Best choice for writing sample?

[Swan_13]

Which would you send with your clinical psych application: an IRB proposal or the lit review from a published manuscript? Leaning toward proposal, since folks could look up articles if interested, but wanted to hear others’ thoughts.

Thanks!

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[Justanothergrad]

Which reflects your writing the most? If you wrote/substantially contributed to a manuscript, then that one. That's what I am going to want you to do in graduate school so if you can do that already, that's better for me/my lab.

Although I /can/ look up research for all the applicants, if you send it to me then I'm sure to see it versus you relying on me /possibly/ seeing it.

 

[PsychPhDone]

Which would you send with your clinical psych application: an IRB proposal or the lit review from a published manuscript? Leaning toward proposal, since folks could look up articles if interested, but wanted to hear others’ thoughts.

Thanks!

Did you write the lit review? I'd want to see a term paper, preferably from a research-oriented class where you conduct your own study, but I recognize not everyone has that.

 

[PsychScience]

Which would you send with your clinical psych application: an IRB proposal or the lit review from a published manuscript? Leaning toward proposal, since folks could look up articles if interested, but wanted to hear others’ thoughts.

Thanks!

I would actually suggest avoiding the proposal if you can. If you prefer to avoid the manuscript, a much better sample would still be an actual research paper you wrote. Did you have to complete any kind of senior/honor thesis, or a similar capstone project? That's probably your best bet! Otherwise, a paper that you wrote for a research methods or independent research course would still likely work better as samples than an IRB proposal.

 

[Swan_13]

Did you write the lit review? I'd want to see a term paper, preferably from a research-oriented class where you conduct your own study, but I recognize not everyone has that.

Yep, I’m 1st author and wrote most of the manuscript (minus the Results section and a paragraph or two). I also designed and carried out the study. But the manuscript is 4 pages longer as the specified length (without refs, tables) and I was concerned about having someone else’s writing in my sample. Thoughts?

 

[WisNeuro]

yeah, I can't imagine many things more boring than an IRB proposal.

 

[tiy123]

Not to hijack the thread--but in general is it okay to submit a manuscript/article that you wrote and are first author on but have other co-authors that provided edits & comments? If so, would you recommend having an "author contribution" blurb at the end?

 

[Swan_13]

Thanks all for the input! I went with the manuscript, just added a note and removed what I didn’t write.

 

[PsychPhDone]

Not to hijack the thread--but in general is it okay to submit a manuscript/article that you wrote and are first author on but have other co-authors that provided edits & comments? If so, would you recommend having an "author contribution" blurb at the end?

This is ideal, I'd say. If you're first author, I'll assume you did most of the writing.