JOHOR BAHRU, 20 August 2026 – The Faculty of Science, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), continued its Research Month@FS 2026 programme with Publication Workshop Series 3: “Write It Right: Scientific Paper Writing Bootcamp”, organised for the Department of Biosciences.
Conducted online via Google Meet, the full-day workshop featured Prof. Dr. Mohd Shahir Shamsir Omar, who shared practical strategies for strengthening scientific writing and explored how artificial intelligence can be used responsibly to support the preparation of high-impact research publications.
The workshop began by revisiting the purpose and evolution of research writing, tracing the development of scientific publishing from the establishment of early scientific journals in the seventeenth century to the modern digital research ecosystem. Participants were introduced to how universities gradually evolved into major centres of knowledge creation, particularly through the integration of research and teaching under the Humboldtian model of higher education.
Prof. Dr. Shahir also highlighted the long-standing relationship between scientific research and societal or industrial needs. Historical examples were used to demonstrate how research and innovation have frequently emerged in response to real-world challenges, reinforcing the importance of ensuring that academic research contributes meaningfully to society, industry and technological advancement.
A major component of the workshop focused on the fundamentals of research writing and publication planning. Participants were encouraged to view a postgraduate research project, particularly a PhD, not merely as one large thesis but as a series of related and potentially publishable research units. Depending on the stage of the research, these outputs may include systematic literature reviews, methodology papers, original research articles, case studies, conference papers, review articles and book chapters.
The session also emphasised the importance of selecting the target journal strategically. Since different journals serve different audiences and have different expectations, choosing the journal early can help researchers plan the style, depth and structure of their manuscripts more effectively.
Artificial Intelligence in Scientific Writing
A key focus of the bootcamp was the rapidly expanding role of artificial intelligence in research and scientific writing. Participants were introduced to a spectrum of AI-assisted writing applications, ranging from basic language improvement and proofreading to literature synthesis, data analysis, research discovery, draft generation and more advanced forms of AI-supported research.
The workshop illustrated several practical AI research-writing use cases, including language and grammar assistance, citation and reference management, literature searching, data analysis and visualisation, literature review synthesis, research question development, draft preparation and collaborative editing. Various AI-supported research platforms and tools were introduced as examples of how researchers can accelerate certain stages of their research workflow.
Participants were also shown how emerging AI-enabled research platforms can support literature discovery and comparison. Examples included the use of tools capable of searching peer-reviewed literature, extracting relevant findings and comparing experimental methods, results and conclusions across multiple studies. Such capabilities can help researchers examine existing evidence more efficiently and identify potential gaps for further investigation.
However, the session strongly emphasised that AI should assist researchers rather than replace them. Prof. Dr. Shahir introduced the concept of “Human First, AI Second,” where researchers should first develop their own understanding, analytical skills and scientific judgement before using AI as a supporting partner. This approach helps preserve human agency, expertise and intellectual ownership in the research process.
The workshop cautioned against excessive dependence on AI, particularly in research ideation and full-paper generation. Over-reliance may reduce the researcher’s own critical thinking, lead to derivative or repetitive ideas, create questions related to academic integrity and weaken the development of domain-specific expertise. Human validation, fact-checking and scientific judgement therefore remain essential whenever AI-generated content is used.
The programme also included practical demonstrations and a guided clinic session, allowing participants to explore how AI-assisted tools can be incorporated into their own scientific writing workflow while maintaining research integrity and academic responsibility.
Through Publication Workshop Series 3, the Faculty of Science provided researchers with an opportunity to strengthen both traditional scientific writing skills and their understanding of emerging AI-assisted research tools.
The session reinforced an important message for modern researchers: advances in artificial intelligence can improve efficiency and support scholarly communication, but the quality of scientific research ultimately continues to depend on the researcher’s knowledge, critical thinking, creativity, judgement and responsibility.
The programme forms part of Research Month@FS 2026, which continues to provide capacity-building activities aimed at strengthening publication quality, research competencies, innovation and scholarly impact across the Faculty of Science.
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