On Saturday, October 21, 2023, the Graduate Student Family (KMP) of the Faculty of Biology at UGM, under the Natha Abhipraya Cabinet, held the Circle II Discussion Session 2 event. This event followed the previous Session 1 on September 28, 2023, and was one of the working programs conceptualized as a discussion forum by the Strategic and Scientific Studies Division (Kastrak) of the KMP Faculty of Biology at UGM. The activity focused on the theme “Boost Your Writing Skill,” with the aim of enhancing the writing proficiency of graduate students, enabling them to produce high-quality manuscripts eligible for publication in reputable journals.
The event took place in the Teaching Laboratory on the 2nd floor of the Sinar Mas Building, Faculty of Biology at UGM, the Circle II Discussion Session 2 was attended by 20 participants, including master’s and doctoral students from the Faculty of Biology at UGM. The second day’s activities commenced at 08:30 AM local time, led by Faradilla, S.Si., as the MC, and began with a collective prayer followed with the singing of the Indonesian national anthem, “Indonesia Raya,” the Gadjah Mada Hymn, and the Biology UGM March, conducted by Tamalia, S.Pd. Subsequently, the event transitioned into a workshop. Participants were divided into two large groups, with the first group guided by Dr. Ardaning Nuriliani, S.Si., M.Kes., and the second group led by Nur Indah Septriani, S.Si., M.Sc., Ph.D. Both discussion leaders were faculty members and editors of journals at the Faculty of Biology at UGM, namely the Journal of Tropical Biodiversity and Biotechnology (JTBB) and the Berkala Ilmiah Biologi (BIB).
After the first session of The Circle II Discussion, 11 articles were collected and reviewed by the editors. The initial phase of the workshop commenced with introductions and brief profile stories from the discussion leaders and participants. In the first group, the discussion began by selecting one scientific article to discuss each section, starting with a title.The article titles were required to be intriguing while accurately representing the content, and must be a maximum of 14 words. The discussion then progressed to address the abstract and its most crucial component, the keywords, to make it easier for readers to find suitable journals. The abstract should also encompass objectives, results, and even conclusions, without including references. Among the submitted articles, there were inconsistencies in the abstract content, such as vague methodology and the absence of conclusions.
In the introduction section, the discussion leaders emphasized the importance of writing coherently and cohesively to ensure readers grasp the intended flow of information. Some participant-written articles tended to lack coherent and cohesive information, necessitating revisions. Additionally, the method points should be detailed, include subsections, and if software is utilized, it must be mentioned. In the results section, an introduction is presented before entering the tables, and after the tables, table descriptions are provided prior to the discussion. However, adherence to the target journal’s writing format is essential. The final point, the conclusion, should encompass research findings’ summaries and highlight the study’s significant outcomes. It is also crucial to indicate whether the hypothesis was accepted or rejected, with appropriate references provided. The discussion proceeded smoothly, driven by the participants’ enthusiasm. Some participants expressed gratitude, feeling motivated to write as a result of participating in the Circle II Discussion.
The activity concluded with the presentation of mementos from the Committee to the Workshop Discussion Leaders of Circle II. Dr. Ardaning Nuriliani, S.Si., M.Kes. and Nur Indah Septriani, S.Si., M.Sc., Ph.D. The event ended at 10:30 AM and was followed by a group photo. The Circle II Discussion event is anticipated to become a regularly held activity, addressing the needs of graduate students in Biology at UGM for writing, research, and publication in reputable scientific articles.
