How to ask for a letter of recommendation
>> Page maintenance: Elijah Millgram

In academic philosophy (and I'm sure elsewhere as well) recommendations have gone through several decades of grade inflation. So many letter writers have exaggerated the merits of their students for so long that, no matter how enthusiastic a letter is, if all it has got to convey is enthusiasm, its readers will dismiss it. An effective letter is, in practice, an argument for the assessment that is its conclusion.

This means, first, that in order to have someone write you an effective letter, you have to supply him with the materials for that argument. If you're a student, having taken more than one class with a would-be recommender helps. So does speaking up regularly in class, and turning up during office hours. And so does writing to higher standards than the grading scale in your class; grade inflation means that you can get good letter grades without giving your teachers the wherewithal to write a strong recommendation. Don't just rely on your recommender's memory: keep your graded and commented assignments (e.g., papers) on file, and be ready to give him copies when you ask for a letter; if he's reading a sizable piece of your writing (such as a dissertation), let him know you'll be needing a letter, so he can compile notes on it while it's fresh.

(My own policy: If I feel I can't write an effective letter for you, I'll tell you that I'm not the best person for the job. Don't assume this means I don't think well of you. It happens often enough that my assessment of a student's ability and potential is positive, but I don't have enough evidence on hand that could be used to convince a cynical and skeptical audience. It may also -- if I'm not formally your supervisor -- mean that I've already taken on too many letters, and just don't have the time.)

Second, don't wait till the last minute to ask for a recommendation, especially the first time through. Writing an effective letter of recommendation usually involves reading through a stack of writing -- the farther along you are in the field, the larger the stack. An effective letter has to have a high level of polish, and so it normally requires more than one draft. Faculty have other commitments, and you have to give a letter writer a reasonable amount of lead time -- six weeks is a good minimum. (However, once someone has written you a letter, they will normally keep a copy on file; unless there's been a big change in your situation, or what you need the letter for, subsequent letters will be much less work, and can have shorter turnaround times.)

Recommenders appreciate it when you're organized. Even if you ask in person, you should write him a letter that lays out the information he will need in an easy-to-follow format, including: What the letter is for, when it is due, and what address it should be sent to. You should attach waiver forms (even if you do not want to waive your right to see the letter -- in that case, check the "don't waive" box); this goes for dossier/job placement letters as well. If I am going to be the recommender, and you are applying for an academic-year graduate fellowship, your letter should include a statement to the effect that if you receive the fellowship you will not take on any teaching commitments during the fellowship year. And you should be prepared to provide an appropriate reading stack: if the letter is going to be written on the basis of course work, the graded papers you wrote in the class; if you're applying to graduate programs or if you're on the academic job market, a copy of your writing sample; copies of publications, if any; if you're finishing up graduate school, a copy of your dissertation or dissertation draft.

Electronic letters of recommendation: Many institutions are shifting to electronic letters of recommendation, and for some of them, it's mandatory. For most, it's optional, but they'll give you the impression that you'd better (and they try to frighten you a bit, too). The reason is that it's more convenient for the admissions office. However, bear in mind that the admissions office does not make the admissions decision: they forward the folder to the philosophy department, which does the actual work. And your goal is not to make life easier for people in admissions offices, but to make sure you have your best shot at being admitted to the program of your choice.

I prefer paper letters, and so should you. Here's why:

1. Pretty formatting shouldn't matter -- but it does. If it's a paper letter, I can make sure it looks good, and is all printed up on nice letterhead. If it's an electronic submission, I can't, and it will probably be hard on the eyes of the person reading it.
2. Your letter will be accompanied by a form, and these forms have questions on them that it is often in your interest to have the recommender ignore, or not answer as asked. On the paper form, I can cross out the question, and write in a real answer, or nothing. The electronic form won't allow that. If I don't (e.g.) rank you the way they say, even if it makes no sense in your case, I can't submit the recommendation.
3. The software is buggy. For instance, one popular tool, Embark, crashes Linux's Evince; I can't preview the letter to make sure the upload worked... and that's just one of the many flakinesses I've encountered. I'm sure that someday electronic recommendation software will be debugged, but until then, the postal service is probably a more reliable delivery method.