Writing Sample Overview

A writing sample should reflect your current writing abilities.
A memo or brief from your first year writing skills works fine.
Review your sample to see if it needs editing to reflect improvements in your writing and analysis.
You do not need to submit the entire brief or memo. Writing samples are typically 7–10 pages long. If your potential writing sample is much longer, consider using an excerpt (e.g., one argument from a longer brief) and providing a brief explanatory note.
Create a cover sheet for your writing sample. It can have a simple heading ––your name centered at the top of the page and "Writing Sample" centered underneath it. Use your cover sheet to give any necessary background information about your writing sample. For example, give the name of the class and a brief description of the assignment. If your assignment contained forced limitations (the type of research you are allowed to conduct, the side the argument you are required to take, etc.), explain those limitations on your cover sheet. If you are excerpting from a longer document, add whatever background is necessary to make the excerpt understandable.