Pengkaji

Pengkaji is a term in Malay and Indonesian that denotes a person who conducts investigation or study in a given field. The word is formed from the root kaji, meaning to study or examine, with the agentive prefix peng- that marks a person who performs the action. In Malay use, pengkaji commonly refers to researchers in academic, scientific, historical, or policy contexts; in Indonesian, peneliti is more common, though pengkaji is understood and used in formal or governmental language.

Roles and activities: A pengkaji plans and conducts inquiries, collects and analyzes data, reviews relevant literature, and communicates findings through reports, articles, or policy briefs. The work may involve fieldwork, laboratory work, archival research, or data analytics. Pengkaji may be employed by universities, research institutes, government agencies, media outlets, or private think tanks.

Education and qualifications: Most pengkaji hold higher education credentials in a field related to their work, with master's or doctoral degrees often required for advanced research positions. Strong analytical, methodological, and communication skills are essential, as is the ability to work collaboratively and adhere to scholarly or scientific standards.

Fields of work and context: The term can apply to researchers or investigators in science, social sciences, history, archaeology, linguistics, journalism, or policy analysis, across academic, government, and private sectors.

See also: related terms include kajian and peneliti.