Researchers are often asked to write references or recommendation letters. Nature asked three senior scientists what they do when they can’t endorse someone. I’m a neuroscientist in the United States.

A compelling reference letter can be a decisive factor in the hiring process. The value of a strong recommendation cannot be overstated in today’s competitive job market. I’ve seen how a well-crafted ...

Matt Huculak, a university librarian, used ChatGPT to help write a letter of recommendation for a student. The "heartfelt" letter may have helped the student win a prestigious scholarship to Cambridge ...

Academic reference letters are an essential aspect of academic life. Nearly every educator will be asked to write a range of reference letters during their career. In my long experience of doing so, I ...

You never know when you might get a request to write a reference letter. In many instances, you will need a letter of reference when applying for a job. Either way, it’s vital to understand the ins ...

It is important that the referee selected to provide the scholarship reference has detailed knowledge of the candidate; preferably a current teacher or supervisor. Ideally the reference should be ...