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.
