Automated written corrective feedback (AWCF) has qualities that distinguish it from feedback provided by teachers and potentially can benefit students in composing their academic essays. Despite the increased use of AWCF in Second Language (L2) writing, research on postgraduate students and academic writing are scarce. Previous studies have investigated different tools’ effectiveness, accuracy, and students’ perception and engagement with them. The studies conducted mainly amongst under-graduate students, classes where English is used as a medium of instruction and in writing different genres of essays. This present case study examines students’ perceptions and engagement with Grammarly in producing their academic essays. Four post-graduate students who are undertaking split-site master’s degree in Indonesia and Australia participated in this study. Two students majoring in education are English language teachers and the other two who major in applied economics are statisticians. Each of the students provided two types of academic essays and screen-captures each time they used Grammarly. Interview data was collected to provide students’ perception after using Grammarly in the revision process. The results of the analysis indicate that students show both positive and negative attitudes towards Grammarly. Favourable attitudes include Grammarly accuracy and its simplicity. The negative attitude students show is mainly on Grammarly’s inability to provide accurate feedback and error flagging on all grammatical issues which leads to selective revision. Further, Grammarly is perceived as a learning tool and peer feedback claiming that Grammarly has helped them develop significant awareness on the use of collocation and perceive the tool as a peer which can contribute to better their academic writing. In terms of their engagement with the tool, the affective engagement shows both positive and negative feelings, behavioural engagement indicate the use of internet to clarify Grammarly feedback and number of words in academic writing becomes one of the factors affecting the feedback acceptance. Moreover, cognitive engagement includes the depth of understanding students show to process Grammarly feedback and how they develop strategies after using the tool.
Keywords: Automated written corrective feedback, L2 writing, English learners, post graduate students, academic writing, Grammarly.