INTEGRATING AI WRITING TOOLS INTO PEER REVIEW ACTIVITIES TO ENHANCE WRITING QUALITY: VOICES FROM EFL COLLEGE STUDENTS

Abstract

Writing quality among EFL college students has become an increasing concern in higher education. To address this issue, artificial intelligence (AI) writing tools have been integrated into academic practices such as peer review to promote clearer, more accurate, and better-organized writing. However, the effective use of AI tools in peer review remains limited among EFL students due to insufficient understanding of their potential benefits. This study investigates students’ perceptions and the impact of integrating AI writing tools into peer review activities aimed at enhancing writing quality. A mixed-methods design was employed involving eighth-semester English language education students at the University of Muhammadiyah North Sumatra. Data were collected through close- and open-ended questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS version 29 for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. The findings indicate highly positive perceptions, with 94.29% of respondents acknowledging that AI assisted peer review improved both feedback quality and writing performance. Qualitative results further reveal that AI tools enhanced idea clarity, structural coherence, grammatical accuracy, vocabulary use, and overall confidence in writing and reviewing. Nevertheless, certain limitations were noted, leading to suggestions for standardized usage guidelines or integration within a single platform. The study concludes that AI-supported peer review substantially improves writing quality and peer feedback effectiveness, provided that users maintain critical awareness and avoid over reliance to preserve academic integrity.