30 January 2026
Threesna Sharfina
The Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara, held a Scientific Article Writing Workshop on Thursday, 29 January 2026, at the FISIP USU Theater Room. The event featured Prof. Dr. Bagong Suyanto, Drs., M.S. from the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Airlangga, as the main speaker, with the aim of strengthening the writing capacity of the academic community.
The workshop focused on enhancing skills in writing scientific articles and data-based opinion pieces, while also encouraging greater publication productivity within FISIP USU. In addition to discussing conceptual aspects, the activity emphasized practical writing strategies relevant to the needs of media outlets and academic journals.
In his presentation, Prof. Bagong emphasized that writing is not merely an academic activity, but an intellectual investment with an impact on the public sphere. He likened the process of learning to write to learning how to ride a bicycle, which requires perseverance and endurance rather than theoretical ability alone. According to him, strong opinions must be built upon real issues and reinforced with empirical data, including the use of time-series data to demonstrate comparisons and trends.
He also reminded participants that selecting an issue worthy of discussion is a challenge in itself. A piece of writing, he noted, must enter public discourse and possess media appeal. The opening paragraph is the most crucial part, as it is the first section read by editors. A strong and unconventional opening can significantly increase the chances of an article being published.
In addition, participants were provided with technical tips such as the importance of adapting writing to the style guidelines of the target journal or media, including relevant citations, and strategies for submitting articles. Prof. Bagong also encouraged lecturers and students not to hesitate in writing popular scientific opinion pieces as a bridge between the academic world and the public sphere.
Responding to the activity, the Vice Dean III of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Dr. Harmona Daulay, S.Sos., M.Si., emphasized that strengthening publication is a strategic component of academic development within the faculty.
“Our area under Vice Dean III covers publications, ranging from opinion pieces, book writing, to national and international journal articles. We have continuously worked on strengthening this area, including supporting scholarly works and research that produce publication outputs. The presence of Prof. Bagong serves as an important momentum, especially to encourage young lecturers to sharpen their opinion-writing skills, understand the concepts and techniques, and at the same time enhance personal and academic community capacity. This is also crucial for fostering social sensitivity toward issues that can be published and jointly examined, so that the academic culture at FISIP USU becomes even stronger,” she stated.
The workshop proceeded interactively, featuring discussions and a question-and-answer session that highlighted publication challenges and strategies for maintaining consistency in producing scholarly work. Through this activity, FISIP USU reaffirmed its commitment to building a productive, critical academic culture oriented toward meaningful scholarly contributions to the public sphere.
Author: Tabitha R. Simbolon
