Using ChatGPT for Revision in EFL Writing: What College Students Consider During Revision Process

Objectives This study aimed to explore how undergraduate EFL students utilized ChatGPT during the writing revision process and the factors that influenced their decisions to accept or reject the platform’s suggestions. Methods Sixteen undergraduate freshmen participated in the study. Data were collected from their interactions with ChatGPT while writing their rough drafts to observe how they use ChatGPT and from their final drafts to see what they had actually revised. Additionally, students’ reflective journals and interview excerpts were collected as data and analyzed qualitatively. Results The findings revealed that students used ChatGPT at both macro and micro levels, addressing grammar, vocabulary, coherence, and logical flow. A key factor influencing their decisions to accept or reject suggestions was alignment with their current proficiency level, which ultimately connected to their sense of writer identity. Conclusions In conclusion, the study highlights that undergraduate EFL students’ decisions to accept or reject ChatGPT’s revision suggestions are closely tied to their self-perceived proficiency and writer identity. This underscores the need for further exploration of how AI tools can be effectively integrated into the writing revision process, particularly in ways that support students' development without undermining their autonomy.