Make Money with These 4 Types of Academic Writing Jobs

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The academic writing industry exists for students but has more than student participants in it. While students use academic writing resources to meet their learning needs, some professionals work as academic writers who help students meet their learning needs in research. Our discussion is centered around this latter group of individuals. They have learnt to cash in a decent sum of money from their academic writing expertise. Having learnt about the difference between technical and non-technical subjects, and how they attract different payment rates, you’d wish to know how to make money from academic writing jobs. So, how do they do it? That’s what we’re here to explore.

Making Money from Academic Writing Jobs

When you think of academic writers, your first response may be to associate the term with individuals who help students cheat in their assignments. Well, at least that’s the image you’d find predominantly about academic writing when you read stories like this and this. However, you might have figured out that there’s more to academic writers than being flunkies for ‘lazy’ students, yes? That’s because academic writers have more depth to them than facilitating academic misconduct. (These sentiments don’t excuse the reality of student academic misconduct. That is a problem we can’t ignore. However, they are a reminder that there’s more to the story than meets the eye).

What Exactly Are Academic Writers Supposed to Do?

Academic writers have become known on the internet as student helpers who facilitate cheating. They do so by preparing academic papers and conducting academic assignments involving research and research writing for their customers. Students opt for such services, which they access mostly through ‘essay mills’ for various reasons. Such include a lack of knowledge of how academic writing works, insufficient time to write their papers, and a desire to score higher grades among other reasons. While academic writers are equipped to conduct such tasks, their academic writing skills position them to do so much more.

What Academic Writing Tasks Are Academic Writers Equipped to Do?

Academic writers develop unique skill sets that enable them to prepare different types of publications, which require knowledge in research and research writing. Their academic writing skills vary according to the complexity of the academic writing concepts a writer has mastered. (These concepts are categorized according to their complexity in the five academic writing skill levels we discussed earlier ).

At the basic level, a qualified academic writer can conduct the following academic tasks:

• Writing different academic or research papers
• Paraphrasing information
• Summarizing information
• Rewriting information
• Proofreading
• Editing
• Plagiarism detection and removal

Academic writers who have mastered more advanced academic writing skills are qualified to handle advanced research-related activities. Such writers can:

• Plan, conduct, and report the findings of a research project  
• Prepare academic or research material for official publication
• Conduct data analysis and reporting

Academic Writing Jobs for Academic Writers

The academic writing jobs academic writers can access depend on the quality of their academic writing skills. This baseline arises from the distinction we made between the basic and advanced levels of expertise in academic writing concepts. Academic writing employment also depends on whether an academic writer would wish to serve in an academic capacity or in other professional fields that require research-related expertise. Both options offer different jobs opportunities based on the formal education an individual has received and their level of expertise in academic writing. The opportunities are available in four main categories, which we identify and discuss below.

Academic Writing Jobs in the Academic Sector

Student-Related Academic Writing Jobs

The first form of academic writing jobs for academic writers in the academic world is through supporting learners. An academic writer can do so by serving as an academic writing coach. In such a position, an academic writer serves as a tutor who simplifies academic concepts in a given subject area. They not only demonstrate to their customers how to grasp and apply the discipline-specific concepts but also do so while demonstrating how to use the academic writing skills associated with the academic writing concepts involved in the discipline.

For example, Paper Ink and Pen Writing Services provides academic writing coaching in general academic writing concepts and practices. However, you could have an academic writing coach who specializes in Chemistry. Such a coach would be able to explain subject-specific concepts in Chemistry and elaborate on the nuances involved in preparing academic papers in the discipline such as in lab reports.

The academic writers’ academic writing skill level would determine the complexity of the tasks they would handle. The skills advanced-level and expert-level academic writers possess qualify them to conduct the basic-level tasks we identified. Research writer-level academic writers are the only writers qualified to provide academic writing services that involve the advanced-level tasks we listed. They can also complete basic-level tasks when necessary for activities related to the advanced-level activities they can conduct. For example, only research writer-level academic writers should proofread and edit dissertations and theses because they are the only writers who have mastered the academic writing skills involved in preparing such academic papers.

The job titles that academic writers can assume in student-related academic writing jobs include:

• Academic writing coach
• Academic editor
• Research assistant

Educator-Related Academic Writing Jobs

The other form of academic writing jobs available to academic writers involves supporting the educators who serve students. Their roles are present in positions such as curriculum developer, e-learning content creator, instructional designer, educational materials developer, and graduate teaching assistant.

• Curriculum developers design educational curricula, courses, and training materials for training centers, schools, and corporate settings.
• E-learning content creators develop educative content for e-learning platforms such as interactive learning materials, quizzes, and video scripts.
• Instructional designers create courses and educational materials for in-person and online learning.
• Educational materials developers prepare learning materials for students and educators such as textbooks, study guides, and online courses.  
• Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) assist professors to teach undergraduate courses. They also engage in research and academic writing.

Academic Writing Jobs in Other Professional Settings

Academic Writing Jobs in Academic Publishing

This category of academic writing jobs is somewhat related to the jobs available in the academic sector but are not necessarily related to learning institutions. They are available in institutions that deal in activities associated with academic information. This is where academic publishing fits. The roles here include publication manager, academic librarian, academic editor (editorial assistant), and peer reviewer.

• Publication managers oversee the production of scholarly publications such as academic journals and books to ensure proper formatting before publication.
• Academic librarians produce guides, tutorials, and instructional materials for researchers to access and cite information effectively.
• Academic editors (editorial assistants) review and refine academic papers to ensure adherence to scholarly style guidelines.
• Peer reviewers assess the quality, validity, and rigor of the research and writing another author presents for publication for credibility and reliability.

Other Research-Related Academic Writing Jobs

Lots of freelancing opportunities require research writing skills, which are a major element of academic writing skills. Such academic writing jobs include roles such as curriculum developer, e-learning content creator, instructional designer, and educational materials developer for companies to support their employee training programs. Other academic writing jobs available include research assistant, grant writer, technical writer, science journalist, market research analyst, policy analyst/researcher, editor (proofreader), research analyst (data analyst), grant manager, research coordinator, research administrator, research consultant, research communication specialist, policy analyst, evaluation specialist, science communicator, research associate, and research scientist.

• Research assistants work under principal investigators or senior researchers to assist with research tasks, data collection, analysis, and writing research reports.
• Grant writers prepare compelling proposals to secure funding for research projects.
• Technical writers create user manuals, guides, and documentation for products, software, and technologies by making complex information accessible to users.
• Science journalists prepare materials for scientific and academic topics for newspapers, magazines, websites, and other media outlets.
• Market research analysts analyse consumer behaviour and industry trends, and write reports that guide marketing and business strategies.
• Policy analysts/researchers analyse data and trends to inform policy decisions, preparing reports, briefs, and policy recommendations for policymakers and advocacy organizations.
• Editor (proofreader) use their strong grasp of grammar and writing conventions to refine written materials for publishers, businesses, and individuals.
• Research analyst (data analyst) use statistical methods and analytical tools to extract meaningful insights from data and communicate their findings through reports and visualizations.
• Grant managers oversee the process of obtaining research funding by writing grant proposals, reports, and budget justifications to secure and manage grants.
• Research coordinators oversee research projects and ensure effective and ethical conduction of data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Research administrators manage research programs to ensure compliance with regulations and facilitate communication between researchers.
• Research consultants provide expert advice and insights to organizations seeking research solution. They write research proposals, reports, and recommendations.
• Research communication specialists prepare materials such as articles and press releases to communicate research findings to a broader audience.
• Policy analysts research and write reports that inform policy decisions for government agencies, think tanks, and advocacy organizations.
• Evaluation specialists assess the effectiveness of programs and interventions, and produce reports that detail outcomes and recommendations.
• Science communicators translate complex research into accessible language for the public by preparing articles, blog posts, and media releases.
• Research associates assists in research projects by collecting and analysing data, conducting literature reviews, and writing research reports.
• Research scientists design, conduct experiments, analyse data, and publish research papers to advance knowledge in a given field.

Positioning Yourself to Qualify for Your Desired Academic Writing Job

The academic writing jobs we have discussed indicate that the academic writing skills academic writers possess, coupled with their subject-matter expertise in a discipline, can enable them to work in various research-related functions. A significant portion of the jobs can be freelanced. They can also be considered as a subset of article writing that requires academic referencing knowledge and skills. The academic writing training and mentorship we offer through our courses and tutorials can equip you to conduct your academic tasks successfully and monetize your knowledge. If you wish to venture into working as an academic writer, you might find this resource to be informative.

This discussion about academic writing jobs gets much deeper. We have covered surface-level information about it but intend to delve into information that would help you to land your desired academic writing job position. If this subject interests you, please sign up here for future updates on this conversation. We can bet that you will like what you find when you access the resource we will provide.