Writing Samples - better to send a complete paper or part of something bigger?

[jilly11]

Hi all,

I wanted to ask this question in the Art History forum because I'm sure it varies across disciplines.

For my WS I could submit my senior seminar paper that is 18 pages OR the final chapter of my thesis (undergrad) which is about 35 pages...would it be better to send a contained paper even though its shorter or show one part of my major work?

Thanks!

[losemygrip]

Which do you think is the better piece of writing and research?

[jilly11]

I think they are both equal. Length is really all that makes them different.

Anyone else having this problem?

[Hicks]

My caution would be to make sure that what you submit makes a complete argument. Last year I took a 20 page section out of my 100 page thesis. I think not having a full argument really hurt me. This year I've taken a 40 pages article and abridged it down to a 20 page sample. So, it depends on the longer paper. In my case the thesis was a history of a collection and had a lot of analysis which didn't translate as well to a shorter format as I would have liked.

[losemygrip]

If you think they're equal, go for the shorter.

[taybaxter]

Hi all,

I wanted to ask this question in the Art History forum because I'm sure it varies across disciplines.

For my WS I could submit my senior seminar paper that is 18 pages OR the final chapter of my thesis (undergrad) which is about 35 pages...would it be better to send a contained paper even though its shorter or show one part of my major work?

Thanks!

I don't know if it's different in Art History but my adviser told me that in History adcoms are suspicious when an applicant doesn't submit a section from his thesis as a writing sample.