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The development of academic writing represents one of the main challenges in teaching English at the university level. In this context, the use of generative artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT has been studied for its potential to support the revision and improvement of written texts in educational settings, particularly as a feedback tool. This study aimed to analyze the influence of guided use of ChatGPT on the development of academic writing skills. The study was conducted with 42 students enrolled in the Reading and Writing I course at the Regional University Center of Panamá Oeste, using a mixed-methods approach and a comparative design. Texts produced before and after the intervention were analyzed. Quantitative analysis showed improvements in grammatical accuracy, sentence structure, vocabulary, cohesion, and textual organization. A total of 72.4% of participants showed significant improvement, while 27.6% demonstrated moderate improvement, with no cases showing no observable progress. Qualitative analysis confirmed progress in subject-verb agreement, lexical accuracy, the use of connectors, and overall text organization. Additionally, students expressed positive perceptions of the tool, highlighting its contribution to clarity, formality, and confidence in writing. Overall, the results suggest that ChatGPT can strengthen academic writing in English as a foreign language context in higher education, provided that its use is guided and supervised by the instructor within a well-defined pedagogical framework