CRITICAL EVALUATION OF AI-GENERATED FEEDBACK IN EFL ACADEMIC WRITING
Abstract
The increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI) in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) education has created new opportunities for supporting academic writing. AI-powered tools can provide immediate feedback on grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and text organisation. However, the availability of automated feedback does not guarantee that learners can evaluate its accuracy or use it effectively. This paper examines the importance of developing EFL learners’ ability to critically evaluate AI-generated feedback through a conceptual analysis of relevant literature. Previous research has investigated learners’ engagement with automated writing evaluation, their responses to ChatGPT-generated suggestions, and the effectiveness of AI feedback in comparison with teacher feedback (Yang et al., 2024; Cengiz et al., 2025; Alnemrat et al., 2025). Building on these studies and the concept of student feedback literacy (Carless & Boud, 2018), the paper proposes a four-stage pedagogical framework: analysing feedback, verifying suggestions, justifying revision decisions, and reflecting on revised texts. The framework emphasises the importance of learner judgement, teacher guidance, and responsible AI use. It may provide a basis for designing EFL academic writing activities in higher education, including the Uzbek educational context. Further empirical research is needed to evaluate its effectiveness in classroom practice.
References
Alnemrat, A., Aldamen, H., Almashour, M., Al-Deaibes, M., & AlSharefeen, R. (2025). AI vs. teacher feedback on EFL argumentative writing: A quantitative study. Frontiers in Education, 10, Article 1614673. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1614673
Carless, D., & Boud, D. (2018). The development of student feedback literacy: Enabling uptake of feedback. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 43(8), 1315–1325. https://doi.org/10.1080/02602938.2018.1463354
Cengiz, B. C., Bilki, Z., Ataş, A. H., & Çelik, B. (2025). Exploring second language writers’ engagement with ChatGPT feedback: Revision behaviors and perceptions. System, 134, Article 103837. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2025.103837
Yang, H., Gao, C., & Shen, H.-Z. (2024). Learner interaction with, and response to, AI-programmed automated writing evaluation feedback in EFL writing: An exploratory study. Education and Information Technologies, 29, 3837–3858. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11991-3
