KUALA LUMPUR, Apr 29 – The Faculty of Artificial Intelligence (FAI), Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Kuala Lumpur, successfully organized the “FAI Academic Publishing 101: Mastering LaTeX for Research Writing” workshop, bringing together researchers, academics, and postgraduate students for a full-day session focused on enhancing manuscript preparation using LaTeX and Overleaf. Held at the Dining Hall, Level 15, Menara Razak, the workshop provided attendees with valuable insights into producing high-quality, publication-ready documents through hands-on guidance and expert-led sessions

The session was conducted by Dr. Abdul Yasser Abd Fatah, with the aim of equipping participants with practical skills in academic publishing using LaTeX, a powerful typesetting system widely adopted in scientific and engineering fields. From managing citations to formatting complex content, participants were introduced to both the fundamental and advanced features of LaTeX to ensure consistency, clarity, and compliance with international journal standards.

The workshop featured structured modules covering key aspects of LaTeX, including manuscript structuring, citation management, table and equation formatting, and collaborative writing using Overleaf. Hands-on demonstrations and real-time troubleshooting sessions allowed participants to directly engage with tools and techniques essential for professional academic writing.

One of the highlights of the day was the peer-sharing segment, where participants and the speaker exchanged experiences on using LaTeX for theses, journal articles, and grant proposals. This interactive platform not only enriched the session but also fostered meaningful collaboration among attendees from diverse research backgrounds.

The event was spearheaded by the Publication Blueprint Task Force under the Research & Innovation Office, FAI. The task force plays a strategic role in driving initiatives that enhance research visibility, strengthen academic writing competencies, and support scholarly publishing within the faculty. Their efforts in planning, coordinating, and executing the workshop contributed to a smooth and impactful learning experience.

As emphasized during the session, mastering LaTeX is increasingly essential for researchers, especially in the era of advanced AI technologies. While AI tools can support content generation, coding, and citation management, LaTeX remains the foundation for presenting complex models, equations, and research findings in a clear, professional, and publication-ready format. Its ability to handle technical documentation with precision, combined with seamless integration into modern research workflows.

With the growing focus on scholarly impact and research dissemination, this workshop reaffirmed FAI’s commitment to academic excellence by empowering participants with the skills and tools necessary to elevate the quality of their research writing. Participants left the session not only equipped with technical proficiency but also with renewed motivation to improve their academic contributions using LaTeX.

Prepared By: Siti Maherah Hussin, Fiza Abdul Rahim, Mohd Azri Mohd Izhar