Reclaiming Voice: Student Ownership in AI-Assisted Academic Writing in an EMI Context



Author Information

Layla Shelmerdine, Duke Kunshan University, China

Abstract

As generative AI tools become more common in student writing, teachers in English-medium instruction (EMI) contexts are facing new questions about authorship and ownership. While AI can produce writing that appears academically appropriate, it is not clear how students understand their role when working with AI-generated text. This study examines how multilingual undergraduate students define and assert ownership when comparing and revising AI output. The data come from a four-day mini-term course in China where students compared their own writing with AI versions, revised AI sentences, and reflected on what authorship means in AI-assisted writing. Using Ivanič and Camps’ (2001) framework of textual, ideational, and interpersonal positioning, the study analyzes how students’ revision choices align with their written reflections on ownership. The findings show that students most often define ownership as making deliberate rhetorical decisions, particularly about tone and intention. Revisions related to audience and stance were the clearest indicators of ownership. The study suggests that structured comparison and revision tasks can help students develop a stronger sense of voice and agency when using AI.


Paper Information

Conference: SEACE2026
Stream: International Education

This paper is part of the SEACE2026 Conference Proceedings (View)
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Posted by James Alexander Gordon