On Wednesday, September 4th, a significant Focus Group Discussion (FGD) took place between the linguistics research team from Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia’s (UPI) English Language and Literature Study Program and the Bandung Society for Informatics, Electrical Engineering, and Robotics (BSIEER). The session focused on laying the foundation for an innovative software tool aimed at assisting researchers and writers in evaluating the quality of their academic papers before submitting them to top national and international journals.
The linguistics team, who specialize in analyzing the rhetorical structure and linguistic elements of academic papers, sought input from BSIEER’s seasoned computer programmers and AI experts. The goal was to gain valuable insights to guide the development of a tool that would offer comprehensive analysis of abstracts and articles. By pinpointing strengths and areas for improvement in the rhetorical structure, this software would help researchers enhance the quality of their submissions, thereby increasing their chances of being published in prestigious Scopus-indexed journals.
Dr. Dian Dia-an, a leading linguist from UPI and the moderator of the FGD, stressed the importance of conducting an in-depth needs analysis to ensure that the software meets the specific demands of academic researchers. Participants engaged in dynamic discussions, exchanging views and experiences related to academic writing.
Husni Mubarok, S.T.P., M.T., a prominent AI engineer from BSIEER, suggested developing the software as an accessible, user-friendly website. This would allow for broader reach and easier use. Meanwhile, Aldy Putra Aldya, S.T., M.T., another senior representative from BSIEER, proposed a hybrid development approach that combines rule-based algorithms with supervised machine learning. While this could result in higher accuracy, it would also require significant computational resources such as supercomputers, GPUs, and servers.
Prof. Eri Kurniawan, Ph.D., the principal investigator of the research team, appreciated the valuable suggestions from BSIEER members and expressed a commitment to incorporating these ideas into the project. He also announced plans to expedite the development timeline, aiming for a one-year release rather than the initially planned two-year period.
In addition, Prof. Eri Kurniawan expressed optimism about the tool’s potential to improve the quality of academic research at UPI and increase the university’s Scopus-indexed publications. By providing a powerful resource for analyzing the rhetorical effectiveness of research papers, the team hopes to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and academic scholarship.
The FGD marked a crucial milestone in the development of the Move and Step Analysis software. The collaboration between the UPI linguistics team and BSIEER has laid the groundwork for a tool that could revolutionize how researchers approach academic writing. As the project moves forward, it is expected that the software will become a vital resource for scholars worldwide, enabling them to produce high-quality research that meets the rigorous standards of leading journals.
By Ruswan Dallyono