Writing Samples

[tgcdn]

Hi Grad Cafe! I was hoping some of you could point me in the direction of writing samples that have been submitted with philosophy grad school applications. I'm curious about the quality of successful writing samples. I know what published work looks like, but I have no idea what high quality undergraduate work looks like.

 

[MentalEngineer]

Here is a link to the sample that I got into UW-Milwaukee with. The one that got me into FSU is in my signature, but (I hope) that's not undergraduate work.

[Duns Eith]

On 12/10/2016 at 1:21 PM, MentalEngineer said:

Here is a link to the sample that I got into UW-Milwaukee with. The one that got me into FSU is in my signature, but (I hope) that's not undergraduate work.

Your writing sample looks so much more polished. The first aesthetic criticism I had for your undergrad paper was "not enough paragraph breaks, geeze!" But clearly you've landed on the other side with your grad paper "way too many paragraphs with headings/sections, geeze!"

Also, is that LaTex?

I need to get used to it. My goal is to convert my writing sample over to LaTex format before I submit more apps.

[MentalEngineer]

As with many things, I credit the UWM writing workshop for the lesson: upping the production values on your paper can do a lot for you. If it looks like a journal article, it's easier for someone reading it to think of it that way. Plus, single-spacing brings down your page count, so it helps with schools that set a page limit and not a word limit. And you can do it all in Word!

I use a lot of headings in most things about 5K words or more now for three reasons. First, it's easy to give a specific reference to an earlier part of the paper. Second, it's easier to address (and give, I've found in reading other people's writing) specific criticism if the paper is very explicit about which pieces are for what; I can say that in words, but I can also structure my paper to fit the structure of my argument. Finally, it makes papers nice and modular for dealing with different word limits or audiences. When it's not so easy to break down the elements of your paper or I'm actively trying not to do that, then it's not as helpful. But when I'm already organizing things along those lines in my head it's usually good to do it on the page as well.

[mano]

Is style really important? mine is just word doc. times, double spaced...

[goldenstardust11]

@mano mine is pretty much also just a word doc double spaced. Times New Roman, 12 pt. I do have some sections, but nothing nearly so extensive as @MentalEngineer's. I'm also coming out of undergrad, but I think (hope?) that simple style will suffice :). 

[The_Last_Thylacine]

I hope I know what a publishable article looks like! I work as the Notes and Comments editor for an international legal journal, meaning that I select the student-written notes for publication! :I Notwithstanding, this whole experience has made me so diffident, that I am second guessing everything. As long as your paper isn't written in Arial, I'm sure it will be aesthetically pleasing. I do prefer the appear of single-spaced material though.

Best wishes to all of you as you finalize your samples (if you haven't already)! 

[Duns Eith]

On 12/19/2016 at 5:16 PM, desolesiii said:

As long as your paper isn't written in Arial, I'm sure it will be aesthetically pleasing.

Thank God! I wrote mine in Comic Sans, and I was worried.

Edited December 20, 2016 by Turretin

[mano]

3 hours ago, Turretin said:

Thank God! I wrote mine in Comic Sans, and I was worried.

 

 

[The_Last_Thylacine]

On 12/20/2016 at 5:49 PM, Turretin said:

Thank God! I wrote mine in Comic Sans, and I was worried.

? Boutique font; Forrest Green lettering. 

[Duns Eith]

I know someone who had a typo in the title of their writing sample and they got in.

Don't fret.

[necessaryandsufficient]

On 12/23/2016 at 11:05 AM, mano said:

I just noticed a typo in my SOP after applying three beautiful schools  I gave up already...TYPO IN SOP. I guess they won't bother to read my WS.

 

 

I bet most of us have at least one typo, especially in the earlier applications. I've had multiple pairs of eyes on everything and still had a couple of small ones I only realized on the third application.

[xypathos]

On 12/23/2016 at 11:05 AM, mano said:

I just noticed a typo in my SOP after applying three beautiful schools  I gave up already...TYPO IN SOP. I guess they won't bother to read my WS.

 

I recycled a section from one SOP into another and forgot to change the school's name (I used the correct name elsewhere)! Still got in (it was for an MA) and my PI that called to notify said, "I'd like to welcome you to X! Oh wait, sorry I meant Y!"

The app system wouldn't let me change it but I emailed the Chair, apologized, and provided a corrected SOP.

Surely this happens from time to time. If if makes you feel better, no real harm in asking if you can submit an edited copy. If they say no they at least know that you're aware of the error. 

[smusab]

On 12/10/2016 at 12:21 PM, MentalEngineer said:

Here is a link to the sample that I got into UW-Milwaukee with. The one that got me into FSU is in my signature, but (I hope) that's not undergraduate work.

Sorry I’m new to this website/forum but when you “it’s in my signature,” what does that mean? 

[Duns Eith]

On 11/15/2018 at 2:28 AM, smusab said:

Sorry I’m new to this website/forum but when you “it’s in my signature,” what does that mean? 

Given that you've resurrected a 2 year old thread, they may have since changed their signature. The signature is a profile setting that displays information you want people to have available at the bottom of your post.

 

E.g. my current one:

AOI: Early Modern (metaphysics, some ethics) esp. British Empiricists, (Neo)Scholastic and Thomistic metaphysics, contemporary applied ethics. Side interests: meta-metaphysics, meta-philosophy, medieval history of philosophy, philosophy of religion.