Writing Sample Length

[Silent_Bobina]

So I have a good paper that is 17 full pages and related to my research topic. This is an appropriate length for all but one of my applications. However, the application that it's not appropriate for asks for an 18-20 page paper. Is submitting a 17 page paper (18 with citations) going to hurt my chances of being accepted?

[amlobo]

I would think being one page short isn't going to hurt you. 18-20 pages is a very weird, precise writing sample requirement, anyway. If you are really worried about it, contact the department. Better to be sure before you waste any time trying to lengthen it.

[Silent_Bobina]

Sounds like a good idea! Thanks!

[chaetzli]

My writing sample has 36 pages. This includes approximately 16 pages with tables, figures, references, cover, acknowledgments, and abstract. So there are approximately 20 pages "pure" text. Does this count as a 20 pages paper? (I really want to submit this paper as it is my only work that is currently under review by a (great) journal).

Edited September 10, 2012 by swisschocolate

[Guest Gnome Chomsky]

Honestly, I would just stretch it out to 18 pages. It probably won't hurt, but I wouldn't risk it. I've heard schools don't like it when you don't follow exactly what they want. I actually heard a trick that lengthens your paper but is totally unnoticeable. Add 2 spaces after every period instead of just 1. Surprisingly it will add about 2-3 pages to your paper.

[practical cat]

Honestly, I would just stretch it out to 18 pages. It probably won't hurt, but I wouldn't risk it. I've heard schools don't like it when you don't follow exactly what they want. I actually heard a trick that lengthens your paper but is totally unnoticeable. Add 2 spaces after every period instead of just 1. Surprisingly it will add about 2-3 pages to your paper.

I disagree with this advice and don't think you should arbitrarily lengthen your sample (though maybe giving it another editorial pass might organically lengthen it--I know I always find stuff to add in revisions) but the spacing thing is absurd. You would have to have several hundred to a thousand or so sentences in your paper for that to make any concrete/noticeable difference. I spent most of my undergraduate studies doing two spaces after the period and when I would do a find/replace before handing in a paper, it would rarely shorten my paper more than a line or two. This is frankly just terrible advice on two different levels.