Writing Models & Examples
A guide to using sample writing the right way: as a model for moves, structure, and technique, not as a template to copy.
What examples are for
- Examples can show you how a paragraph opens, how a thesis narrows a topic, or how evidence is explained.
- They can help you see what control, clarity, and development look like in practice.
- They should teach technique, not provide language to imitate too closely.
How to read a model
- Notice how the introduction sets up the paper.
- Look at where evidence appears and how analysis follows it.
- Pay attention to transitions, sentence variety, and how the conclusion adds value.
What not to do
- Do not copy structure so closely that your paper becomes a reshaped version of the sample.
- Do not assume one model fits every assignment.
- Do not mistake polished formatting for strong thinking; content and reasoning still matter most.