3.5. Research Experience

Another important strategy writers use in the SoP is discussing their Research Experience.

While your research experience might be tied to an educational context, this strategy is separate because of its importance in the SoP, especially for STEM disciplines and doctoral programs across disciplines. Here, you will want to demonstrate that you have relevant and meaningful research experience. Such examples of this strategy might include: work in research groups/labs, collaboration with a professor, lab experience, independent research, thesis or capstone project, conference attendance and presentations, internships if research-focused, results from research, implementation of results, interest/enjoyment of the experience, and/or a realization from the experience. If you have research experience, you are strongly encouraged to write about your involvement in your SoP. For an application to a doctoral program, this will be a required strategy in the SoP.

Notice in the examples below how the writers do not simply list what they did during their research experience, but they share what they learned from the experience. This is an example of moving beyond simply summarizing your CV/resume, and instead, giving context and creating meaning out of a given research experience.