STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF USING QUILLBOT AI PARAPHRASING TOOL TO AVOID PLAGIARISM IN THESIS WRITING

This study aimed to determine students' perceptions of using QuillBot paraphrasing tool to avoid plagiarism in thesis writing. This study used a qualitative method of narrative inquiry type. Participants recruited in this study were final-year English education students at a private university. Research data was taken using student
diaries and interviews. Data analysis used thematic analysis. This study utilized the technology acceptance model, incorporating five aspects of perception from Davis
and Granic's (2024) theory. From the results of this research analysis, five themes and eleven sub-themes were obtained, including Feasibility use of, Usability
Perspective, Evaluative Attitude, Functionality level, and Continuance and Discontinuance of use QuillBot Paraphrasing. Based on the analysis results, it was found that there were positive and negative perceptions towards the use of QuillBot as a paraphrasing tool to avoid plagiarism in writing a thesis. Positive perceptions include QuillBot's ability to help students avoid plagiarism, improve grammar
skills, and expand knowledge of new vocabulary. In addition, QuillBot was considered easy to use, and students showed a positive attitude of acceptance, feeling comfortable, helped, and more confident in writing. This encouraged
students to use QuillBot again in the future. However, there were also negative perceptions. Some students doubted QuillBot's paraphrasing results because as a technology-based system, QuillBot has the potential to produce errors in paraphrasing. In conclusion, this study highlights the dual views of students regarding the use of QuillBot as a paraphrasing tool to avoid plagiarism in their thesis writing. Although many participants acknowledged its benefits, there were also concerns regarding the accuracy and reliability of the paraphrasing results produced. These findings emphasize the need for students to use QuillBot critically and complement it with their own writing skills to maximize its effectiveness.