EduAsiaNews, Jakarta — The Master’s Program in Political Science at UPN “Veteran” Jakarta held a Final Project Writing Workshop on Thursday (April 16, 2026), located in the Dean’s Meeting Room of the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), as part of an effort to enhance the quality standards of students’ theses. The interactive session featured Prof. Dr. Burhanuddin Muhtadi, M.A.
In his presentation, Burhanuddin emphasized that the greatest challenge for postgraduate students is moving from broad issue interests to a sharply focused research topic. According to him, a thesis must not be merely descriptive in nature.
“Research questions must demonstrate analytical depth. Do not simply ask ‘what,’ but explore further into ‘why’ and ‘how.’ A thesis should be able to address a knowledge gap that has not yet been explored by previous researchers,” he explained.
The workshop outlined five crucial stages in the research roadmap, starting from selecting a relevant topic, formulating research questions, strengthening theoretical and literature foundations, choosing appropriate methodologies, and maintaining discipline throughout the writing process.
Beyond technical aspects, Burhanuddin also highlighted the importance of research ethics and academic integrity. He reminded participants that a thesis is an academic “legacy” that reflects an intellectual’s track record. Therefore, he encouraged students not merely to pursue graduation, but to produce work worthy of publication in reputable journals.
“Publication is the downstream outcome, while high-quality research is the foundation or upstream process. If the foundation is strong, its contribution to knowledge will be recognized both nationally and internationally,” he asserted.
This activity was organized with the aim of motivating postgraduate students currently completing their final projects to do so responsibly while producing work of a quality that can compete at both national and international levels.(www.upnvj.ac.id)
