Scientific writing and publishing are integral to advancing science and providing access to information for researchers and decision makers. Unfortunately, students and early-career researchers face barriers in publishing their work. They often lack training opportunities, and navigating the process of writing and publishing, particularly for those without scientific writing experience and for whom English is not their first language, can be problematical.
Based on an online assessment in March 2022 for the Indonesian Primatology community, we found the challenges include: (1) lack of confidence because of difficulties writing in English, (2) lack of mentoring and adequate information about the process of manuscript submission, and (3) lack of knowledge about how to develop a good writing framework.
In a 3-day scientific writing and publication workshop during 4–6 July 2022 at the National University Jakarta, we embarked upon an initiative to encourage early-career Indonesian primatologists to write and publish. This was a collaboration between The IUCN Species Survival Commission Primate Specialist Group Section on Small Apes, Yayasan Konservasi Ekosistem Alam Nusantara, the Indonesian Primatological Society and the National University.
Interested applicants submitted draft manuscripts prior to the workshop. From 35 applications received, we chose 24 participants. The selected participants are Indonesian early-career primatologists with less than 5 years of professional experience and little or no experience of scientific publishing.
The workshop began with plenary sessions from three national, regional and international primate journal editors who covered the various stages of writing a scientific manuscript, publication ethics, choosing the most appropriate journal, and tips for publishing a paper. Participants then worked in smaller groups, receiving intensive mentoring sessions with senior primatologists from Indonesian and other universities, along with peer learning.
The views of the participants after the workshop can be summarized as follows: (1) The mentoring session in small groups is helpful for developing the quality of writing and sharing tips and knowledge. (2) Peer support and feedback are beneficial for learning and helping to overcome the challenges of working alone. (3) Support from senior researchers and experts is valuable to build confidence and assist with the writing process. (4) The workshop was an opportunity for networking and potential collaboration for young primatologists.
Although the 3-day workshop was constrained by time, we believe the participants developed the skills and confidence they require to publish their work. We strongly recommend that more workshops of this type be offered to all conservationists, as required, to ensure that the high quality of their research can be shared widely.
Open access
