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海外研究所入學申請讀書計畫SOP的撰寫要領

在申請研究所入學時,申請人需要準備很多文件,其中包括推薦信簡歷(CV)

然而,申請文件中最重要的部分是讀書計畫(Statement of Purpose),另外還有一個文件是個人陳述或自傳(Personal Statement)

延伸閱讀:如何寫出優秀的Personal Statement?

Wordvice的碩博士留學申請入學申請文件英文SOP修改服務全方位涵蓋您所需要的內容。在這篇文章中,我們將帶您了解為什麼讀書計畫SOP對於研究所入學申請如此重要,它在格式上與大學入學申請陳述有何不同,並用實例展示如何使用正確格式撰寫成功的讀書計畫SOP。

目錄

  1. 讀書計畫(SOP)簡介
  2. 讀書計畫(SOP)的格式
  3. 讀書計畫(SOP)的結構
  4. 讀書計畫(SOP)的範例

讀書計畫(SOP)簡介

什麼是讀書計畫(SOP)?

在研究所入學申請中,讀書計畫(Statement of Purpose,簡稱SOP)是申請文件的重要組成部分。它讓申請人有機會陳述與自己所選學習方向相關的學術經歷和個人經歷,包括專業興趣、成就、個性、價值觀和世界觀,以及申請人與研究所招生項目如何能夠相互受益。

研究所入學申請讀書計畫(SOP)和大學入學申請自傳的區別

在申請研究所時,很多學生已經具有多年研究經驗或學術經驗。以MBA(工商管理碩士)項目為例,申請人通常具有多年工作經驗。他們可以將這些經驗寫在讀書計畫SOP中,強化自己的申請,例如,如何撰寫成功的MBA申請ESSAY

專業經驗方面的差異使得研究所入學申請讀書計畫不同於大學申請陳述。研究所的申請人擁有大量的文件和背景經驗能夠使自己與眾不同並脫穎而出。在論述的範圍(內容廣度)和詳細程度(內容深度)方面,研究所讀書計畫均比大學申請複雜得多。

為什麼申請研究所需要提供讀書計畫?

讀書計畫(SOP)能讓申請人有機會向招生委員會陳述總結那些不能單純用分數來量化的素質,包括個人優勢、職業長處、專業志向,或對某些學科的強烈興趣。

研究所的入學申請競爭通常非常激烈。除了學業成績等學術資格外,申請人還必須向申請的招生項目展示自己的認真承諾。需要注意的是,研究生學位項目的招生人員所擔心的一個問題是學生可能會中途退學,而不繼續支付學費。

Covid-19新冠病毒疫情對讀書計畫的影響

COVID-19新冠病毒疫情影響了入學標準化考試。實際上,公眾對入學標準化考試的公平性是越來越擔心的。例如,今年6月15日,紐約大學史登商學院宣布其全日制MBA招生項目不再考慮GMAT或GRE考試,使得該校成為全美排名前25位商學院中的第四個放棄標準化考試的學校。

另外,馬里蘭大學的McNair(麥克奈爾)學者項目主任Michael Hunt(邁克爾·亨特)也曾公開表示

“我的目標是消除障礙,而不是假借學術自由或學校其他政策的名義維持障礙。我祈禱有朝一日,我們將不再需要由委員會或大流行病來決定某些事情是否公平。”

在這種背景下,讀書計畫SOP、學術背景、簡歷CV推薦信便成為研究所入學申請中的主要決定性因素。

讀書計畫的篇幅應該多長?

讀書計畫SOP的篇幅通常應該在500到1000個英文單詞之間,不應超過一頁,但具體取決於申請的學校或研究生招生項目而定,也與個人的學術經驗豐富程度有關。

讀書計畫的格式

Wordvice過去介紹過如何撰寫研究所入學申請讀書計畫(含範例),以及撰寫強有力的研究所入學申請讀書計畫的20個要點

建議您閱讀上述文章,並觀看我們Wordvice關於“如何撰寫一份成功的讀書計畫”的線上研討會:

撰寫入學申請讀書計畫和推薦信的方法

讀書計畫的格式規則

與海外大學入學申請陳述格式不同,研究所入學申請讀書計畫SOP通常不會像普通申請資料那樣在某些申請平台的文本框或輸入框中打字上傳。

另外,申請研究所一般是直接向研究生招生項目及其所在系提出申請。由於研究生學位項目在高校中是各自獨立設置的,因此,向文理學院申請與向工學院申請是兩種各自不同的申請。

所以,大多數研究所的入學申請都是直接上傳到研究生招生項目中。需要上傳的文件通常採用Word檔或pdf檔。

Microsoft Word(.DOC)

讀書計畫SOP的典型文件格式是.doc或.docx 。由於Word文件能夠被人修改,這便是它的一個缺點。另外,不同的Word版本(2010年、2016年、Office365)之間有時會發生版本不相容的問題。Word文件的一個好處是任何人都可以查看。

PDF 

如果非常看重保持文章良好的視覺效果,那麼pdf格式是很好的選擇。採用pdf格式能夠防止舊版Word文件中出現格式問題。

為使讀書計畫SOP方便閱讀,在格式上應遵循以下原則:

讀書計畫(SOP)的其他寫作原則

如何在格式上編排讀書計畫SOP在格式上編排讀書計畫時須注意避免的內容
花時間查閱研究生招生指南。對於不同的招生項目,必須按照每個項目的要求重寫。不要向不同的研究生招生項目提交一份相同的讀書計畫SOP。
請輔導人員或專業留學文件英文編修服務仔細檢查語法和拼寫。不要只使用在線語法檢查器或文字處理器進行檢查。
注意單詞個數。仔細檢查每個學校對於字數的要求。字數要求一般是大約500到1000個英文單字。建議查看如何減少字數不要寫過長的文章。不要寫小說。不要寫自傳。不要事無鉅細地編目生活經歷。
保持文章的語氣專業化,不要使用縮寫、俚語或其他口語等非正式詞彙。不要使用標籤、表情符號、段子或其他非正式語言。

讀書計畫的結構

強有力的讀書計畫SOP的最重要特徵之一是良好的結構。清晰有序的結構佈局既能便於讀者理解,也能抓住讀者的興趣。

一般來講,研究生讀書計畫SOP雖然比本科陳述更加複雜,但是可以遵循大學入學申請陳述的格式

引言——陳述目標並介紹自己

讀書計畫SOP的引言部分應該清楚簡明地解釋申請人希望通過完成學業來實現什麼目標。例如,對於歷史專業的學生來講,他們的目標可能是獲得博士學位,使得畢業後能夠在一家主流非盈利機構或博物館擔任歷史學家職位。而對於化學專業的學生來講,學習目標可能是畢業後在研究型大學從事博士後研究,並希望以後成為一名教授。另外,有些申請人可能希望在畢業後進入私營企業工作。對於任何專業領域,都需要在引言部分介紹專業經歷、學術經歷、實習經歷或工作經歷,以及職業目標。

寫好引言的技巧

正文:學術背景和職業經歷

在正文的第一部分,必須詳細介紹學術背景和職業經歷,以及完成的項目、工作成就和學習經驗的例子,以支持自己是一名合格申請人的論點。

首先簡要介紹大學本科的學習經歷和學習成績。然後,介紹課外活動、專業經歷和職業成就。作為研究所入學申請人,專業背景和職業經歷自然比大學本科入學申請人豐富很多。這些經歷能夠幫助申請人脫穎而出。

學習經歷和成績是需要或可以強調的。可以陳述如何有效利用大學的資源,以及是否曾經與教授們建立過良好的師生關係——這些都是博士生導師特別關注的素質。

在正文的這一部分,需要使用具體事例來支持論點。

撰寫學術經歷、職業經驗和學業目標的技巧

正文:陳述為什麼你是完美的入學候選者

在招生委員會考慮錄取時,申請人的目標和興趣必須與學校的使命和價值觀相一致。一個常見的比較好的寫法是突出介紹你對系裡幾位教授的了解程度,這樣可以體現出你認真研究過情況。另外,還可以敘述展示你所欽佩的傑出校友的成就。

申請人可以利用正文的這一部分撰寫令人印象深刻的陳述理由,創造性展示對學校和系的深入了解,並把這種認知與自己的學業目標緊密聯繫起來。

撰寫符合研究生招生項目的讀書計畫(SOP)的技巧

結論和總結

讀書計畫SOP的結論必須達到兩個目的:把前述所有內容予以總結,並使讀者有興趣想了解更多。如果能夠達到這後一個目的,讀書計畫SOP基本上就是合格的。

申請人在這一部分可以總結攻讀研究生學業對專業發展和個人成長的意義,展望申請人對所在領域產生的影響,以及攻讀學位對申請人自己所產生的影響。

撰寫讀書計畫(SOP)結論的技巧

讀書計畫的範例

下面有幾個研究所入學申請讀書計畫SOP的成功例子。這兩位申請人分別申請了全美排名前15位的CS碩士班和MBA碩士班。可以注意到,他們在文章中是將個人經歷與未來的學術目標和職業目標緊密結合的。

注:以下是由Wordvice的專業編輯修改過的文章樣稿。為了保護個人隱私,對個人信息進行了修改。注意這些文章並不是可以重複使用的模板。

讀書計畫(Statement of Purpose)範例1

Computer science (CS) studies require abstract thinking and practical problem-solving skills. Hence, CS students usually need strong theoretical and technical abilities, which I have gained through my undergraduate education. For example, I am well-trained in mathematics, and the courses I have taken in the field have laid a solid theoretical foundation for understanding abstract computational propositions and designing complex algorithms. I am also skilled at computational thinking: I can connect theories with real-life problems and create computer programs to provide innovative solutions. Additionally, I am very passionate about studying CS because I know that CS will significantly impact my career and future life. Therefore, I feel confident that I will succeed in the _________ Program. I am looking forward to studying at ______, where I can learn how to create web scrapers, manage databases, contribute to open-source projects, and research various advanced topics.

點評:引言部分開門見山地說明入學申請招生項目和研究領域。嫻熟地定義了什麼是CS領域的成功,並將其與申請人的經歷、技能和學業熱情緊密聯繫起來。

During my undergraduate career, I took many pure math courses, including Linear Algebra, Probability Theory, and Mathematical Statistics. These courses have prepared me well for studying advanced computer science because a wide range of methods used in modern computational research is based on mathematics. For example, in machine learning, knowledge from linear algebra and mathematical statistics is the basis for two key research methods: algebraic and statistical methods. Thanks to my proficiency in both areas, I will be able to find statistical explanations for the algebraic approach as well as perform algebraic calculations for statistical models. Therefore, I am confident in my ability to solve various theoretical problems during hands-on machine learning research.

點評:上面這一部分論述學術經驗和技能。該申請人具有合適的學術背景和課程學習經歷,以此說明為研究生階段的學習做好了準備。

Furthermore, the computational thinking skills I gained from my undergraduate education enable me to formulate a problem, express the solution, and evaluate the results. In my Mathematical Modeling class, my professor introduced a mathematical model for describing the stock market. However, I soon realized that the model was too simple to illustrate real scenarios due to the lack of time variables. Therefore, I supplemented his original model with an iterative formula to measure time, programmed equations into a MATLAB editor, and generated solution graphs. I was surprised by the results, which implied a potential contradiction with the professor’s proposed solution. When I explained my findings to the professor, he was very impressed by my work. I plan to continue to capitalize on the strength of my computational thinking skills at Columbia to manage complex databases, practice classic algorithms, and apply my computer science expertise to solve real-life problems.

點評:申請人繼續以學術經歷來陳述自己是如何學習的,包括如何克服學習中遇到的困難,如何與教授和導師互動,以及如何解決問題。研究生學業對於學生的要求是希望學生能夠自己採取措施主動學習。

One of the primary reasons that I want to study computer science is my internship experience. During the winter break of my junior year, I worked as an investment research intern at a private equity firm, where I was responsible for collecting financial data and writing industry reports. I enjoyed this work and continued finding methods to improve my efficiency—I wanted to spend more time on data analysis and less on manual data collection. After visiting another private equity firm with my manager, I realized that I needed to learn computer science. At that firm, all of the data collection and analyses were done automatically by its data mining and machine learning system. Using this approach, the firm could spend more time communicating with investors to raise more capital. Although I later switched my career goal to economics research, I am still motivated by what I learned from my internship experience: in the 21st century, computer science will fundamentally change every industry and every one of us. As such, we must embrace computer science to gain advantageous positions for our careers.

點評:申請人接下來解釋為什麼想攻讀這個學位。申請人陳述自己在職場中工作表現突出,指出攻讀計算機科學的研究生學位會很有益。申請人指出是在實際工作中體會到了這一點。

Outside of the classroom, I enjoy hiking. During my three years in _____, I climbed many mountains in the area. Hiking can be challenging on steep trails because I am sometimes exhausted, only halfway to the top. However, I never give up. In these moments, I will take a rest, have some energy bars, and continue walking until I reach the apex and discover the beautiful scenery there. Studying computer science is similar to hiking in some ways: as a non-CS major, I may find some CS courses challenging. However, with the patience and perseverance I have learned through hiking, I am able to overcome these challenges and master advanced computational techniques. As an international student, I will maintain full-time enrollment at my current university in order to attend the program if I am admitted. I hope to apply the computer science skills I will acquire at Columbia to boost my career development and achieve a better future.

點評:申請人展示了全面素質,指出將預見挑戰並迎接挑戰,而不會迴避困難。另外,申請人表示,平衡好一切事情是其學習方法的關鍵之舉。

讀書計畫(Statement of Purpose)範例2

Life is short, but it is enjoyable to pursue and commit to something you love. My interest in information systems arose from my internship. Previously, I just wanted to start my career as a business analyst, more focused on the business side. But after the internship, this changed. At ____, I gained exposure to SaaS and FinTech, which piqued my interest in programming, machine learning, and technology. Learning about these two fields afforded me opportunities to research technology and information science methods, and the process of actually handling data for analysis taught me that data is more useful in today’s business world than it was in the past, and I need to improve my data processing and forecasting skills to better serve my data-related work. My current master’s program focuses more on statistics than machine learning and technology, so I am eager to enroll in ____ ’s Master of Science in Information Systems program to follow my passion. I am confident that my strong academic background and relevant experience will allow me to succeed in this program.

點評:申請人直截了當地展示其專業背景。如果專業背景是最好的賣點,那就應該從它入手展開討論。申請人是一位具有成熟職業經驗的人士,知道自己想要什麼,以及從學業中想獲得什麼。

After my undergraduate study in finance, I wanted to improve my statistical and technical skills along with business knowledge in order to meet my future job needs. In 2019, having achieved outstanding grades, I enrolled in ____ University’s master’s degree program in Applied Statistics and Decision Making. But based on my previous internships and projects, I want to take more courses in information systems and programming. Upon entering my current degree program, I selected courses on statistics, regression analysis and modeling, Python, R, sentiment analysis, and similar topics. These statistical and data science courses resolved some of the challenges I faced during my internship and helped determine my career goal in technology.

點評:第二段提及申請人的大學成績和課程。這樣做的目的是為了證明自己已經做好了適當的先修課程準備,並且了解研究生學業所需的技能。

This past summer, I interned at Visa in financial data analytics, a business-technology combined role. Compared to my previous internship at ____, I learned more about data and technology foundations by gaining a comprehensive knowledge of the data analysis process. We use customer reporting and company network data to analyze customers’ credit status and make adjustments accordingly. Specifically, I used Python and SQL to conduct EDA and ETL processes. Then, I wrote a filter function to realize data extraction automation. After that, I compared and analyzed the internal business data. I marked the flagging value with the binary standard, using simple classification models, like logistic regression and random forest, to understand changes in the data. Finally, I designed dashboards using Tableau to show the investment and management team the flagging data of customers and their overall credit statuses. Through this internship, I was able to apply my theoretical knowledge to a specific extent, but it was still relatively simple data analysis and machine learning, as I did not optimize my model or made predictions. In order to conduct more in-depth research and make predictions, I decided to learn more about modeling and technical methods.

點評:這位申請人申請的是紐約的一所頂級商學院。這一部分敘述專業經驗。申請人詳細說明了所完成的真實的職業項目。申請人展示了每種工具在業務環境中為什麼重要以及如何重要。

Therefore, I have decided to pursue graduate study in information systems at ____. Several features of your program make it the perfect place for my future studies. First, the opportunity to pursue a summer internship to enhance my future job prospects appeals to me. Second, I am drawn to the comprehensive structure of the curriculum. I will have the chance to study in both the ____ School of Business and Computer Science and conduct an information technology project, which will enable me to achieve my goal of mastering business methods as well as algorithms relevant to technology management. Furthermore, I believe I am a great fit for your program and can both succeed and contribute a unique perspective. I have the requisite knowledge of business, statistics, mathematics, and programming required by the program. My previous internships and projects have provided me with substantial experience in both business and technology, and I have a clear understanding of what I hope to achieve in the program. Ideally, I want to consolidate my prior knowledge, focus on algorithms and systems, and deepen my study of machine learning and algorithms to be able to use various models flexibly and fluently. Finally, because I have studied in _____’s summer program, building a strong network with my professors and classmates, and earned my first graduate degree in New York, there is no question of my being able to adapt and assimilate to a new culture or environment.

點評:這部分解釋了申請人申請的原因、學業期望和預期貢獻,並指出該研究生項目的強大的人脈關係網絡是一個吸引人的閃光點。

Within one year of graduation, I hope to find a satisfying job related to technology and business, such as a technology consultant or product manager position in a technology or finance company. In the long run, I am eager to grow my network, make critical contributions to my team at work, and hope to become successful in the field of technology. Continuing my studies in your distinguished program would be a worthwhile journey for me and an integral step to achieving my goals.

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