Timeline for Who should write a recommendation letter?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
8 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Sep 26, 2013 at 3:39 | comment | added | Ben Webster | @DanielE.Shub If it happens that your department chair (or dean or president) is an expert in your research, then it's fine to have them as a reference, though I think it might not be wise to ask someone that busy. Similarly, if they can speak with authority about your skills in the classroom, it's fine to ask them to write a letter about that. But you shouldn't ask them to write such a letter as chair/Dean/etc., but as an expert in their field. That was my point. | |
| Sep 25, 2013 at 22:46 | comment | added | StrongBad | Department chairs, and Deans and Presidents to an extent, are people too (i.e., potentially former supervisors) and I wouldn't rule them out or include them just because of their position. | |
| Sep 25, 2013 at 18:40 | history | edited | Ben Webster | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Sep 25, 2013 at 14:49 | history | edited | Ben Webster | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Sep 25, 2013 at 14:47 | comment | added | Ben Webster | @ChrisGregg Yes, that's very reasonable. That was not my interpretation of what All was suggesting. In general there are lots of people who have good stuff to say who wouldn't be good choices for reference writers and "laundering" them through more standard choices can work very well. It's also reasonable to include feedback from students in a teaching dossier or in your teaching statement; it's just important to show you understand that's not a same as a reference letter. | |
| Sep 25, 2013 at 13:47 | comment | added | Chris Gregg | @BenWebster Regarding letters from former students, I've had a student who knew I was applying for faculty positions ask if he could write a (presumably positive?) letter for me. I talked it over with my advisor, and we had the student forward her his letter and she used his comments in her letter for me. This seemed to work out pretty well all around. | |
| Sep 25, 2013 at 13:31 | history | edited | Ben Webster | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| Sep 25, 2013 at 13:07 | history | answered | Ben Webster | CC BY-SA 3.0 |