It wasn't that gruelling actually since I was doing other stuff while writing, but it was quite brain intensive activity in the sense of thinking about how to write what I wanted to say to address the requirements for the application. As it stands, it probably isn't worded in the best way, but with some help and revision I'm sure it will spruce up quite nicely methinks.
The application they request needed to have a cover letter, and then demonstrates research, teaching and service. Following that, a brief research plan, a curriculum vitae and then copies of key research papers published, if any.
Cover letter was page one obviously, and then into the whole bulk of the application. I was able to write a page in regards to my research experiences and how they connected to the current research groups at their department. It was a little tricky because while it is connected, it isn't plain daylight obvious how my work and their areas matched. If you take a little bit of time to examine it though, you will be able to see the connectivity and I certainly hope that they will take the time to consider it, especially if it is written in a good manner.
The teaching segment was fairly easy because I have had quite a few experiences in teaching and tutoring, but just not in formal lecture-giving situations. Hopefully for this 'entry' level position, it will be sufficient. One of the more interesting things about differences between US PhD's and Australian ones is that Australian ones do not usually involve the students delivering undergraduate courses in lieu of the academic, it seems that US PhD students are quite often required to teach entire sections of courses as part of their degree, and this is why PhD's commonly take five years full time instead of three years here.
The service segment of my application was a little iffy in the sense that all of my service experiences has been related to my sporting club activities and being on executive positions. Certainly, I appreciate administrative duties and also liaison work, meetings, formal communications etc, but it isn't particularly strong. I would hope that at least for the entry level, it will be sufficient.
Then came the tricky part, the research proposal. By brief, how brief do they want it?... I was told that a normal research grant proposal is ten pages, therefore I shouldn't exceed ten pages in a brief research plan... I put a one and a bit page plan together with an idea of what I'd like to do following on from my work in the PhD. I even kind of managed to link it into their research areas too haha, check out my mad skillz eh =P Well, then came the c.v. afterwards which has been a standard proceedure for me. I haven't attached the journal papers yet since they require no editing.
The whole thing, as a first draft came to ten pages..... With the research papers attached, it will probably be significantly bigger...... Hopefully not too big for gmail to mail it for me...
The application they request needed to have a cover letter, and then demonstrates research, teaching and service. Following that, a brief research plan, a curriculum vitae and then copies of key research papers published, if any.
Cover letter was page one obviously, and then into the whole bulk of the application. I was able to write a page in regards to my research experiences and how they connected to the current research groups at their department. It was a little tricky because while it is connected, it isn't plain daylight obvious how my work and their areas matched. If you take a little bit of time to examine it though, you will be able to see the connectivity and I certainly hope that they will take the time to consider it, especially if it is written in a good manner.
The teaching segment was fairly easy because I have had quite a few experiences in teaching and tutoring, but just not in formal lecture-giving situations. Hopefully for this 'entry' level position, it will be sufficient. One of the more interesting things about differences between US PhD's and Australian ones is that Australian ones do not usually involve the students delivering undergraduate courses in lieu of the academic, it seems that US PhD students are quite often required to teach entire sections of courses as part of their degree, and this is why PhD's commonly take five years full time instead of three years here.
The service segment of my application was a little iffy in the sense that all of my service experiences has been related to my sporting club activities and being on executive positions. Certainly, I appreciate administrative duties and also liaison work, meetings, formal communications etc, but it isn't particularly strong. I would hope that at least for the entry level, it will be sufficient.
Then came the tricky part, the research proposal. By brief, how brief do they want it?... I was told that a normal research grant proposal is ten pages, therefore I shouldn't exceed ten pages in a brief research plan... I put a one and a bit page plan together with an idea of what I'd like to do following on from my work in the PhD. I even kind of managed to link it into their research areas too haha, check out my mad skillz eh =P Well, then came the c.v. afterwards which has been a standard proceedure for me. I haven't attached the journal papers yet since they require no editing.
The whole thing, as a first draft came to ten pages..... With the research papers attached, it will probably be significantly bigger...... Hopefully not too big for gmail to mail it for me...
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