Section of a broader work as a writing sample

[Needle in the Hay]

I have been intending to use a section of my dissertation as my writing sample. I take it there would be a number of good things about doing this- the section reflects some of my strongest philosophical thought, the matter it deals with is relevant to the interests of the faculty at the places I will be applying, etc. But I was just reading the FAQ on the Univ Coll London website about the samples they require for their MPhil programme and they had the following to say- "Although longer pieces with highlighted sections can be submitted we would caution against this as it is not always possible to get a feel for an argument from a section." Of course, I am already trying to make clear from the outset what I am doing, to not make many (or any) references to things I have only said in the beginning phases of the paper that are not included in the sample, and to include enough of the argument from my dissertation for it to be an interesting sample even if not a complete paper in its own right. But I wonder- does anyone know of it being generally discouraged to use a section of a broader work as one's writing sample? I know U Chicago encourages it, but they are also very unique in a number of ways…

 

 

[Needle in the Hay]

I guess I could just try to turn the sample into various complete papers of lengths appropriate to the word limits of the different places where I will be applying.  

Edited September 29, 2014 by Theoldpond0

[The Pedanticist]

I guess I could just try to turn the sample into various complete papers of lengths appropriate to the word limits of the different places where I will be applying.  

 

That's what I'm doing.  However, with my thesis each of the last three chapters is really a separate argument in support of the initial thesis.  I'll likely add a couple pages at the beginning, but it shouldn't require too much work.  I assume that it won't be viewed too negatively considering it was accepted to a conference.

[Nastasya_Filippovna]

I have been intending to use a section of my dissertation as my writing sample. I take it there would be a number of good things about doing this- the section reflects some of my strongest philosophical thought, the matter it deals with is relevant to the interests of the faculty at the places I will be applying, etc. But I was just reading the FAQ on the Univ Coll London website about the samples they require for their MPhil programme and they had the following to say- "Although longer pieces with highlighted sections can be submitted we would caution against this as it is not always possible to get a feel for an argument from a section." Of course, I am already trying to make clear from the outset what I am doing, to not make many (or any) references to things I have only said in the beginning phases of the paper that are not included in the sample, and to include enough of the argument from my dissertation for it to be an interesting sample even if not a complete paper in its own right. But I wonder- does anyone know of it being generally discouraged to use a section of a broader work as one's writing sample? I know U Chicago encourages it, but they are also very unique in a number of ways…

It's what I'm doing too, and I feel that with an abstract, while of course it's far from the rest of the paper, it situates the central argument enough to orient them. I am simply selecting my main section to be a part that is pretty holistic - it's a part that centers on various scholars' interpretations to the topic in question and my specific arguments to claims they make. There are one or two sections I'd like to include- and I'm waiting...and waiting....to hear back from my profs to hear exactly what you bring up- which of these sections would be most salient to include, as I can't decide (they both seem equally important and I don't want to include the wrong one and have a section seem to appear confusing to a reader who hasn't perused the entire thesis).

[philstudent1991]

it's gotta be self contained. taking something from your senior thesis is only natural, and that's fine, but it must be self-contained.

[Needle in the Hay]

Thanks to all for the helpful replies!