Dr. Martaria Rizky Rinaldi, M.Psi., a psychologist and lecturer at the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Mercu Buana Yogyakarta (UMBY), served as the keynote speaker at a webinar titled "Writing Mindset and AI Utilization Strategies for Publishing Articles in Scopus-Indexed Journals." The event was organized by the South Sulawesi Regional Chapter of the Indonesian Psychological Association (HIMPSI) on Saturday, July 18, 2026.

Held online via Zoom, the event was part of the lead-up to the 2026 HIMPSI South Sulawesi Regional Conference. The webinar was attended by psychologists and academics who are members of HIMPSI South Sulawesi.

In his opening remarks, the Chairman of HIMPSI South Sulawesi, Ahmad Rifdah, M.Psi., emphasized the importance of scientific publication for psychology practitioners as a means of disseminating knowledge.

"Psychologists do not merely provide professional services; they also need to write and disseminate psychological knowledge so that their practical experiences and research findings can yield broader benefits," Ahmad asserted.

During her presentation, Dr. Martaria discussed the importance of cultivating a productive writing mindset before engaging in the technical aspects of writing. According to her, one of the greatest obstacles to publication is not necessarily a lack of ability, but rather tendencies such as procrastination, the fear of making mistakes, and the desire for the writing to be perfect from the start.

"Writing does not have to begin with a flawless manuscript. The most important thing is the courage to start, setting realistic targets, and then refining the work gradually," said Dr. Martaria.

As both a lecturer and a reviewer for reputable international journals, Dr. Martaria also shared strategies for structuring articles to increase the likelihood of acceptance by Scopus-indexed journals. The material covered generating research ideas, identifying research gaps, strengthening scientific contributions, constructing arguments, and selecting journals that align with the manuscript's focus and quality.

Moving beyond theory, the participants—comprising psychologists and academics—were also invited to engage in hands-on practice using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to draft article outlines and evaluate academic grammar. However, Martaria offered a critical perspective regarding the ethics of using such technology.

“AI is a tool, not a substitute for the author. Ideas, analysis, interpretation of results, information verification, and responsibility for the content remain with the researcher,” she emphasized.

She also cautioned researchers against being easily swayed by claims of indexation alone. Authors are urged to always verify a publisher's reputation, the clarity of the editorial process, and the alignment of the journal's aims and scope to avoid predatory journals.

The seven-hour interactive training session was met with a very positive response from participants. Practical sessions on the ethical integration of AI and strategies for getting published in Scopus sparked the most lively discussions.

Through this initiative, Dr. Martaria hopes to inspire psychologists in Indonesia to become more productive in producing reputable scholarly work.

"I hope this activity encourages more psychologists to write actively, produce high-quality scientific publications, and disseminate psychological knowledge more widely to the public," she concluded.