Academic Writing Workshop 2026
Hello everyone, this blog serves as a record of my participation and learning experience during the Academic Writing Workshop 2026.
The Department of English at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University organized a week-long National Workshop on Academic Writing under the guidance of the Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat (KCG), Government of Gujarat. Conducted over six intellectually engaging days, the workshop brought together academic leaders, expert scholars, faculty members, research students, and learners. The programme created a dynamic academic space focused on improving scholarly writing, strengthening research ethics, and encouraging the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in academia.
Inaugural Ceremony: 27 January 2026
The workshop began with a formal inauguration hosted by Ms. Prakruti Bhatt. The ceremony opened with a welcome address, followed by the University Prayer and Song, creating a respectful academic atmosphere.
As a mark of respect toward knowledge and scholarship, the invited dignitaries were honoured with book presentations.
The chief guests included:
-
Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) B. B. Ramanuj
-
In-Charge Registrar Dr. Bhavesh Jani
-
Dean of Arts, Dr. Kishor Joshi
-
Resource Persons Prof. (Dr.) Paresh Joshi and Dr. Kalyan Chattopadhyay
Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Barad, Head of the Department of English and Convenor of the workshop, delivered the introductory speech. He explained the purpose of the programme, highlighting the importance of maintaining a balance between Natural Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence. The workshop focused on developing academic writing abilities, promoting ethical AI practices, guiding NET/JRF preparation, enhancing research skills, and establishing a Digital Resource Hub.
The opening plenary sessions provided strong intellectual grounding. Prof. (Dr.) Paresh Joshi discussed the historical development of writing and emphasized protecting originality and human creativity in the era of generative AI. Dr. Kalyan Chattopadhyay examined the evolution of academic writing traditions in India, connecting ancient scholarly systems with modern frameworks such as NEP 2020 and NCF 2023, while emphasizing the value of multilingual scholarship.
Day 1: Academic Writing and Prompt Engineering
He explained that academic writing differs from creative writing because it is objective, structured, and evidence-based. He described academic writing as a scholarly dialogue, where writers engage with existing research, analyze ideas critically, and contribute new knowledge.
Important elements of academic writing discussed included:
-
Maintaining formal language
-
Ensuring clarity and accuracy
-
Organizing ideas logically
-
Developing strong thesis statements
-
Supporting arguments with valid evidence
The session also introduced Prompt Engineering, which involves giving clear and effective instructions to AI tools. Techniques such as zero-shot prompting, few-shot prompting, chain-of-thought prompting, and role-based prompting were explained. The speaker stressed that AI should be used ethically and responsibly, and students must verify information independently rather than depending completely on AI.
Day 1 and 2: Advanced Academic Writing
Dr. Kalyan Chattopadhyay conducted detailed sessions on advanced academic writing skills. He presented academic writing as both a structured and persuasive form of communication.
Participants learned essential academic writing practices, such as:
-
Formulating clear research questions
-
Separating research findings from personal interpretation
-
Following proper citation methods
-
Using hedging techniques appropriately
-
Writing effective literature reviews
Using Ken Hyland’s concept of authorial identity, he explained that academic writers must balance objectivity with a scholarly voice. The discussion helped participants understand how writers present themselves carefully while maintaining academic credibility.
Day 2 and 3: Publishing in Indexed Journals
Dr. Clement Ndoricimpa from Burundi conducted online sessions on publishing research in Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals.
He highlighted that publishing in indexed journals improves academic visibility, credibility, and career growth. He explained the IMRD structure (Introduction, Methodology, Results, Discussion) and emphasized writing strong introductions using the three-step model:
-
Introducing the research area
-
Identifying the research gap
-
Presenting the researcher’s contribution
He also stressed the importance of proper referencing, academic vocabulary, and ethical research practices. The sessions covered plagiarism awareness, citation styles such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and Vancouver, and the use of reference management tools like Mendeley.
These sessions reinforced that academic publishing requires honesty, discipline, and methodological precision.
Day 3: Understanding AI Hallucination
Prof. (Dr.) Nigam Dave from Pandit Deendayal Energy University delivered a highly insightful lecture on AI hallucination and its impact on academic integrity. He explained that AI hallucination refers to situations where Artificial Intelligence produces information that sounds convincing and accurate but is actually incorrect, fabricated, or unsupported by real sources. Such content may include false facts, invented quotations, or non-existent references, which can mislead researchers if accepted without verification.
He cautioned students and scholars against blindly trusting AI-generated responses, especially when they include phrases like “studies show” or provide references that cannot be traced to authentic academic sources. He emphasized that AI tools generate responses based on patterns in data, not true understanding, and therefore they can sometimes present incorrect information with confidence.
At the same time, he clarified that AI should not be rejected completely. Instead, it should be used as an academic assistant to support learning, idea generation, and drafting. However, the responsibility of checking facts, verifying references, and ensuring originality always lies with the researcher. He strongly emphasized that critical thinking, careful evaluation, and ethical judgment are essential to maintain the credibility and integrity of academic work.
Day 4 and 5: Academic Writing and Career Development
Dr. Kalyani Vallath conducted highly inspiring and enriching sessions that focused on academic writing, career development, and preparation for the UGC NET examination. Her sessions were not limited to theoretical instruction but also emphasized practical strategies and long-term academic growth. She explained that academic writing is not an inborn talent but a skill that develops gradually through regular practice, careful revision, and continuous learning. She encouraged participants to view writing as a process of thinking, refining, and improving ideas over time.
She introduced several effective techniques to strengthen writing skills. Free writing was suggested as a way to express ideas without fear or hesitation, helping writers overcome mental blocks. Mind mapping was presented as a useful method to visually organize thoughts and connect ideas logically before beginning to write. Structured planning was emphasized as essential for maintaining clarity, coherence, and logical flow in academic work. These strategies helped participants understand how to approach writing in a systematic and confident manner.
Her sessions on UGC NET preparation were particularly helpful in changing common misconceptions about the examination. She explained that the NET exam does not merely test memorization but evaluates conceptual clarity, analytical thinking, and the ability to apply knowledge critically. She guided students on how to approach literary theories, historical periods, and critical concepts in an interconnected and meaningful way, rather than studying them in isolation.
Overall, her sessions motivated participants to develop self-confidence, discipline, and a clear academic vision. She encouraged students to see themselves not just as learners but as future scholars, capable of contributing original ideas and meaningful research to the academic community.
Day 6: Multimodal Learning and Digital Resources
The final session, conducted by Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Barad, focused on creating multimodal academic content aligned with NEP 2020.He explained the concepts of pedagogy, andragogy, and heutagogy, highlighting the importance of learner autonomy and self-directed learning.
AI tools such as NotebookLM were demonstrated for creating structured academic resources. He also introduced the idea of adding an AI-supported “Fifth Quadrant” to the SWAYAM model, encouraging active learning and critical engagement.The session emphasized that technology should enhance education, not replace human thinking and creativity.
Acknowledgment
This workshop was a valuable academic journey that connected traditional scholarship with modern technological tools.
Sincere thanks to:
-
Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Barad, Convenor and Head of Department
-
Co-Convenors Ms. Megha Trivedi and Ms. Prakruti Bhatt
-
Knowledge Consortium of Gujarat (KCG)
-
All volunteers and participants
Their efforts made the workshop meaningful and successful.
Conclusion
The Academic Writing Workshop at MKBU demonstrated that academic writing is not just a technical ability but an intellectual and ethical responsibility. In today’s AI-driven academic environment, originality, critical thinking, and integrity remain essential.
The workshop helped participants improve their writing skills while also developing a deeper understanding of responsible research practices and academic professionalism.
Thank You..
.jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment