How Specific Should Research Interests Get?

[ThatOne]

So, my advisor wanted to look over some of my MSTP secondary application letters, because he is truly awesome and wants me to get in somewhere just as much as I do. Anyway, in one of the essays, talking about research interests, I wrote: "...My personal research interests are somewhat broad. Most of my experience is in neuroscience and molecular biology, but I have always found immunology and developmental biology fascinating as well. In particular, plasticity and regeneration interest me because they are key to achieving recovery from injury. Most important to me however, is clinical significance... "

He told me to "Comment with specific fields or topics of research, rather disciplines (neuroscience, moleculear biology, immunology or developmental biology)"

I know he knows a heck of lot more about this process than I do, but I thought I'd ask for second opinions anyway -- would an adcom really want to hear me say that I want to stare at the neuromuscular junction all day, or that I want to find the molecular signals that pass between glia and axons, or that I want to find better ways to locally control inflammation and the immune response after surgery / cell transplants? I mean, I know the fields are broad, but I'm honestly feeling pretty open-minded right now and I'm not sure I want to spend time searching out specific issues.

Note that I have been picking out specific laboratories at each institution that I think I would enjoy working in, with breif explanations about why I find the work they do particularly interesting.

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[MrMunkily]

Well, I get the feeling that these are examples - examples that show you've been thinking of interesting phenomena to investigate. Having a handle on the sort of questions that make good experimental science is a skill. Talking in specifics here isn't really meant to commit you to anything but rather to let you demonstrate that you have some idea of how research in that area would work.

I was guilty of being overly general in my apps as well, but for every generality you may as well give a specific example of a question you'd like to noodle.

 

[ThatOne]

Thanks, MrMunkily. =)

 

[RxnMan]

Well, I get the feeling that these are examples - examples that show you've been thinking of interesting phenomena to investigate. Having a handle on the sort of questions that make good experimental science is a skill. Talking in specifics here isn't really meant to commit you to anything but rather to let you demonstrate that you have some idea of how research in that area would work.

I was guilty of being overly general in my apps as well, but for every generality you may as well give a specific example of a question you'd like to noodle.

I think this is a great post.