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Questions from Students Requesting Lettters of Reference

Where do I send requests for letters of reference?

Please first read the questions below to determine whether I will provide a reference, and what such a reference might look like. To ensure that requests are seen by me and my project assistant, and will be properly filed, tracked, and responded to, all requests for letters of reference should be sent to: The address above is also the address that should be provided to departments so that they may request references directly. Requests sent to my primary mail address may be filtered by my spam filters or otherwise lost among the flood of email I receive.

I was a student of your in your Advanced Operating Systems or Security Systems Class. Can I list you as a reference when I apply for a job?

If you are applying for a job and wish to list me as a reference, and if you achieved a grade of A- or above in my class AND an A- or above on the research paper in my class, then you may list me as a reference if you first send a message to the e-mail address above telling me the name of the companie(s) your are providing my name, your grades for my class (including the grades on each assignment, the paper, and the midterm and final exams and the title of your research paper) and provide me with permission to speak with them about your performance. If contacted, my comments will be that you performed above average in my class (if you received an A-) or that you performed very well in my class (if you received an A). If asked, I will tell them that you demonstrated above average or very good research ability through your performance on the paper and I will tell them the subject of your paper. I will be unable to answer any questions about specific strengths or weaknesses, both because my interactions with you were limited, and also to avoid any potential libaility given recent changes to California law regarding employment references.

I was a student of your in your Advanced Operating Systems or Security Systems class. Can you provide me with a letter of reference for my application to graduate programs?

I am asked for reference by many students in part because so many students take the classes I teach would like to list my name as one of their references. If my only contact with you was as your instructor for the classes I teach, I am willing to provide a letter of reference if you achieved an A- or higher in the class and an A- or higher on the research paper in my class. Please be aware however, that because my contact with you is limited, my letter will be "boiler plate" (see sample below) and you are strongly advised that at least one of your letter writers should be from someone with which you had a closer working relationship. Please follow the instructions below to request a letter of reference.

Please note that many departments are now asking evaluators to fill out paper or web forms that are specific to their own application process. These forms usually differ from university to univerisity. Because I am asked to provide so many references, I am not willing to fill out such custom forms. Once my letter and review has been written, for any new requests, if the new questions can not be completed by my project assistant, such custom quetions will not be answered.

To request a letter please send a message to my project assistant at the e-mail address listed at the top of this page, requesting the letter and including all pertinent details including your name and address and the address of the intended recipient of the letter, the semester you took my class, your course grade and the individual grades on all assignments, and the title of your research paper. If you are asked to provide my e-mail address to the departments that are to receive the letter, use the address at the top of this page. Do not provide my primary e-mail address, as their requests for a letter may be blocked by my spam filters.

The letter I will write will likely look somethig like:

I completed directed research from you. Can you provide me with a letter of reference for my application to graduate programs, or may I use you as a reference when applying for jobs?

If you performed well in your directed research then please follow the instructions above for students taking classes from me, but include also a three sentence description of your directed research topic. I will include a discussion of your research in my letter or mention the topic to the interviewer if I am called.

I was a research or teaching assistant of yours or you served on my dissertation committee. Can you provide me with a letter of reference for my application to graduate programs, or may I use you as a reference when applying for jobs?

Please contact me directly to discuss your requirements.
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FAQ( STUDENTS, CSCI555, BIO, RECRUITERS,, REFERENCE-LETTERS,, EXCEPTIONS )