Since the launch of the HubPages Students page in late October, we have witnessed the publicatiion of many great academic Hubs as well as Hubs discussing college life in general, which has made us think a lot of about how HubPages can benefit students and other members of the academic community.
Grad student and future teacher jenp123 recently published a Hub on the benefits of getting a PhD in the humanities, and was kind enough to share some of her thoughts on being an academic on HubPages with us in the following interview. Enjoy!
HubPages: You were nominated for Week 7 of the HubPages Top of the Class contest for a Hub you wrote discussing the benefits of getting a PhD in the humanities. What inspired you to write the Hub?
jenp123: When writing hubs, I usually try to come up with topics that I’m not only interested in, but that I also know something about. I don’t want to spend a ton of time researching (since I do a lot of that in my work and teaching), so I choose to write about hobbies or my profession. I thought this Hub was worthwhile to write because I see so many people discussing the pitfalls of getting a PhD in the humanities, but I rarely ever see anyone discuss the positive aspects of pursuing such a purpose.
You mention many benefits of getting a PhD in the Hub, including flexible schedules, good vacation time, the ability to have a lot of freedom in the classroom, etc… Do you think that the expertise one has gained from a PhD could also be leveraged on HubPages as well?
Sure–anyone who has a PhD in a humanities-related field is going to have to be a decent writer. I think if more doctoral students were aware of HubPages, they could really increase their internet presence and get their work out to others in an articulate way.
How many of your Hubs would you say utilize your current or past studies?
I’m fairly new to HubPages, and I also took a few months off of writing when I started my graduate program. So, I have only written 20 or so Hubs, most of which actually deal with working out and traveling, which are other passions of mine. However, my Hubs How to Write a Curriculum Vitae, How to Improve Your Writing, and Making Money Writing Online draw from my studies and graduate school experiences, as does my current article on PhDs in the Humanities.
What initially brought you to HubPages?
I was looking for ways to make money writing online while I was working an in school. I had a busy schedule, so this seemed like a good fit. It’s a great community of writers, too.
What are your post graduation plans?
I plan teach college–preferably graduate school. My degree is in rhetoric and composition, and I want to specialize in the field of computers and composition.
Do you think HubPages might ever be used in the classroom – as a place for online publishing and discussion? And where can students typically go online to share and discuss their research?
I’m actually planning on using HubPages in my classroom next semester! I think it’s a great way for students’ writing to be displayed and read by a real audience.
Last question – you are and have been engaged in a lot of interesting writing projects. What is your favorite thing about writing?
Writing can be time-consuming and arduous. However, I love that I can express myself so much better in writing than in person. This is not true for everyone, by any means, but having that extra time to think about each word and phrase, and how to shape those phrases, makes me feel like I’m really getting across my message. I also like that writing online makes my message available to so many people.
[Thanks jenp123!]
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