Exploring the attitude of ESP learners towards using automated writing evaluation to assess their writing

Abstract

The aim of the current study is to explore the attitudes of ESP learners towards using automated writing evaluation (AWE) to assess their writing. The mixed-method qualitative and quantitative approach is employed in this study. The sample of the study consisted of 201 second-year students from the college of engineering at the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Egypt. A post-experiment questionnaire was utilized to investigate the students` attitudes towards using AWE to assess their writing. The results of the study revealed that the students hold positive attitudes towards using the AWE software Grammarly since it encouraged them to self-correct their errors and revise their writings before submitting them to their teachers. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended to conduct research on the pedagogical usage of AWE tools in writing classes, and the attitudes of the writing instructors towards using AWE tools in their writing classes. Received: 20 March 2023 Accepted: 29 April 2023 Published: 07 June 2023

Keywords

• automated writing evaluation (awe)
• assessing esp writing performance
• english for specific purposes (esp).