AI Affordances, Teacher Support, and Research-Writing Competence: The Mediating Roles of Self-Efficacy and Disposition

Abstract

With artificial intelligence (AI) tools being increasingly integrated into university education, students are using them to search for literature, organize ideas, and refine research writing, raising questions about how these tools interact with traditional forms of instructional support. This study investigated the relationships between perceived AI affordances, teacher support, and research-writing competence in undergraduate students, with an emphasis on the mediating roles of research-writing self-efficacy and research-writing disposition. Guided by the social cognitive theory and the self-determination theory, the study employed a quantitative, non-experimental, cross-sectional survey design. Data were collected from 526 undergraduate students in a Philippine higher education institution and analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Results showed that AI affordances significantly predicted research-writing self-efficacy and research-writing disposition but did not have a direct effect on research-writing competence. Perceived teacher support significantly predicted research-writing self-efficacy, research-writing disposition, and research-writing competence. Both research-writing self-efficacy and research-writing disposition had significant positive effects on research-writing competence, confirming their mediating roles in the final model. These findings highlight how responsible AI integration and strong instructional guidance jointly support research-writing competence.