EFL Senior Students’ Utilization of AI Tools in Conducting Graduation Theses: Benefits, Challenges, and Pedagogical Implications
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54855/ijaile.26312Keywords:
academic writing, AI in education, AI tools, EFL students, graduation thesisAbstract
This study aims to explore how EFL senior students utilize generative AI tools across specific stages of their graduation thesis writing process, including literature review, paraphrasing, grammar checking, and citation management. Drawing on Activity Theory and a qualitative approach, the research involved in-depth, semi-structured interviews with ten final-year English majors at a Vietnamese public university. The findings revealed that all the students regularly turned to AI tools in different stages of their thesis projects, with ChatGPT, Grammarly, and QuillBot being the most frequently mentioned tools. These tools were found to act as supportive mediating artifacts to enhance linguistic accuracy, writing efficiency, and structural organization. However, the study also identified critical limitations, including issues of content inaccuracy, overreliance, and ethical concerns. AI tools were recognized to both enable and hinder students’ academic writing proficiency and affect their thesis quality. The study offers important implications for pedagogical practices, academic integrity policies, and future research regarding the ethical incorporation of AI tools in EFL higher education settings.
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