Yogyakarta, May 20, 2024 – To enhance the scientific writing skills and capacity of its students, the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (DTPB), Faculty of Agricultural Technology (FTP), Universitas Gadjah Mada, organized a Scientific Writing Mini Clinic featuring international speaker Prof. Gary R. Sands from University of Minnesota, United States.
Held at the DTPB Meeting Room, the event was attended by master’s and doctoral students currently pursuing studies in agricultural and biosystems engineering, and was facilitated by Dr. Arifin Dwi Saputro, a lecturer at DTPB FTP UGM. Through this forum, participants received comprehensive guidance on strategies for writing and publishing scientific papers from the early research stages to editing and manuscript submission to academic journals.
The mini clinic began with a reflective question from Prof. Gary: “Why should I publish this journal?” This thought-provoking prompt elicited a variety of responses from the students, each reflecting their research background and goals. Prof. Gary welcomed the responses warmly and emphasized the importance of having clear motivation in the academic writing process.
During his presentation, Prof. Gary shared practical tips and field-based insights on the scientific publication process. He outlined key steps including research planning, choosing the right journal, effective and engaging writing techniques, and how to respond to reviewers’ comments constructively.
Prof. Gary also highlighted the common challenges researchers often face ranging from technical and administrative hurdles to language barriers. He highlights that minor mistakes, if not anticipated early, could be a major reason for manuscript rejection. Nonetheless, he encouraged students not to be disheartened by rejection and learned from it.
“Rejection is part of the process—even senior researchers face it. What matters is how we learn from those setbacks and continue improving our manuscript,” he remarked.
The discussion session was highly interactive, with students sharing the challenges they encountered while working on their scientific papers. Prof. Gary offered feedback and suggestions, including how to overcome writer’s block, structure a paper effectively, and avoid plagiarism. The session was well-received, with participants expressing increased confidence and motivation to pursue their academic publications.
The mini clinic was part of DTPB FTP UGM’s ongoing efforts to foster a strong research and academic writing culture among students. This initiative also aligns with the university’s commitment to supporting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4: Quality Education, by improving the quality of higher education and strengthening students’ academic capabilities.
