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elspSampleLetters.html
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<!DOCTYPE html>
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<h1>Equitable Letters for Space and Physics</h1>
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<h2>Resources for writing better recommendation and nomination letters within the space and physics communities</h2>
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<h2>Resources for writing better recommendation and nomination letters within the space and physics communities</h2>
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<h2>Sample Recommendation Letters</h2>
<p>These are example recommendation and nomination letters for people at various career levels. Each letter has highlighted segments you can tap on to explain why certain turns of phrase are helpful or unhelpful.</p>
<form>
See all letters with the pronouns of your choice:<br>
<input type="radio" name="pronoun" value="original" checked>Original/Default
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<input type="radio" name="pronoun" value="hehim">He/Him
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<input type="radio" name="pronoun" value="sheher">She/Her
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<input type="radio" name="pronoun" value="theythem">They/Them
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<input type="radio" name="pronoun" value="other">Select your own
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<label for="subjective">Subjective (examples: he, she, they):</label><br>
<input type="text" id="subjective"><br>
<label for="objective">Objective (examples: him, her, them):</label><br>
<input type="text" id="objective"><br>
<label for="possessive">Possessive (examples: his, hers, theirs):</label><br>
<input type="text" id="possessive"><br> -->
</form>
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<div class="letterSampleAccordion">
<button class="expandCollapse">
<div class="emoji">
<i class="em em-anguished" aria-role="presentation" aria-label="Sad"></i>
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<div>Nomination letter: overly-supportive, gender biased letter for a <span class="pronoun gender hehim">male</span> candidate.
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</button>
<div id="letter1" class="sampleLetter">
<div class="letterContent">
<img class="letterhead" src="images/impressiveLetterhead.jpg">
<p>Dear Colleagues,</p>
<p><span class="hoverText trigger">Recently, a couple of us, both Society Fellows, were discussing whom to ask to support a nomination we were considering submitting. One of us mentioned <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith, but we soon realized that <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>, <span class="pronoun reflexive hehim">himself</span>, was not yet a Society Fellow.</span> We were stunned by this realization, which struck us as a significant oversight by our community. <span class="hoverText trigger">We immediately changed our focus from our previous nominee to prepare the more deserving nomination of <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>.</span> <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n hehim">is</span> a leader in the fundamental physics fields of Stuff and Time Travel, areas in which <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> and I have pursued many fruitful collaborations. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> has provided community leadership by pioneering diversity and inclusion efforts. It is my great pleasure to nominate Dr. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith for induction into the Society as a Fellow for <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> discoveries in Stuff and Time Travel.</p>
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<p>This introduction is problematic because it says that <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith is worthy of this nomination because other people who have this award think <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n hehim">is</span> their peer or friend. This is not a selection criteria and undermines any relevant criteria presented because the letter writer has shown that they are susceptible to cronyism.</p>
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<p>This builds <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> up by putting down other people in the community. A statement like this one would be even more egregious if the letter writer participated in multiple nomination packages.</p>
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<p>This letter provides my most enthusiastic support for the induction of Dr. Smith into the Society as a Fellow. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> is the foremost contributor</span> to establishing the link between fundamental physics topic 1 (Stuff) and fundamental physics topic 2 (Time Travel) in our era, with numerous important implications of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> discoveries readily found in this subfield, as well as in other subfields. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> is a brilliant physicist who has made significant contributions to our understanding of a wide range of physics aspects, using <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> high-level analytical skills. <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim capital">His</span> research is primarily theoretical, but <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p hehim">has</span> always emphasized the connection of basic physics with observations. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n hehim">is</span> amply deserving of the Society Fellowship on the basis of both the depth and breadth of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> sustained contribution to Physics and the research interests of the Society Fellowship Committee. <span class="hoverText trigger">The results of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> research have far-reaching implications in Astrophysics</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s exceptional talent has been widely recognized by other societies; <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n hehim">is</span> a Fellow of the American Physical Society and has been the recipient of many highly prestigious community awards</span>.</p>
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<p>A statement like this will undermine the nominee if anyone in the nomination committee disagrees with this statement. Unless it is truly undisputable, using strong and inclusive language such as 'one of the leading contributors' would be more believable.</p>
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<p>Statements like this should be supported with examples whose full references are included in the nomination package CV. It is also useful to number these references consistently in all nomination letters and the CV to improve package legibility.</p>
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<p>Unless past awards are a part of the award selection criteria, this space in the letter would be better spent establishing the truth of the previous statement with research examples.</p>
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<p>Delving into the substance of <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s extensive body of work, one finds areas of significant impact too numerous to detail here. Some highlights must suffice: <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> literally "wrote the book" with <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> contributions to The Physics of Stuff with Banner, Stark, et al., <span class="hoverText trigger">the essential textbook for graduate students everywhere</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim capital">His</span> collaboration with Dr. Emitt Brown resulted in a</span> <span class="hoverText trigger">seminal series of papers, in which <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> revealed the physics of flux capacitors</span>. These are the essential building blocks of our understanding of such diverse phenomena as time travel, temporal paradox, and ionized hydrogen and helium of interstellar origin. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> also initiated the study that led to the full description of the instabilities that define the parameter-space boundaries of Stuff. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> notably established the limiting factors for these boundaries.</p>
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<p>Again, this needs to be supported with examples unless it is as widely used and referenced as Jackson's 'Classical Electromagnetics.'</p>
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<p>This is a rough transition from the previous statement. It can be easily fixed by fleshing out the previous claim and beginning a new paragraph.</p>
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<p>Again, provide references.</p>
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<p><span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> <span class="hoverText trigger">has numerous studies that define the role and limits of Tangentially Related Thing</span>. The fundamental importance of <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith's research has ensured that it has transformed our understanding of many other fundamental topics, nearly all of which have major implications for understanding the environment and explaining observations. Many of the ideas developed by <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> have implications that stretch from the state-of-the-art observations to deeper theoretical processes, bridging communities from experimentalists to theorists, and involving dozens of research groups and many authors.</p>
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<p>The letter writer may not want to include it if this research is not relevant to the current award. It is important to focus only on the research contributions that support the current award and, if presenting tangentially related areas, to provide context that will convince the nomination committee that this is both relevant and important.</p>
</div>
</div>
<p><span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> has also made many other important contributions in fundamental physics of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> research field. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n hehim">is</span> the world's foremost authority on the physical properties of specific processes in <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> field</span>. The breakthroughs <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> made in this area provide the science foundation for the revolutionary studies expected with a number of upcoming Big Missions.</p>
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<p>A statement this strong requires indisputable back-up, probably by references to several publications in highly influential journals (e.g., Science or Nature). And if it's related to the work brought up in the previous paragraphs, it would be better to mention it there.</p>
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<p>Another science area that <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> has pioneered is the study of Something Completely Different. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span>, along with <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> team on another Big Mission, <span class="hoverText trigger">performed the first measurements of its kind</span>. These measurements opened up a whole new area of study <span class="hoverText trigger">and has spawned a host of investigations by the outside community</span>. However, as important as these measurements are, their impact would have been trivial without <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> developed the infrastructure at State College University (SCU) to allow the entire research community to access the Big Mission data</span>.</p>
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<p>Provide reference to the first measurements here.</p>
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<p>Provide a few references with <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith as a collaborator.</p>
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<p>Provide a reference for the FAIR data here.</p>
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<p>There is one service contribution to the community that I feel is outstanding and truly deserves recognition: <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s commitment to, and promotion of, diversity. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun verb-t hehim">was</span> highly proactive in establishing diversity in <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> research team well before there were any incentives to do so</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> advocated relentlessly for women hires and was successful at obtaining a position for <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> ex-student Dr. Jane Doe</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger">Jane was an exceptional student, and, thanks to <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s guidance, she has gone on to become the first female tenured professor at <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> university and is widely considered to be a leader in the field</span>. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p hehim">has</span> pushed for diversity in all areas of science and engineering within <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> team. <span class="hoverText trigger">Without <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> efforts, we would not have any women in some of the highest positions in our field</span>. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s efforts advancing diversity in science are truly unmatched.</p>
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<p>A timeline that could be backed up here (e.g., through collaborations with named students) would be useful.</p>
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<p>Advocacy for women is not the same as advocacy for one's students.</p>
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<p>This undermines Jane Doe's accomplishments by giving the credit for her obtaining a job to her advisor.</p>
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<p>Again, this gives <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> the credit for work done by other people and implicitly states that the women in the field are not capable of attaining these positions without being given them by someone with more authority.</p>
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<p>In summary, Dr. Smith embodies the best ideals of the Society Fellowship: <span class="hoverText trigger">Iconic contributions to science with a broad impact, unparalleled science and community leadership, and the reason we have so much diversity and diversity programs in our field</span>. <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim capital">His</span> research continues to elevate the Physics disciplines and influences and leads the international science community. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n hehim">is</span> an exceptional candidate for the Society Fellowship, <span class="hoverText trigger">whose recognition is long past due</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger">All of the scientists I consulted in preparing for this nomination had assumed that <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> was already a Society Fellow</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger">It is time to rectify this error and select <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith for the Society Fellowship</span>.</p>
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<p>This sentence embodies many of the problems seen throughout the letter. Better wording would be: 'Iconic contributions to Stuff and Time Travel, broad scientific impacts across related disciplines, and strong community leadership that encourages collaborative science, inclusive research groups, and diversity within the field.'</p>
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<p>This is a contentious statement that would best be omitted, as it clearly says the letter writer thinks members of the nomination committee haven't been doing a good job in the last few years.</p>
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<p>Again, a cronyistic statement that places the letter writer and their friends in a peer group above the award committee in the scientific hierarchy.</p>
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<p>Instead of saying mistakes were made in the past, end by providing support for your nominee: 'Dr. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith has my strongest support for the Society Fellowship.' It is also important, when including such phrases in multiple nomination letters, to use the same language to avoid making comparisons. If, as a letter writer, you find yourself using comparative language for different nominees only write for those for whom you can give your strongest support and let other people write letters for those you do not feel you can support wholeheartedly.</p>
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<p>Sincerely,
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<p>Byg F. Deel<br>
Dr. B.F. Deel<br>
Endowed Chair of My Department, Impressive University<br>
Society Fellow, Fellow of Physics, Fellow of Astrophysics<br>
Impressive Award Medalist, Member of Mensa</p>
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<div>Nomination letter: an undermining, gender biased letter for a <span class="pronoun gender sheher">female</span> candidate.
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger">Fellow Evaluation Committee, </span></p>
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<p>This greating lacks a word of welcome, which makess it appear informal.</p>
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<p>I am writing to show my support for Dr. <span class="pronoun name sheher">Jane</span> Smith to receive the Society Fellowship for <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> work in making great discoveries and having had a sustained impact on our field, as well as for <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> technical acumen and outreach.</p>
<p>I have known <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> (as I call <span class="pronoun subjective sheher">her</span>)</span> for the last 30 years. In that time, we have collaborated together on multiple investigations. <span class="hoverText trigger">Perhaps most notably, we worked closely together on the Important Committee, where I was Chair (and <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> was Vice-Chair)</span>. This gave me substantial insight into <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span>'s abilities and management style. From my close association with <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> on Important Committee, I would say that <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> was very effective in communicating the work of the Steering Committee. We (as Chair and Vice-Chair, respectively) were blessed with many hard-working and passionate individuals on our Steering Committee. A core group of these people worked tirelessly to complete the writing and editing of the final report. <span class="hoverText trigger">I would say <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> became most effective as the report was rolled out and as it was portrayed to the federal agencies such as NASA, NSF, and NOAA. <span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n sheher">is</span> remarkably articulate and can be an effective spokesperson</span>.</p>
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<p>Using a diminuative nickname (e.g., Robbie, Mashka, Pepito) is considered rude or vulgar in formal situations (depending on the culteral background of the reader) and also leads the reader to view the nominee as less established in their field, due to the common use of diminuative nicknames by children.</p>
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<p>The wording here undermines Dr. Smith by presenting the nominator's position as chair of the committee as a the main thesis of the sentence. The same information could have been stated in a way that emphasised the nominee, Recently, Dr. Smith and I worked together on the Important Committee as Vice-Chair and Chair, respectively.'</p>
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<p>These sentences are 'faint praise', and infer that Dr. Smith was not an effective leader, but well suited to secretarial tasks (such as compliling data prepared by others) and figurehead tasks (such as acting as a spokesperson).</p>
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<p>After further reviewing <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span>'s record of leadership and management, <span class="hoverText trigger">she has played mid-level roles in academic administration</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> taught a popular and successful course entitled <em>The Business of Science</em></span>. <span class="hoverText trigger">To my knowledge, <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> also managed hardware programs at State College University (SCU) that have been in the few hundred $K to the several $M funding levels</span>. It is clear that <span class="hoverText trigger">the challenges of managing laboratory, ground instrumentation, and satellite instrument programs are an important component of academic life where <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> excels</span>.</p>
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<p>This is also 'faint praise', calling out Dr. Smith's effectiveness at middle management after the first sentence of the paragraph proports to present <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> leadership capabilities.</p>
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<p>If this is a scientifically oriented award, such as a nomination for Fellow of a scientific body like the American Geophysical Union, then the mention of a popular, introductory level course in a section nominally about leadership is not helpful to the nominee.</p>
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<p>Specifing the low funding levels serves to undermine Dr. Smith's hardware programs.</p>
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<p>Providing clear praise for managerial abilities and no praise for leadership abilities in a paragraph about leadership and management clearly tells the reader that the nominator does not believe Dr. Smith is a leader.</p>
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<p><span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span>'s scientific record consists of about 200 refereed publications, plus another several dozen conference proceedings; this is <span class="hoverText trigger">a respectable record</span> for our sub-discipline. <span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> also been a guest editor on special edition journals. Put together, <span class="hoverText trigger">her record demonstrates <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> willingness to support the larger community</span> through both organization and collaboration. I would point out that during the last couple of years, <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> has participated in nearly 50 publications. <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> was the first author on several of them, with students or collaborators leading the rest. Obviously, it takes a committed effort to keep publishing papers as the first author while juggling management and leadership duties, but <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> has striven to do so.</p>
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<p>Using 'respectable' as a qualifier marks out Dr. Smith as average in this regard. In a nomination letter, space should only be given to aspects of a person's career that are above average. This space could have been used to call out a highly cited or highly influential paper.</p>
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<p>This presents Dr. Smith as a good team player, but not a leader or an innovative scientist in <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> own right.</p>
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<p>One aspect of <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span>'s work that merits special recognition is <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> deep connection to observations. <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> is an expert on data and on the analysis of the data. <span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> not only develops and runs <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> own numerical models, <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> analyzes the observations and validates the models rigorously against these observations. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> been a pioneer in data-driven modeling, which is currently a popular research topic</span>.</p>
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<p>Calling out this area of research as 'popular' and not 'important' or 'compelling' diminishes Dr. Smith's contribution to the field.</p>
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger">Importantly, <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> has a pleasant personality, which likely contributes to the large number of people who wish to collaborate with her</span>. In view of the above-mentioned points and <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span>'s impressive track record of research, supervising, and service in the international physics communities, I strongly feel that <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> should be honored with a Society Fellowship</span>.</p>
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<p>Two aspects of this sentence are particularly egregious. First, a nominee's tempermant (so long as it has not led to them breaking any codes of conduct) is not important and should not be remarked upon. Second, it implies that other people only want to work with Dr. Smith because <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n sheher">is</span> pleasant, not because <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n sheher">is</span> a good scientist.</p>
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<p>The phrasing undermines the nomination by implying that Dr. Smith would benefit from recieving this award, and not that the scientific society would benefit from having Dr. Smith join their ranks.</p>
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<p>A final note about <span class="pronoun nickname sheher">Jaynie</span> is that <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n sheher">is</span> a generous mentor. <span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> supervised a large number of postdoctoral researchers and young scientists. Many of these people are now prominent members of the community in their own right, <span class="hoverText trigger">such as Dr. Tom Baker</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher capital">Her</span> focus on mentoring and providing support and advice for the young ladies in <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> department has also positively impacted the community</span>; Drs. Katherine Janway, River Song, and Dana Anderson count among <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> female protegés. <span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> been a tremendous inspiration to me; <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> dissertation defense was one of the first that I witnessed when I started graduate school, setting the tone and expectations towards which I strive.</p>
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<p>It's good to point out the role a nominee has in growing the community without assigning the student's achievements to the mentor or advocator. However, the constrast between this sentence and the following sentence reveals a strong gender bias.</p>
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<p>Referring to a female scientist or student as a 'young lady' is not appropriate in a professional context. Also, contrast the introduction of a former male student Dr. Baker as a 'prominent member of the community' to former female students Dr. Janeway, Song, and Anderson as community members who are guided and supported by Dr. Smith.</p>
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<p>Sincerely,
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger">Byg F. Deel<br>
Dr. B.F. Deel<br>
Endowed Chair of My Department, Impressive University<br>
Society Fellow<br>
Fellow of Physics<br>
Fellow of Astrophysics<br>
Impressive Award Medalist<br>
Member of Mensa
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<p>Contrast the amount of space taken up by this signature to that in the overly-supportive nomination letter. Hiring and nomination committees take notice of the amount of allowed space used to talk about a nominee or applicant and will notice when this space is not used or filled with unimportant things like a large letterhead or extended signature.</p>
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<div>Nomination letter: a supportive letter for a <span class="pronoun gender hehim">male</span> candidate.
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger"><strong>Citation: For sustained impact and cross-disciplinary breakthroughs in diverse phenomena of space-time travel, temporal paradox, and Exo-Biology.</strong></span></p>
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<p>This hits the three impact areas and breakthroughs (modeled after the AGU honors call) that are discussed in more detail in the letter.</p>
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<p>Dear Fellow Evaluation Committee:</p>
<p>We are excited to nominate <span class="hoverText trigger">Dr. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith</span> for the honor of Union Fellow of the Society. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> and I both attended the Legion Academy in the 1970s, where <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> quickly demonstrated <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> ability to grasp the fundamentals of space-time travel and connect these basics to current open questions. Since our introduction, <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> and I have continued to collaborate, and it has been a pleasure to see him succeed in <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> career. <span class="hoverText trigger">In my nomination letter I will provide a broad overview of <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s sustained impact and breakthroughs, highlighting where the supporting letters, CV, and bibliography will provide more information.</span></p>
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<p><span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> is not being compared to others but <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> ability and impact are able to stand on their own.</p>
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<p>This helps the reader to navigate the package where the nomination letter is an overview and points to where more detail can be found in the package material.</p>
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<p><span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> <span class="hoverText trigger">is one of the foremost contributors</span> working towards establishing the link between Space-Time Travel and Exo-Biology in our era. <span class="hoverText trigger">Through <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> numerous cross-disciplinary collaborations</span>, <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p hehim">has</span> been able to show how <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> work has made important implications in the subfield of Time Travel, as well as in other subfields such as Space Travel. While <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> research is primarily theoretical, <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p hehim">has</span> always emphasized the connection of basic physics with observations. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> is amply deserving of the Society Fellowship on the basis of both the depth and breadth of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> sustained contribution to Physics and the research interests of the Society Fellowship Committee. The results of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> research have far-reaching implications in multiple disciplines and each of the submitted letters will reflect on these areas. <span class="hoverText trigger">The supporting letter by Dr. Emitt Brown will highlight their work on flux capacitors and their initial attempts at time (sans space) travel. Dr. Eleanor Arroway will then discuss their work on the necessary interconnectedness of space-time travel and the success of their experimental work. This will be followed by the letter from Dr. Binti from Oomza University focusing on <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s encompassing enthusiasm to embrace new scientific paradigms and collaborations, demonstrating how these qualities distinguish him as a role model for being a supportive collaborator and leading by example in building a trans disciplinary team which enabled their work and its impact on exobiology</span>.</p>
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<p>This highlights him as exceptional while acknowledging the subjective nature of who may be considered the best at the moment. While this is first and foremost a good practice, it also will stop any debates among the committee about who is the best, thus taking time away from discussing <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>s nomination.</p>
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<p>This starts the discussion of how <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> contributes and enables the collaborative nature of science. It also shows that <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> and the nominator are not giving him credit for what others have done and contributed to.</p>
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<p>A more extended summary of the upcoming letters and clue in the readers as to why they may not hear in detail about the aspects of <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s research mentioned above.</p>
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> has an extensive publication record that is the product both of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> scientific creativity and the care <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> takes to build and maintain collaborations</span>. <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim capital">His</span> work with Dr. Emitt Brown resulted in a series of seminal papers, in which <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> revealed the physics of flux capacitors <span class="hoverText trigger">[see bibliography section Time-travel and specifically Brown and Smith, 2020, reviews in dimensional paradox]</span>. These are the essential building blocks of our understanding of such diverse phenomena as time travel <span class="hoverText trigger">[e.g., Smith et al, 1682 Royal Society], temporal paradox [e.g., Dax et al, 2380, Bajoran Journal of Physics, Smith and La Forge, 2370, United Federation of Planets Technical Report], and ionized hydrogen and helium of interstellar origin [Parker and Smith, 2018, Journal of Space Weather Space Climate]. This work led to new collaborations with Dr. Arroway that incorporated the principles of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> work on time travel into <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> theoretical construct of interstellar space travel [e.g., Smith and Arroway, 2021, The Astrophysical Journal and in the bibliography under section Space-Time Travel]</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger">Together, <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith and Eleanor Arroway wrote The Physics of Space-Time Travel, which has since become an essential textbook for graduate students everywhere (it has currently been translated into 10 different languages)</span>. This work and <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s enthusiasm and continual curiosity led him to reach out to Dr. Binti and Dr. Claire Finn to explore more fully the implication of the new fields that <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> work with Dr. Arroway had opened up <span class="hoverText trigger">[e.g., Binti, Arroway, Finn, and Smith., 2420, Planetary Union Journal of Universe, Space, and Time travel, Smith, Arroway, and Dax 2000, JGR Space Physics, and the Bibliography section Cross-Disciplinary and Cross Dimensional work]</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger">Perhaps one of the themes throughout <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s research is <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> love of learning, <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> continual interest in working with colleagues who will challenge him, and <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> support of their many endeavors</span>. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> has shown a fearlessness to tackle any new area of research which <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> studies may lead him. Many of the ideas developed by <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> have implications that stretch from the state-of-the-art observations to deeper theoretical processes, bridging the experimental to theoretical communities, involving dozens of research groups and many authors <span class="hoverText trigger">[see CV section Collaborations and Service]</span>.</p>
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<p>This sentence uses strong adjectives and presents him as an active collaborator instead of as a supporting player in a larger group.</p>
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<p>This helps to back up claims of <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s work. This also is an example of how to point to and use the bibliography section requested in the AGU honor's call.</p>
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<p>Throughout the letter, but specifically here, we have shown the diverse collaborations (with respect to gender, nationality, career stage, and scientific discipline) that Dr. Smith has. This provides evidence for the upcoming claim that Dr. Smith is dedicated to improving diversity and creating a culture of inclusion in <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> scientific teams.</p>
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<p>This appropriately shares credit (there is more than enough to go around) and demonstrates that this book is essential through a quantitative metric – it has been translated into 10 different languages.</p>
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<p>These references provide evidence for the claim in the sentence.</p>
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<p>These references provide evidence for the claim in the sentence.</p>
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<p>This is an example of how to use the CV to provide evidence for claims in the nomination and supporting letters.</p>
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<p><span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> has also made many other contributions in fundamental physics. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n sheher">is</span> an intertemporally acknowledged authority on the physical properties of specific processes in <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> field [e.g. Smith, Bohr, and Who, 1930, On the Constitution of time particles]. The breakthroughs <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> made in this area provide the science foundation for the revolutionary studies expected with a number of upcoming Big Missions [e.g. B & T's Phone Booth PI'd by Dr. Carlin]. Another scientific field that <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> has pioneered is the study of Exo-Biology. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span>, along with <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> team on the Blue Box Mission PI'd by Dr. River Song, performed the first measurements of its kind. <span class="hoverText trigger">These measurements opened up a whole new area of study and has spawned a host of investigations by the outside community</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger">However, as important as these measurements are, their impact would have been trivial without <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s dedication to open science. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> developed the infrastructure at Pacific Tech which guaranteed the research community access to the Blue Box and T&B Phone Booth data</span>.</p>
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<p>This sentence is an accumulation of the letter building up <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> research story. Specifically, here we show how an in-depth single specialty study led to broad cross-disciplinary work through diverse collaborations. It is important to show this progression instead of stating that it happened.</p>
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<p>It clearly shows the impact on the community and does not give credit to <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> that is undeserved. What <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> did was opened up new science for a lot of other people ('... has spawned a host of investigations by the outside community'). The open data helps to further back up this claim.</p>
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<p><span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span>'s research community contributions deserve recognition. <span class="hoverText trigger">Beyond the standard of reviewing papers, serving on panels, and committee work, <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> advocates relentlessly for <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> collaborators and works tirelessly towards building an inclusive and safe environment for all to work in [See CV section on Service]</span>. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> sets the bar in how to make sure to give credit where credit is due. <span class="hoverText trigger">While <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n hehim">is</span> often one of the more recognizable names on papers, <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> routinely calls out the work done by <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> collaborators in <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> own presentations and (as noted by more than one conference convener) will re-direct credit for work mistakenly attributed to him by <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> peers to <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> collaborators when appropriate [See CV section Presentations – "It Takes a Team to Innovate New Physics and Safe Space-Time Travel", Plenary at the Fall AGU meetings 1920, 2020, 2120]</span>. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> is a true role model of how to be a good collaborator.</p>
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<p>This establishes that <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> does not just the baseline expected service amount. The 'more' is diversity without explicitly saying it. It shows a commitment to diversity in the context of good science.</p>
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<p>Here is explicit evidence through both through anecdotal evidence – but not all hearsay as one can go look at the conference material – of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> commitment to equaty and inclusion efforts.</p>
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<p>Dr. Smith embodies the best ideals of the Society Fellowship: contributions to science with a <span class="hoverText trigger">broad impact and unparalleled, humble, and sustained scientific and community leadership</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim capital">His</span> research through <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> collaborations continues to elevate the Physics disciplines and influences and leads the international science community</span>. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n hehim">is</span> an exceptional candidate for the Society Fellowship and embodies the qualities that the Society looks to uphold.</p>
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<p>These are good adjectives. While 'unparalleled' and 'scientific' are male biased, all other adjectives are gender neutral.</p>
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<p>This sentences reminds the reader that <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> work is important and has been impactful.</p>
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<p>Sincerely,</p>
<p>Diana R. Who<br>
Prof. D. R. Who, PhD <br>
Department of Physics<br>
Impressive University.</p>
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<div>Recommendation letter: A letter that reinforces racial and socioeconomic stereotypes for a postdoctoral candidate
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<p>Dear Professor Lopez:</p>
<p><span class="hoverText trigger">I am writing this letter</span> on behalf of Dr. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith, in support of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> application to your postdoctoral fellowship at Lab U. I have had the privilege of interacting, collaborating, supporting, and mentoring Dr. Smith while <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-t hehim">was</span> a graduate student at University College School, and seen him blossom into a promising young scientist. I have truly found it fulfilling to have such a passionate, reliable, and intelligent student like Dr. Smith as part of my research group over the past 5.5 years.</p>
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<p>According to the gender bias calculator this letter is only 2% male-biased.</p>
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger">Dr. Smith came to University College School relatively naïve and knew little about conducting independent research. But, I have seen Dr. Smith grow over the last 5.5 years in a way that few here have taken the time to notice. Dr. Smith quality of work has and continues to be very good, and <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> ability to work cooperatively and supportively with other students and professors has been top-notch.</span> <span class="hoverText trigger">Given some of the personal conversations Dr. Smith and I have had in the past, it was surprising that others did not find him to be intimidating, but rather cooperative and forthright.</span></p>
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<p>This entire paragraph is relatively lazily written and doesn't offer much in the way of concrete discussion about Dr. Smith's attributes. Some of the details are even unnecessary.</p>
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<p>This is an example of an unnecessary sentence, and frankly isn't even polite. Dr. Smith's demeanor is not what the postdoctoral fellowship is interested, but rather <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> research acumen.</p>
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<p>Dr. Smith just recently defended <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> dissertation entitled "Tropospheric Weather and Space Weather... Not so Different After All?", <span class="hoverText trigger">and after much effort, gave a surprisingly decent presentation.</span><span class="hoverText trigger">To get this point Dr. Smith had to overcome a number of obstacles including funding issues, family problems, etc., which demonstrates how motivated an individual <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> truly is. I know what it is like being a first-generation college and graduate student so for Dr. Smith to really excel here at University College School is a true testament to <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> resolve.</span></p>
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<p>This is also not necessary for two reasons. 1.) The effort required here is not given the proper context; 2.) 'Surprisingly decent' makes Dr. Smith seem unprepared or even perhaps incapable of defending <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> dissertation. It would seem as if the writer of this letter should not be writing this letter in the first place.</p>
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<p>Context matters. Here there is no reason to bring up these types of personal issues in a letter. Specifically, leaving out the specific issues Dr. Smith faced 'including funding issues, family problems, etc.' could be eliminated from this sentence it would reach just fine.</p>
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<p>Dr. Smith's academic and research record is one of a talented researcher, <span class="hoverText trigger">especially given where <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> started</span>. During <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> tenure here at University College School, <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> published 3 first-authored peer review journal papers, and 2 as second or third author. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> also presented <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> work 10 times at National or International meetings (oral presentation or posters), for which <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p hehim">has</span> won one award for an outstanding oral presentation by a graduate student. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> competent in a number of computer languages and tends to pick up new ones quickly compared to <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> peers. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p hehim">has</span> actively mentored undergraduate students through a number of different programs here on campus. <span class="hoverText trigger">However, these tended to distract him at times.</span> Nonetheless, <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-t hehim">was</span> an important contributor to my research group and was always dependable when it came to proposal, research, and/or coursework deadlines.</p>
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<p>Again, context matters. Unless the recommender is going to spend time discussing where Dr. Smith started, and has gotten permission from Dr. Smith to discuss such issues. This statement is unnecessary.</p>
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<p>Avoid irrelevant information. Mentoring students is a good thing, along with giving back to your local community. It should be framed as such.</p>
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<p>To summarize Dr. Smith is a capable scientific researcher with the programming talent that would be needed to succeed in this Postdoctoral fellowship. <span class="hoverText trigger">Further, Dr. Smith comes from a low-income upbringing, is a first-generation college student, as well as a person of color in STEM.</span> All of these things coupled with <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> research acumen make him a rare individual, and an asset to any research group. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n hehim">is</span> unassuming, diligent, and hard-working.</span> <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> will benefit from and make the best use of the opportunity afforded by this Postdoctoral fellowship, if offered the opportunity.</p>
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<p>Again, context matters. The recommender has not done a good enough job discussing why these things are important to Dr. Smith's candidacy by providing the proper context throughout the letter. If the recommender would have done a good job and framing these things about Dr. Smith as part of the letter a statement like this could be warranted.</p>
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<p>Example of 'non-standout' adjectives more commonly used for women and underrepresented groups.</p>
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<p>Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions.</p>
<p>Respectfully,</p>
<p>Professor Jones<br>
University College School</p>
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<div>Recommendation letter: A letter that does not reinforce racial and socioeconomic stereotypes for a postdoctoral candidate.
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<p>Dear Professor Lopez:</p>
<p><span class="hoverText trigger">I am writing this letter </span>on behalf of Dr. <span class="pronoun name hehim">John</span> Smith, in support of <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> application to your postdoctoral fellowship at Lab U. I have had the privilege of interacting, collaborating, supporting, and mentoring Dr. Smith while <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-t hehim">was</span> a graduate student at University College School, and seen him blossom into a promising young scientist. I have truly found it fulfilling to have such a skilled, reliable, and intelligent scientist like Dr. Smith as part of my research group over the past 5.5 years.</p>
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<p>According to the gender calculator this letter is only slightly male-biased at 3%.</p>
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger">Coming out of undergrad with a background in environmental science, Dr. Smith came to University College School knowing very little about Earth's upper atmosphere.</span></a> <span class="hoverText trigger">But, I have seen Dr. Smith grow over the last 5.5 years into a skilled and quite accomplished physicist, whom any Postdoctoral program would be lucky to have. Dr. Smith quality of work has and continues to be outstanding, and <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> ability to work cooperatively and supportively with other students and professors has been top-notch. Dr. Smith just recently defended <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> dissertation entitled "Tropospheric Weather and Space Weather … Not so Different After All?", to which <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> committee and colleagues in our department gave glowing reviews. I know what it is like being a first-generation college and graduate student so for Dr. Smith to really excel here at University College School is a true testament to <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> resolve.</span></p>
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<p>This statement reads much better than the opening sentence of the second paragraph of the bad letter. It provides the necessary context as to why Dr. Smith was naïve and had less experience than some other students.</p>
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<p>This paragraph is written with concrete examples, speaks to Dr. Smith's research acumen, and describes <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> work and focuses solely on that work.</p>
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger">Dr. Smith's academic and research record speaks for itself and is one of a talented researcher.</span> During <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> tenure here at University College School, <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> published 3 first-authored peer review journal papers, and 2 as second or third author.</span> <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> also presented <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> work at numerous national and international meetings, receiving an award for one such oral presentation (the "Society Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Presentations"). <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> also has been a teaching assistant in two different undergraduate courses including The Physics of Upper Atmospheres and Fluid Mechanics, in both of which <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> graded homework assignments, proctored exams, held office hours (which I am told the students found particularly useful), and gave lectures. <span class="hoverText trigger">My colleagues and I were impressed by <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> rapport with the students, who commented positively on <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> lectures in their end-of-term reviews.</span> <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p hehim">has</span> also taken a leadership role in the community by serving on a number of committees, most notably the diversity, equity, and inclusion committee here in our department. Lastly, <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p hehim">has</span> actively mentored undergraduate students through a number of different programs here on campus, which I have found particularly impressive.</span> <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim capitol">His</span> dedication to mentoring undergraduate students, coupled with <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> other service activities and outstanding academic acumen, speaks directly to Dr. Smith's high scientific standards and respect for others.</p>
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<p>This sentence introduces a paragraph about Dr. Smith's research record in a positive way, only using adjectives that imply this record is excellent.</p>
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<p>This concrete example shows Dr. Smith has leadership potential as a researcher, and is also capable of providing significant contributions as part of a collaboration.</p>
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<p>This sentence provides a concrete example that uses a metric commonly used to evaluate professionals at this level and higher along Dr. Smith's current career track.</p>
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<p>These two sentences greatly improve what is written about Dr. Smith's work with students, and later connects it to a strength of Dr. Smith.</p>
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<p>Dr. Smith is a brilliant computer programmer who is <span class="hoverText trigger">proficient in several useful languages, including Fortran and Python</span>, which has allowed him to quickly transition between research projects within my group. <span class="hoverText trigger">easily balanced conflicting proposal, research, and/or coursework deadlines, to the point that <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> assisted others in our group at "crunch time."</span> <span class="hoverText trigger">For example, another graduate student of mine and colleague of Dr. Smith was really struggling with completing a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship application, of which Dr. Smith was a recipient of. I personally watched Dr. Smith sit with <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> colleague for an hour or two every day for the better part of month helping him with preparing <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> application. This student made a point to come and speak with me how fortunate <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> <span class="pronoun verb-t hehim">was</span> to have the assistance of Dr. Smith and stated "I would not have submitted a successful application without <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> (Dr. Smith's) help."</span></p>
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<p>This example calls out two languages that highlight an ability to deal with large, complex coding projects and modern coding standards.</p>
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<p>This sentence combines both feminine and masculine coded adjectives, lessening the impact of implicit gender bias.</p>
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<p>These types of anecdotes really elevate this letter compared to its counterpart.</p>
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<p>To summarize, Dr. Smith is an excellent scientific researcher with the programming and teaching talent to succeed in your Postdoctoral fellowship. <span class="hoverText trigger">Furthermore, the things Dr. Smith has overcome to excel here at University College School are nothing short of remarkable.</span> All of these things coupled with <span class="pronoun possessive-d hehim">his</span> research acumen make him a rare individual, and an asset to any research group. <span class="pronoun objective hehim capital">He</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n hehim">is</span> an independent researcher who is <span class="hoverText trigger">confident</span>, hardworking, and humble. Your institution would be lucky to have, and I know <span class="pronoun objective hehim">he</span> will benefit from and make the best use of the opportunity afforded by this Postdoctoral fellowship, if offered the opportunity. Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions.</p>
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<p>This a much stronger statement given the overall context of the letter, without outstating certain things that the recommender may not have had Dr. Smith's permission to share.</p>
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<p>Example of a 'stand-out' adjective.</p>
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<p>Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions.</p>
<p>Respectfully,</p>
<p>Professor Jones<br>
University College School</p>
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<div>Recommendation letter: a gender biased letter for an undergraduate, <span class="pronoun gender sheher">female</span> candidate.
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger">To whom it may concern:</span></a></p>
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<p>When possible, address the letter to a specific person or committee.</p>
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<p>I am writing to strongly endorse <span class="pronoun name sheher">Jane</span> Smith to your undergraduate program and the Special Scholar Award. <span class="hoverText trigger">It has been a pleasure to get to know <span class="pronoun name sheher">Jane</span> as a student; <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n sheher">is</span> well liked by <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> colleagues and fellow students.</span> It has been rewarding to work with a <span class="hoverText trigger">caring, compassionate, and reliable </span> <span class="hoverText trigger">young <span class="pronoun noun sheher">woman</span>.</span></p>
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<p>In the first paragraph, it is important to present the particular capabilities that make this student perfect for the award or program. Talking about how pleasant or nice they are is not important.</p>
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<p>These are all female-coded words that don't highlight skills needed to succeed in the specified undergraduate program.</p>
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<p>It would be better to use a noun that encompasses <span class="pronoun name sheher">Jane</span>'s skills rather than <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> age and gender, such as 'researcher', 'programmer', or 'scholar'.</p>
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<p><span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith is currently a Research Programmer here at Gender Race Bias Inc. During <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> tenure in our research group, <span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith has proved to be invaluable member of our research team. <span class="hoverText trigger">We have performed countless studies focusing on the upper atmospheres of both Earth and Mars, from which <span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith's responsibility has been developing code to process satellite observations.</span> <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> diligently completed each task assigned to her</span>, <span class="hoverText trigger">putting in whatever amount of time was needed to do so</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> would also seek out answers to difficult problems unprompted, unafraid to ask probing questions of others</span>.</p>
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<p>This sentence could be strengthened by focusing on <span class="pronoun name sheher">Jane</span>'s work instead of presenting <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> contribution as a small portion of a large project primarily done by other people.</p>
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<p>This phrasing removes <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> agency.</p>
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<p>This is a gendered perception of a person's abilities. Women are commonly perceived as hard working, while men doing the same thing are perceived as smart or brilliant.</p>
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<p>This statement reveals a stereotype bias, as it would not be considered remarkable for a man to ask probing questions. It would be better to present a specific example of how <span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith's probing nature led to good scientific outcomes.</p>
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<p>From my meetings with <span class="pronoun name sheher">Jane</span>, it is clear that <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n sheher">is</span> passionate about <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> work. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> organized and led research meetings with our group, and meets weekly with other colleagues and collaborators</span>. <span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n sheher">is</span> <span class="hoverText trigger">diligent, responsible, well-organized, and a team player</span></a>. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher capital">Her</span> willingness to put in the time when tackling a difficult problem has served <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> well, resulting in the publication of a respectable number of research articles.</span> <span class="hoverText trigger">Furthermore, <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n sheher">is</span> an active member of our education and outreach program, where <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> both participates in and leads monthly meetings</span>.</p>
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<p>This focuses on <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> secretarial skills, which is gendered. It's placement immediately after discussing <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> work also leads the reader to associate <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> role in the team with organizing meetings. However, it also places <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> as a leader in this area, which demonstrates agency and respect among <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> peers.</p>
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<p>These are all female-coded attributes.</p>
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<p>This is a gendered perception of work, insinuating that <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> to work harder than <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> male peers to achieve similar things. 'Respectable' is also an adjective that reads as 'faint praise' and should be avoided. Instead, be specific (higher, average, lower than past students).</p>
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<p>Bringing up education and outreach may or may not be appropriate, as it may not be relevant to the program or award for which the applicant is being considered. It is always preferable to demonstrate the skills brought up (leadership) through examples that are directly relevant to the targeted program.</p>
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<p>In closing, <span class="hoverText trigger">I believe</span> <span class="hoverText trigger">the record of <span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith speaks for itself</span>. Out of <span class="hoverText trigger">the > 100</span> Research Programmers I have collaborated or supervised during my time here at Gender Race Bias Inc., <span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith is among the top 10% of those I have had the privilege to work alongside. <span class="hoverText trigger">As a woman excelling in science, <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> <span class="pronoun verb-n sheher">is</span> the perfect candidate for the Special Scholar Award</span></a>. I am confident that <span class="pronoun name sheher">Jane</span> will be a great asset to your program. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> my recommendation</span>. Please feel free to contact me at the information provided below for any additional information regarding <span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith and <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> application.</p>
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<p>'I believe' implies that it's perfectly acceptable for another person to think that <span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith has a strong record of accomplishments.</p>
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<p>The purpose of this letter is to create a record of <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> achievements, so it needs to present specific examples.</p>
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<p>It would be better to use words instead of symbols, as symbols do not always read as smoothly or render correctly.</p>
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<p>As this is the only mention of the award after the first sentence, it implies that <span class="pronoun name sheher">Jane</span> Smith should receive the award because of <span class="pronoun possesive-d sheher">her</span> gender.</p>
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<p>A recommendation without qualifiers such as 'strongest' will read weaker when compared to other letters.</p>
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger">Warmest Regards,</span></p>
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<p>This salutation is typically used among close colleagues. As this is a formal letter 'Sincerely' or 'Best Regards' would be more appropriate.</p>
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<p>ELSP<br>
Research Scientist/Engineer<br>
Gender Race Bias Inc.</p>
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<div>Recommendation letter: a gender neutral letter for an undergraduate, <span class="pronoun gender sheher">female</span> candidate.
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<p><span class="hoverText trigger">Dear Professor Jones:</span></p>
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<p>It is best to use the name of the person who will be evaluating the letter if that information it is available.</p>
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<p>I am writing to strongly endorse <span class="pronoun name sheher">Jane</span> Smith to your <span class="hoverText trigger">scholarship</span> program. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith is an exceptional student who has demonstrated a high level of independent and original thinking</span>. It has been rewarding to work with such a <span class="hoverText trigger">skilled, intelligent, and committed</span> <span class="hoverText trigger">scholar</span>.</p>
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<p>This could also be used for a undergraduate/graduate/fellowship program and/or award/prize lecture.</p>
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<p>This sentence is used to describe why <span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith is good for the scholarship.</p>
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<p>These attributes are neutral/male focused and directly relevant to the scholarship opportunity.</p>
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<p>This is an accurate descriptor that is age and gender neutral.</p>
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<p><span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith is currently a Research Programmer here at Gender Race Bias Inc. During <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> tenure in our research group, <span class="pronoun title sheher">Ms.</span> Smith has proved to be invaluable member of our research team. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> developed code to process satellite observations, which were used in studies that focused on the upper atmospheres of both Earth and Mars</span>. <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher capital">Her</span> modeling work has been consistently rigorous, independent and original. <span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> continually demonstrated a <span class="hoverText trigger">strong work ethic and a high level of creativity</span>. <span class="hoverText trigger"><span class="pronoun objective sheher capital">She</span> <span class="pronoun verb-p sheher">has</span> shown a great enthusiasm for a wide range of scientific pursuits, and <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> curiosity has led <span class="pronoun possessive-d sheher">her</span> to in-depth inquiries. These investigations have led to a number of discoveries that directly improved the processing algorithms by ensuring the underlying assumptions were scientifically rigorous</span>.</p>
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<p>Focus on what <span class="pronoun objective sheher">she</span> did first, then how it contributed to the work of the team.</p>
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