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Of the more than two million annual visitors to my two main “writing help” Web sites, over 60% of them are looking for some type of letter-writing assistance, and of those, 50% are seeking help with writing a “letter of recommendation” or “letter of reference.”

Explaining the Confusion
Why do so many people need help with recommendation letters over and above all other types of letters, you might ask? Well, the main reason is this – they are BY FAR the most difficult letters to write. The three main reasons are as follows:

1. Letters of recommendation invariably have important implications because they are key to being accepted (or NOT) for such things as: jobs and promotions, college and university program admission, membership in clubs and associations, qualification for awards and scholarships, financial assistance approvals, entrance into special programs, etc.
   
   
2. The consequences for messing up a letter of recommendation can be gravely serious, and can actually change the course of a person’s life – either your own life, or that of another person about whom you are writing the letter. (Just imagine screwing up someone’s life because you wouldn’t take the time or trouble to get a recommendation letter right!).
   
   
3. There is a great deal of confusion about the whole subject of writing “recommendation letters”. Many people have no idea of the differences and/or similarities among the various types of testimonial letters: recommendation letters, letters of recommendation, reference letters, letters of reference, commendation letters, performance evaluation letters, recognition letters, etc.

So, BEFORE you go any further, please let me briefly clarify a few points on this whole recommendation letter and/or reference letter issue so that you don’t go charging down the wrong path unnecessarily, and end up with the wrong information about how to write the wrong type of letter for your situation.

It so happens that there IS a lot of confusion about the differences and similarities between letters of recommendation letters and letters of reference. For instance; which is which, and why? How are they different? In what ways are they similar?

It’s confusing enough for the average person who only has to write one of these letters every once in a while. However, when you look into it in-depth as I have, and realize that many of the so-called “experts” don’t even know the differences between a recommendation letter and a reference letter, the general state of confusion is very understandable.

Since I wrote my first book on this subject, I’ve been watching the whole issue carefully and have conducted additional research, leading me to conclude the following:

• Many people and institutions use the term “recommendation letter” to mean BOTH letters of recommendation AND letters of reference (about 2/3).
  
  
• Many people and institutions use the term “reference letter” to mean BOTH letters of reference AND letters of recommendation (about 1/3).
  
  
• Both groups are talking about essentially the same type of letter in their minds and they don’t seem to realize that there are important distinctions between the two.
  
  
• Thus, those who use the term “recommendation letter” ALWAYS use that term. Those who use the term “reference letter” ALWAYS use that term.

… and “never the twain shall meet”, as the saying goes.

Clarifying the Confusion
The fact is that there are TWO major categories of such letters: Letters of Recommendation and Letters of Reference. Within each of these categories fall a number of different types of letters, differentiated primarily by the category of addressee, the level of detail covered, and the specific purpose of the letter.

Below is how I have defined and differentiated them in my popular book on this subject Instant Recommendation Letter Kit – How To Write Winning Letters of Recommendation.

Letters of Recommendation – Definition
A “letter of recommendation” is one that is specifically requested about someone, and therefore is always specifically addressed to a particular requestor. Generally speaking, letters of recommendation are usually employment-related, or college program admission and/or scholarship related.

Typical letters of recommendation are:

• Employment-related recommendation letter
  
• College admission recommendation letter
  
• Commendation or recognition letter
  
• Performance evaluation letter

Letters of Reference – Definition
A “letter of reference” is normally more general in nature and is not normally addressed to a specific requestor. Typically, “letters of reference” are addressed as; “To Whom It May Concern” or “Dear Sir/Madam”.

Typical letters of reference are:

• Character assessment reference letter
  
• College-related general reference letter
  
• Employment-related general reference letter
  
• General reference letters

Note of Caution:
It seems that somehow over the years, the line between the two types of letters has become blurred and many people and institutions now use the two terms interchangeably. As far as those organizations are concerned, both letters are exactly the same thing.

Accordingly, please note that many colleges and universities, as well as some companies and institutions, use the terms “recommendation letter” and/or “letter of recommendation” when referring to exactly the same thing as what many other colleges, universities, companies and institutions call “reference letters” and/or “letters of reference”.

So, when dealing with these types of organizations or institutions, MAKE SURE that you use whichever term they use, in the same way that they use it. DON’T try to convert them to your terminology. That will just confuse things and you will pay the price.

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(C) Shaun Fawcett is the world’s foremost expert on writing ALL types of letters of recommendation and letters of reference for ALL situations: personal, business, character, employment, and college admission. His comprehensive book, with real-life templates, is considered the top resource on this subject on the planet: http://InstantRecommendationLetterKit.com

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As a result of writing literally hundreds of letters of recommendation over the years, I have learned that there are certain common elements and approaches that are applicable to almost all such letters.

If you look closely at most recommendation and reference letters you will notice that there are certain “types” of phrases that recur over and over again, throughout the various letters.

These statement types can be grouped into three major categories: opening statements, assessment statements, and closing statements. These statements are the three key components of any letter of recommendation. If you formulate these phrases well you are guaranteed to have an excellent letter.

Opening Statements
The opening statement in a letter of recommendation should state the name of the person being recommended. It can also explain why you are the person writing the letter. The opening statement should normally be one short sentence and should never exceed two sentences.

Following are three generic typical opening statements for inclusion in recommendation letters:

• “I am writing this letter at the request of [name of requestor].”
• “This is in response to your recent request for a letter of recommendation for [name].”
• “I am pleased to be able to write this letter of recommendation for [name].”

Assessment Statements
Assessment statements in a letter of recommendation are those sentences and phrases that contain the recommender’s specific assessment of the performance, characteristics, and attributes of the person being recommended.

Normally an assessment statement will be followed up by one or two specific performance-related examples backing up the statement just made.

Following are three generic typical assessment statements for inclusion in letters of recommendation:

• “In my opinion, [name] is a hard-working self-starter who invariably understands exactly what a project is all about.”
• “[name] consistently produces high quality work in a timely fashion.”
• “The only area of weakness that I ever noted in [name]’s performance was…”

A typical letter of recommendation will normally include three to four assessment statements.”

Closing Statements
The closing statement in a letter of recommendation should be one or two sentences at most, and it should make a clear statement of recommendation that flows logically from the points made in the assessment part of the letter. They will often begin with transition phrases such as: “In summary…”, “In Closing,…”, “Based on the foregoing,…”, “Accordingly,…”, etc.

Closing statements in recommendation letters are generally positive, but in some circumstances they may be qualified, or sometimes, even completely negative.

Following are three generic typical closing statements for inclusion in recommendation letters:

• “I am therefore very pleased to be able to recommend [name] for…”
• “Based on my time working with [name], I recommend her very highly for…”
• “I respect [name] as a colleague, but I must say that in all honesty, I cannot recommend him for …”

In summary, mastering these three types of “recommendation power phrases” is one of the keys to writing all types of letters of recommendation. As such, knowledge of how to write typical opening, assessment, and closing statements, as illustrated above, is essential to writing effective letters of recommendation.

That’s why I have included more than 150 generic “Recommendation Letter Power Phrases” in the latest Revised Edition of Instant Recommendation Letter Kit – How To Write Winning Letters of Recommendation:

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(C) Shaun Fawcett is the world’s foremost expert on writing ALL types of letters of recommendation and letters of reference for ALL situations: personal, business, character, employment, and college admission. His comprehensive book, with real-life templates, is considered the top resource on this subject on the planet: http://InstantRecommendationLetterKit.com

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As I point out on the main page of my recommendation-reference-central.com Web site there is a great deal of general confusion about the differences and similarities between letters of recommendation and letters of reference. For instance; which is which, and why? How are they different? In what ways are they similar?

It’s confusing enough for the average person who only has to write one of these letters every once in a while. However, when you look into it in-depth as I have, and realize that many of the so-called “experts” don’t even know the differences between a recommendation letter and a reference letter, the general state of confusion is very understandable.

Based on extensive research into the subject, I define a “letter of recommendation” as one that is specifically requested about someone, and therefore is always specifically addressed to a particular requestor. Letters of recommendation are usually employment-related, or college program admission and/or scholarship related.

The primary letters of recommendation are:

• Employment-related recommendation letter
• College admission recommendation letter
• Commendation or recognition letter
• Performance evaluation letter

The following paragraphs provide brief definitions for each of the main types of letters of recommendation that are listed above.

Employment-Related Recommendation Letters
An employment-related recommendation letter is one that is normally requested by the person about whom the letter is being written. Since the requestor chooses the author of the letter, it is usually positive in nature, and written by someone who knows the subject well enough to comment on the skills, abilities, and specific work attributes of that person.

Typically, an employment-related recommendation letter conveys one person’s view of the work performance and general workplace demeanor of another person that has worked under their direct supervision. The requestor of the letter normally requests such a letter so that they can submit it when applying for a promotion or a new job.

These letters are always addressed to the specific person to whom the requestor has been asked to submit the letter.

College- and University-Related
Another situation where recommendation letters are a common requirement is for entry into undergraduate and graduate programs at a college or university. Graduate programs often require two or more letters of recommendation as part of the program admission requirements.

Normally, these college-admission-related letters of recommendation are written at the request of the program applicant by people who know them and are familiar with their academic career to-date, and their future education and career aspirations. These people could include: former teachers, community leaders, school faculty members, clergy, administrators, academic supervisors, and/or employers.

These letters are always addressed to a specific person and are normally included as part of the program admission application.

Commendation and/or Recognition Letters
These are normally unsolicited letters, which typically commend or recognize an employee to their supervisor for something outstanding or noteworthy that the employee has done. Usually, the employee would have to do something “above and beyond” what is normally expected of them in their job to warrant such a letter. These letters are always addressed to a specific individual – usually the subject’s direct supervisor.

Typically, these letters are written by the subject’s co-workers, or by managers from another area of the same organization who were suitably impressed while supervising the person on a short-term project.

Commendation letters and letters of recognition are also used to nominate individuals for special awards or outstanding public service.

Performance Evaluation Letters
These are usually detailed assessments of an employee’s work performance as part of an organization’s regular employee review process. Typically, they are written by the employee’s supervisor and are attached to the individual’s performance appraisal and placed in their personnel file.

The format and structure for this type of letter is more often than not dictated by the employee performance evaluation system or process that is in-place wherever the subject of the letter is employed.

However, in the academic environment in North America there is often a requirement for a specific “performance evaluation letter” for the assessment of academic staff.

Do Be Careful…
Over the years, the line between “letters or recommendation” and “letters of reference” have become quite blurred, and many people and institutions now use the two terms interchangeably. As far as those organizations are concerned, both letters are exactly the same thing.

Accordingly, many colleges and universities, as well as some companies and institutions, use the terms “recommendation letter” and/or “letter of recommendation” when referring to exactly the same thing as what many other colleges, universities, companies and institutions call “reference letters” and/or “letters of reference”.

So, when dealing with these types of organizations or institutions, MAKE SURE that you use whichever term they use in the same way that they use it. DON’T try to convert them to your terminology. That will just confuse things and you will pay the price.