Top 10 Tips for Writing a PhD Statement of Purpose

Planning for a PhD is a daunting task in and of itself. You will be spending your next four to seven years pursuing a singular goal and while you will learn a lot in your journey, the journey has to take place in a university which is a perfect fit for you. However, since it is a highly competitive field, universities usually require an essay or a statement of purpose detailing your future plan before they decide to give you a place in their PhD programme. Here, it is important to make your PhD Essay Writing skills shine. We want to share out top 10 tips for writing a statement of purpose for PhD admission.

  1. Show your research potential

An absolute cardinal sin when doing a PhD Essay Writing is to not depict your research potential. By that we mean that you need to not only outline the area of research that most interests you and the precise steps that you think you will take in your research journey. This shows that you are aware of the research process and that you are serious about pursuing a PhD.

  1. Zero in on a very specific research area

Another top tip is that universities, while reading your PhD Essay Writing, look for a much focused aim and area of research. For instance, you can’t simply talk about leadership research generally because leadership is such a broad field and you need to narrow down your focus considerably. This also shows that you have given much thought into it.

  1. Select a field that you are truly passionate about

This seems like a no-brainer but since you will be stuck with the research topic for up to seven years, it is a good idea to ensure that you wouldn’t mind doing just that. Only if you choose a passionate area of research will be able to convey the same in your PhD essay writing and catch the attention of your preferred alma mater.

  1. Show evidence of research

While it is a good thing to do extensive research yourself, it is also important to show that you have done some research. When you are developing your PhD essay, please look at some key authors who have written some seminal papers and show that you are already an avid reader in your field.

  1. Talk about your past academic achievements

It is important to highlight what achievements, in terms of research or project, you have accumulated in your career. This is a key aspect which is evaluated and you should pay heed to when you are engaged in PhD Essay Writing.

  1. Outline your future goals

You can provide these in the form of specific milestones or more general goals that are wide-ranging. However, these goals need to be linked to your PhD and should reflect what you would do with the help of the PhD.

  1. Show that you have looked at the university

Just as you will be stuck with the same topic, you will also be stuck with the same university for your entire process. Therefore, you should not only choose your university with the utmost care possible, but also ensure that your reasoning is evident in your PhD essay writing. Universities love it when you have spent time reading about them.

  1. Discuss how you will bring value to the university

This is critical as it will make the university more inclined to include you in their programme.

  1. Use academic lingo

Using academic words and phrases will enhance your essay and make it seem that you are ready for the PhD. You can google for academic phrases to help.

  1. Don’t forget to proofread and edit your work

It is essential to avoid mistakes in your work. However, in the first draft, mistakes are the point as they will allow you t enhance your PhD essay writing and take it to the next level.

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