Evaluating the Effectiveness of AI Tools Across the Essay Writing Process: A Comparative Study of Pre-Writing, Drafting, and Post-Writing Stages

Abstract

This study investigates how English as a Foreign Language students interact with artificial intelligence (AI) tools at different stages of the writing process. To achieve this aim, the study employed an experimental research design, with pre-and post-tests, and recruited 47 English as a Foreign Language learners at Arab Open University, Kuwait to participate. The students were divided randomly into an experimental group and a control group. The experimental group used AI tools in their writing tasks, while the control group did not. The treatment comprised 10 sessions covering the mechanics of writing in four rhetorical patterns (narrative, causative, comparative, and argumentative essays), with each session lasting for two hours. Results indicated that there were statistically significant differences. The students in the experimental group who used AI tools demonstrated a significant improvement in their writing performance in comparison to the control group.