The Department of Library and the IQAC at St. Joseph Vaz College, in collaboration with the Directorate of Higher Education, Government of Goa, successfully organized a One-Day State-Level Workshop on “Writing Project/Dissertation: Do’s and Don’ts” on 21st September 2024. The event saw active participation of 50 students from various colleges across the state, with the objective of improving their academic writing skills, particularly in project and dissertation work. Students from several colleges across Goa participated in the workshop. These included Murgaon Education Society’s Vasant Joshi College of Arts and Commerce, Zuarinagar; St. Xavier’s College, Mapusa; Carmel College of Arts, Science, and Commerce for Women, Nuvem, Salcete; Narayan Zantye College of Commerce, Bicholim; Sant Sohirobanath Ambiye Government College of Arts and Commerce, Virnoda, Pernem; Fr. Agnel College of Arts and Commerce, Pilar; D.C.T.’s Dhempe College of Arts & Science, Miramar, Panaji; and St. Joseph Vaz College, Cortalim.

Dr. Aureen Gomes, Assistant Professor of Microbiology, acted as the host for the full-day event.

The dignitaries on the dais included Rev. Prof. Simao Diniz, College Administrator; Angela Serrao, Acting Principal; Dr. Murari Tapaswi, Resource Person; Dr. Keshav Dhuri, DHE Observer; Viona Corriea, IQAC Coordinator; and Manali Acharya, Programme Coordinator. The workshop commenced with an inaugural session featuring a prayer service, the lighting of the lamp, and a welcome address by Rev. Prof. Simao Diniz. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of research integrity and academic excellence in higher education, urging students to engage deeply in research while
upholding ethical practices. The inaugural session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by the acting principal.

Dr. Murari Tapaswi, the resource speaker, conducted three informative sessions, addressing key elements of research. These sessions covered topics such as effective literature search strategies, choosing research topics, planning and structuring projects, and maintaining ethical research standards. Additionally, Dr. Tapaswi introduced the participants to reference management tools and showcased effective methods for organizing and structuring dissertations.

The workshop concluded with a valedictory function, where the programme coordinator presented a report on the day’s sessions, followed by a closing address from the college administrator. Mementos were presented to the resource person in appreciation. Students from various colleges actively took part in the event and shared their feedback. Following this, the resource person distributed participation certificates. The valedictory function ended with a vote of thanks delivered by Ludiloy Pereira, a member of the library staff.

This workshop provided participants with valuable insights and introduced them to essential tools, equipping them with the skills necessary to improve their research and writing abilities for final year projects. It is expected to significantly contribute to their academic development and better preparation for future scholarly endeavors.