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This blog is about my participation in the National Workshop on Academic Writing organised by the Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University (MKBU), under the Promotion of Higher Education Knowledge Consortium (KCG), Government of Gujarat. Conducted over five intensive days, the workshop brought together eminent scholars and academic experts to deliberate on academic writing, ethical engagement with artificial intelligence, research methodology, publication standards, UGC NET preparation, and academic career development. Through plenary lectures, interactive discussions, and practical demonstrations, the programme provided valuable insights into the production, communication, and validation of scholarly knowledge. The sessions not only deepened my understanding of research writing and academic ethics but also enhanced my critical awareness of contemporary academic practices. Overall, the workshop proved to be intellectually stimulating and significantly contributed to my academic development.
The Department of English at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University organised the National Workshop on Academic Writing under the aegis of the Promotion of Higher Education Knowledge Consortium (KCG), Government of Gujarat. The inaugural ceremony was attended by university authorities, invited scholars, faculty members, research scholars, and students. The programme was effectively anchored by Ms. Prakruti Bhatt, Research Scholar and Visiting Faculty in the Department of English.
The ceremony opened with a formal welcome, followed by the University Song and prayer. As a symbolic gesture honouring the pursuit of knowledge, the dignitaries were welcomed on stage through the ceremonial presentation of books.
Among the distinguished dignitaries present were the Honourable Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) B. B. Ramanuj, In-Charge Registrar Dr. Bhavesh Jani, Dean of the Faculty of Arts Dr. Kishor Joshi, and invited resource persons Prof. (Dr.) Paresh Joshi and Dr. Kalyan Chattopaadhyaay.
The welcome address was delivered by Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Barad, who outlined the objectives and structure of the workshop. He addressed the contemporary academic need to balance human intelligence with artificial intelligence and explained that the workshop would focus on academic writing skills, responsible AI use, research aptitude, NET/JRF preparation, and the creation of a digital resource hub for English studies.
In his plenary address, Prof. (Dr.) Paresh Joshi discussed the historical development of writing practices and emphasised the need to preserve human creativity and critical thinking in the era of generative AI. He highlighted the foundational role of academic writing for scholars in language and literature.
Dr. Kalyan Chattopaadhyaay, in his plenary lecture, traced the tradition of academic writing in India from ancient knowledge systems to contemporary educational frameworks such as NEP 2020 and NCF 2023. He emphasised the importance of multilingualism, indigenous knowledge traditions, and inclusive academic practices.
Dr. Kishor Joshi presented statistical insights related to research productivity, publication standards, and funding trends in India. He underscored the responsibility of educators and researchers to strengthen academic writing and improve research quality.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of tokens of appreciation to the invited speakers by the Honourable Vice-Chancellor, followed by a formal vote of thanks acknowledging dignitaries, organisers, participants, and volunteers.
1 Day : 1 Session
The session began with a formal introduction of the resource person, highlighting his extensive academic experience and significant contributions to English Language Teaching, Applied Linguistics, Phonetics, and academic writing.
In the opening segment, Prof. Joshi explained the essential nature of academic writing by distinguishing it from creative or literary writing. Using illustrative examples, he clarified that academic writing belongs to the domain of knowledge production and therefore must remain objective, evidence-based, logical, and structured, unlike literary writing, which is often expressive and imaginative.
He described academic writing as an ongoing scholarly conversation in which a researcher first engages with existing literature, interprets established perspectives, and then contributes original insights supported by evidence. The writing process was explained as a systematic progression involving planning, drafting, peer review, revision, proofreading, submission, and feedback.
The session emphasised several fundamental principles of effective academic writing, including the use of formal language, clarity of expression, conciseness, precision in argumentation, logical organisation of ideas, careful formulation of claims, and the development of clear thesis statements.
In the latter part of the session, Prof. Joshi introduced prompt engineering as an emerging skill in the context of AI-assisted academic work. He explained that prompt engineering involves crafting clear and specific instructions to obtain accurate and relevant responses from AI tools. Various prompting strategies were discussed, including zero-shot, one-shot, few-shot, role-based, and audience-oriented prompting techniques.
He also addressed the ethical dimensions of AI use in academic contexts, cautioning against excessive dependence on AI-generated content. Participants were advised to verify AI outputs critically, as such tools may produce inaccurate or misleading information. AI was recommended as a supportive aid for tasks such as language editing, idea generation, and structural refinement, but never as a replacement for human reasoning or originality.
The session concluded with participant feedback, where students appreciated the clarity of explanation, practical illustrations, and balanced perspective on integrating AI responsibly into academic writing practices.
1 Day :– 2 Session & 2 Day :– 1 Session
Session Title: Academic Writing in English for Advanced Learners – I & II
Resource Person: Dr. Kalyan Chattopadhyay, ELT Specialist and UGC Master Trainer, Bankim Sardar College
These two sessions provided a comprehensive and methodologically grounded exploration of academic writing as both a structured and rhetorical scholarly practice. The resource person examined how academic knowledge is constructed, articulated, and validated through disciplined writing.
At the beginning of the sessions, the defining characteristics of academic writing—formality, objectivity, clarity, and precision—were discussed in detail. Participants were shown how these features operate within research papers through appropriate tone, vocabulary selection, sentence structure, and citation practices. Emphasis was placed on framing clear research questions, formulating hypotheses, and interpreting evidence rather than relying on personal opinion or unsupported assertions.
A detailed explanation of research paper structure followed, highlighting the distinction between presenting findings and interpreting them. The importance of methodological clarity, evidence-based argumentation, and systematic organisation of ideas was strongly emphasised. Participants were guided to present research procedures, data, and analysis transparently while maintaining logical coherence throughout their writing.
A major focus of the sessions was authorial identity in academic writing. Drawing on theoretical perspectives, the speaker explained that academic writing is not entirely impersonal; rather, researchers must make conscious decisions about how visible they wish to be in their texts. Strategic use of first-person expressions was discussed as a means of establishing clarity, responsibility, and scholarly authority without compromising academic formality. Participants were encouraged to reflect on how authorial presence varies across disciplines and rhetorical contexts.
The sessions also devoted considerable attention to hedging as a crucial feature of scholarly discourse. Through examples from published research, participants learned how cautious language—such as “may,” “suggests,” and “appears to”—allows scholars to present claims responsibly, acknowledge limitations, and respect alternative interpretations. The role of hedging in maintaining intellectual balance and credibility was carefully explained.
Another key component was academic attribution and citation practice. Citation was presented not merely as a technical requirement but as a rhetorical strategy for positioning research within existing scholarly conversations. The sessions clarified the distinction between integral and non-integral citations, the function of reporting verbs, and the importance of synthesising multiple sources rather than listing them separately. Participants were guided to identify research gaps and scholarly debates through structured literature review practices.
In the concluding segment, attention was given to writing effective research conclusions that summarise findings, highlight significance, and responsibly articulate scholarly contributions. Participants were encouraged to adapt their writing style according to disciplinary expectations while maintaining a consistent academic voice.
Overall, the sessions provided a deeper understanding of academic writing as a disciplined intellectual practice. They strengthened participants’ ability to manage authorial voice, apply hedging effectively, and employ citation strategies that enhance both clarity and credibility in scholarly communication.
2 Day :- 2 Session & 3 Day :– 2 Session
These sessions offered detailed and practice-oriented guidance on preparing research papers suitable for publication in internationally indexed journals. The resource person addressed both the technical requirements of academic writing and the ethical responsibilities associated with scholarly publication.
The sessions began with an explanation of the importance of publishing in Scopus- and Web of Science–indexed journals. These indexing platforms were presented as major global databases that enhance the visibility, credibility, and impact of academic research. Participants were informed that publication in indexed journals contributes to professional recognition, citation impact, funding opportunities, and academic career advancement. Emphasis was placed on the rigorous standards maintained by such journals and the need for researchers to align their work with these expectations.
A major portion of the sessions focused on the structure of a well-developed research paper. While acknowledging disciplinary variation, the speaker explained that most strong research articles follow the IMRD structure—Introduction, Methodology, Results, and Discussion. Particular attention was given to writing an effective introduction, described as the most decisive component of a research paper. The introduction was explained through a three-move model: establishing the research area, identifying gaps or unresolved issues in existing scholarship, and clearly presenting the purpose of the present study. Participants were guided to maintain logical continuity across these moves.
The sessions strongly emphasised the importance of references in academic writing. The speaker repeatedly noted that unsupported claims weaken scholarly credibility. Participants were encouraged to support all generalisations with relevant and recent sources, as outdated or insufficient references reduce the academic value of research.
Attention was also given to academic language use. Participants learned that formal tone, coherence, clarity, and precision are essential for effective scholarly communication. Logical connectors and discipline-appropriate vocabulary were discussed as tools for strengthening argumentative flow and conceptual clarity.
Ethical issues formed a central component of the sessions. The responsible use of artificial intelligence in academic writing was discussed alongside the serious implications of plagiarism. Plagiarism was defined as the misappropriation of another person’s ideas or language and was presented as a major violation of academic integrity that can lead to rejection from indexed journals. Participants were encouraged to maintain intellectual ownership and apply careful judgment when using digital tools.
The sessions also introduced reference management practices. The speaker demonstrated the use of Mendeley as a tool for organising references and maintaining citation consistency. Major citation styles such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and Vancouver were explained, along with guidance on verifying bibliographic accuracy.
Overall, the sessions provided comprehensive instruction on writing publishable research papers, meeting international journal standards, avoiding plagiarism, using AI responsibly, and managing references effectively. They offered both technical clarity and ethical orientation, strengthening participants’ preparedness for scholarly publication.
3 Day Three :- 1 Session
This session critically examined the capabilities, limitations, and ethical implications of Artificial Intelligence in academic research and writing. The resource person focused on how AI functions, why it can produce unreliable information, and how scholars can employ it responsibly within academic practice.
The lecture began by emphasising that although AI offers powerful assistance, it cannot replace scholarly judgment. Participants were reminded that academic knowledge requires verification, reflection, and critical evaluation rather than unquestioned acceptance of generated information. The session situated contemporary AI use within the broader historical evolution of knowledge transmission, from oral traditions and print culture to the digital information age.
A central theme of the lecture was AI hallucination, defined as the production of plausible but inaccurate or fabricated information. The speaker explained that AI systems generate responses based on statistical prediction rather than factual verification, which makes them capable of producing confident yet unreliable academic content. Particular caution was advised for qualitative disciplines, where interpretive language can be easily imitated without factual grounding.
The session identified common indicators of unreliable AI-generated content, including vague claims without references, fabricated citations, and inaccurate attribution of ideas. Participants were encouraged to verify sources independently and maintain intellectual responsibility for all academic work.
The lecture also addressed bias in AI systems, explaining that algorithmic outputs reflect patterns present in training data and therefore may reproduce cultural, historical, or conceptual bias. This reinforced the necessity of critical engagement when using AI in scholarly contexts.
Despite these concerns, the speaker emphasised that AI should not be rejected but used strategically. Appropriate academic applications were demonstrated, including proofreading, formatting, preliminary idea evaluation, and procedural support in research tasks. AI was presented as an assistive tool that enhances efficiency while leaving interpretation, argumentation, and intellectual ownership to the researcher.
The session concluded with the reminder that technology must remain subordinate to human judgment. Responsible academic practice requires verification, ethical awareness, and sustained critical thinking, ensuring that AI supports rather than undermines scholarly integrity.
4 Day :- 1 session & 2 session
The sessions conducted over two days provided an integrated perspective on academic writing, UGC NET preparation, literary studies, and long-term academic career development. The resource person presented a comprehensive framework that combined intellectual training with personal and professional growth.
The sessions began by emphasising that education should inspire curiosity and intellectual engagement rather than merely transmit information. Academic writing was presented as a learned skill developed through sustained practice, reflective thinking, and structured planning. Participants were encouraged to view writing as a process that evolves through questioning, drafting, revision, and refinement.
Several practical writing strategies were introduced, including free writing, mind mapping, reverse planning, and goal-oriented study methods. These techniques were presented as tools to help learners organise ideas, overcome hesitation, and develop clarity in academic expression. Artificial Intelligence was discussed as a supportive resource for outlining and reviewing work, while intellectual responsibility was firmly retained by the writer.
A significant portion of the sessions focused on UGC NET preparation. The examination was explained as an assessment of reasoning ability, conceptual clarity, and analytical thinking rather than memorisation alone. Participants were trained to analyse question patterns, identify distractor options, and apply logical inference while answering. Emphasis was placed on maintaining composure and approaching questions with pedagogical understanding.
The sessions also provided a structured overview of English literary history, literary criticism, and major theoretical approaches. Key literary periods were discussed alongside influential critics and theoretical movements, offering participants a conceptual map of the discipline. The importance of connecting literary knowledge with analytical interpretation was highlighted throughout.
Career planning formed another important component of the sessions. Participants were encouraged to cultivate a growth-oriented academic mindset, manage time and resources effectively, and develop a distinctive scholarly voice. The concept of the Zone of Proximal Development was introduced to emphasise continuous learning beyond one’s comfort zone.
Overall, the sessions offered both practical guidance and motivational direction. They strengthened participants’ confidence in academic writing, clarified strategies for competitive examinations, and provided a coherent vision for sustained academic development.
I would like to convey my sincere appreciation to everyone whose dedication and hard work contributed to the success of this event. I am deeply grateful to Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Barad, Head of the Department of English and Workshop Convenor at Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, for his inspiring leadership, academic mentorship, and careful planning. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the Co-convenors, Ms. Megha Trivedi and Ms. Prakruti Bhatt, PhD Scholars and Visiting Faculty in the Department of English, for their dedicated coordination, continuous support, and committed organisational efforts throughout the workshop.
I gratefully acknowledge the support and patronage of the Promotion of Higher Education Knowledge Consortium, Government of Gujarat, whose assistance made this academic programme possible. Finally, I sincerely appreciate the valuable help and enthusiastic cooperation of the students of the Department of English, whose involvement greatly contributed to the smooth conduct of the programme.
References:
DoE-MKBU. (2026a, January 27). Kalyan Chattopadhyay | Session 1 & 2 | National Workshop on Academic Writing | English -MKBU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ6cCYj709Q
DoE-MKBU. (2026b, January 27). Paresh Joshi | Session 1 & 2 | National Workshop on Academic Writing | English - MKBU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7VXzNSys38
DoE-MKBU. (2026c, January 28). Dr. Clement Ndoricimpa | Academic Writing Workshop | English - MKBU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7ii6l_MBZs
DoE-MKBU. (2026d, January 28). Dr. Kalyan Chattopadhyay | Session 3 & 4 | National Workshop on Academic Writing | English - MKBU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuOouQx_adM
DoE-MKBU. (2026e, January 29). Dr. Clement Ndoricimpa - 2 | National Workshop on Academic Writing | English - MKBU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4IHwdT2kdk
DoE-MKBU. (2026f, January 29). Dr Nigam Dave | Session 1 & 2 | National Workshop on Academic Writing | English - MKBU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJPlO9i96AM
DoE-MKBU. (2026g, January 30). Dr Kalyani Vallath - Part 1/4 | National Workshop on Academic Writing | English - MKBU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E79dIfx0IgI
DoE-MKBU. (2026h, January 30). Dr Kalyani Vallath - Part 2/4 | English - MKBU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCVs8nN3qBQ
DoE-MKBU. (2026i, January 31). Dr Kalyani Vallath - Part 3/4 | English - MKBU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNAAMzD3OwQ
DoE-MKBU. (2026j, January 31). Dr Kalyani Vallath - Part 4/4 | English - MKBU [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HUyFI4Eh7Y
Thank you.
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