V. H., & Hamidah, F. N. (2024). The effectiveness of AI technology in improving academic English writing skills in higher education. Journal of Language and Literature Studies, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.36312/jolls.v4i3.2031
Escalante, J., Pack, A., & Barrett, A. (2023). AI-generated feedback on writing: Insights into efficacy and ENL student preference. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20, Article 57. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00425-2
Fathi, J., & Rahimi, M. (2024). Utilising artificial intelligence-enhanced writing mediation to develop academic writing skills in EFL learners: A qualitative study. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 39, 263-302. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2024.2374772
Gligorea, I., Cioca, M., Oancea, R., Gorski, A., Gorski, H., & Tudorache, P. (2023). Adaptive learning using artificial intelligence in e-learning: A literature review. Education Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13121216
Kaharuddin, Ahmad, D., Mardiana, Latif, I., Arafah, B., & Suryadi, R. (2024). Defining the role of artificial intelligence in improving English writing skills among Indonesian students. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 15(2). https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1502.25
Khasanah, S. (2025). Effectiveness of AI real-time feedback assistance in improving writing skills. Belantika Pendidikan, 8(1), 40-48. https://doi.org/10.47213/bp.v8i1.422
Khuder, B. (2025). Enhancing disciplinary voice through feedback-seeking in AI-assisted doctoral writing for publication. Applied Linguistics. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/applin/amaf022
Kim, J., Yu, S., Detrick, R., & Li, N. (2024). Exploring students' perspectives on generative AI-assisted academic writing. Education and Information Technologies, 30, 1265-1300. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-024-12878-7
Kim, J., Yu, S., Lee, S.-S., & Detrick, R. (2025). Students' prompt patterns and its effects in AI-assisted academic writing: Focusing on students' level of AI literacy. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 58, 638-655. https://doi.org/10.1080/15391523.2025.2456043
Kurt, G., & Kurt, Y. (2024). Enhancing L2 writing skills: ChatGPT as an automated feedback tool. Journal of Information Technology Education: Research, 23, Article 24. https://doi.org/10.28945/5370
Mahapatra, S. (2024). Impact of ChatGPT on ESL students' academic writing skills: A mixed methods intervention study. Smart Learning Environments, 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-024-00295-9
Nguyen, A., Hong, Y., Dang, B., & Huang, X. (2024). Human-AI collaboration patterns in AI-assisted academic writing. Studies in Higher Education, 49, 847-864. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2024.2323593
Pratama, R. M. D., & Hastuti, D. (2024). The use of artificial intelligence to improve EFL students' writing skill. English Learning Innovation, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.22219/englie.v5i1.30212
Rad, H. S., Alipour, R., & Jafarpour, A. (2023). Using artificial intelligence to foster students' writing feedback literacy, engagement, and outcome: A case of Wordtune application. Interactive Learning Environments, 32, 5020-5040. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2023.2208170
Song, C., & Song, Y. (2023). Enhancing academic writing skills and motivation: Assessing the efficacy of ChatGPT in AI-assisted language learning for EFL students. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1260843
Syafei, M., & Nuraeningsih, N. (2025). Leveraging artificial intelligence in writing: ELT students' perspectives and experiences. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.24.5.22
Utami, S., Andayani, A., Winarni, R., & Sumarwati, S. (2023). Utilization of artificial intelligence technology in an academic writing class: How do Indonesian students perceive? Contemporary Educational Technology. https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/13419
Zulaikha, Z., Setyawan, C. E., Mabruri, M., & Rauhillah, S. (2025). The effectiveness of artificial intelligence and deep learning tools in enhancing academic journal writing: A mixed methods study of Arabic language education students in Indonesia. TRANSFORMASI, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.56357/jt.v21i1.429
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Andri Pitoyo (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
