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[pageturning]

Hi all,

   I am putting together an application for a phD program that wants no more than 3000 words for the writing sample. Do you think it will be better to submit part of a chapter that is out of context (but will allow me to show more in-depth analysis), or should I write a simplified version of my thesis that has an intro, some context, a line or two saying "this aspect of this issue will be addressed more fully in my thesis which is a lot longer," analysis of one aspect of things?

  What would you prefer to read if you are on the admission committee?

[lasquires]

MA Thesis or undergraduate? How long is it right now?

The recommendation for job seekers is to send a chapter of the dissertation cut to the required length. If necessary, include a note here or there that indicates what comes before and after the excerpt. I would not rewrite your thesis to fit into 3000 words, assuming we're talking about a thesis of 20-30k words.

[pageturning]

Hi lasquires,
MA thesis. It's projected to be about 12000-13000 words long (or so my program dictates. i know it's not very long). Right now I have chapter outlines and lit review, and about 4000 words that but not really a chapter yet. I also have another 4000 word paper that grew out of the same research. I mean, it would probably read like a short seminar paper.

[lasquires]

Personally, I would send a cohesive, well-edited seminar paper rather than a lit review chapter.

[goaswerfraiejen]

I was told to send the lit. review chapter of my MA thesis (with a note saying that's what it is), which did the review stuff and also had some original contributions. It worked for me. Your mileage will probably vary, though.

[suomynona]

(I'm just a PhD student in a humanities field finishing up, with very little admissions experience but a fair amount of application experience.)

In my opinion it's a very bad idea to send either a thesis introduction or lit. review or a thesis chapter for a writing sample.  A thesis introduction or lit. review is without enough substance to indicate whether you can actually pull off the propositions you introduce for a thesis-length project.  A thesis chapter isn't really a standalone article (for obvious reasons), and is as such not really the best presentation of your work.  If admissions people have too many questions about where your argument is coming from and where it's going, they'll be distracted from the quality of your work.  You'd be much more compelling if you could present a polished, standalone writing sample, which should relate to your thesis work and the work you propose to do in the PhD program, but should not be ripped straight out of your thesis (and the context of its broader argument).  

A polished conference paper or perhaps the best paper you've written in one of your graduate seminars (if they relate to your thesis and/or proposed research) would be better than thesis bits, I think.    

[notezenquotes]

This is a good question, OP, thanks for asking it.
(Moderator, should the thread be linked to the "Job-searching FAQ" thread?

My variation:

For the writing sample, applying to TT from grad school, is it better to use a published article or an unpublished seminar paper or thesis chapter?

I'd think the publication except the committee can find that on their own, in the library, from the pubs list on my CV. Advice?

[helpful]

notezen....

The OP is asking about admissions to a Phd program, not an application to tenure track. That is what he says in the original posting.

I am putting together an application for a phD program that wants no more than 3000 words for the writing sample

and

  What would you prefer to read if you are on the admission committee?

[ticklemepink]

I disagree with the above suggestion about doing a standalone paper.  I've gone through cycles of applications for PhD and I've been strongly suggested that I keep including my thesis as a writing sample (which I do).  It may be field dependent.  What field are you aiming for, OP?