Writing references for students

Types of references

What to do when your student approaches you for a reference

1.    Find out why you are being approached

• Allow the student to remind you why they feel that you are in the best position to write the reference.

• Ask them to outline specific anecdotes of your interaction with them i.e. times where you gave positive comments about their standard of work etc. (a student should not expect the teacher to remember all these anecdotes)

2.    Request for ample time i.e. 2-3 weeks to write the reference

• ​If you require a longer time, please inform the students ahead of time

3.   Ask the student for adequate information

• You shouldn't feel at a loss of words when you are asked to write the referral.

• Ask the student for materials that you need in order to write a reference. Here are some suggestions

  • Academic results

  • CCA records

  • Personal statement or 2-3 paragraphs on why student is applying for the course and what they have done to show interest for the course

  • List of courses that the student is applying for

  • Referee report information e.g. deadline, procedure to upload reference, contact information etc

  • Any mitigating circumstances that lead to their under-performance, if any (and the student’s express permission to reveal this information in the reference)

  • Anecdotal evidence of their performance or behaviour in your class e.g. a picture of their best essay, times when you praised th student

  • SGC & University Pre-Application Reflection Form (the form can be found here)

This ​form is meant for the student to fill in as part of reflection before applying for university. The information in the form may be useful for you when writing the reference. Alternatively, you could come up with your own form and ask students to fill in. 

What to include in a reference

1.    Context

• How long have you known the student? A few months or 2 years?

  • Its the depth of interaction that matters more than the length of interaction.  

• What subject did you teach the student?

• What is the rigour of this subject e.g. H3 or H2 or H1? 

  • Explain exactly how rigorous this subject is i.e. only the top 10% of students take this subject​

• How many students take this subject? 

  • Number of students taking the subjec​t could be an indicator of the student's ability e.g. only 60 students enter the H2 Computing programme every year through a screening test

2.  Anecdotal Evidence

• Evidence of intellectual ability

  • Academic performance (include actual numbers e.g. top 10% of cohort)

  • Quality of written work

  • Contributions to class discussions

  • Classroom interaction with both teachers and students

  • Power of analysis and independent thought

  • For this section, please describe concrete topics/lessons/assignments where the student particularly impressed you. It is not recommended to be overly general or clichéd here

• Evidence of holistic development

  • Activities outside of class e.g. CCA, work attachment, voluntary work, research, workshops

  • For UK references, it is not recommended to describe any activities that are irrelevant to course of study

• Personality

  • Maturity as compared to peers

  • Reaction to setbacks or criticism

  • Once again, for this section, it would be essential to describe actual incidences to back up any statements that you make about the student

3.   Any factors e.g. personal circumstances that may have affected their performance

• Please get the student’s permission to reveal any personal circumstances

4.   Your contact information

What makes a good reference?

• Be passionate and rave about the student (if he/she deserves it)

• Be authentic - demonstrate that you know the students well (through anecdotal evidence)

• Avoid clichéd phrases e.g. he would be an invaluable asset to your organisation blah blah...

• Write at least one page. Do not be too brief but do not fill up a page with a list of academic achievements

• Be honest but do not be negative

• Do not cut and paste from another recommendation

• More resources:

  • How to Write a Strong Recommendation Letter for Your Student

  • Writing a Strong Letter of Recommendation

Sample references

• Samples Paragraphs (Boilerplate versus Strong)

• Strong Reference for UCAS

• Strong Counsellor reference for Common App

• Strong Recommendation by Subject Teacher for Common App

• Weak Reference