Speaking as a mod, I like to both writing examples, threads and old characters - but I like to get a full picture. When it comes to threads I prefer starters, or a link to the whole thing, because it says little out of context if you just cut out chunks of it.
My point is that as a mod, I don't just try to pick up on the quality of your writing, but how you work with others in a thread, what sort of characters you're drawn to, what sort of games you have done before, etc. It sounds fairly obsessive, but it's useful to get a grasp of you as an RPer. :)