Guidelines For Formatting A Statement Of Work For: Fill & Download for Free

Statement of Purpose reflects your eagerness for research as well as your competence in a particular field. The professors in US or other foreign schools judge the SoPs very carefully. Most of the time someone gets interviewed, the interviewer asks questions directly from the SoP. So, be very serious about it and start writing it 3-4 months in advance. Get it reviewed by your friends and professors, seniors who are in foreign universities and even by people who are not in your field. The purpose of this is to ensure that it is understandable by both technical and non-technical people. Here are some of the important guidelines for writing a good SoP:1. It's not a repetition of CV/Resume: SoP is not a detailed explanation of your CV/Resume. Rather, it should play a complementary role. While CV is a collection of hard facts, SoP is more about the subtle features. For example, what made you interested in research, why you want to choose a particular field and which skills of yours will be useful for that, etc. In other words, if CV/Resume is a music-sheet, SoP is the music.2. Be professional: The universities often have their own interests behind recruiting a graduate student. They seek good professionalism and apart from CV, SoP is a good place to showcase that. It's very important how the format is. This includes everything from headings, font size, line spacing, paragraph spacing, margins, use of italicized and bold fonts, and so on. Use standard format used in business writings. It is a good practice to use headings for each section but that's not necessary. The language should be grammatically correct, free-flowing, lucid and cogent. Avoid using cliched expressions like "It was my dream to do research from childhood" or "I want to get into XYZ University because it's the best in the world/country". Instead, "I developed interest in research after I attended PQR science camp/conference/workshop" or "I want to get into XYZ University because of its excellent reputation in the field of High Energy Physics" are much more focused statements. Do not sound too casual or too serious. It's also important to maintain the same level of enthusiasm throughout. It's often tempting to invoke Einstein or Feynmann's quotes into your SoP but this is not a good practice. SoP should reflect your own thoughts, not someone else's.3. Why ABC field: Again, be professional, focused and realistic rather than sounding stupid. Relate your own skills with what you want to do in research/professional life. For ex: if you are interested in Computational Chemistry, you have to show concrete examples of your interests and accomplishments in Chemistry and programming languages. You may be good in multiple areas and not biased about a specific field. In that case too, it's a good idea to be focused rather than mentioning various fields.4. Why XYZ University: Enumerate the reasons why you think that particular university will be suitable to fulfill your research/professional goals outlined in the previous section of the SoP. In this regard, you may name 3-4 professors under whom you are interested to work. Also provide specific reasons behind the choices. For this purpose, do some research on what they are working on and relate those to your experiences and/or skills. It'll be also be good if you can know beforehand if those professors are admitting students that year. This increases the chance of acceptance.5. Optimally long: An optimum length of SoP is 1000-1200 words. This is roughly two pages on MS Word. Adjust the spacing. margins and font size in such a way that there is not much blank space at the end.Good luck!

I wrote a few agile statements of work for a Telco engaging a large indian service provider. This was done under a master services agreement with agreed rates for various roles and experience. I found the best format was fixed time, price, and team to deliver a high level target scope that could vary. They were effectively a type of time and materials contract with shared responsibility to deliver.I don't think you can do agile with a fixed scope, fixed time and fixed cost contract.Mind you there are always a lot of changes in scope on "fixed scope" projects so they are in reality variable scope as well just with much less openess, honesty and transparency and with a lot more slippage, cost over runs and quality problems.

What is the Statement of Purpose?As the name says, “it is a statement or essay about your main purpose of applying to graduate school”. Also, there is no point in applying to Graduate school without a proper purpose. So, Graduate schools ask students to write an essay with explaining their main reason for graduate school.What is the purpose of going back to school for the Graduate program? The universities typically give all the guidelines for SOP, like how long it should be and how many pages, etc. Your goal is to write it up precisely within the length they specify.Is the SOP really important?Students often neglect their Statements Of Purpose (SOPs as they are commonly called), because they often believe that the person in charge of the application process would not have time to go through all the SOPs that are submitted to them.This is far from the truth. Admission committee members have said time and time again that at least two people go through a single SOP, and that it is often the SOP that is the deciding factor while considering whether a student should be accepted by the university.As SOPs are the only part of your application that you can fully control, taking your time to write an excellent one can only help your cause.When committee members read your SOP, they are trying to put a face to your application.This is where you tell them your story, tell them about the person that you are, while explaining why the program at their university is crucial for your career and future goals.First impressions count!As universities receive a large number of applications, it is important to make a strong first impression, so that the faculty member reading your SOP will pay attention to what is said throughout, thereby giving you a higher chance of consideration and acceptance.How to write an SOP:-Why is it important?The SOP is one of the most important pieces of your graduate school application because it:Gives the reviewers an understanding of your academic background and interestsAllows you to illustrate in your own words what sets you apart from other applicantsHelps them determine if you are a good match for the program to which you are applyingShows your communication style and abilityImportant Things to RememberPay attention and follow instructions very carefully – every program is different and some have specific items/topics they want you to address.Unless otherwise noted, this is an academically focused essay, not necessarily a personal essay. You will likely add some personal details here and there, but be sure to keep the focus on your academic background and future potential.Proofread and pay close attention to details – they really matter!Have others from a variety of perspectives read your essay before you submit it – they should be looking at it in terms of content, style and grammar. Remember, those outside of your field can provide you with valuable perspective and feedback.Keep in mind that you can continue editing your SOP after you have submitted it to programs with earlier deadlines.Length, Format and ToneUnless otherwise noted 1-2 pages in a standard font and size is typicalInclude your full name and proposed program of study at the top of each page – if faculty are not reading an electronic version of your essay, pages can become separated.Write with confidence and in an active voice – doing this makes your sentences clear and less wordy/complicated.Language should be positive and focused. Since faculty are the ones reviewing your application, it is fine to use discipline-specific terminology, tone and style in your SOP.What should be the length of an SOP?Final ChecklistHave you…Described your academic background in enough detail to show your experience and preparedness in the field?Shown that you are a good fit for the program you are applying to?Defined why you want a graduate degree in this field?Demonstrated that you are self-motivated, persistent, competent, and have the skills necessary to be successful in graduate school?Followed the SOP instructions as defined by the program you are applying to?Polished, proofread and had others review your SOP?Cover this, in your graduate school statement of purposeYour inspiration or motivation to pursue this degree program.Your life experiences which will contribute to a career in this field.Volunteer work or research or internship experience in this field.Specific information about the professors and courses in the program to which you are applying and which will enable you to pursue your future career.Detailed information about your goals, both short term and long term.Positive details about your interest in this special degree program at this university.What Grad Schools Do Want to SeeGraduate schools want to admit students who have exhibited a history of determination, self-motivation and passion for their intended field of study. The key word here is exhibited. In other words, you’ll want to draw from your experiences and accomplishments to highlight the aforementioned attributes through your essay.History of determination: Experiences in your field that have lasted 1+ year(s)Self-motivation: Internships, funding, and presentations that you independently and successfully pursuedPassion: A discussion of how you decided on your field of interest (in your intro) and the specific area you’d like to study during your graduate career (in the conclusion)10 Tips on How to Write a Statement of Purpose for Graduate School1. Follow Directions2. Consider Your Audience3. Demonstrate Interest in the School4. Write a Draft5. Choose Your Angle Carefully6. Peel Back the Layers (find deeper meaning as you write)7. Be Clear and Concise8. Revise9. Proofread10. Have Someone Review ItOnce you feel like you’ve written the best statement of purpose you can, it’s time to get a second opinion. It’s best to ask someone who has been through grad school or worked in the education field, as they’ll have a sense of what you’re going through, as well as what you’re aiming for. An objective set of eyes can often alert you to details you might miss on your own. Even if your reviewer doesn’t recommend any changes, his or her vote of confidence will help you feel better about the application process while you wait to hear back from schools.Now that you know how important an SOP for Grad School is, you may want to know How to format a Statement of Purpose for Grad Schools?Hope it helps!!