Two faculty members, Dean G.H. Huang and Prof. J.H. Kwan, along with eighty students from the Faculty of Business of Macao Polytechnic University, participated in a technical seminar conducted by Prof. W.M. To on 8 April 2024. The seminar was held in Lecture Theatre 3, Wui Chi Building from 7:00 to 10:00 pm.

During the seminar, Prof. W.M. To discussed the essential steps involved in conducting research and writing an academic report, such as a project report, thesis, dissertation, or academic paper. He highlighted the significance of research for faulty members in acquiring new knowledge and insights relevant to their teaching, as well as for students in fulfilling graduation requirements through research and project report writing. Prof. To then elaborated on the process of selecting a research topic based on a comprehensive literature review. He also provided insights into the history, scope, advantages, and drawbacks of utilizing academic indexing databases like the Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The discussion encompassed topics such as “reliable sources”, “unreliable sources”, and the challenges posed by predatory publishers and journals. Furthermore, Prof. To shared tips on reviewing academic articles and suggested potential research topics.

Following his presentation, several inquiries arose regarding the number of papers that should be examined by students prior to finalizing a research topic, as well as the relevance of journal citation reports and journal impact factors.

Figure 1. Dean Huang, Prof. Kwan, and Prof. To and students who attended this talk

Figure 2. Prof. To conducting the seminar to the audience