Working as a freelance researcher is a rewarding experience that utilises a range of skills. There is no shortage of work for freelance writers and there is a constant demand for our services throughout the year – even in summer. Indeed, depending upon your interests and the quality of the work that you produce (all of which is reviewed by peers) a wage of £3,000 or more per month is possible.
Whether you are considering it as a full-time profession or as an additional source of income there are numerous benefits to undertaking freelance writing jobs. First, you are able to choose hours of work that suit your lifestyle or existing commitments. Secondly, working as a freelance researcher permits you to select the assignments upon which to bid, according to your schedule, academic knowledge and interests. Thirdly, the process is enriching; either you re-visit issues with which you are very familiar (and share your existent knowledge with others) or your own academic knowledge is expanded by researching and writing up a subject which may still be within your area of expertise but which stretches you intellectually. Finally, it is satisfying to help a student who feels lost and alone; you are offering guidance to someone who needs it and did not necessarily feel confident enough to seek assistance from their university.
Before starting work as a freelance writer for Academic Knowledge, I was concerned that I was contributing to a culture of cheating at university level. My fears have been allayed: our role as freelance writers is not to produce essays that are passed off by students as their own but rather to provide them either with model answers (upon which they subsequently base their own work) or to guide them through the rigours of academic writing, through a process of offering advice, proof reading and editing. This is a service not only increasingly advocated by universities at all levels, but also one in which you can see ‘your clients’ develop as the academic year progresses. Now in my second year of freelance writing I see work from ‘regulars’ who, a year ago, could not construct a cohesive paragraph, and now submit work to me that is at a high 2:1 standard, for further comment. Although the anonymity of both clients and researchers is rigorously protected, the nature of the work means that sometimes a writer needs generalised background information appropriate to the task (for a reflective piece, perhaps). One such person was a soldier who had seen service in Afghanistan and was seeking to improve his qualifications to provide a more secure lifestyle for his family. To see students like this succeed and grow in their confidence, academic knowledge, and ability is rewarding; as a former teacher and lecturer, it is this aspect of the work from which I gain most satisfaction.
Freelance research opens interesting avenues to explore, not only for me, but for students; it is indeed its own reward. I urge you to consider it.
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For more details on Freelance Research, visit http://www.academicknowledge.com/