Research Writer Interview With Colleen

No. I have been writing my whole life. My first publication credit came when I was 13, in a poetry anthology. I have made my living as a freelance writer for the last 5 years, since I left the rush of city life to raise my children in the fresh air and sunshine of rural Michigan. In that time, I have written about everything from NASCAR racing to backyard gardening.

I'm the kind of person people sometimes refer to as a career student. Out of high school, I enrolled in a 3-year program that led to certifications in network technology, Microsoft computer applications, and desktop hardware repair. I then attended personal interest courses in the evening in landscaping design and horticulture. Two years ago, I returned to school once again, this time to pursue a liberal arts degree. My current course of study will lead to concurrent master's degrees in journalism and American studies, and I am taking non-credit courses to earn my Gardener certification as well.

Well, as my educational background suggests, I really enjoy school. I enjoy the process of exploring new subjects. It is the same principle that drew me to a career in writing; the constant challenge of researching new topics and writing about them authoritatively. Academic writing appeals to that enjoyment even more strongly than feature writing.

I have a broad background in the liberal arts. Philosophy, literature, sociology and history are my primary concentrations, both for my elective coursework and my recreational reading. I also have a particular strength in matters of politics, current events and media issues.

The sciences, particularly chemistry and physics. While I have a good understanding of natural and earth science, I have no knowledge of or aptitude for the more technical sciences.

As a graduate student, I have online access to a number of databases and collections of peer reviewed material, as well as the many resources of the campus and public libraries. And of course, the internet, which can be a valuable research tool if you know where to look at how to critically evaluate a potential source.

The most interesting paper I've written so far was a 10-page term paper for a 200-level sociology course. The assignment was essentially wide open, and I chose to focus on a phenomenon that has been dubbed "secular sainthood," wherein popular culture elevates a prominent figure to almost religious status after his death. My paper examined two such figures, Dale Earnhardt and Elvis Presley, and the traits that they had in common that appeal to American popular values.

I believe that my combination of experience with academic and professional writing is a strong advantage in writing essays that are not only factually correct and exceptionally well researched, but also written to the highest standards of grammar and style.

Always a pleasure.