How specific were you about your research interests when reaching out to POIs?

[timetobegin]

I'm applying to PhD programs, and trying to keep my emails to potential supervisors short and sweet (so they don't get ignored!). I mention my broad interests (human osteology, paleopathology), how my background relates to these interests, and how they align with the broad interests of the professor, but I haven't said anything like "I'm interested in studying the effects of A on B, in rural Chinese communities, in order to understand C".

I worry about narrowing my interests too much, so that I'm almost too specific to them. Broadly, I like what these professors research, and I want to see what projects are possibly available to for a graduate student to be apart of... but I also feel like maybe I SHOULD have narrow interests, at this point, if I'm applying for a PhD. I'd love some advice.

 

(also, Should I be attaching a CV to the 'reaching out' emails, or do that later?)

 

Thanks!

Edited October 24, 2017 by timetobegin

[GreenEyedTrombonist]

I was fairly specific. Didn't go specific on methodology, but I mentioned what I want to study (who, what, when, where, why). I also mentioned my research background, how I thought our work aligns (mentioning something I've read from them that connects), and asked if they would be willing to answer some questions/plan to accept new students in the fall/etc. If you are comfortable including your CV it can cut down time for them if they do reply, just approach it as an "if you have time" rather than expecting a response/review. If you aren't set on a particular project yet (which you don't have to be) mentioning a couple avenues you're considering pursuing, especially as they connect with that professor's work, would be fine. 

For me, I emailed all programs I was interested in and mentioned my specific research interests, but chose not to include my CV in the first email. Only one prof mentioned wanting to see it and another just wanted to know my GPA and GRE scores. However, I should mention that I think it is good to be more specific about what you want to study (not necessarily a research proposal, but something that shows you have an idea of what you want to study and why). When I emailed anthro professors with my interests, they suggested I look into Comm programs. I'm now only applying to Comm programs this year. Being specific early saved me time and money since I wouldn't be applying to anthro programs where I couldn't do what I want in my research. 

[Bschaefer]

Hey @timetobegin

it looks like you want to go the bioarchaeology route so it can get a little complicated on how to situate this. I’m a bioarch myself. 

I would be very specific in how you structure your research interests given the interdisciplinary of the research. For your example, I would say something along the lines of “I’m interested in studying the effects of vitamin deficiencies, such as B12, D, and etc.., among infants in rural Chinese communities during the X time period to understand the transitional health through political whatever” or something to that effect. That gives it depth and it shows that you thought about the topic beyond then “disease are cool”. 

You should check out my colleague Christina Lee who does bioarch work in Mongolia and all over Asia/Egypt. She’s at Cal State in LA and I think they have an MA program? - I’m not sure about PhD

[bioarch_fan]

I'm actually a little different from what the above both stated. I am also bioarch and say that you should be fairly broad when contacting departments. You should NEVER contact a department that cannot help you with your research. Find professors who use the same methods or are in the same region, but you'll likely never find someone who does both regional and methodological research the same as you. So in your email you could say that you're interested in doing bioarchaeology in China or that you're interested in bioarchaeological research looking at (enter methodological/theoretical interest). Sadly, our field is very small and there are very few departments that have bioarchaeologists and very few professors work in specific regions. That's why it's important to be a little broad because your research interests will likely change in the first couple of years of grad school. And they want to see that you can be flexible with your research because sadly situations arise that limit what you can do. I'm currently struggling with this right now with my research.

[boneflower]

I'm a bioarch PhD student at a wonderful university. Even here, though, there is no faculty here that does exactly what I want to do. However, I am allowed to take classes outside of my department so that I can learn how to answer my research questions. So, if your ideal POI does not tick all of your research boxes, make sure there are facilities or faculty at that university that could and say so in your statement. It is a relatively small field, but I don't think that should mean you should only apply to places that know how to do the exact thing you want to do. If that was the case, there would never be any progress in the field! 

Good luck fellow bone people! 

Edited October 31, 2017 by boneflower

[Archaeodan]

I'll second @bioarch_fan. I'm zooarchaeology and it's maybe even smaller a field than bioarch. I would suggest starting off as broad as you're willing. Maybe you're most interested in the effects of A and B on rural communities, but you're willing to be flexible on the region, or maybe your main interest is China, but you're flexible on specific disease. Either way, I've found in my (rather a lot of) emails I've sent back and forth to POIs that they will ask more questions if they want you to be more specific, but they will tell you they can't help you if you're too spefic and they come away from your email thinking you're a bad fit.

That said, if you do have very specific interests, some professors will be willing to advise you on methods while you do a different region or vice versa, but you probably will have a shorter list of potential schools than you might want. It's a trade-off, but that's kinda what it is in these tiny fields. 

Bone people unite!