I am trying to look for a PhD position by contacting potential supervisors through email. I have made a list of professors who I found interesting through searching some papers and their department websites. Now I decide to write to them for asking opportunity and in order to show my sincerity, I would like to attach a research proposal.
I know it seems not necessary to do this if my credentials are good enough, but in order to stay out of the crowd, I don't know if this is actually a good idea to attach a research proposal. Anyway, I want to have some advice on writing a research proposal in this situation.
- What should the appropriate length be? 2 pages, 20 pages? with cited reference?
- How much deviation is allowed with the professor's research interest? Because if everything are the same with the current papers, it seems I am just copying its content into the proposal.
- Should I include all necessary experimental steps? (I am from engineering)
- Any other suggestion on writing research proposal in this situation.
I don't know if it is worth the time to do this, I would like to know if you have also some suggestions in impressing potential supervisors solely through email.