STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS ON USING GRAMMARLY IN WRITING THEIR THESES AT ENGLISH STUDY PROGRAM FKIP UNIVERSITAS RIAU

Abstract

Writing a thesis in English remains a challenging task for EFL students, particularly in achieving grammatical accuracy, appropriate word choice, and clarity of expression in academic writing. To address these challenges, many students rely on technological tools such as Grammarly to support their writing process. This quantitative descriptive research aimed to examine perceptions of English Study Program students on using Grammarly in thesis writing. The population of the research was the fourth year students who use Grammarly in writing their theses. Then, a total of 56 students met the criteria to be chosen as the sample. Data were collected through questionnaire distribution and then data is processed through descriptive statistical analysis. Based on data analysis it was found out that students have positive perception of using Grammarly in writing theses. Grammarly was perceived useful in improving grammatical accuracy, spelling, and punctuation, as well as easy to access. Despite the positive perceptions, the findings also revealed that Grammarly has limitations in supporting content development and idea organization. Therefore, it is suggested that Grammarly be used only as a complementary tool alongside lecturers’ guidance and students’ critical revision skills in the thesis writing process.