Editing thesis for writing sample

[PsycUndergrad]

Hey guys! 

I'm thinking of submitting a section of my undergrad honours thesis for my writing sample. I'm wondering if it's unethical to edit it before submitting since if I edited it, it wouldn't really be the same thesis I submitted to my department. I'm conflicted because I know I can make it better, but I don't want to do anything wrong. I don't plan on submitting the whole thesis, and there's no way for them to see the original unless I send it to them but I don't know. 

[fuzzylogician]

I think it's perfectly fine to edit the thesis to incorporate comments you got or simply for style and/or content. You wouldn't be able to say "this is my undergraduate thesis" but there is no reason you couldn't say "this is a revised version of my thesis". In fact, it's even advised to take commentary seriously and edit accordingly, so on one should be concerned at all, and there is no reason for you to hide the fact that you edited the paper.*  

 

* More generally, no one's first draft of any paper is the same as their final version. Unlike in undergrad where you write a paper and then forget about it, it's different once you start doing research. Everyone revises their work multiple time to incorporate edits requested by co-authors, reviewers, editors, etc.