You are not logged in. Your edit will be placed in a queue until it is peer reviewed.
We welcome edits that make the post easier to understand and more valuable for readers. Because community members review edits, please try to make the post substantially better than how you found it, for example, by fixing grammar or adding additional resources and hyperlinks.
-
I too am applying to physics phd. My first draft had more flair, but it felt weird. I ended up concentrating the passion into paragraphs discussing my future, and my interests. My paragraphs on previous research contributions I made dry, which felt more professional.– David RavehCommented Nov 23, 2023 at 6:09
-
2You're phrasing it as a loaded question. Firstly, "straightforward" and 'dull" are very different things. "Straighforward" is a good thing when you are actually trying to communicate something in a limited amount of space. Thinking of writing focused on efficient communication as being "dull" is not a very good way of looking at things. Secondly, you're assuming that writing a "literary" statement will make it more interesting. In reality, it's at least as likely that attempting to be "literary" will result in a statement that's annoying to read rather than interesting to read.– Adam PřenosilCommented Nov 23, 2023 at 6:25
-
I think what you are saying is true. But I was having trouble phrasing the question otherwise. Personally, I do not see how a straightforward statement can be interesting unless the content itself is extraordinary, which I think is untrue in almost every circumstance. @AdamPřenosil– Silly GooseCommented Nov 23, 2023 at 6:32
-
@AdamPřenosil I have edited the question in an attempt to make it less of a loaded question.– Silly GooseCommented Nov 23, 2023 at 6:34
- Correct minor typos or mistakes
- Clarify meaning without changing it
- Add related resources or links
- Always respect the author’s intent
- Don’t use edits to reply to the author
-
create code fences with backticks ` or tildes ~
```
like so
``` -
add language identifier to highlight code
```python
def function(foo):
print(foo)
``` - put returns between paragraphs
- for linebreak add 2 spaces at end
- _italic_ or **bold**
- quote by placing > at start of line
- to make links (use https whenever possible)
<https://example.com>
[example](https://example.com)
<a href="https://example.com">example</a>
A tag is a keyword or label that categorizes your question with other, similar questions. Choose one or more (up to 5) tags that will help answerers to find and interpret your question.
Use tags that describe what your question is about, not what it merely relates to. For example almost every question on this site is eventually related to research, but only questions about performing research should be tagged research.
Use tags describing circumstances only if those circumstances are essential to your question. For example, if you have a question about citations that came up during writing a thesis but might as well have arisen during writing a paper, do not tag it with thesis.
- complete the sentence: my question is about...
- use tags that describe things or concepts that are essential, not incidental to your question
- favor using existing popular tags
- read the descriptions that appear below the tag
If your question is primarily about a topic for which you can't find a tag:
- combine multiple words into single-words with hyphens (e.g. graduate-admissions), up to a maximum of 35 characters
- creating new tags is a privilege; if you can't yet create a tag you need, then post this question without it, then ask the community to create it for you