PS寫作時選出合適的材料的方法

根據筆者多年的文書寫作經驗，恰當的選材可以幫助申請人在科研經歷的廣度和深度中找到平衡。我們看到很多申請人在這一部分喜歡把自己做過的所有項目、實驗都羅列出來，以便“廣撒網、多撈魚”。其實這種方法并不可取，因為就算你恰巧碰到了對口的教授，但你卻沒有談他感興趣的細節，那么也會很快被遺忘。因此，筆者提倡用一兩句話簡要概括自己的經歷。但拿出一件最讓你自豪的經歷，重點地刻畫與闡述。

        也許你有許多自豪的經歷，那么你應該如何選擇呢？很簡單，寫自傳的目的是為了讓Admissions Committee了解你在某領域里的能力和潛力，你選擇的科研經歷必須做到：（1）能夠顯示你的扎實基礎知識；（2）這些知識與所申請專業的密切聯系。值得一提的是，如果你的經歷能同時證明（1）和（2），那就最好不過了。但如果你過去的經歷和你選擇的專業并不是十分對口，這也沒什么可怕的。西方教育體系更注重學生的學習能力和基礎素質。學無止境，未知的永遠多于已知的。只要你具備了申請學科要求的素質，成功地申請一個不同學科的可能性也是極大的。

        許多申請人說自己最大的苦惱就是沒做過什么驚天動地的科研，這一部分不知從何寫起。這正是申請人寫自傳的一大誤區，其實合適的經歷不在于你做的事情有多大，而在于如何把它寫大。說“寫大”當然不是吹牛，而是指你需要把所參與的事寫成一件非常Significant 的事件。當你把自己的經歷看得并寫得十分具體、生動、令人信服時，你的自信也就會感染招生委員會。

        值得重點描述的經歷可以是一次實驗課中的實驗；你寫的一篇報告；讀的某本書、某篇dissertation；你做過的畢業設計；參加過的實習、學術講座、學術會議；和導師的一席談話；自己在課外參加的學術活動；參加過的有償、無償的工作經歷。無論你選擇寫什么，所寫的內容都應該包括以下幾個部分：(1) 是關于什么；(2) 意義和影響何在；(3) 你在這件事情中的角色；(4) 你是如何完成你負責的部分的；(5) 結果；(6) 你在其中起了什么樣的作用；(7) 這件事情對你產生的影響，以及你在這件事情中學到了什么。

        當然，你在敘述自己經歷的過程中不必要完全按照我們在上面建議的順序，但應該保證你的自傳中包含這些元素。只有這樣，你寫出來的經歷才會是詳細、具體、有血有肉、令人信服的。

        以下兩個例子，申請人都只選擇了一件經歷來描寫。范例1

My undergraduate education has not only equipped me with a comprehensive structure of fundamental knowledge, developed my strong analytical skills, but also improved my ability to apply theory to practical researches. Taking my graduation thesis, titled Analysis on the Use of Essential Drugs in Certain Regions in China as an example, based on the standard methodology provided by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Health Action International (HAI), this study improved on the standard methodology to bring it into accordance with China’s national conditions, so as to use more reasonable methodology to research on the prices, availability and affordability of medicines in China. In this study, I adopted investigation through data collected from 50 institutions among 11 provinces and several administered municipalities, including 14 public hospitals, 4 community medical centers and 32 private pharmacies. Through this investigation and empirical research into the prices and availability of 30 kinds of medicines, I presented my suggestions that government should continue to energetically promote the essential drug system, improve the current policy on drug pricing, raise the standard of drug approval, promote public hospital reform and enhance the medical insurance system. Finally I got an extremely high mark of 96 for this graduation thesis.#p#分頁標題#e#

范例1的女主人公是王同學，2011年被哈佛大學MSc in Global Health and Population專業錄取。王同學也是筆者見過最優秀的申請人之一（學生背景：T 100，G 1510，GPA：3.1 ，本科就讀于北京大學）。通過例子，我們可以看出，這段研究經歷以畢業dissertationAnalysis on the Use of Essential Drugs in Certain Regions in China為題，展開論述學生所掌握的專業知識，以及研究能力、數據分析能力等等。

范例2

Although my research interests lie in skimming wear and fretting wear instead of Nanotribology, the two-year laboratory work has become an important channel to exploit my potential and to improve my practical problem-solving abilities, enabling me to have a thorough understanding of the research areas in Tribology and to familiarize with the operation of laboratory apparatuses and analytical instruments. In retrospect, the researches I have conducted during my undergraduate and graduate programs are all centered on Tribology, MEMS and Theoretical Physics. As exactly the interdisciplinary science of these three fields, Nanotribology ranges over numerous issues in engineering, covering mechanics, materials science, computer science, and electrical engineering, etc. The interdisciplinary studies that I carried out during my seven-year academic career exerted an important impact on my outlook, making me realize that a well-trained engineer must possess knowledge in diverse fields. Only by means of integrated application of knowledge in machinery, computer technology, automation and electronics can an engineer produce useful products and valuable research findings.

As I have described in the aforementioned text, a solid academic background, ample research experience, strong team spirit and rigorous attitude toward scientific research are what make me unique and competitive in my application. It is precisely based on those factors that I relinquish the opportunity to work at a Fortune 500 enterprise but determine to apply for a Ph.D program in Nanotribology in your university. I am convinced that I can complete my proposed program and will have an even more fruitful career in the future.

    范例2 節選自X同學的PS。X同學申請的是PhD in Mechanical Engineering專業，研究興趣為納米摩擦學、表面摩擦。該同學拿到了美國多所大學的全獎，UIUC、Delaware、WPI等。最終，X同學選擇了UIUC，而且是PhD全獎。