根據(jù)筆者多年的文書(shū)寫作經(jīng)驗(yàn)，恰當(dāng)?shù)倪x材可以幫助申請(qǐng)人在科研經(jīng)歷的廣度和深度中找到平衡。我們看到很多申請(qǐng)人在這一部分喜歡把自己做過(guò)的所有項(xiàng)目、實(shí)驗(yàn)都羅列出來(lái)，以便“廣撒網(wǎng)、多撈魚(yú)”。其實(shí)這種方法并不可取，因?yàn)榫退隳闱∏膳龅搅藢?duì)口的教授，但你卻沒(méi)有談他感興趣的細(xì)節(jié)，那么也會(huì)很快被遺忘。因此，筆者提倡用一兩句話簡(jiǎn)要概括自己的經(jīng)歷。但拿出一件最讓你自豪的經(jīng)歷，重點(diǎn)地刻畫與闡述。
也許你有許多自豪的經(jīng)歷，那么你應(yīng)該如何選擇呢？很簡(jiǎn)單，寫自傳的目的是為了讓Admissions Committee了解你在某領(lǐng)域里的能力和潛力，你選擇的科研經(jīng)歷必須做到：（1）能夠顯示你的扎實(shí)基礎(chǔ)知識(shí)；（2）這些知識(shí)與所申請(qǐng)專業(yè)的密切聯(lián)系。值得一提的是，如果你的經(jīng)歷能同時(shí)證明（1）和（2），那就最好不過(guò)了。但如果你過(guò)去的經(jīng)歷和你選擇的專業(yè)并不是十分對(duì)口，這也沒(méi)什么可怕的。西方教育體系更注重學(xué)生的學(xué)習(xí)能力和基礎(chǔ)素質(zhì)。學(xué)無(wú)止境，未知的永遠(yuǎn)多于已知的。只要你具備了申請(qǐng)學(xué)科要求的素質(zhì)，成功地申請(qǐng)一個(gè)不同學(xué)科的可能性也是極大的。
許多申請(qǐng)人說(shuō)自己最大的苦惱就是沒(méi)做過(guò)什么驚天動(dòng)地的科研，這一部分不知從何寫起。這正是申請(qǐng)人寫自傳的一大誤區(qū)，其實(shí)合適的經(jīng)歷不在于你做的事情有多大，而在于如何把它寫大。說(shuō)“寫大”當(dāng)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(dāng)你把自己的經(jīng)歷看得并寫得十分具體、生動(dòng)、令人信服時(shí)，你的自信也就會(huì)感染招生委員會(huì)。
值得重點(diǎn)描述的經(jīng)歷可以是一次實(shí)驗(yàn)課中的實(shí)驗(yàn)；你寫的一篇報(bào)告；讀的某本書(shū)、某篇論文；你做過(guò)的畢業(yè)設(shè)計(jì)；參加過(guò)的實(shí)習(xí)、學(xué)術(shù)講座、學(xué)術(shù)會(huì)議；和導(dǎo)師的一席談話；自己在課外參加的學(xué)術(shù)活動(dòng)；參加過(guò)的有償、無(wú)償?shù)墓ぷ鹘?jīng)歷。無(wú)論你選擇寫什么，所寫的內(nèi)容都應(yīng)該包括以下幾個(gè)部分：(1) 是關(guān)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(fù)責(zé)的部分的；(5) 結(jié)果；(6) 你在其中起了什么樣的作用；(7) 這件事情對(duì)你產(chǎn)生的影響，以及你在這件事情中學(xué)到了什么。
當(dāng)然，你在敘述自己經(jīng)歷的過(guò)程中不必要完全按照我們?cè)谏厦娼ㄗh的順序，但應(yīng)該保證你的自傳中包含這些元素。只有這樣，你寫出來(lái)的經(jīng)歷才會(huì)是詳細(xì)、具體、有血有肉、令人信服的。
以下兩個(gè)例子，申請(qǐng)人都只選擇了一件經(jīng)歷來(lái)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.
范例1的女主人公是王同學(xué)，2011年被哈佛大學(xué)MSc in Global Health and Population專業(yè)錄取。王同學(xué)也是筆者見(jiàn)過(guò)最優(yōu)秀的申請(qǐng)人之一（學(xué)生背景：T 100，G 1510，GPA：3.1 ，本科就讀于北京大學(xué)）。通過(guò)例子，我們可以看出，這段研究經(jīng)歷以畢業(yè)論文Analysis on the Use of Essential Drugs in Certain Regions in China為題，展開(kāi)論述學(xué)生所掌握的專業(yè)知識(shí)，以及研究能力、數(shù)據(jù)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(jié)選自X同學(xué)的PS。X同學(xué)申請(qǐng)的是PhD in Mechanical Engineering專業(yè)，研究興趣為納米摩擦學(xué)、表面摩擦。該同學(xué)拿到了美國(guó)多所大學(xué)的全獎(jiǎng)，UIUC、Delaware、WPI等。最終，X同學(xué)選擇了UIUC，而且是PhD全獎(jiǎng)。