About Authors

Pam Scholder Ellen, Ph.D. is associate professor of Marketing in the Robinson College of Business at Georgia State University. Fueled by a life-long interest in the power of words, she earned a Bachelors of Arts in journalism/mass communications from Auburn University. Knowing that you must have good information to tell a story, she pursued a Masters in Marketing Research at Auburn and then completed her Ph.D. in Marketing/Consumer Psychology at the University of South Carolina. She teaches at all academic levels from undergraduate to doctorate, as well as executives, primarily in marketing research/analytics and buyer behavior. This includes international teaching for Aston University Business School, Birmingham, England; Toulouse Business School and Sorbonne Business School, France; and Korea University Business School, Seoul, Korea.

Her experience includes serving as President and member of the American Marketing Association (AMA) Academic Council, her discipline’s highest board and served on many Editorial Review Boards for marketing journals. Her own research – published in 17 different journals — addresses the power of messages to affect people’s beliefs, attitudes and actions. Businesses, not-for-profits and law firms rely on her research and communication skills to support their decision-making.

Linda P. Willis is a professional editor for business and medical journals and a writer who has taught college writing and speaking courses since 1988, when she completed her Master of Communication (M.Co.) degree in speech at Georgia State University.

Willis believes that reading widely and proficiently provides the foundation for writing and speaking effectively.  When instructors support online resources, such as this eBook, as a way for students to improve their writing skills, they can influence professional development well into the students’ careers.