Conceptualising and cultivating Critical GAI Literacy in doctoral academic writing

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Generative artificial intelligence (GAI) has revolutionised the landscape of academic writing, presenting both advantages and risks to learning for L2 writers. It is thus imperative that L2 writers, especially at advanced academic levels, develop the critical skills necessary for employing GAI tools ethically and effectively in their writing processes. Our study addressed this need by 1) conceptualising Critical GAI Literacy based on current research and our collected data, and 2) developing a self-regulated learning-based micro-curriculum for L2 doctoral students to cultivate knowledge and skills using GAI for academic writing. We collected interactive and reflective data in an introductory-level academic writing course at a Swedish university enrolled with 60 PhD students from diverse backgrounds and examined their evolving perspectives and strategies for engaging in GAI-mediated writing. Findings show a spectrum of initial attitudes among students and limited knowledge of GAI use. Final reflections illustrate de-enchantment with GAI, recalibrated and enhanced understanding of ethical issues, developed prompting methods, and increased awareness of text ownership through the self-directed learning process. Furthermore, students demonstrated a discerning approach in evaluating GAI-generated suggestions and sociolinguistic impacts, indicating a growing criticality in L2 writing practices.