Speakers
Description
Improving coherence and cohesion (CC) in academic writing, especially for IELTS preparation, is challenging. It requires logical thinking, constructive feedback, and sufficient practice, but time constraints often prevent teachers from properly assessing every student's work. Generative AI models like ChatGPT can be an effective supplementary tool to help students analyse improper cohesive devices and improve the logical flow of ideas. This study examines how 20 students at Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh leverage this tool to enhance CC in their writing. Data was collected through comparing writing samples before and after ChatGPT intervention into the editing and proofreading stage. Both versions of the essays were evaluated using the IELTS writing rubric to identify any positive changes in cohesive devices and idea organisation. Furthermore, interviews and questionnaires were conducted to gather students’ experiences, strategies for using AI-generated feedback, and perceptions of its benefits and limitations. The findings indicate a range of useful prompts for enhancing CC and reveal both advantages and challenges of AI-generated suggestions. This research seeks to provide meaningful insights into the role of generative AI into the writing process, offering implications for English language teaching and learning.
