Writing sample format

[woolfie]

I hope I don't come off sounding ignorant, but I've always used MLA to format my papers and my writing sample is in that format. The header for MLA, however, includes date, course, and professor. Is there a better or more expected format for writing samples? I feel weird leaving that information in. Or does it matter at all? I feel like it should have my address, more like a journal submission Help!

[anonacademic]

I'm using MLA citation format (of course), but as far as the format of the paper itself goes, I'm ignoring it. I've opted instead to have a header that goes something like: "Writing Sample | University of Awesome | Chum Lee | 1/25" (the last part is the page count, sorry if that's obvious!). I have a title, too, naturally. After working in academic publishing, I realize how annoying extraneous MLA information can be, so I'm trying to keep identifying info short and out of the way, but offering enough to piece together should parts of my file (or pages of the sample) drift apart...

But please let me know if this is completely off base!

[Medievalmaniac]

I think that the most important thing is to be consistent in your choice of documentation style. It's silly to leave the course and instructor in the heading; this is now a (revised, hopefully) version of the paper, being used as a writing sample. As such, I think the heading just needs to have your name, your identification as a candidate for admission, and the pagination.

I have chosen to employ footnotes over in-text citation, because I find it cleaner and less distracting visually, and also because that's how so many articles are formatted in my field, so I figure this indicates my ability to revise and restructure for publication.

Initially, I did not think a cover page was a necessary item for the writing sample; in retrospect, I think perhaps a cover page with further identifying information might be warranted. Might be best to check with the department(s) to which you are applying to be certain one way or the other on that.

I don't think MLA is "required" - after all, many publications in the humanities also make use of MHRA or even APA style. I think the most important thing, as I said before, is that you are using a recognizably and consistent form of documentation.

[tinapickles]

I'm sure this goes without saying, but double check specific application instructions. One of the schools I'm applying to, for example, asks that your name be indicated in the header AND the footer. Another asks for application ID number. Other than that kinda of stuff, I'm writing in MLA style and making sure that my .doc file and/or PDF have my last name as part of the file name.

[augustquail]

I think--I'll be double-checking for sure, though--that there is only one school to which i'm applying that actually has any specific instructions about the writing sample format--like "name should appear on every page." One school actually instructs me NOT to put a header in at all, so I guess there will only be page numbers in that one...

For the sop, I was just going to have "statement of purpose: my name" on the first page, I wonder if that's enough?

I like the look of footnotes too, but I think I'll just stick to the MLA in-text citation for now.

[shepardn7]

I converted my paper to Chicago because I wanted to use endnotes. I've never used Chicago before (only MLA), but it seems more suited to endnotes. I was quoting so much that it looked messy with all the parentheticals (on top of the parentheticals I already had, anyway). One rather annoying thing I just realized is that I probably need to go back to all the excerpted poems and find the line numbers? I forgot you need to cite the lines, too. Also, can someone tell me what I'm supposed to do when I want to block quote a poem but eliminate some irrelevant lines? Where do you position the ellipses? Is it like this:

This is a line of a poem.

The poem is not very poetic.

It's only a little sarcastic.

. . .

I am very tired of revising my paper.

But you get the point, yes?

To indicate the omission, do you center the ellipses or left-align them? Or is neither way correct?

[Sparky]

Also, can someone tell me what I'm supposed to do when I want to block quote a poem but eliminate some irrelevant lines? Where do you position the ellipses?

To indicate the omission, do you center the ellipses or left-align them? Or is neither way correct?

Chicago on ellipses in poetry

[shepardn7]

Chicago on ellipses in poetry

Thanks. I'm not a member so I can't access the page, unfortunately. A handout via Google search says MLA rules = provide a "full line" of ellipses, so I wonder if Chicago is the same.

[Sparky]

Thanks. I'm not a member so I can't access the page, unfortunately. A handout via Google search says MLA rules = provide a "full line" of ellipses, so I wonder if Chicago is the same.

Oh, sorry! My school logs me in automatically, so I had no idea.

Here you go:

13.55 Ellipsis points in poetry and verse drama

Omission of the end of a line of verse is indicated by four ellipsis points if what precedes them is a complete grammatical sentence, otherwise by three. The omission of a full line or of several consecutive lines within a quoted poem or drama in verse is indicated by one line of widely spaced dots approximately the length of the line above (or of the missing line, if that is determinable).

This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England

Edited November 24, 2010 by Sparky

[shepardn7]

Oh, sorry! My school logs me in automatically, so I had no idea.

Here you go:

Thank you for that! Looks like it's the same as MLA.

[fj20]

This isn't really about formatting, but it is about MLA guidelines. Looking through the MLA handbook, I was surprised to find under the section about using italics that MLA advises you not to use italics for emphasis (that is, not to italicize words you want to place special emphasis on, as I just did with the word "not"). They say it "rapidly becomes ineffective," and "is rarely appropriate in scholarly writing." Really? (joke) I agree, you don't want to italicize too many words, but I hardly thought it was considered unprofessional to do so occasionally.

A more pertinent question: for those of you who write on Shakespeare, what's your policy with citing act and scene and line numbers when you've already made it clear in the text that you're quoting from Act 2, for example? Will you still write the full citation, 2.3.58-59, or will you just write 3.58-59?

[ahlacruz]

I have a lot of quotations in my writing sample that use italics. I guess you are suppose to leave them in italics though?

[Gingermick]

For Shakespeare, I still use the full citation (2.3.23-24) because readers can easily loose track of which act or scene you are talking about, and I try not to say sings like, "In Act 2, Scene 1, blah blah..." so that I don't repeat information that will be included in the citation. Also, if I'm citing from several plays, I always put an abbreviation of the play's title in the citation: (JC 2.3.23-24) or (Ham 5.5.1-10). The abbreviations need to be mention only the first time you quote, unless you are switching back and forth between plays or using plays with very similar titles, like Henry VI, Part 1 (1H6 2.3.23-24) and Henry VI, Part 2 (2H6 3.2.45-46) in which case I always use the abbreviation for clarity. There is a list of all the abbreviations floating around on the internet somewhere. Some scholars still use Roman numerals as well (V.v.1-2).

[anonacademic]

This isn't really about formatting, but it is about MLA guidelines. Looking through the MLA handbook, I was surprised to find under the section about using italics that MLA advises you not to use italics for emphasis (that is, not to italicize words you want to place special emphasis on, as I just did with the word "not"). They say it "rapidly becomes ineffective," and "is rarely appropriate in scholarly writing." Really? (joke) I agree, you don't want to italicize too many words, but I hardly thought it was considered unprofessional to do so occasionally.

What? But how are people going to get me!? In all seriousness, I don't know how strictly this is followed. Is it a new addition to the most recent edition? Sometimes I feel that they make up rules in order to justify putting out a new edition of the handbook.

In any case, I worked on an academic journal for awhile and we often added italics for emphasis during copyediting - and never batted an eye of italics were used correctly for emphasis in the first place. For what it's worth.

[USTgrad]

I hope I don't come off sounding ignorant, but I've always used MLA to format my papers and my writing sample is in that format. The header for MLA, however, includes date, course, and professor. Is there a better or more expected format for writing samples? I feel weird leaving that information in. Or does it matter at all? I feel like it should have my address, more like a journal submission Help!

For one app I am using a revised writing sample, but including the original course, prof, etc., as per MLA. I also attached a very brief cover letter explaining why I am using that paper, how I will/have developed it, and the course title.

[lady_coffee]

So -- some schools require you to add your address, phone number, email, etc. in addition to your name and the typical info that goes on a sample. Adding all this information has pushed my sample half-way onto the 21st page, and this is a school with one of those hardlining 15-20 page limits. Now, I imagine a committee member could look at all the info that's added and see how yes, the paper is only 20 pages, but all that extra info pushes it down. However, I don't want to risk someone giving it a cursory glance and being annoyed that I'm over 20.

All that information looks ridiculous (and clunky) in a header/footer, so the only other solution I can see is using a title page, which is less than ideal.

At this point, I'm probably splitting hairs, and I know that this is a silly, mostly common sense question -- but I wanted to see what other folks had elected to do.

[Medievalmaniac]

So -- some schools require you to add your address, phone number, email, etc. in addition to your name and the typical info that goes on a sample. Adding all this information has pushed my sample half-way onto the 21st page, and this is a school with one of those hardlining 15-20 page limits. Now, I imagine a committee member could look at all the info that's added and see how yes, the paper is only 20 pages, but all that extra info pushes it down. However, I don't want to risk someone giving it a cursory glance and being annoyed that I'm over 20.

All that information looks ridiculous (and clunky) in a header/footer, so the only other solution I can see is using a title page, which is less than ideal.

At this point, I'm probably splitting hairs, and I know that this is a silly, mostly common sense question -- but I wanted to see what other folks had elected to do.

Title page with all of the identifying information. Name, status (PhD English admissions candidate) and page numbers in header. Endnotes rather than footnotes and in lieu of in-text citations. Ended up with 20 pages, exactly.

[Medievalmaniac]

I hope I don't come off sounding ignorant, but I've always used MLA to format my papers and my writing sample is in that format. The header for MLA, however, includes date, course, and professor. Is there a better or more expected format for writing samples? I feel weird leaving that information in. Or does it matter at all? I feel like it should have my address, more like a journal submission Help!

One thing to remember, is that MLA has both a student paper guide, and a style guide for publication. So while as a student in a course you are expected to have the date, course and professor, the official MLA publication style (obviously) does not include any of that information. I don't think you have to keep it, unless you really want to.

The most important thing is to maintain a consistent citation style throughout your paper.

[lady_coffee]

One thing to remember, is that MLA has both a student paper guide, and a style guide for publication. So while as a student in a course you are expected to have the date, course and professor, the official MLA publication style (obviously) does not include any of that information. I don't think you have to keep it, unless you really want to.

The most important thing is to maintain a consistent citation style throughout your paper.

~nods~ Yep. It's a brand spanking new sample post-undergrad and my citations are consistent, so I'm not worried there. I just really despise title pages. But it seems like that's the only option, really. And it's not like they're terribly difficult - I'm just being petulant. :-)

It does strike me as odd that some schools want every bit of contact information on every bit of writing. Perhaps so that if they're in my neck of the woods they can drop by and ask me a few clarifying questions in person?

EDIT: Oh, ~headdesk~ -- that was to someone else. Goodness sakes. Meant to reply to the quote above. Perhaps I need more coffee?

Edited December 14, 2010 by lady_coffee

[aerisgarnet]

Is that for UIUC? Well, they did contact me pretty heavily once I was accepted last year. So maybe it's for a purpose

[lady_coffee]

Is that for UIUC? Well, they did contact me pretty heavily once I was accepted last year. So maybe it's for a purpose

Indeed it is. Might I inquire as to how they contacted you/what sort of process you went through with the admissions offer? No worries if you're not comfortable sharing the info.

[Capo]

Hmm. Is it an accepted practice to include detailed identifying information on writing samples / SOP's? I haven't run into a school yet that requests anything specific to be included, and I've just put my name, school, and program that I'm applying to on the header for each page. Should I be including a Title Page with my address, phone number, social, etc.? I figured that since my submissions were being uploaded with the application this wouldn't be necessary, but who knows..

[lady_coffee]

Hmm. Is it an accepted practice to include detailed identifying information on writing samples / SOP's? I haven't run into a school yet that requests anything specific to be included, and I've just put my name, school, and program that I'm applying to on the header for each page. Should I be including a Title Page with my address, phone number, social, etc.? I figured that since my submissions were being uploaded with the application this wouldn't be necessary, but who knows..

FWIW, I only put my name, the page number, and the "writing sample" designation in the header. My question here is in regard to a specific program that explicitly says they want all the other stuff -- which if unasked for may well be considered unnecessary at other schools