choosing a writing sample

[ultraviolet]

Applying to Art History MA/PhD programs this fall, to study contemporary art and feminist/gender/sexuality theory. I'm having a hard time deciding which paper to submit as my writing sample.

I have two choices - one is a 20 page research paper with notes and illustrations that roughly falls in my area of concentration. However, it was written to meet specific requirements for a class and as such is a little heavy on research and light on creative analysis. It is well written but the second half is much stronger than the first, which is basically a summary of existing scholarship on the topic.

The other paper is about 14 pages, with some notes and fewer illustrations that is related to my concentration but less so than the first choice. It is well researched with better creative analysis and overall I think better written and maybe more impressive. It is more like a journal article than a research paper.

Do I choose the first paper, and hope they read all the way through to the more interesting second half? Or go with the second, shorter paper, even though it's more off-topic?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

*One more note, the first paper relies heavily on a book written by a professor at one of the schools I am applying to. It is frequently referenced and praised in my paper. Not sure if this would be to my advantage or not as the professor may disagree with my conclusions.

[johndiligent]

You're probably the best judge of your papers, and you seem to greatly prefer Option 2. Go with that.

[rainy_day]

Could you rework paper 1? I definitely think it would be worth it, at least for that school where the author teaches. I think it would go along way to address fit, and if you deal with his material well--which it sounds like you do--then it could go a very long way, I think.

Do you have page limits to consider?

Good luck!

[fullofpink]

Applying to Art History MA/PhD programs this fall, to study contemporary art and feminist/gender/sexuality theory. I'm having a hard time deciding which paper to submit as my writing sample.

I have two choices - one is a 20 page research paper with notes and illustrations that roughly falls in my area of concentration. However, it was written to meet specific requirements for a class and as such is a little heavy on research and light on creative analysis. It is well written but the second half is much stronger than the first, which is basically a summary of existing scholarship on the topic.

The other paper is about 14 pages, with some notes and fewer illustrations that is related to my concentration but less so than the first choice. It is well researched with better creative analysis and overall I think better written and maybe more impressive. It is more like a journal article than a research paper.

Do I choose the first paper, and hope they read all the way through to the more interesting second half? Or go with the second, shorter paper, even though it's more off-topic?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

*One more note, the first paper relies heavily on a book written by a professor at one of the schools I am applying to. It is frequently referenced and praised in my paper. Not sure if this would be to my advantage or not as the professor may disagree with my conclusions.

Since I can not see the papers I would suggest that you go with the one that exemplifies your best research abilities. I do not understand how you mean creative analysis (my thought is that you are looking at something and "interpreting" it in your opinion and arguing your feelings OVER forming an argument based on others opinions and showing why your argument is better). However, the name of the game, especially with a PhD program, is research. I would put your best researched paper in the pot. The adcom at my school reads these and they look at the bibliography (what sources you use) and how you have used them in your argument. While they appreciate new ideas, it is not so much how "smart" you are or what you know but how well you use the tools at your disposal. If you submit the first paper you can always include a little note stating the objective of the paper.

Also, if you think it is best, you can also rework the first paper - though there may not be enough time. For my writing sample I rewrote an entire 12 page paper to extend it and make it less of a paper I wrote for a class and more for a general academic audience.

[Slide568]

First of all, I dont know if illustrations are counted when they ask for a specific paper length (ex: the school i applied to asked for 15 pages) usually its double spaced etc. Take out the pictures and see how long the papers are. Also grad programs are researched based (the good ones). Choose the paper that highlights your theories and ideas backed by strong research. A paper that is in line with what you intend to study will help them visualize how you will fit into the program and what your potential is.