Need help about the SOP

[adenlee]

Hi everyone, I'm going to apply for 2012 fall Political Science phd, but I have trouble understanding what kind of content and thinking should be provided in the SOP? Or would it be enough if I only addressing my interest and relative experience?

I wonder if anyone is kind enough to let me take a look at your SOP and let me have an understanding about the esseay. If you feel free to help me, please email your SOP to adenleeway@gmail.com after deleting any information you feel personal.

Thanks again!!

Aden

[newms]

I'm not in your field, but generally you want to talk mainly about your research experience and your research interests. So you should discuss things like any research experience you had; what was it you did; how does your experience prepare you for grad school; what is it you're interested in researching in grad school; how you came about that interest and why you would be a good fit at the particular school you're applying to. Generally, you want to spend the majority of your SoP (even 60% or more) talking about what you want to do in the future, as opposed to what you did in the past.

Here's a blog post I wrote when I was writing my SoP: It's geared towards my field (Computer Science) but its still broadly applicable.

There's been a lot of really good advice given on this forum about writing SOPs and you can search the SOP forum for examples: http://forum.thegrad...tory-diversity/

You can also review examples of Political Science SOPs that have been posted here by successful applicants, such as and

Best of luck!

Edited February 13, 2011 by newms

[adenlee]

Thanks so much!!!

I posted a same message on politicalsciencejobrumors, but was ridiculed by people there.

I'll never visit that site any more.

Thank you again!!!

[newms]

Thanks so much!!!

I posted a same message on politicalsciencejobrumors, but was ridiculed by people there.

I'll never visit that site any more.

Thank you again!!!

Glad to help. I've been helped so much by the good advice here, so I'm happy to help others too.

[wannabee]

Perhaps this will help. Here is a thread from last year where applicants posted their SOP in poli sci last year....

Edited February 14, 2011 by wannabee