GRG · ONE-DAY INTENSIVE WORKSHOP · 2026

Write with clarity.
Publish with confidence.

Empowering Scientific Writing and Publication through Artificial Intelligence (AI)

A practical, human-led workshop for postgraduate students ready to turn stronger ideas into publication-ready manuscripts.

Date17 August 2026
Time8.30 AM – 5.00 PM
VenueBilik Jamuan D02
CampusUTM Johor Bahru
A diverse group of Malaysian researchers and postgraduate students participating in an AI-assisted scientific writing and publication workshop

MALAYSIAN RESEARCH COMMUNITY

Ideas become evidence. Evidence becomes impact.

Work alongside a diverse community of researchers to structure manuscripts, strengthen academic arguments, verify evidence and navigate the publication journey responsibly with AI.

STRUCTUREANALYSEWRITEVERIFYPUBLISH

SYNOPSIS

AI accelerates the process. Researchers lead the thinking.

The Writing & Publication Workshop GRG 2026 is a one-day intensive workshop organised by the Geotechnical Research Group (GRG), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM). Designed specifically for postgraduate students, it empowers researchers with practical knowledge and skills to use Artificial Intelligence in scientific writing and publication.

Participants will explore AI-powered techniques supporting every stage of academic writing—from manuscript structure and literature reviews to language refinement, coherence and preparation for submission to high-quality journals.

Through practical demonstrations and hands-on exercises, participants will develop stronger manuscripts while learning to use AI ethically, verify evidence, maintain originality and preserve human scholarly judgement.

WORKSHOP LEARNING OUTCOMES

Five capabilities. One stronger research workflow.

01
UNDERSTAND

AI in Scientific Publishing

Explain how AI supports academic writing and identify suitable tools for different stages of manuscript development.

02
APPLY

Improve Scientific Writing

Generate, refine and organise content while strengthening clarity, coherence, grammar, titles, abstracts and literature reviews.

03
DEVELOP

Quality Research Manuscripts

Structure Introduction, Methodology, Results, Discussion and Conclusion sections to international publishing standards.

04
PROTECT

Ethical and Responsible AI

Maintain academic integrity, originality and human judgement while recognising the limitations of AI-generated content.

05
ADVANCE

Publication Readiness

Use AI-assisted workflows to evaluate manuscripts, improve research productivity and prepare confidently for submission.

HANDS-ON JOURNEY

From research idea to submission-ready manuscript.

01 · FRAME

Define the contribution

Clarify the purpose and target reader.

02 · STRUCTURE

Build the manuscript

Align the paper with journal expectations.

03 · DRAFT

Develop the content

Write clear, evidence-based sections.

04 · REFINE

Strengthen the writing

Improve logic, language and coherence.

05 · VERIFY

Check every claim

Review evidence, citations and originality.

06 · SUBMIT

Prepare confidently

Evaluate readiness before submission.

Human Verification at Every Stage
Interpretation, evidence checking and final scholarly decisions always remain with the researcher.

TENTATIVE PROGRAMME · 17 AUGUST 2026

One focused day. Practical from start to finish.

8.15 – 8.30 AMParticipant Registration
8.30 – 8.50 AMWelcoming remarks by the Head of GRG, Dr Bakhtiar, followed by a briefing on members’ publications and the workshop
8.50 – 9.30 AMSpeech by the Deputy Dean (Research), Prof Ahmad Safuan
9.30 – 10.00 AMMorning Refreshments
10.00 AM – 12.45 PMHands-On Workshop — AI in Publication, Part 1 by the invited speaker, Dr Shahizan
12.45 – 2.00 PMLunch and Zohor Prayer
2.00 – 4.30 PMHands-On Workshop — AI in Publication, Part 2 by the invited speaker, Dr Shahizan
4.30 – 5.00 PMToken of Appreciation to the Speaker and Photo Session

WORKSHOP SPEAKER

Expert guidance. Practical application.

MS
INVITED SPEAKER

Assoc. Prof. Dr Mohd Shahizan bin Othman

Faculty of Computing · Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Associate Professor in Computer Science with expertise spanning artificial intelligence, data science, research methodology and AI-assisted academic writing. He will guide participants through practical demonstrations, writing exercises and responsible publication practices.

BEFORE THE WORKSHOP

Bring the materials that move your article forward.

01

Laptop & Access

Bring your laptop, charger and access to the AI or research tools you plan to use.

02

Article in Progress

Bring a research idea, article outline or current manuscript section that you want to strengthen.

03

Verified Sources

Prepare 10–30 relevant articles, your key references and any existing evidence matrix.

04

Target Journal

Bring the journal aims, scope, author guidelines and recent related articles, if available.

05

Reviewer Comments

If revising an article, bring the decision letter, reviewer comments and current manuscript version.

06

Protect Your Data

Remove confidential, personal, identifiable or restricted information before using any AI tool.

WORKSHOP DELIVERABLES

Leave with practical publication outputs.

01

Article Positioning

A clear focus, target audience and defensible contribution statement.

02

Manuscript Storyline

A logical outline connecting the problem, evidence, findings and contribution.

03

Section Revision

A strengthened manuscript section based on verified evidence and human review.

04

Journal Shortlist

A responsible journal-fit comparison with key requirements to verify.

05

Submission Checklist

A structured check of manuscript files, declarations and journal compliance.

06

Response Matrix

A point-by-point structure for comments, revisions, evidence and locations.

PARTICIPATION & VENUE

Postgraduate students are invited.

Participation is coordinated by the Geotechnical Research Group (GRG), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. The workshop will be held on 17 August 2026, from 8.30 AM to 5.00 PM, at Bilik Jamuan D02, Faculty of Civil Engineering, UTM Johor Bahru. Participant registration begins at 8.15 AM.

For registration, attendance or venue information, please contact the GRG workshop coordinator.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Know what to expect.

Do I need a complete manuscript?

No. You may work with a research idea, article outline, selected manuscript section or full draft.

Can I bring reviewer comments?

Yes. Bring the decision letter, complete reviewer comments and the latest manuscript version after removing confidential information.

Which AI tools will be used?

The workshop introduces publication-focused generative AI, Gemini Notebook and selected research tools. The emphasis is on transferable workflows rather than one platform.

Can I upload unpublished or confidential data?

Do not upload confidential, identifiable, restricted or commercially sensitive material. Use anonymised or non-sensitive extracts only when permitted.

Will AI write the article for me?

No. AI supports analysis, drafting and review. The researcher remains responsible for evidence, interpretation, originality and the final manuscript.

Will the materials remain available?

The website provides continuing access to the publication prompt libraries, tools and curated learning resources.

WRITE · REFINE · VERIFY · PUBLISH

Move your manuscript forward.

Build a more systematic, responsible and confident approach to scientific writing with AI.

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