English Major Students' Perceptions of the Effectiveness and Usability of ChatGPT in Learning English Writing Skills

Abstract : The rapid development of artificial intelligence has created new opportunities for English language learning, particularly in the development of writing skills. In EFL contexts, ChatGPT has increasingly been used by students to generate ideas, revise drafts, improve language accuracy, and receive immediate writing support. This study investigates English major students’ perceptions of the effectiveness and usability of ChatGPT in learning English writing skills. The participants were 45 English major students from Year 1 to Year 3 at a technology university in the north of Viet Nam. A descriptive survey design was employed, and data were collected through a semi-structured questionnaire focusing on two main areas: students’ perceptions of ChatGPT’s effectiveness in supporting English writing development and their attitudes toward its general usability. The findings showed that students generally perceived ChatGPT as an effective tool for learning writing skills, particularly in generating ideas, revising drafts, improving grammar accuracy, developing vocabulary, enhancing sentence structures, understanding writing mistakes, and increasing writing confidence. In terms of usability, students reported positive attitudes toward ChatGPT because it was easy to use, convenient, fast, accessible, and useful for independent writing practice outside class. However, some concerns were also identified, including the possibility of inaccurate or unsuitable suggestions and students’ over-dependence on AI-generated support. The study concludes that ChatGPT can be a useful supplementary tool in English writing learning when used critically and ethically. It also highlights the important role of teacher guidance in helping students use ChatGPT effectively while maintaining independent thinking and responsibility for their own writing development.