UNDERSTANDING HOW TO CRAFT WRITING SAMPLES FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL ADMISSION

In September this year, a US university withdrew the PhD studentship of a student after it was discovered he plagiarized the writing sample he submitted for the PhD admission. This alone should create in your mind the seriousness US PG schools attached to writing samples. This piece attempts to furnish with the basis of what constitutes a good writing sample

What is a Writing Sample?

A writing sample for graduate school is a piece of academic essay that demonstrates to the admission committee your academic prowess, research ability and your proficiency in your chosen field. It is a key part of your graduate school application.

For almost all US schools and particularly in the Humanities, the writing sample is one of the most important elements of an application to graduate school. Developing a strong writing sample is a particular challenge to students from outside of the United States because they do not understand the idiosyncratic conventions of the US academy.

What is the Goal of a Writing Sample?

• The goal of a writing sample is to measure your ability to write professionally, clearly, and succinctly.
• A writing sample gives evidence of your qualifications to enter graduate school at the program you’re applying to.
• It serves an evidential function

The best way to demonstrate your academic ability via a writing sample is by discussing an issue area relevant to the position or program for which you’re applying.

Choice of Appropriate Writing Sample

Your writing sample should be representative of the kind of writing, analysis, research or publications you hope to achieve as a graduate student. This will provide the admissions committee with a clear understanding of how you might fit into their program.

If you are applying to a research-based graduate program, such as Ph.D. or Master of Science, your writing sample should demonstrate your experience preparing research papers.

Likewise, if you are applying to a professional program, such as a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) or Master’s in Public Administration (MPA), then a paper that demonstrates your experience preparing business case studies or policy analysis, respectively, would be relevant options.

For a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, your best creative writing sample should be included. For a Journalism program, a long-form journalistic article would be best.

In other words, do not submit a writing sample that does not reflect the nature of the work you will be doing in your graduate program!

Note: Unless you are applying to a graduate program in creative writing or journalism, your writing sample should be academic in nature, showing a scholarly engagement with ideas.

Avoid submitting essays, memoirs, blog or newspaper articles, or op-eds that you have written and instead choose papers you have prepared for your coursework.

Think about the specific research that you have done and what you have contributed to your field so far, and choose a sample that showcases your ability to synthesize a lot of information and introduce new ideas.

How is a Writing Sample Assessed?

According to Dr. Martin, reviewers are generally assessing samples for the following criteria:

• Solid writing skills: Is all spelling and grammar accurate? Is it free of typos?
• Organization and clarity: Is there a logical flow to the ideas presented? Is the purpose of the paper clearly identified and accomplished?
• Critical thinking: Does it demonstrate a thorough understanding of the topic, including consideration of alternate theories or approaches? Are all claims backed by reliable research?
• Consistent citations and references: Have sources been properly cited throughout the paper? Do all citations have a corresponding reference?

How long should a Writing Sample be?

Samples should be concise and succinct: one to four pages are usually sufficient. In many cases, reviewers are primarily interested in how well you convey your ideas (structure and grammatical accuracy) as opposed to content.

Parts of a Strong Academic Writing Sample

If you are submitting an academic paper, make sure it contains all of the following sections at minimum:

• Title page
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• List of references

How to submit a Writing Sample?

Whether you submit an entire piece or part of a writing sample, it can be helpful to write a short introductory paragraph for context. You might include it directly on your sample, on a cover page or in your email. For example:

“Please find my writing sample for the Sr. Product Research Position attached to this email. This sample is a passage from a larger study about how product simplicity impacts consumers. I believe it showcases my ability to clearly communicate results from an important project that lead to key achievements for that company.“