Mifka-Profozic, NadiaJunaid, Nadia2026-07-292026https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14154/79690Automated written feedback has emerged as a valuable tool in language learning, offering learners opportunities for independent revision and immediate error correction. Its role in developing EFL writing skills has gained increasing attention, particularly when used alongside traditional teacher feedback. This study investigates the effectiveness of different modes of written feedback—teacher-only, automated-only, and hybrid (automated + teacher)—on the essay writing quality of EFL learners in a Saudi higher education context. It also explores whether the type of writing genre (expository or persuasive) interacts with feedback type to influence student performance. To examine these issues, a quasi-experimental design was adopted. Seventy-four foundation-year students at a Saudi university participated in the study. All participants were intermediate English learners. Students were divided into three feedback groups and completed writing tests at three stages: pretest, immediate posttest, and delayed posttest. Essay quality was evaluated across five components: text content, text organization, vocabulary use, language use, and mechanics. The writing tasks included both persuasive and expository essays, and scores were analyzed using mixed-effects modeling to assess changes over time and across feedback conditions. The results showed that all three feedback types contributed to short-term improvements in writing quality. At the delayed posttest, the hybrid feedback group demonstrated the greatest gains in scores. No significant differences were found in the impact of feedback condition when the writing genre changed. Nonetheless, participants across all groups showed greater improvement when writing the more complex genre (persuasive). Overall, the findings suggest that integrating automated feedback with teacher guidance may support long-term writing development more effectively than using either approach alone.251enautomated feedbackteacher feedbackEFL writingThesis