How to write and publish a scientific paper - Barbara Gastel, Robert A. Day 2022

Writing letters
How to write a recommendation letter—and how to ask for one
Other topics in scientific communication

Having a usual format to follow can facilitate writing recommendation letters, just as it can for preparing a scientific paper. Here is one format that often works well:

In the first paragraph, indicate who is being recommended for what. An example of such a paragraph, which often runs only one sentence, is the following: “I am very pleased to recommend [name of candidate], a senior at [name of university], for admission to the graduate program in [name of field] at [name of university].” Placing the candidate’s name in boldface can help recipients quickly see who is being recommended and file the letter appropriately.

In the next paragraph, say how you know the candidate. An example: “I have known Ms. [surname of applicant] for more than a year. As a junior, she took my course [title of course]. She also has worked in my laboratory since June through our university’s undergraduate research program.”

Then, in the following paragraph or two, provide your assessment of the candidate. Try to be specific. For example, rather than saying only that a candidate is an excellent student, specify the student’s achievements and perhaps rank the student relative to others. If applicable, note the candidate’s academic or professional strengths and relevant personal traits. Of course, gear what you say to what the person is being recommended for.

In the final paragraph, sum up the recommendation. For example, you might write: “In sum, I consider Mr. [surname of applicant] an outstanding candidate for [name of opportunity]. I recommend him with enthusiasm.” After a standard closing such as “Sincerely,” “Sincerely yours,” or “Yours truly,” sign your name. Your name and your professional title, such as “Assistant Professor of [name of field],” should appear under your signature. Normally, the letter should appear on official letterhead.

Sometimes a candidate may request several recommendations, for instance for graduate school or jobs. To be efficient, try to prepare all, or several, of these recommendations at once. Although, for example, different graduate programs may have different recommendation forms to complete, preparing the recommendations as a batch generally saves time. When there are forms, you may have the option of either writing your comments on them or attaching letters. If you already are writing a recommendation letter for a candidate, or if you are completing multiple recommendations for them, the latter option tends to be faster.

Especially if you think the candidate may ask you later to provide additional recommendations, keep copies of completed recommendation forms and save copies of your recommendation letters. Preparing additional recommendations for this candidate should then be relatively quick and simple.