A request for SOP critique (Media/Communication Studies)

[AnastasiaZ]

Greetings!

 

I've tried to come up with a general outline for a Stateme of Purpose for a PhD program in Media Studies or Communication, and that's what I currently have:

 

 

"

After I've spent a year working as an assistant manager in the sociological and marketing research company, I want to return to academic study and to study [….] at graduate level at [….]

 

As a child, I've been drawn to advanced reading, TV and video games of the type that my relatives considered above my age. Their worry about it's possible effects on me sparkled my interest in statistics and in quantitative media studies, and so before long I could point out the assumptions, suggest alternative hypotheses and argue for the most plausible one.

 

This interest in studies of media effects been with me through college, where I've became especially invested in a course of sociology of advertising. Later, I took a year-long course in PR and Advertising in order to learn more about media effects from the perspective of those whose task is to produce them.

 

I wanted to make sure that I've chosen the right occupation before I've committed myself to a project that would take years of my live. This is why I did not immediately apply for a doctoral program, but instead chose to take a year taking part in an actual research. This year of assisting with the fieldwork gave me invaluable understanding of an unexpected problems a planned research program might face during attempts of putting it to practice, and allowed me certain insight into how to design a research so that it would face fewer distortions during execution.

 

In addition, I wanted time to research the programs thoroughly to find the one that matches my interests would allow me to focus on quantitative methods and media effects.

 

I've found out that my main area of interest is better to be pursued through the field of Communication than Sociology proper. However, my education in Sociology and Advertising still gave me enough common background that Communication is not alien to me, not to mention that I've became familiar with research methods which are applicable both to sociology and communication. Therefore, I expect my transition from one discipline to another to be smooth. "

 

 

 

The last paragraph will be filled with the details related to a particular university - why I have chosen this program, which professors I'd like to work with and so on.

 

I would be grateful for any thoughts and suggestions

 

Best wishes

[Loric]

It sounds like you're explaining.. explaining.. explaining..

 

I have no experience with your field/major and to me it reads like you're trying to explain away a bad history. These things you're explaining, at least the way they're stated, seem like they're red flag that you know are red flags and are trying to tackle before anyone can ask any questions.

 

It's like you're giving them the reasons to not accept you. Don't. Just -don't.-

 

Negatives off. Talk only in positives. How are you unique? How are these past experiences of your going to broaden their student base and intelectual discourse? Why is your unique POV worth noting? What advantages do you have because of these experiences?

 

If they want to know about something that's atypical, let them ask. I honestly don't even know if the things you try to explain are negatives to your field.. but they seem that way. Like you're making excuses. You doth protest too much.

 

Express your excitement and enthusiasm for the field. Anything negative they can dig up in their own free time. Make them work to drag you down, don't do it for them. Don't lead that horse to water..

[AnastasiaZ]

Thank you for advice. I am most grateful. Tried to revise my SOP somewhat, hopefully it is better now. Still having trouble coming up with anything "unique", though...

 

After I've spent a year working as an assistant manager in the sociological and marketing research company, I want to return to academic study and to study [….] at graduate level at [….]

 

As a child, I've been drawn to advanced reading, TV and video games of the type that my relatives considered above my age. Their worry about it's possible effects on me sparkled my interest in statistics and in quantitative media studies, and so before long I could point out the assumptions, suggest alternative hypotheses and argue for the most plausible one.

 

This interest in studies of media effects been with me through college, where I've became especially invested in a course of sociology of advertising. Later, I took a year-long course in PR and Advertising in order to learn more about media effects from the perspective of those whose task is to produce them. One of the most interesting things I've noticed is that, while in social sciences the extent of media effects remains an open question, the marketing approach as practiced usually takes the strong effects paradigm for granted and traces the variance of effects to the qualities of a particular message. Also, while social scientists are concerned with the effect mass media might have upon the values and stereotypes held by the populace, those working within the industry sometimes consider themselves constrained by what they perceive as popularly held stereotypes and are hesitant to move away from them in their fear to lose their audience.

 

This discrepancy formed the line of inquiry which I pursued as an MA student at the Central European University. This work brought me into familiarity with major qualitative paradigms (as my previous education focused mostly on quantitative methods), and added the ways to integrate qualitative and quantitative methods to the list of my interests. I’ve been commended for appropriately utilizing quantitative as well as qualitative methods in my work, for carefully considering and formulating my argument and for the clear-eyed approach to the limits of the particular set of data.

 

My current work as an assistant manager in a research company handling the questions of organizing fieldwork gave me an invaluable understanding of unexpected problems a planned research program might face during attempts of putting it to practice, and allowed me certain insight into how to design a research so that it would face fewer distortions during execution.