EXCESSIVE RELIANCE ON GRAMMARLY IN WRITING PRACTICES OF GRADE 12 HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES STUDENTS AT BESTLINK COLLEGE OF THE PHILIPPINES

Abstract

In this 21st-century era where everything is digitalized, many applications have emerged, including those designed for writing. For example, Grammarly offers paraphrasing, grammar checking, plagiarism detection, and more. However, the overuse of such applications affects students’ writing practices. This study is supported by the theory of Abderrahmane Babni titled Teaching Writing: From Theory to Practice. Despite its downsides, Grammarly has helped students in their writing. The researchers found that Grammarly can enhance students’ writing practices in terms of limited perspective, technical issues, and reduced plagiarism. The study utilized an exploratory-quantitative research method, focusing on the excessive reliance on Grammarly in the writing practices of Grade 12 Humanities and Social Sciences students, particularly in terms of their perceptions. A survey questionnaire served as the main tool for data collection, allowing researchers to gather insights from respondents. The information was gathered from two hundred ten (210) Grade 12 Humanities and Social Sciences students at Bestlink College of the Philippines, employing purposive sampling and an exploratory-quantitative research methodology. The gathered data revealed variables ranked as either highly efficient or not efficient. The enhancement in writing practices using Grammarly—including limited perspective, technical issues, and reduced plagiarism—showed an overall weighted mean of 3.30, described as highly efficient. To help students balance and avoid overusing Grammarly, the study suggests that when it comes to the fear of mistakes, students should recognize that errors are normal and part of the growth process. The study shows that overusing Grammarly was reported with a frequency of one hundred twenty-four (124), indicating it is time-consuming. Respondents rated its writing help (limited perspective, technical issues, plagiarism reduction) as highly efficient with a weighted mean of 3.30. The main problem identified by students, reported with a frequency of one hundred thirty-two (132), was fear of mistakes. While Grammarly was seen as helpful in reducing this fear, the researchers suggested several ways to address overreliance: improving creativity, facing mistakes with confidence, and identifying areas of weakness.