Writing Recommendation Letters: Some Advice

Greetings again. I hope that all is going well for you.

Last week I provided tips on requesting recommendation letters. But what if you’re asked to write a recommendation letter? Any advice about that?

To write a helpful recommendation letter, you need enough information. Therefore:

• Obtain information from the person requesting the recommendation. Consider asking for items such as the person’s CV or resume, a description of the opportunity the person is seeking, and any needed instructions.
• Consider seeking useful items in your own files. Examples include grades or evaluations of the person, previous recommendations you’ve written for him or her, and letters of the same kind that can serve as models.
• Perhaps meet with the person or talk with him or her by phone or Skype.

In the letter, present the information and your ideas in a readable, well-organized way. One good structure is as follows:

• In the first paragraph, say who is being recommended for what.
• In the next paragraph, note the context or contexts in which you know the person.
• In the next one or more paragraphs, present your assessment. Try to be specific. For example, rather than only using adjectives, include numbers and examples.
• Then present a summary or a conclusion.

This structure resembles the IMRAD structure for journal articles (introduction, methods, results, and discussion). Thus, many writers—and readers—of recommendation letters might find it especially comfortable.

I hope this advice is helpful. Wishing you a good week— Barbara