Best format to write research emails 🔥 | For MS, PhD & internships

WiseUp Communications

10 Apr 202205:38

Summary

TLDRNeha Gravil, founder of Visep Communications, shares her proven email template for securing research positions in higher education. She emphasizes the importance of a concise subject line, personalizing the email, and clearly stating qualifications, research interests, and alignment with the professor's work. Gravil also suggests reading and referencing the professor's published papers to demonstrate genuine interest. Her strategy includes a clear call to action and a professional email signature. She claims a 10-14% response rate with her method, encouraging customization for each professor contacted.

Takeaways

📧 Use a concise and informative subject line for the email, e.g., 'Exploring Research Opportunity for MS Program in Fall 2023'.
👤 Personalize the email by addressing the professor by their name, e.g., 'Dear Professor Smith'.
🔍 Introduce yourself and state the purpose of the email clearly in the introduction.
🎓 Highlight your qualifications and experiences, including CGPA, GRE/TOEFL scores, research projects, and publications.
🔄 Align your research interests with the professor's work and explain why you are interested in their research areas.
📚 Demonstrate your engagement with the professor's work by mentioning specific research papers you've read and any questions you have.
💡 Tailor the email to each professor to increase the chances of a response.
📎 Attach your CV and provide a clear call to action in the conclusion of the email.
🙏 Express gratitude and provide all necessary contact information for the professor to get in touch with you.
📉 Neha's personal ratio of email responses was 5-7 replies out of 50 emails sent, with two offers for her master's program.
📚 Offer additional resources like workshops on writing statements of purpose and recommendation letters with samples for those studying abroad.

Q & A

What is the main challenge discussed in the video script?
-The main challenge discussed is securing research positions through email communication with professors, especially when there is no tangible result from sending multiple emails.
Who is Neha Gravahl, as mentioned in the script?
-Neha Gravahl is the founder of Visep Communications and the speaker in the video script. She shares her experience of securing research positions for her master's program.
What are the two universities Neha Gravahl was accepted to for her master's program?
-Neha Gravahl was accepted to the National University of Singapore (NTU) and the Georgia Institute of Technology in the US.
What is the first part of the email format Neha suggests?
-The first part is the subject line, which should be concise and to the point, containing necessary information such as the purpose of the email, the program applied for, and the intended start date.
Why is personalizing the email by addressing the professor by their name important?
-Personalizing the email by addressing the professor by their name helps to ensure that the email is not perceived as spam or a bulk email, and it shows that the email is tailored specifically for them.
What should be included in the introduction of the email according to Neha?
-The introduction should include your name, your current educational background, and the purpose of the email, which is to explore a research opportunity under the professor's guidance.
What are the three main components of the email body that Neha suggests?
-The three main components are: your experience and qualifications, your research interests and how they align with the professor's work, and specific insights or questions about the professor's published research papers.
Why is it important to read and mention the professor's research papers in the email?
-Mentioning the professor's research papers shows that you have made an effort to understand their work, which demonstrates genuine interest and the desire to work with them.
What is Neha's pro tip for increasing the chances of receiving a response from a professor?
-Neha's pro tip is to tailor the email as much as possible to the specific professor you are writing to, which increases the likelihood of receiving a response.
What should be included in the conclusion of the email according to the script?
-The conclusion should mention the attachment of your CV, express gratitude, and include a clear call to action, such as looking forward to hearing about your candidacy.
What additional service does Neha offer for those planning to study abroad?
-Neha offers a workshop where she teaches how to write a statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and shares samples of various emails related to studying abroad.
What is the final step in the email process as suggested by Neha?
-The final step is to include an email signature with your full name, designation, college name, phone number, email address, and optionally your LinkedIn ID, providing all necessary contact information in one place.

Outlines

00:00

📧 Crafting an Effective Email for Research Positions

The first paragraph of the script discusses the challenges of securing research positions through email communication with professors. Neha Graval, founder of Visep Communications, shares her personal experience of securing positions at NTU Singapore and Georgia Tech, and introduces a simple email format to increase the chances of a positive response. The focus is on writing a concise subject line, personalizing the greeting, introducing oneself, detailing qualifications and experiences, aligning research interests with the professor's work, and customizing the email by discussing specific research papers. The importance of a tailored approach is emphasized, along with a professional email signature for easy follow-up.

05:02

🎓 Additional Resources for Studying Abroad

The second paragraph offers additional resources for those planning to study abroad, such as a workshop on writing a statement of purpose and letters of recommendation. Neha provides samples of these documents and invites viewers to learn more through a link in the description. The paragraph concludes with a thank you note and well-wishes for the viewers' future careers, along with a sign-off that includes music, indicating the end of the video.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Research positions

Research positions refer to roles within academic or scientific institutions where individuals contribute to scholarly work. In the video, securing a research position is the primary goal, with the focus on how to effectively communicate with professors to achieve this, particularly for internships, master's, PhD, or postdoctoral studies.

💡Email communication

Email communication is the method of exchanging messages via electronic mail. The video emphasizes the importance of crafting effective emails to professors to secure research positions, as it can be challenging to get responses, and the script provides strategies for writing impactful emails.

💡Subject line

The subject line in an email serves as a brief summary of the content. In the context of the video, a concise and informative subject line is crucial for catching the recipient's attention and conveying the purpose of the email, such as 'Exploring research opportunity for MS program in Fall 2023'.

💡Personalization

Personalization in email refers to addressing the recipient by their name and tailoring the content to their interests. The video script highlights the significance of personalization in making the email seem genuine and relevant to the professor, as exemplified by addressing the professor directly, e.g., 'Dear Professor Smith'.

💡Introduction

An introduction in an email sets the stage for the message that follows. The video script advises introducing oneself and stating the purpose of the email upfront, such as 'I am Neha Gravil, a chemical engineering student at RVCE Bangalore, India, writing to explore an opportunity of working under your guidance as a graduate research student'.

💡Experience and qualifications

Experience and qualifications are the academic and professional background that one possesses. The video emphasizes the importance of detailing one's CGPA, GRE or TOEFL scores, research projects, publications, and conference attendances to demonstrate suitability for a research position.

💡Research interests

Research interests are the specific areas of study that an individual is passionate about. The script suggests aligning one's research interests with the professor's work and explaining why it is of interest, which helps in showing a genuine connection to the professor's research.

💡Customization

Customization in the context of the video refers to tailoring the email content to the specific professor being contacted. It involves reading the professor's research papers, understanding their work, and mentioning specific insights or questions in the email to demonstrate a deep interest in their research.

💡Call to action

A call to action is a statement that prompts the recipient to respond or take a specific step. In the video, the script includes a clear call to action in the email conclusion, such as 'I look forward to hearing from you about my candidacy,' which encourages the professor to engage with the sender.

💡Email signature

An email signature is the part at the end of an email that includes the sender's contact information. The video script recommends including a full name, designation, college name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn ID to provide all necessary details for the professor to get in touch.

💡Statement of purpose

A statement of purpose is a written document typically required for graduate school applications, explaining why the applicant is a good fit for the program. The video mentions a workshop that can teach viewers how to write a compelling statement of purpose, which is part of the broader application process for securing a research position.

Highlights

Securing a research position is challenging, especially when connecting with professors via email.

Neha Graval, founder of Visep Communications, shares her experience of securing positions through email.

She was accepted by professors from NTU Singapore and Georgia Institute of Technology for her master's program.

A simple email format is suggested to secure research positions.

The subject line of the email should be concise and include essential information.

Personalize the email by addressing the professor by their name.

Introduce yourself and the purpose of the email in the introduction.

Discuss your experience, qualifications, and past research projects in the email body.

Align your research interests with the professor's work to show relevance.

Customize the email by discussing specific research papers by the professor.

Tailoring the email to the specific professor increases the response rate.

Attach your CV and provide a clear call to action in the email conclusion.

Include a professional email signature with all necessary contact information.

Customize the body of the email for each professor to increase the chances of a response.

Neha's personal ratio of emails sent to responses received is shared as evidence of the template's effectiveness.

A workshop is offered for further guidance on writing statements of purpose and recommendation letters.

The video concludes with a thank you and well-wishes for the viewer's career.