Shadowing Practice: PhD Interview Questions | What do PhD supervisors look for in applicants? - Learn English Speaking with Video
Bir pratik modu seçin
Her mod tam ekran bir pratik odası açar.
228 cümleler
Cümleler çok kısa veya çok uzun ise, ayarlamak için Düzenle'ye tıklayın.
1
Hi, I'm Casey.
2
I'm a professor and I've been running PhD admissions in my department for a number of years.
3
I've done a series of videos about the PhD application process
4
and most of it so far has focused on getting your application materials together.
5
Of course, once you're done with that, there's still more to come.
6
At the very least you're gonna have to make decisions, which is really important but also you might have interviews or things that kind of feel like interviews.
7
And I've had a lot of requests to talk about this exact thing so more videos!
8
Yay!
9
The way that I'm going to address this issue of interviews specifically
10
and the kinds of questions
11
that you get asked is to talk about it in terms of what potential PhD advisors
12
or supervisors are looking for in students because
13
that should kind of help frame how you approach this
14
and this is regardless of whether it is a formal interview
15
which sometimes happens sometimes even in front of a panel of people I don't have any experience with
16
that or it might be a site visit
17
which of course this year might happen virtually but this is the thing
18
that often happens is
19
that people are flown out to a school for a kind of open house thing sometimes it happens before
20
or after admission or it might just be an informal conversation with a faculty member.
21
But no matter what this is I want to give you some ideas of the kinds of things
22
that you might talk about and how to put your best foot forward.
23
But I'll also do another video later specifically about site visits and what those look like and what to expect.
24
For right now just imagine any kind of conversation you're having with a potential advisor.
25
So first my usual disclaimer, much of the advice
26
that I'm giving here is most useful for people who are
27
applying to PhD programs in lab based disciplines where they're going to be working very closely with an advisor.
28
Some might be broadly applicable but that's where I think it's going to be most useful.
29
My experience is with computer and information science so also just make sure
30
that you find out about the norms of your particular discipline.
31
So first, some tips, and hopefully these are obvious before going into this conversation,
32
whether it is a faculty member has sent you an email and has to set up a phone call.
33
Another thing that might happen is there's a site visit
34
and you're given a list of faculty that you're going to have conversations with.
35
In any case, here's what you do.
36
First, reread the statement of purpose that you sent to that program.
37
Don't let it freak you out.
38
If someone's asking to talk to you or if you've been invited for a site visit, you're already on some kind of shortlist.
39
So keep that in mind.
40
Don't freak out if you figure out all the things that you think are wrong with your statement of purpose.
41
The reason you want to reread is
42
because you want to remind yourself the reasons why
43
when you were writing that statement of purpose you thought about why you wanted to go to
44
that school and what you thought about those particular faculty members, research, etc. You also just want to remind yourself how you framed anything differently for that school.
45
Basically you're reminding yourself what they already know about you.
46
Then do your research on the specific faculty member or faculty members that you are talking to.
47
You probably did a little bit of this
48
when you were writing your statement of purpose but now you can like laser focus it right?
49
Now this actually becomes especially true if it's someone that you didn't mention in your statement of purpose.
50
So if you get an email from a faculty member saying they'd like to talk to you
51
and it's not someone that you mentioned, it probably means that they saw some connection to your research interests that you might not have seen,
52
which is totally fine because they might be working on stuff that you don't know about, but you should try to figure that out.
53
Look for their most recent publications, look to see if they have a website that says things about projects that might be in progress that aren't published yet,
54
look to see if they have any recent grant funding
55
that is probably on their CV on their website if they have one.
56
And also look into the research that their students are doing.
57
Now one caution is that every faculty member that you talk to, especially on a site visit,
58
may not be a potential advisor.
59
But even if they're not a potential advisor, thinking about how your research interests intersect with theirs will just make for a good conversation.
60
All right first, and I would argue maybe the most important, we want to know that you have a good reason for wanting to get a PhD.
61
Now I have a whole video on this topic that you should definitely check out, especially if you're not clear on this answer.
62
A lot of the kinds of advice on how to talk
63
about this in a statement of purpose applies more broadly for all of the rest of these conversations.
64
But basically have a good answer to the question, so why do you want to get a PhD?
65
This answer needs to communicate two really important things that a potential supervisor is looking for.
66
One is commitment and two is passion.
67
A very, very bad look for a PhD applicant is
68
that they're getting a PhD because they don't know what else to do or they're getting a PhD as a hobby.
69
So an advisor is making an investment in you.
70
definitely in time and in many cases in money.
71
This means that it's really unfortunate when a PhD student leaves after a year or two.
72
Now sometimes that happens because once you get into the PhD program it just turns out
73
that it's not for you and when that happens it's totally okay
74
and we are happy for you to go find your bliss doing whatever else.
75
However at the point
76
when you're interviewing for a PhD program you should be pretty darn sure that's what you want to do, at least for right then.
77
So show that passion and show your commitment to this.
78
Second, kind of relatedly, you need to have a reason for wanting to be in that particular program.
79
Now you might get this question less in interviews that are more about recruiting you than vetting you, but you should still be able to talk about this.
80
Again the same kind of advice
81
that I talked about for statements of purpose in terms of showing why you're applying to that particular program still applies here.
82
It probably has to do in large part about research fit except now
83
if you're talking to a very specific person you can talk about research fit for them specifically.
84
What is it that they're doing that you want to be involved with
85
and you can also talk about intersections with other faculty members
86
because these are the people who are going to be on your committee or maybe you might even have co -advisors.
87
Being able to say how excited you are about the research that's happening in that department in general is great.
88
And also there might be things like maybe you've heard good things about the culture,
89
maybe this department is particularly something that you love, like interdisciplinary or collaborative.
90
You can totally talk about those things because a prospective advisor wants to know that you want to be there.
91
And another thing I'll add is
92
that particularly at this point there's nothing wrong with saying that you really want to be in that location.
93
Now you can't only say that you have to give precedence to the research fit etc
94
because that's the most important but saying you know my family all live in Denver
95
and so I really was hoping to go to school in Colorado
96
that can actually be great because it suggests in part that
97
if you are offered admission into
98
that program you probably will take it now I'm not saying
99
if we think you're not gonna come we're not going to offer you admission
100
but if we have two students
101
and well this person has a 40 % chance of coming and this person has a 60 % chance of coming.
102
I've only got one spot so I'm gonna offer it to both of them.
103
Like that is seriously the kind of math that we're doing.
104
So it actually is really useful to know that kind of thing.
105
Now another thing is of course we want to hear about the kind of research you want to do.
106
This is another chance to show off both your passion and to talk about your research experience which is great.
107
In my statement of purpose video I talked about how to talk about your research interests in a way
108
that is not too vague and not too specific.
109
The same kind of thing applies here
110
but sometimes it's a bit easier to do this when you're having a back and forth.
111
Now if you're able to try to ask early in the conversation about what
112
that faculty member is currently working on or currently excited about
113
because they will probably talk about whatever they think is the alignment with your interest
114
which then tells you what they think is the alignment with their interests.
115
And then you can draw from that in thinking about this as well.
116
Now that said, and this is so important, be honest.
117
Do not do the like I'm going to tell you what you want to hear thing
118
because if you say you want to do some kind of research
119
and then you go to that program you're probably going to have to do that kind of research.
120
And if it's not what you want to do you would have been better off going somewhere else.
121
Now a prospective advisor is looking for a few things.
122
One is that they can competently mentor you and this is as much for you as it is for them.
123
You know I have students who talk to me about working with me all the time.
124
Maybe they want to do work that's related to online communities
125
and social media which is some of the research that I do
126
but then they tell me that what they really want to do is use machine learning techniques.
127
And then I'm like, I might not be the best mentor for you.
128
Now that's not to say
129
that I'm not excited to have PhD advisees who do different kinds of work than what I typically do because A,
130
mixed methods, awesome.
131
B, I want students who can do things that I can't do, that's awesome.
132
But if your core research interest is really something that that professor doesn't feel that they can competently mentor you with,
133
then it's just not going to be a good fit.
134
So that's one of the things that they're looking for.
135
They also want to see that you have ideas
136
but again don't sit down and say here is what I want to do for my dissertation.
137
I will do three studies and they will be this, this, and this.
138
Too specific.
139
You also can't be too rigid in part
140
because you need to fit into the work that's already happening
141
and in some cases a prospective advisor might have grant funding where they're looking for someone to work on a specific project.
142
Now much of the time that doesn't mean that that has to be your dissertation, but it might mean that that's part of the work that you do.
143
And so you need to show that you are willing to do things
144
that are related to what you want to do as well as like whatever you are specifically passionate about.
145
And again this is mostly relevant when the person that you're talking to is a potential advisor.
146
If you're just talking to some other faculty member in the department then just like talk about your interest
147
and passion and be awesome and don't worry too much about the research fit.
148
And this is also a great time to talk about your research experience
149
because you can talk about what you've already done and how that's led you to what you're interested in now.
150
Now you don't need to recite your cd but you know make it a narrative.
151
Talk about what excites you.
152
Alright next, be able to talk about both your strengths and your weaknesses.
153
Now I have never actually asked this question directly like tell me your greatest strength or tell me your greatest weakness,
154
but it is something that you want to get at.
155
That's because a potential advisor wants to know both what you bring to the table and where you're going to need support.
156
Now this is important.
157
Weaknesses aren't bad.
158
Everyone has them.
159
Everyone has them.
160
Do not pretend that you do not have them because it's just going to come off as arrogant and weird.
161
Like please do not give the answer.
162
My greatest weakness is that I work too hard so I don't have good work -life balance.
163
Barf.
164
Don't do that.
165
Be truthful and also frame it in terms of how you want to grow and how this program will help you grow.
166
For example, let's say you're a bad writer.
167
You might say, I know that I really need to work on my scientific communication, which is one of the reasons why I'm
168
so excited about collaboratively writing papers with other students and with my advisor so that I can learn through working with others.
169
And you know, I also hear that there's a writing center at this university for graduate students, which I think I could really benefit from.
170
And in talking about your strengths, again, you can reiterate your experience without like giving a laundry list of your accomplishments.
171
Let's say you're a really good writer.
172
You might say something like because I have a lot of writing experience, because I worked on the student newspaper,
173
I found that I really enjoyed collaboratively working on this paper with other people in the lab
174
that I worked in as an undergrad.
175
I did a lot of editing and I helped craft the literature review.
176
You know I'm so looking forward to being the lead author on a paper
177
because I feel like I at have a leg up on the writing part even though I know
178
that I might have a lot to learn in other areas.
179
This is also a really good way to emphasize other things that are important to a potential advisor.
180
That you're a good collaborator, that you're willing to help others, and that you know how to ask for support when you need it.
181
You can also use this as a way to talk about, for example, methods that you're excited about learning more about.
182
Remember you are not supposed to know everything going in.
183
You are getting a PhD so that you can learn.
184
You're not expected to like come right out of the box being able to do everything.
185
If that were the case we just hire you as a postdoc.
186
All right and lastly there might be some kind of generic question like
187
why don't you tell me a little bit about yourself.
188
Now this is a good opportunity for you to emphasize the things that you want to.
189
It doesn't mean give them your life story, keep it brief, but let's say for example you're a first gen student
190
or you're part of a group that is underrepresented in this particular discipline
191
and this is part of why this journey is
192
so important to you or maybe you've had to really overcome some things to get where you are.
193
totally cool to talk about that kind of thing.
194
Maybe you have some personal connection to the kind of research that you want to do.
195
Maybe you're really passionate about science communication
196
and you've been looking forward to creating a YouTube channel about your research once you start it.
197
This is also a time when you could mention having a connection to the location where this university is.
198
Maybe there's something non -research related that you have in common with the interviewer.
199
When I talk to students during site visits sometimes they'll look around my office
200
and see all of the like geeky stuff
201
and then feel comfortable telling me that they play Dungeons and Dragons or something like that.
202
Like totally fine.
203
But another part of this conversation is that something else
204
that this potential advisor is looking for is are you a good cultural fit?
205
Are you pleasant to be around?
206
Now importantly this does not mean that you have to be extroverted or like have amazing social skills, but you can at least be,
207
you know, polite and pleasant.
208
If the two of you have a severe personality clash for whatever reason, it's gonna be a bad time.
209
So basically this means you just need to not be a jerk.
210
And this also means not just to whoever you think you're interviewing with, but also when you're interacting with current students or even staff.
211
Like if a staff member who's booking flights tells us
212
that you are really rude to them in an email like that kind of thing matters.
213
All right so that is a sense of the kinds of things
214
that you should be prepared for regardless of whether it's a formal interview or more of an informal conversation.
215
Another part of this of course is asking good questions so I'm to make that the topic of another video.
216
I'll also do a video again about site visits
217
and what to expect and also how you should be making this decision
218
and in particular things that you should be looking for in a potential advisor
219
because it's probably the most important decision that you will make in this whole PhD application process.
220
So stay tuned for that and if you haven't already make sure
221
that you check out my video on reasons why PhD applicants are rejected.
222
This was kind of focused on statements of purpose
223
but I think it's sort of broadly applicable to all of this as well.
224
And so good luck!
225
Please feel free to leave questions in the comments below if you have any and I'll do my best to answer them.
226
And of course subscribe if you want to catch my later videos.
227
This is Casey.
228
Thanks for watching.
Uygulamayı İndir
Akıcı konuşmak için ihtiyacınız olan her şey
AI TelaffuzHer cümleyi puanla
IPA AlıştırmasıHer sesi ustalaştır
Kelime BilgisiKelime bankanızı oluşturun
Kelime OyunuOynarken öğrenin
✨ Video Öner
B22
28 cümleler
PhD Interview: Questions, Answers & Explanation (by a PhD supervisor)
Interview EnglishUniversity Students
B21
199 cümleler
The Essential UX Interview Questions (And How To Answer Them!)
Interview EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
141 cümleler
QUALITY CONTROL Interview Questions & Answers! (Inspector, Manager + Assessor Interview Questions!
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B23
38 cümleler
Interview Practice
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B22
119 cümleler
Cracking the Behavioral Interview for Software Developers
Interview EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
80 cümleler
What Are Your Career Goals? (How to ANSWER this TRICKY Interview QUESTION!)
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
C12
105 cümleler
Faculty interviews: how to answer questions about the fit to the department #interview #phd
Interview EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B2125 cümleler
How To Answer Data Analyst Interview Questions to Get a Job
Interview EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
25 cümleler
What makes a good doctor
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B26
67 cümleler
How to Ace an Interview: 5 Tips from a Harvard Career Advisor
Interview EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
13 cümleler
Video
Interview EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B26
92 cümleler
How to be a RECRUITER with no EXPERIENCE?! Explained by Recruiter
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
Why Practice Speaking with This Video?
This video offers a unique opportunity for language learning, as it features natural, conversational English in a professional context—perfect for speaking practice. The speaker, a professor with years of experience, uses clear, structured language to explain complex ideas, making it ideal for shadowing technique practice. By mimicking her tone, pace, and phrasing, you’ll improve your ability to communicate confidently in academic or formal settings, while also learning to articulate detailed thoughts coherently.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
The video is rich with practical grammar and expressions. Here are key structures to focus on:
- Conditional phrases: "If you get an email from a faculty member... it probably means..." This structure helps explain potential scenarios, a common need in academic discussions.
- Modal verbs for advice: "You should try to figure that out" or "Don’t let it freak you out." Modals like "should" and "don’t" are essential for giving and receiving guidance, a core part of speaking practice.
- Complex sentences with subordinating conjunctions: "Because a prospective advisor is making an investment... they want to see commitment." Using "because" to connect ideas shows logical thinking, critical for clear communication.
Common Pronunciation Traps
Pronunciation practice here should focus on tricky words and intonation. For example:
- "Interdisciplinary" (in-ter-dis-ci-pli-nar-y) has multiple syllables—break it down to avoid rushing.
- "Vetting" (vet-ing) is often mispronounced with a long "e" sound; remember the short "e" as in "vet."
- The speaker uses rising intonation in questions like "So why do you want to get a PhD?" to invite conversation. Mimicking this intonation will make your speech sound more natural and engaging.
By focusing on these elements, you’ll enhance both your fluency and accuracy, making the most of this valuable language learning resource.
Bu videodaki dil bilgisi
Konuşmacının en çok kullandığı yapılar, videodaki sözcüklerin aynısıyla:
| Yapı | Videoda |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — önceden başlayıp hâlâ süren bir eylem | I've been running · you've been looking |
| Present perfect have/has + fiilin üçüncü hâli — geçmişte olan ama şimdi de önemli olan bir eylem | I've done · has focused · I've had |
| Edilgen yapı be + fiilin üçüncü hâli — kimin yaptığı değil, ne olduğu önemli | are flown · you've been invited · aren't published |
| İlgi cümlecikleri who / which + cümle — bir kişi ya da şey hakkında ek bilgi | decisions, which is · people who are · experience which is |
Gölgeleme Tekniği Nedir?
Gölgeleme, başlangıçta profesyonel tercüman eğitimi için geliştirilen ve çok dilli Dr. Alexander Arguelles tarafından popüler hale getirilen, bilim destekli bir dil öğrenme tekniğidir. Yöntem basit ama güçlüdür: ana dili İngilizce olan bir sesi dinler ve hemen yüksek sesle tekrar edersiniz — konuşmacıyı 1-2 saniye gecikmeyle takip eden bir gölge gibi. Pasif dinleme veya dilbilgisi alıştırmalarının aksine, gölgeleme beyninizi ve ağız kaslarınızı gerçek konuşma kalıplarını eşzamanlı olarak işlemeye ve yeniden üretmeye zorlar. Araştırmalar, telaffuz doğruluğu, tonlama, ritim, bağlı konuşma, dinleme anlama ve konuşma akıcılığını önemli ölçüde geliştirdiğini göstermektedir — bu da onu IELTS Konuşma hazırlığı ve gerçek dünya İngilizce iletişimi için en etkili yöntemlerden biri yapar.