Writing a PhD application can be daunting, but once you skim through this post, you'll have a good concept of what should be included and what you can do away with. 

This brings us to the first basic question- How to write a PhD statement?

Curating a strong PhD statement needs discipline and forethought. While writing about yourself may not be a strenuous task, shaping the content in the desired structure is one of the determining factors. 

You might get carried away while journaling about yourself, but you must keep reminding yourself that there is very little room for going overboard. 

In relation to that, the length of the PhD essay also needs to be analyzed. 

The statement should be less than 500 words and easily fit on one side of the paper. So, yes, you read it right- you need to sum up your entire research within the word frame of 500. 

Note: The word count and length may vary according to the specifics mentioned in the application. 

Come what may, you should strive to be organized and concise. This is due to two factors listed below:

One is in all academic areas, and the capacity to think and communicate is a critical PhD skill. 

Another point to consider is that the admission supervisor will evaluate many essays and might not read a long essay if you give them one. 

What follows next is the structuring of the statements while writing the application. 

Begin with a brief introduction that describes who you are and talks about your background. Then, attempt to integrate this into your research interests and your PhD and university choice. 

From there, you can naturally move on to discussing your abilities and experiences and how these contribute to the sustainability of the PhD in question. If you want to comment on additional aspects of your CV, you can do so in this section. 

Finally, include a section about your long-term objectives and ambitions. Then, discuss how this research study will help shape your future. 

Another essential aspect we will discuss is which writing style you should choose. 

The statement's 'personal' aspect should extend to its substance but not necessarily to its tone. 

This doesn't hint that you cannot add a personal touch- the reader would engage in the content only because it shows how passionate you are about your PhD research and the subject. But try to maintain professionalism and accuracy. 

With a plethora of online content, getting data is easier, but as a budding academician, you are expected to write a plagiarism-free essay. 

Copying content from the internet does not reflect well on you. Therefore, it is paramount to avoid duplicity as it compromises your candidature. Furthermore, plagiarism can be a hurdle to advancement in your career and might hinder everything you do in the future. 

What are the ideal tips to be followed for writing the PhD essay?

Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence (Vince Lombardi); similarly, if you have the right tips and follow them with utmost care and precision, no wonder you might catch excellence! 

Some of the components of a strong Ph.D. statement differ from one project to the next and from student to student since it's a personal statement. 

● Maintain Relevance- It's more than just a statement about yourself. It's about a candidate who's applying for a PhD. So keep the content relevant and appropriate to your study. 

● Avoid duplicity- as mentioned earlier, writing a plagiarism-free essay is crucial. Do not confuse your research proposal to be similar to the PhD statement; these two are entirely different. Both these documents cover different grounds with their specifications. 

● Honesty- honesty can take you places. Haven't you heard of the quote by Thomas Jefferson, "Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom"?

If everything works well, questions during the interview could be based on what you've written in the statement. Don't exaggerate or add inaccurate data; all this would only hamper your interview process. 

● Avoid pleading- State what you want to convey instead of pleading. It isn't about asking/begging for a PhD position but instead stating why you should be selected. Confidence- Do not hesitate to showcase your confidence and self-belief. Be authentic but also own your achievements, and be proud of whatever little you've done. 

How to keep the readers glued? 

Writing a PhD statement is another way of convincing them you are what they’ve been looking for; you’ve precisely what it needs to be a part of the study and their university. 

Therefore writing junk and bizarre details is wasting the committee's time and also your energy. Don’t fool the reader with junk and cliche words and statements. 

Avoid sentence stuffing, be as authentic as you can, even if it means writing short. 

Do not assume that the person going through the document is a fool; the person reading goes through hundreds of applications and knows exactly when you are trying to please through your application. 

Essay proofreading is an unsaid step that every candidate or writer should follow. This step ensures that the spelling, grammar, and punctuation are correct. 

It helps in refining the structure and the sentences, and it adds flow to your content. In addition, essay proofreading will clarify the vocabulary and tone according to the academic setup. 

After you proofread your document, the final step would be to get a second opinion about the piece of content that you've written. 

This way, you'll get a firm, unwitted, unbiased review of your statement. There might be chances that the person spots the little nuance that adds value, and you've forgotten to mention it in your statement. This way, you could just improve your existing document.