Writing a Research Proposal or Statement of Purpose for University Admission

A research proposal makes you think and clarify yourself of your career goals. Writing one takes time and needs multiple cycles of correcting and rewriting. A good research proposal tells about you, your ambitions and vision. It usually accompanies a CV (or resume), so it should read as different from CV as possible. It answers the following questions (not specifically in the same order).

1. Why do you want to take up a doctorate/masters (and invest so much time on it)? What kind of career do you look up to: academic or industry or something else? Convey how you see yourself as a future scientist/engineer/professor.
2. Which area do you want to specialise in? What made you interested in it? Do you have any specific plans? Do you have any prior experience in it, like a project you did earlier or just started? If you don't have any, it's good to start reading up a bit and to try implementing something yourself. This shows your genuine interest.
3. Explain some important decisions you made in your life, that shaped you into what you are. For e.g. “I chose to continue my studies over taking up a software job at a reputed organisation”, “Mathematics fascinated me in high school, so I chose engineering”, etc.
4. Why do you think you are fit for a seat in that institute? Explain if your academic record has breaks (for e.g. an year for long term coaching or illness) or anything unusual.
5. What aspects of yourself are you trying to improve? How do you think this program will lead you closer to your ambition?

Read examples online before writing. Some don'ts:

1. Don't exaggerate, such as "I have dreamt of this opportunity since childhood" (did you even know it existed?) or "I want to do miracles".  Keep it realistic: "I mastered Algorithm Design, and would love to see how I can optimise new algorithms".
2. Don't praise the university: "IIT Madras is one of the premier institutes". They know they are one of the best. Instead, focus on what you seek to gain out of it.

Once you have your version, make it concise, clear and to the point. Try to fit it in one page, use another half at the most. Use correct grammar and spellings. Professors from different research backgrounds read your proposal, so avoid using technical terminology and acronyms. More suggestions:

1. Use stronger verbs instead of adverbs. For e.g. change “very interested” to “passionate”, “significantly change” to “transform”, etc.
2. Shorten phrases wherever possible: “I decided to pursue the field of Computer Science” to “I chose Computer Science”, “in my point of view” to “I think”, etc.
3. Change nouns to verbs: “I worked on the development of” to “I developed”, “my aspiration is to become” to “I aspire to become”, etc.
4. Use active voice: “I am inspired by my father” to “My father inspires me”.

Remember, every sentence on your research proposal counts to your chance of getting admitted. All the best.