Practical Tips for Writing Successful Letters of Recommendation

1. Practical Tips for Writing Successful Letters of Recommendation Presented by Central Park Campus Faculty: Patti Valella, Professor of Biology & Audra Heaslip, Professor of English

2. Faculty Development Conference January 11, 2013 Collin Higher Education Center McKinney, TX

3. Sometimes, we get this: Dear Prof. Winfield, I am writing to inquire if you would write a letter of recommendation for my transfer application to UT-Arlington. I plan to enroll in the early childhood education program and feel that my work in your Developmental Psychology class (Spring 2012) is strong evidence of my skill and commitment to the field. Attached is a brief portfolio of the work I completed in your class and contact information for the UTA admissions advisor. The due date for the letter is March 1, so I hope to work with you at your convenience sometime before mid-February. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Juliana Marie Ortega

4. And sometimes, we get this: Dear Proffessor, I was in you English class in fall 2010 and am applying to A&M for business management. I never got the chance to tell you but I loved ur class! will you pls. write me a letter of recommendation? I can pick it up Monday. & btw I hope you had a great holiday!!!!  Missy T. How do you begin?

5. First, decide if you can write the letter (HHMI) • Write only if you can honestly write a supportive letter • If you don’t know the candidate well enough to write a strong letter, let him/her know. • If you have reservations, let the student know about your concerns • Let him or her decide whether you should still write the letter • Just because a student asks you for a letter of recommendation, it does not mean you have to write one! • Writing a letter for someone you don’t know well does not help the student achieve his or her goal

6. Gather necessary information • The student should be responsible for investing in the process and providing whatever information you need. • Overview of information you will need: • Due date of letter • Exact purpose of letter • Audience • Recipient contact info • Student goals • Further information as needed (transcripts, student work, student c.v., etc.)

7. Gather necessary information • When is the letter due? • Ideally students will give you two weeks or so – your decision whether to write the letter may depend on time availability. • What is the purpose of the letter? • Academic Program or Transfer application • What specific field or specialty? • Scholarship application • Job application • Who is the audience? • A named individual • A group or committee • Unspecified (cc: admissions department, for example) • Request names, titles, addresses

8. Gather necessary information • If there is an application form, the student should provide a printed copy or a link to the application. • The letter should be customized to the that application • Form letters are easy to spot, so do not use an online template!

9. Gather necessary information • What are the requirements for the letter? • Is there a ranking/rating form to fill out? • Should the letter answer a specific prompt? • Does it have to be mailed, or is online submission preferred? • Other useful documents • Student resume or c.v. • Academic records • Student work produced in your course • Interview the student if you need additional information • What is the student’s goal? • Why did he or she apply to this program/scholarship/job?

10. Length of the letter (Ernst) • One page is ideal • Three to four paragraphs should be enough • Up to two pages is acceptable, but who wants to read a two-page letter? • If the letter is too long, it will not be read • If the letter is too short, it could leave a negative impression for the reader • A very short letter is the “kiss of death”

11. Length of the letter • Put yourself in the shoes of the committee member • They may have hundreds of letters to read • They may be reading them late at night • Write the letter so the candidate stands out

12. Bad Letters of Recommendation • Bad letter of recommendation, handout 1 • Review as a whole group • Bad letter of recommendation, handout 2 • Review in small groups • What is the message this letter sends to the reader? Who is this person?

13. General Tips for the Letter (Ernst) • Be specific • Generalities do not paint a picture for the reader • Create a 3D picture of the student • Differentiate • Say how the student is unlike other students, give specific strengths • Compare (appropriate for sciences, maybe not humanities) • How does the student compare to others (and in what way)? • You decide on the ranking… • In your current class • In all of your classes that semester • In all of the classes you ever taught

14. General Tips for the Letter • Be candid and honest • Only write about what you have witnessed • Give specific examples to support what you say

15. Format of the letter: greeting • “To whom it may concern” is appropriate if the application is online and you don’t know exactly to whom the letter is going • If you know the name of the recipient, address the letter to that person • Make the student find this information for you

16. Format of the letter: first paragraph • Start off with something to this effect: • It is my great pleasure to recommend Julia Mercedes for the National Association of Extraordinary Students Scholarship program. • I am delighted to recommend Tina Garcia for admission to your Culinary Arts program at the School of Gastronomic Science. • I welcome this opportunity to recommend Vincent Jackson for a place in the College of Human Ecology program at Humble State University.

17. Format of the letter: first paragraph • Describe how you know the individual • In what situation have you known this student • For how long • How closely • State your qualifications as well • What makes you suited to write a letter for this person?

18. Format of the letter: second to third paragraphs • Present the individual’s qualities relevant to the position • Include two detailed examples • Use vivid details to make the recommendation more effective • Provide specific examples to illustrate qualities such as: • For a scholarship or academic application • the student's intellectual ability • capacity for independent, original thought • knowledge of the field • attitude and motivation • For a job application • why they are qualified • what they can contribute

19. Format of the letter: closing paragraph (Nordquist) • In the closing paragraph, reiterate your enthusiasm for recommending this student • The short conclusion highlights the student's sense of commitment and determination • In the final sentence, clearly and firmly deliver your overall recommendation • End with an offer to provide additional information. • Be sure to include your contact information!

20. Next: Attributes and words that paint a great picture and words that don’t…

21. List of Attributes to Consider (Barkdull) • Flexibility • Direction • Initiative • Leadership • Energy level • Imagination • Intelligence • Self-confidence • Self knowledge • Competitiveness • Goal achievement • Interpersonal skills

22. List of Attributes to Consider (Barkdull) • Ability to communicate • Ability to handle conflict • Ability to accept criticism • Consistency of effort • Cooperation with others • Open-mindedness • Appropriate vocational skills • Willingness to accept responsibility

23. Use Positive and Specific Adjectives (Barkdull) • Honest • Articulate • Effective • Sophisticated • Intelligent • Observant • Significant • Expressive • Serious • Dedicated • Thoughtful • Enthusiastic

24. Use Positive and Specific Adjectives (Barkdull) • Efficient • Cooperative • Imaginative • Dependable • Reliable • Mature • Innovative • Creative • Determined • Respectful • Diligent • Insightful

25. Avoid Vague Adjectives & Adverbs (Barkdull) • Nice • Good • Fair • Fairly • Adequate • Reasonable • Decent • Satisfactory

26. Pitfalls to avoid in your letter Gender Bias (HHMI) • Write a letter of recommendation for any candidate, male or female, and then reverse all the pronouns. • Read the letter over: Does it sound odd? If it does, you should probably re-examine the language.

27. Pitfalls to avoid in your letter Examples of gender bias: • Portraying all men as leaders and women as dependents • Associating men with seriousness and rationality, women with emotion and intuition • Assuming (if unknown) that the reader of the letter is male • Calling attention to gender-specific details (such references to bachelorhood, motherhood, pregnancy, etc.) • Reinforcing gender stereotypes (“Even though he is male, James will make a great dental assistant” or “Cheri proves that women can also be capable engineers”)

28. Other forms of bias: Age-related • Not: “For a teenager, Randy has a good head on his shoulders.” • Instead: “Randy has a good head on his shoulders.” • Not: “Sandra’s remaining years will be well spent finishing her long-awaited degree at your institution.” • Instead: “Sandra will be an excellent addition to your institution.” Political • Not: “A right-winger by nature, Lacey is also the student president of the College Republicans.” • Instead: “A dedicated conservative, Lacey is also the student president of the College Republicans.”

29. Also… • Avoid portraying the person as perfect (Ernst) • Be plausible • If a letter seems too perfect, it may lose credibility • The student doesn’t have to be the best or the brightest in the class – just focus on strengths of that individual

30. And… • Do not copy the same letter for different students – write a unique letter each time • Do not write “your institution” in the letter; write the specific name of the institution

31. After writing the letter… • Keep an electronic or hard copy of the letter • Let the student know the letter has been sent • Encourage student to waive right to see the letter – give the letter to student if you wish

32. Good Letters of Recommendation • Good letter of recommendation, handout 1 • Good letter of recommendation, handout 2

33. For your students • A handout for your students with regard to asking you to write a letter of recommendation Any questions?

34. Sources • HHMI (Howard Hughes Medical Institute): http://www.hhmi.org/resources/labmanagement/downloads/letter.pdf • Michael Ernst: http://homes.cs.washington.edu/~mernst/advice/write-recommendation.html • Larry Barkdull: http://www.writeexpress.com/reference-letter.html • Richard Nordquist: http://grammar.about.com/od/businesswriting/a/Sample-Letter-Of-Recommendation-1.htm • Vanderbilt University: http://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/apply/recommendation-letters.php