Resource of the Week #184: Advice on Writing Application Essays

Hello again. Last month I gave a research writing workshop at a US health science center. At the request of my host, I included advice on writing essays for professional-school application.

Then this month I gave a research writing workshop before a conference in Cuba. At the request of some attendees, I included a presentation on writing essays for postdoctoral-fellowship application.

Hmmm, it seems that people want more guidance on writing application essays. Therefore I’ve added to the AuthorAID Resource Library a presentation titled Writing an Application Essay. This presentation is adapted from talks at these 2 workshops.

This presentation provides advice on the content and crafting of application essays. It also has tips on aspects ranging from preparation through proofreading. Some examples of the suggestions:

• Look at your curriculum vitae to help identify relevant experiences to mention.
• Show, rather than tell, that you have desired characteristics. For example, if you’re hardworking, make it clear from your story that you’ve worked hard.
• When rough-drafting the essay, don’t worry about length. Later you can expand or condense the essay.

I hope some of you, or some of your students, find this presentation helpful. If you have additional advice to share, please post a comment.

Until next post—

Barbara