Examining University Students’ Engagement with ChatGPT in English Essay Writing
Interaction Patterns and Perceptions
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22412995 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Hyeji Jang (0000-0001-9529-1610, Ewha Womans University), Lingxi Jin (Ewha Womans University), Hyo-Jeong So (0000-0002-1713-9653), Hyo Jeong So (Ewha Womans University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 35 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 805-818 |
| Publication date | 2026-08-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0119-5646 • E-ISSN: 2243-7908 |
| Publisher | Springer Science and Business Media LLC (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s40299-025-01076-9 |
| OpenAlex | W7127607114 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 31 |
This study examines the interaction patterns and perceptions of university students who used ChatGPT during the English essay writing process. Twenty university students in Korea were divided into two groups based on English proficiency: 10 advanced learners and 10 intermediate learners. Participants completed essay writing with the assistance of ChatGPT, and their interaction logs were collected throughout the process. The logs were analyzed using Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) to identify interaction patterns across proficiency levels. In addition, thematic analysis of interview data was conducted to examine learners' perceptions of ChatGPT-supported writing. ENA results showed that advanced learners used ChatGPT primarily during the prewriting stage for information gathering, word choice exploration, and translation, and later shifted to refining expressions during drafting. In contrast, intermediate learners relied more heavily on ChatGPT during drafting, particularly for lexical and syntactic exploration. Thematic analysis revealed that although learners recognized ChatGPT as an efficient and supportive tool for English essay writing, they also noted its limitations, including unclear information sources and insufficient contextual understanding.
Discourse analysis · Newspaper · Perception · Prewriting · Semi-structured interview · Thematic analysis · Thematic structure · Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare and Education · Mental Health via Writing · Text Readability and Simplification
Modeling and Remodeling Writing
ChatGPT User Experience
Engaging with automated writing evaluation (AWE) feedback on L2 writing
Epistemic Network Analysis
Student engagement with teacher and automated feedback on L2 writing
A Tutorial on Epistemic Network Analysis
Impact of ChatGPT on learners in a L2 writing practicum
The impact of AI writing tools on the content and organization of students’ writing
ChatGPT for Education and Research
ChatGPT for good? On opportunities and challenges of large language models for education
ChatGPT for L2 learning
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Toward an Understanding of the Distinct Nature of L2 Writing
Promises and challenges of generative artificial intelligence for human learning
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |