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I am having a little trouble understanding the format/content of the cover sheet we are to attach to our writing samples. I understand the purpose is to prove context for our writing sample, and we are to include the header we have on our resume/cover letter, however I am confused about the rest.

My explanation is just over 100 words (a two sentence paragraph and a 3 sentence paragraph) but it looks silly on a big empty age. Should I also include a "Dear so-and-so" at the top, and a "Sincerely" at the bottom?

If not, and I just include the two minor paragraphs, do I just leave them occupying the little bit of space at the top, leaving the majority of the page empty?

Thanks in advance for any insight!

WestWingWatcher wrote:I am having a little trouble understanding the format/content of the cover sheet we are to attach to our writing samples. I understand the purpose is to prove context for our writing sample, and we are to include the header we have on our resume/cover letter, however I am confused about the rest.

My explanation is just over 100 words (a two sentence paragraph and a 3 sentence paragraph) but it looks silly on a big empty age. Should I also include a "Dear so-and-so" at the top, and a "Sincerely" at the bottom?

If not, and I just include the two minor paragraphs, do I just leave them occupying the little bit of space at the top, leaving the majority of the page empty?

Thanks in advance for any insight!

Double space.

And use the same header you use for your resume.

e.g.

BENEDICT CUMMERBUND VEST, IV
123 Bovine Street, Washington, DC, 22222 • 919-867-5309 • benedictvest@lawschool.edu
__________________________________________________________________________________________

[centered]Writing Sample



The writing sample below is an excerpt from a research memo for my first-year

Legal Research and Writing course at the University of Colleges School of Law.



[contextual paragraph]



To give you an accurate reflection of my work, I present the excerpt substantially

as turned in on deadline, within page limits, and without outside assistance. The

only subsequent edits are mine alone.

My contextual paragraph is 60 words and 4 lines. This sample goes 6.5 inches down the page.

Thank you so much BVest. For some reason, the idea of double spacing never occurred to me. That, combined with including a statement in regard to receiving no outside assistance (thanks for that, didn't occur to me to include that either) makes writing cover just over 1/2 the page which looks decent.

Whereas I just single-spaced my cover page, and yeah, it just took up a little bit of the page. I also just had a heading like this:

A. Nony Mouse
Writing Sample
December 29, 2014

[brief description of the sample - 2-4 sentences]

I don't think it matters as long as it states the information clearly. Although I wouldn't use "Dear" and "Sincerely," since it's not a letter.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:Whereas I just single-spaced my cover page, and yeah, it just took up a little bit of the page. I also just had a heading like this:

A. Nony Mouse
Writing Sample
December 29, 2014

[brief description of the sample - 2-4 sentences]

I don't think it matters as long as it states the information clearly. Although I wouldn't use "Dear" and "Sincerely," since it's not a letter.

Not OP, but do you all think it's necessary to include the to, from, date, re?

I didn't use "to" "from" "date" or "re" like a memo. I don't think it would matter much either way, though.

This may be exceptionally obvious to some people, but I would also recommend using the same letterhead on the writing sample cover sheet as you use on your resume and/or cover letter. It makes you look consistent and professional.

ETA: Just noticed that BVest gave the exact same advice above.