Majesty Journal

Making Uncertainty Productive in EFL Writing: The Curiosity Loop as an Inquiry-Based Pedagogy

2026-09-09T14:16:34+00:00

Background. Curiosity is increasingly recognized as an important driver of engagement in EFL learning; however, its role in academic writing instruction, particularly in helping students manage uncertainty, develop arguments, and revise ideas, remains underexplored. University EFL learners need learning experiences that encourage questioning, sustained inquiry, and reflective meaning construction rather than dependence on immediate lecturer explanations.

Purpose. This study aimed to explore the implementation of the Curiosity Loop in an Essay Writing course, focusing on students’ experiences of wondering, grappling, and discovering, the forms of engagement that emerged, and the pedagogical opportunities and challenges associated with its implementation.

Methods. This study employed a classroom-based qualitative case study involving 18 third-semester students of the English Education Study Program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Enrekang. The Curiosity Loop was implemented across eight 100-minute meetings. Data were collected through classroom observations, reflective journals, student-generated inquiry records, writing artifacts, and semi-structured individual interviews with six purposively selected students. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis supported by deductive and inductive coding.

Results. The findings showed that students gradually moved from answer-seeking questions toward more analytical inquiry involving evidence, justification, alternative perspectives, and argument revision. Grappling became productive when supported by appropriate linguistic and pedagogical scaffolding, while discovery was reflected most clearly in substantive revisions of ideas and arguments. The process also facilitated cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and social engagement, although linguistic limitations, unequal participation, and time demands remained challenges.

Conclusion. The Curiosity Loop can provide a practical inquiry-oriented framework for EFL academic writing by helping students use curiosity, uncertainty, evidence, interaction, and revision as resources for developing more reflective and defensible arguments.

ArguMap-AI: An Intelligent Claim–Evidence Mapping System for EFL Academic Writing

2026-09-12T13:53:40+00:00

Background. Artificial intelligence is increasingly used to support EFL academic writing; however, most existing tools emphasize language correction, text generation, or general feedback rather than helping students examine the underlying structure of argumentative reasoning. In particular, EFL learners often experience difficulty connecting claims with relevant and sufficient evidence.

Purpose. This study aimed to develop and evaluate ArguMap-AI, an intelligent claim–evidence mapping system designed to support argumentative writing by identifying argumentative components, visualizing claim–evidence relationships, and providing diagnostic feedback for revision.

Methods. The study employed a design and development research approach supported by mixed-method evaluation. Participants were 21 fifth-semester students enrolled in the Writing Project course in the English Education Study Program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Enrekang during the 2025–2026 academic year. Data were collected through initial and revised argumentative drafts, an analytic writing rubric, ArguMap-AI-generated maps and feedback records, student perception questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, while qualitative data were examined thematically.

Results. The findings showed improvement across all assessed dimensions of argumentative writing, with the largest gains occurring in claim–evidence alignment, reasoning and explanation, and evidence relevance and sufficiency. The mean total writing score increased from 18.19 to 26.33. Students generally perceived the visual mapping and diagnostic feedback as useful for identifying unsupported claims and improving revision decisions. Challenges included occasional component misclassification, complex visual maps in longer texts, and the continuing need for lecturer guidance.

Conclusion. ArguMap-AI shows potential as an intelligent reasoning scaffold for EFL academic writing by helping students visualize, evaluate, and revise argumentative relationships while preserving learner decision-making.

Beyond Grammar Correction: Targeted Micro-Revision as a Scaffold for EFL Academic Writing Development

2026-06-21T14:33:07+00:00

Background. Revision is a crucial component of academic writing; however, many EFL students still experience difficulties revising their drafts beyond surface-level grammar correction. In higher education contexts, students need explicit and manageable instructional support to revise paragraph organization, coherence, evidence, sentence clarity, and academic word choice.

Purpose. This study aimed to examine the implementation of targeted micro-revision exercises and explore their contribution to students’ writing revision skills in an Academic Writing course.

Methods. This study employed a classroom-based qualitative case study supported by descriptive analysis of students’ writing drafts. The participants were 22 fourth-semester students in the English Education Study Program at Universitas Muhammadiyah Enrekang. Data were collected through students’ initial and revised drafts, classroom observation notes, targeted micro-revision checklists, pinpoint peer review sheets, and student reflection questionnaires. The data were analyzed using descriptive and thematic procedures.

Results. The findings showed that targeted micro-revision exercises were implemented through orientation, a specific revision focus, lecturer modelling, guided practice, individual revision, peer review, checklist use, feedback, and reflection. Students’ writing improved across ten assessed aspects, with the mean total score increasing from 20.95 in the initial drafts to 30.73 in the revised drafts. Students also responded positively to the exercises, particularly to lecturer modelling, checklist use, and gradual revision.

Conclusion. Targeted micro-revision exercises can function as a practical scaffold for developing EFL students’ academic writing revision skills, although continued support is needed in grammar, evidence explanation, and coherence development.