Strengthening Scholarly Publishing Skills: MDPI Academic Publishing Workshops with National University Hospital

MDPI, in collaboration with the National University Hospital (NUH), successfully conducted two Academic Publishing Workshops (APWs) on 26 May and 7 July, bringing together nurses to strengthen their understanding of scholarly publishing. While both workshops featured the same programme, they were delivered to different groups, with the first session attended primarily by nurses from NUH and the second welcoming participants from both NUH and Ng Teng Fong General Hospital. Across the two sessions, 28 participants took part.

Designed for healthcare professionals involved in research or aspiring to publish their work, the workshops provided practical guidance on the publishing journey, from selecting an appropriate journal and preparing a well-structured manuscript to navigating peer review, maintaining publication ethics, and using artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly in scholarly publishing.

The workshops opened with an introduction to MDPI, open access publishing, and journal selection by Dr. Amy Cham. Participants learned how open access increases the visibility and impact of research, explored key considerations for choosing a suitable journal, and received practical advice on structuring manuscripts to improve clarity and publication readiness.

The programme then focused on the peer review process, introducing the MDPI editorial workflow and strategies for responding effectively to reviewer comments. Through practical examples and interactive discussion, participants explored how to address major and minor revisions, including situations where reviewers provide conflicting recommendations.

A session on publication ethics highlighted the importance of integrity and transparency in research, covering authorship, plagiarism, data fabrication, and conflicts of interest. The workshops concluded with a discussion on the responsible use of AI in scholarly publishing, demonstrating how AI can support language refinement and manuscript preparation while emphasising that it should complement, not replace, scientific expertise and must be used in accordance with journal policies.

The 26 May workshop featured presentations by Dr. Amy Cham and Dr. Nicholas Cho, while the 7 July session was delivered by Dr. Amy Cham and Dr. Weronika Gorka-Kumik. Both workshops concluded with an engaging question-and-answer session, allowing participants to seek advice on publication strategies and common publishing challenges.

Overall, the workshops provided healthcare professionals with practical knowledge and greater confidence to navigate the scholarly publishing process. By combining guidance on manuscript preparation, peer review, publication ethics, and responsible AI use, the sessions supported participants in communicating their research effectively and contributing to evidence-based healthcare.