Hello everyone this blog is a part of documentation and my learning experience of Academic Writing Workshop.
The Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University (MKBU) successfully organized a week-long National Workshop on Academic Writing under the aegis of the Promotion of Higher Education Knowledge Consortium (KCG), Government of Gujarat. Spanning six intellectually intensive days, the workshop brought together university authorities, distinguished scholars, teachers, research scholars, and students in a vibrant academic environment dedicated to strengthening writing skills, research ethics, and responsible AI integration.
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Inaugural Ceremony: 27 January, 2026The workshop commenced with a dignified inaugural ceremony anchored by Ms. Prakruti Bhatt. The programme began with a formal welcome, followed by the University Song and Prayer.
As a symbolic gesture honouring knowledge and scholarship, the dignitaries were welcomed with ceremonial book presentations.
The distinguished guests included:
Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) B. B. Ramanuj
In-Charge Registrar Dr. Bhavesh Jani
Dean, Faculty 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 Workshop Convenor, delivered the welcome address. He outlined the objectives of the workshop, emphasizing a contemporary academic challenge: balancing Natural Intelligence (NI) with Artificial Intelligence (AI). The workshop was structured around academic writing skills, ethical AI usage, NET/JRF guidance, research aptitude, and the development of a Digital Resource Hub.
The inaugural plenary sessions established the intellectual foundation of the workshop. Prof. (Dr.) Paresh Joshi reflected on the evolution of writing across historical phases and stressed the need to preserve human creativity and critical thinking in the age of generative AI. Dr. Kalyan Chattopadhyay traced the tradition of academic writing in India from ancient knowledge systems to frameworks such as NEP 2020 and NCF 2023, emphasizing multilingualism and rooted scholarship.
Day 1 (27 January 2026):
Academic Writing and Prompt Engineering
The first technical session, led by Prof. (Dr.) Paresh Joshi from Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, focused on Academic Writing and Prompt Engineering.
He distinguished clearly between creative writing and academic writing, describing academic writing as the “literature of knowledge” — objective, logical, and evidence-based. He presented writing as a scholarly conversation: one listens through literature review, reports existing ideas, responds analytically, and contributes original insight.
Key principles discussed included:
Formal tone
Clarity and precision
Logical flow
Strong thesis statements
Responsible claim-making
The second half introduced Prompt Engineering—crafting precise instructions for AI tools. Techniques such as zero-shot, few-shot, chain-of-thought, and role-based prompting were demonstrated. Importantly, he emphasized ethical AI use, warning against overdependence and encouraging fact-checking and originality.
Day One & Two: (27,28 January,2026):
Advanced Academic Writing
Dr. Kalyan Chattopadhyay conducted two intensive sessions on Academic Writing for Advanced Learners. These sessions examined writing as both a formal and rhetorical practice.
Core features of academic writing—formality, objectivity, clarity, and precision—were explored in depth. Participants were trained to:
Frame research questions effectively
Distinguish findings from interpretation
Use disciplined citation practices
Apply hedging strategies appropriately
Develop coherent literature reviews
Drawing on Ken Hyland’s framework of authorial identity, Dr. Chattopadhyay explained that academic writing is not entirely impersonal; rather, scholars must strategically manage visibility. The nuanced discussion of first-person usage, hedging devices, and rhetorical positioning significantly strengthened participants’ understanding of scholarly voice.
Day Two & Three (28,29 January 2026):
Dr. Clement Ndoricimpa from Burundi, East Africa conducted online sessions on publishing in Scopus and Web of Science indexed journals.
He explained the importance of indexed journals for visibility, citation impact, and career advancement. The IMRD structure (Introduction, Methodology, Results, Discussion) was elaborated, with particular attention to crafting a strong introduction through the three-move model:
Establishing research territory
Identifying the research gap
Occupying the niche
A recurring emphasis was placed on references and credibility. Unsupported claims were identified as a major weakness in research writing.
The sessions also addressed:
Academic vocabulary and coherence
Ethical AI usage
Plagiarism and integrity
Reference management using Mendeley
Citation styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, Vancouver)
These sessions blended technical training with ethical awareness, reinforcing that academic publishing demands intellectual honesty and methodological rigour.
Day Three (29 January, 2026):
Detecting AI Hallucination
Prof. (Dr.) Nigam Dave from Pandit Deendayal Energy University delivered a thought-provoking lecture on AI Hallucination and Academic Integrity.
He defined AI hallucination as the production of statistically plausible but factually fabricated information. Scholars were warned against blindly trusting AI-generated citations, vague phrases, or invented references.
He highlighted warning signs such as:
Unverified claims (“studies show…”)
Fabricated citations
Confident but unverifiable prose
Importantly, he did not reject AI outright. Instead, he advocated for ethical and strategic use—AI as assistant, not author. Human oversight, critical verification, and scholarly judgment were presented as non-negotiable responsibilities.
Day Four & Five (30,31 January, 2026):
From Classroom to Academic Career
Dr. Kalyani Vallath conducted transformative sessions integrating academic writing, NET preparation, literary history, and career orientation.
She emphasized growth mindset, disciplined practice, and strategic planning. Writing was described as a skill cultivated through revision and reflection. Practical techniques such as free writing, reverse planning, and mind mapping were introduced.
Her sessions on UGC NET preparation demystified the exam, showing that it tests reasoning and conceptual clarity rather than rote memory. Literary history and theory—from classical criticism to Structuralism, Feminism, and Postcolonialism—were presented in an integrated conceptual framework.
The sessions extended beyond examination strategies to long-term academic identity building and self-belief.
Day Six (01 February,2026):
Multimodal E-Content and Digital Resource Hub
The concluding session by Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Barad focused on Multimodal E-Content Creation aligned with NEP 2020.
Distinguishing between pedagogy, andragogy, and heutagogy, he emphasized learner autonomy and discovery-based education. AI tools such as NotebookLM were demonstrated for creating structured, source-grounded digital content.
A key innovation was the introduction of a “Fifth Quadrant” to the SWAYAM model—integrating AI-based activities that promote critical thinking rather than passive consumption.
The session reinforced a central theme of the workshop: technology must serve pedagogy, not replace it.
This week-long workshop was more than a training programme—it was an intellectual journey bridging tradition and technology, scholarship and innovation, discipline and creativity.
Heartfelt gratitude is extended to:
Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Barad, Convenor and Head of Department
Co-convenors Ms. Megha Trivedi and Ms. Prakruti Bhatt
The Promotion of Higher Education Knowledge Consortium (KCG), Government of Gujarat
The dedicated students and volunteers
Their collective effort ensured the workshop’s smooth execution and lasting academic impact.
Conclusion
The National Workshop on Academic Writing at MKBU reaffirmed that academic writing is not merely a technical skill but an ethical, intellectual, and reflective practice. In an era shaped by Artificial Intelligence, the workshop emphasized that human judgment, originality, and integrity remain at the heart of scholarship.
The six days left participants not only better writers, but more responsible scholars—equipped to contribute meaningfully to the evolving landscape of higher education.
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