AI-generated text in academic writing: Balancing structural proficiency and intellectual autonomy

Gohar Rahman (), Badri Abdulhakim Mudhsh (), Eqab Ali A. Almutairi () and Marouan Kouki ()

International Journal of Innovative Research and Scientific Studies, 2025, vol. 8, issue 4, 819-831

Abstract: As generative AI tools like ChatGPT-4 become more common in higher education, their impact on student writing demands critical attention. This study investigates how AI-assisted composition influences undergraduate academic writing, focusing on structure, evidence use, and critical thinking. Drawing on Vygotsky’s Zone of Proximal Development and Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory, a randomized controlled trial was conducted with 50 first-year students. Participants were divided into two groups: one using ChatGPT-4 during essay writing and another working independently. Essays were evaluated using Toulmin’s model of argumentation. Results showed that AI-assisted essays scored higher in organization (M = 4.3 vs. 3.2) and thesis clarity (M = 4.5 vs. 3.0), but lower in critical engagement (M = 2.9 vs. 3.6). Qualitative findings revealed that while AI users appreciated its efficiency, 74% expressed concerns about overreliance. Non-AI writers reported stronger conceptual understanding developed through personal effort. Although 75% of AI-assisted essays included peer-reviewed sources, only 37% of users verified them. These results suggest that AI enhances surface-level fluency but may weaken independent reasoning. The study calls for pedagogical strategies that position AI as a writing aid—not a replacement—while fostering critical thinking and academic integrity.

Keywords: Academic integrity; ChatGPT-4; Cognitive scaffolding; Critical thinking; Generative AI; Student writing. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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