AI literacy in L2 writing and its association with L2 writing engagement

AI literacy in L2 writing (AILL2W) has the potential to maximize AI’s affordances and mitigate risks, but its factor structure remains contested, and the relationship between AILL2W and L2 writing engagement is still unclear. To address the gaps, the study draws on the holistic AI literacy framework and the cognitive process theory of writing to develop and validate an AILL2W scale and explore its association with L2 writing engagement. Thirty-three items were generated based on previous AI literacy scales, empirical studies, and semi-structured interviews. Subsequently, the questionnaire was distributed to Chinese university students for exploratory (n = 740) and confirmatory factor analysis (n = 721). EFA and CFA results revealed that the questionnaire comprised 11 items across three dimensions: behavioral learning, cognitive learning, and ethical learning. The questionnaire demonstrated acceptable reliability, structural validity, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Structural Equation Modeling results demonstrated significant paths from AILL2W to writing engagement. Theoretically, the study clarifies the factor structure of AILL2W, which displays features of AI literacy and L2 writing. Pedagogically, the study enables L2 writers to develop their AI literacy and assists English teachers in redesigning AI-based writing courses.