IJIET 2026 Vol.16(5): 1322-1336
doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.5.2600
doi: 10.18178/ijiet.2026.16.5.2600
Student Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools in Research: A Framework-Based Analysis
Joseline M. Santos1,2,*, Teody C. San Andres1, Keno C. Piad3, Sergii Sharov4, Mark Rey C. Santos5,
and Walton Wider6,7,8
1. College of Professional Teacher Education, Bulacan State University, City of Malolos, Philippines
2. INTI International University, Nilai, Malaysia
3. College of Information and Communications Technology, Bulacan State University, City of Malolos, Philippines
4. Department of Computer Science, Dmytro Motornyi Tavria State Agrotechnological University, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine
5. Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, La Consolacion University Philippines, City of Malolos, Philippines
6. Faculty of Business and Communications, INTI International University, Nilai, Malaysia
7. Department of Applied Economic Sciences, Wekerle Sandor Uzleti Foiskola, Budapest, Hungary
8. Faculty of Management, Shinawatra University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
Email: joseline.santos@bulsu.edu.ph (J.M.S.); teody.sanandres@bulsu.edu.ph (T.C.S.A.); keno.piad@bulsu.edu.ph (K.C.P.); sergii.sharov@tsatu.edu.ua (S.S.); markrey.santos@email.lcup.edu.ph (M.R.C.S.); walton.wider@newinti.edu.my (W.W.)
*Corresponding author
2. INTI International University, Nilai, Malaysia
3. College of Information and Communications Technology, Bulacan State University, City of Malolos, Philippines
4. Department of Computer Science, Dmytro Motornyi Tavria State Agrotechnological University, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine
5. Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation, La Consolacion University Philippines, City of Malolos, Philippines
6. Faculty of Business and Communications, INTI International University, Nilai, Malaysia
7. Department of Applied Economic Sciences, Wekerle Sandor Uzleti Foiskola, Budapest, Hungary
8. Faculty of Management, Shinawatra University, Pathum Thani, Thailand
Email: joseline.santos@bulsu.edu.ph (J.M.S.); teody.sanandres@bulsu.edu.ph (T.C.S.A.); keno.piad@bulsu.edu.ph (K.C.P.); sergii.sharov@tsatu.edu.ua (S.S.); markrey.santos@email.lcup.edu.ph (M.R.C.S.); walton.wider@newinti.edu.my (W.W.)
*Corresponding author
Manuscript received September 1, 2025; revised October 15, 2025; accepted December 11, 2025; published May 19, 2026
Abstract—This mixed-methods study investigated Artificial Intelligence (AI) tool utilization among 81 student researchers in academic writing, assessing the frequency, integration extent, research performance, and adherence to ethical AI principles. The findings revealed that students predominantly use AI for language enhancement (grammar and paraphrasing) and literature review, with less engagement in complex analytical tasks. Critically, student researchers demonstrated strong self-reported ethical and human-centered AI practices, aligning with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) AI Competency Framework. Ethical AI adoption significantly predicted improved research performance, whereas the extent of tool integration did not. The Artificial Intelligence Utilization Scale (AIUS) Framework indicated primary engagement at Levels 3 (AI-Editing assistance) and 4 (AI-Task completion), reflecting responsible and human-supervised AI use. This study underscores the importance of fostering ethical AI literacy in effective integrity-driven academic research.
Keywords—Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration, academic writing, ethical AI, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) framework, AI utilization scale, quality education
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).
Keywords—Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration, academic writing, ethical AI, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) framework, AI utilization scale, quality education
Cite: Joseline M. Santos, Teody C. San Andres, Keno C. Piad, Sergii Sharov, Mark Rey C. Santos, and Walton Wider, "Student Integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Tools in Research: A Framework-Based Analysis," International Journal of Information and Education Technology, vol. 16, no. 5, pp. 1322-1336, 2026.
Copyright © 2026 by the authors. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited (CC BY 4.0).