Undergraduate
Advising
Bruce Hayes
Dept. of Linguistics, UCLA
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Recommendation Letters
I'm usually a pretty good sport about doing this. Here are bits of
advice to help make the process go smoothly.
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If possible, come tell me in person what your general plans are, so I'll
have background for writing the letter.
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Put on paper what you are applying for, with addresses.
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On the same document, remind me of what courses you took from me, and when.
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Include copies of any material from the institution(s) you are applying to
that would help me to write a more focused letter.
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Include all forms I have to fill out. If there are blank lines that
you can fill in in advance, that saves me a bit of time. (And a
letter-writer who is not pressed for time is a better letter-writer...)
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If you have written term papers for me and still have copies, include
Xeroxes of these papers. I will reread them and make them part of the basis
of my letter.
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In the paper document mentioned about, note all applicable deadlines,
using 36-point type.
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If you like, as the deadline approaches, you can ask me if I've sent the
letter(s). I will not be offended by such requests. I'd
rather put up with being pestered than suffer the embarrassment of getting
your letter in late.
In general, I strive to write the most positive letter I possibly can, without
doing violence to the truth. If you want to know roughly what my letter
would be like, you can ask me in advance.
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