SOP

[lolopixie]

I have about five million questions regarding the statement of purpose, but I won't throw them all out at one time. In regards to the portion of what I want to study, how in depth should I go into the information I know? For clarification, there is a big gap I've stumbled across and have not seen much study on it (confirmed by two professors that this is an area that is relatively untouched), and I want to develop and expand on this gap within my area as well as study the field and what is presented there already. I don't think in a SOP I should be writing an annotated bibliography, but it seems like every draft I come up with I am doing that. Suggestions? Pointers? Ideas?

[truckbasket]

It doesn't seem like there's a right or wrong answer to this as so much of the SOP comes down to luck of the draw regarding who reads it. If you're applying with a BA it's likely that you'd be granted some clemency as to how specific you need to be (and this would probably be somewhat desirable from the malleable student perspective) but if you have the MA, something that clearly situates you in that open space might be more appropriate as long as you can connect it to the department.

As you mentioned you're looking at something uncovered, are there any concerns about exposing this gap to so many academics too soon? I mean is this a holy grail type discovery? Is it something that you can allude to in such a way that you could tie it to the department, yet leave out key insights that you'd discuss during interviews?

[lolopixie]

I wouldn't necessarily consider it a holy grail, just something I saw as a plain connection (or lack thereof) within the theory at play and no one is mentioning it. I didn't even realize that it was untouched until I started writing my thesis and there was nothing out there on the topic. In order to properly research it, I had to dive into the theory that was out there, explain that, and expose the gap. Note this was a thesis, not a dissertation (clearly), so it is not like I do not have more research and uncovering to do. Maybe I could phrase it like that with a little bit more specifics in the SOP, and worded much prettier lol.

[traversiamo]

I have the same issue with figuring out how in depth my explanation of the areas of study/debate that I would like to pursue should be. I am applying with a BA, and I'm worried that what I have so far is really broad and not exactly novel (I need to learn more about what has been done in those particular fields of discourse before finding untouched areas, as you have been so fortunate to discover). I feel as though I have to do so much more researching now just to be able to write my SoP....

[Timshel]

I would like to bump this thread because as I have been working on my writing sample, I just had a total light bulb moment about an amazing idea for a dissertation. Like the OP, I have noticed a glaring hole in the scholarship of my particular area of interest. I'm wondering if I should be so specific in my statement of purpose, though. I'm thinking that it could have positive and negative consequences, depending on the department.....

Maybe I should keep my really specific ideas to programs that have someone who does stuff that specific? I don't know.... I just feel like I have SUCH a good idea that it's worth sharing, but at the same time, I don't want to limit myself or prevent myself from getting in somewhere in case, for some reason, I decide to change my mind.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Timshel,

If you are concerned that your specific idea wouldn't be a good fit at a particular school, I understand if you don't feel entirely comfortable stating it. However, from what I've heard, you are not locked into the research proposal you outline in your SOP. I recently spoke to one of my professors who told me he changed his stated focus. He also said that it was completely normal and he knew many others who have done it.

[Timshel]

Timshel,

If you are concerned that your specific idea wouldn't be a good fit at a particular school, I understand if you don't feel entirely comfortable stating it. However, from what I've heard, you are not locked into the research proposal you outline in your SOP. I recently spoke to one of my professors who told me he changed his stated focus. He also said that it was completely normal and he knew many others who have done it.

Right. I realize that I'm not locked into the idea, but I'm more afraid that if I propose something really specific, and they aren't looking for someone who does that specific thing, then I will be turned down when I could have gotten in with a more general idea. I don't want this specific idea to prevent me from getting in somewhere when we all know that many people change their minds/focus.

[runonsentence]

When I approached my SOP, I mentioned a specific idea, but also some of the broader methodological questions that led me to it. Something like, "Based on my interest in publics theories, I can forsee tackling research projects like construction of audience in first-year composition classes. How do students perceive purpose and audience? [insert other broad question here]?"

I would think that if you can show how your idea has stemmed from your interests and experiences and the kinds of broader questions that led you to this idea, they wouldn't perceive that as narrow.

[lolopixie]

That is an excellent tip, runon!