Using Chatgpt for Revising French Argumentative Essays: Effects on Writing Skills and SelfRegulated Learning among Business French Students

Abstract

This study examines the impact of using ChatGPT during the revision phase of French argumentative essays on writing performance and self-regulated learning of students majoring in Business French. A quasi-experimental pre-test and post-test design with a non-equivalent control group was conducted on 52 third-year students at the University of Commerce, including 30 students who used ChatGPT and 22 who revised their essays following the conventional process. The intervention lasted for ten sessions with a total duration of 30 hours. Data were collected from pre- and post-writing samples, Likert-scale questionnaires, and learning journals, and analyzed through comparative methods between the two groups. The results indicate that the ChatGPT group made statistically significant progress in argument development, coherence, and grammatical accuracy, while also showing notable improvement in goal setting, self-monitoring, and self-reflection according to Zimmerman’s (2002) self-regulated learning model. These findings provide empirical evidence for the potential of artificial intelligence in supporting academic writing and fostering learner autonomy in higher education.