how to write a recommendation in research example

Research Recommendations – Guiding policy-makers for evidence-based decision making

Research recommendations play a crucial role in guiding scholars and researchers toward fruitful avenues of exploration. In an era marked by rapid technological advancements and an ever-expanding knowledge base, refining the process of generating research recommendations becomes imperative.

But, what is a research recommendation?

Research recommendations are suggestions or advice provided to researchers to guide their study on a specific topic . They are typically given by experts in the field. Research recommendations are more action-oriented and provide specific guidance for decision-makers, unlike implications that are broader and focus on the broader significance and consequences of the research findings. However, both are crucial components of a research study.

Difference Between Research Recommendations and Implication

Although research recommendations and implications are distinct components of a research study, they are closely related. The differences between them are as follows:

Types of Research Recommendations

Recommendations in research can take various forms, which are as follows:

These recommendations aim to assist researchers in navigating the vast landscape of academic knowledge.

Let us dive deeper to know about its key components and the steps to write an impactful research recommendation.

Key Components of Research Recommendations

The key components of research recommendations include defining the research question or objective, specifying research methods, outlining data collection and analysis processes, presenting results and conclusions, addressing limitations, and suggesting areas for future research. Here are some characteristics of research recommendations:

Research recommendations offer various advantages and play a crucial role in ensuring that research findings contribute to positive outcomes in various fields. However, they also have few limitations which highlights the significance of a well-crafted research recommendation in offering the promised advantages.

The importance of research recommendations ranges in various fields, influencing policy-making, program development, product development, marketing strategies, medical practice, and scientific research. Their purpose is to transfer knowledge from researchers to practitioners, policymakers, or stakeholders, facilitating informed decision-making and improving outcomes in different domains.

How to Write Research Recommendations?

Research recommendations can be generated through various means, including algorithmic approaches, expert opinions, or collaborative filtering techniques. Here is a step-wise guide to build your understanding on the development of research recommendations.

1. Understand the Research Question:

Understand the research question and objectives before writing recommendations. Also, ensure that your recommendations are relevant and directly address the goals of the study.

2. Review Existing Literature:

Familiarize yourself with relevant existing literature to help you identify gaps , and offer informed recommendations that contribute to the existing body of research.

3. Consider Research Methods:

Evaluate the appropriateness of different research methods in addressing the research question. Also, consider the nature of the data, the study design, and the specific objectives.

4. Identify Data Collection Techniques:

Gather dataset from diverse authentic sources. Include information such as keywords, abstracts, authors, publication dates, and citation metrics to provide a rich foundation for analysis.

5. Propose Data Analysis Methods:

Suggest appropriate data analysis methods based on the type of data collected. Consider whether statistical analysis, qualitative analysis, or a mixed-methods approach is most suitable.

6. Consider Limitations and Ethical Considerations:

Acknowledge any limitations and potential ethical considerations of the study. Furthermore, address these limitations or mitigate ethical concerns to ensure responsible research.

7. Justify Recommendations:

Explain how your recommendation contributes to addressing the research question or objective. Provide a strong rationale to help researchers understand the importance of following your suggestions.

8. Summarize Recommendations:

Provide a concise summary at the end of the report to emphasize how following these recommendations will contribute to the overall success of the research project.

By following these steps, you can create research recommendations that are actionable and contribute meaningfully to the success of the research project.

Download now to unlock some tips to improve your journey of writing research recommendations.

Example of a Research Recommendation

Here is an example of a research recommendation based on a hypothetical research to improve your understanding.

Research Recommendation: Enhancing Student Learning through Integrated Learning Platforms

Background:

The research study investigated the impact of an integrated learning platform on student learning outcomes in high school mathematics classes. The findings revealed a statistically significant improvement in student performance and engagement when compared to traditional teaching methods.

Recommendation:

In light of the research findings, it is recommended that educational institutions consider adopting and integrating the identified learning platform into their mathematics curriculum. The following specific recommendations are provided:

• Implementation of the Integrated Learning Platform:

Schools are encouraged to adopt the integrated learning platform in mathematics classrooms, ensuring proper training for teachers on its effective utilization.

• Professional Development for Educators:

Develop and implement professional programs to train educators in the effective use of the integrated learning platform to address any challenges teachers may face during the transition.

• Monitoring and Evaluation:

Establish a monitoring and evaluation system to track the impact of the integrated learning platform on student performance over time.

• Resource Allocation:

Allocate sufficient resources, both financial and technical, to support the widespread implementation of the integrated learning platform.

By implementing these recommendations, educational institutions can harness the potential of the integrated learning platform and enhance student learning experiences and academic achievements in mathematics.

This example covers the components of a research recommendation, providing specific actions based on the research findings, identifying the target audience, and outlining practical steps for implementation.

Using AI in Research Recommendation Writing

Enhancing research recommendations is an ongoing endeavor that requires the integration of cutting-edge technologies, collaborative efforts, and ethical considerations. By embracing data-driven approaches and leveraging advanced technologies, the research community can create more effective and personalized recommendation systems. However, it is accompanied by several limitations. Therefore, it is essential to approach the use of AI in research with a critical mindset, and complement its capabilities with human expertise and judgment.

Here are some limitations of integrating AI in writing research recommendation and some ways on how to counter them.

1. Data Bias

AI systems rely heavily on data for training. If the training data is biased or incomplete, the AI model may produce biased results or recommendations.

How to tackle: Audit regularly the model’s performance to identify any discrepancies and adjust the training data and algorithms accordingly.

2. Lack of Understanding of Context:

AI models may struggle to understand the nuanced context of a particular research problem. They may misinterpret information, leading to inaccurate recommendations.

How to tackle: Use AI to characterize research articles and topics. Employ them to extract features like keywords, authorship patterns and content-based details.

3. Ethical Considerations:

AI models might stereotype certain concepts or generate recommendations that could have negative consequences for certain individuals or groups.

How to tackle: Incorporate user feedback mechanisms to reduce redundancies. Establish an ethics review process for AI models in research recommendation writing.

4. Lack of Creativity and Intuition:

AI may struggle with tasks that require a deep understanding of the underlying principles or the ability to think outside the box.

How to tackle: Hybrid approaches can be employed by integrating AI in data analysis and identifying patterns for accelerating the data interpretation process.

5. Interpretability:

Many AI models, especially complex deep learning models, lack transparency on how the model arrived at a particular recommendation.

How to tackle: Implement models like decision trees or linear models. Provide clear explanation of the model architecture, training process, and decision-making criteria.

6. Dynamic Nature of Research:

Research fields are dynamic, and new information is constantly emerging. AI models may struggle to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape and may not be able to adapt to new developments.

How to tackle: Establish a feedback loop for continuous improvement. Regularly update the recommendation system based on user feedback and emerging research trends.

The integration of AI in research recommendation writing holds great promise for advancing knowledge and streamlining the research process. However, navigating these concerns is pivotal in ensuring the responsible deployment of these technologies. Researchers need to understand the use of responsible use of AI in research and must be aware of the ethical considerations.

Exploring research recommendations plays a critical role in shaping the trajectory of scientific inquiry. It serves as a compass, guiding researchers toward more robust methodologies, collaborative endeavors, and innovative approaches. Embracing these suggestions not only enhances the quality of individual studies but also contributes to the collective advancement of human understanding.

Frequently Asked Questions

The purpose of recommendations in research is to provide practical and actionable suggestions based on the study's findings, guiding future actions, policies, or interventions in a specific field or context. Recommendations bridges the gap between research outcomes and their real-world application.

To make a research recommendation, analyze your findings, identify key insights, and propose specific, evidence-based actions. Include the relevance of the recommendations to the study's objectives and provide practical steps for implementation.

Begin a recommendation by succinctly summarizing the key findings of the research. Clearly state the purpose of the recommendation and its intended impact. Use a direct and actionable language to convey the suggested course of action.

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Research Implications & Recommendations

A Plain-Language Explainer With Examples + FREE Template

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Reviewers: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | May 2024

The research implications and recommendations are closely related but distinctly different concepts that often trip students up. Here, we’ll unpack them using plain language and loads of examples , so that you can approach your project with confidence.

Overview: Implications & Recommendations

• What are research implications ?
• What are research recommendations ?
• Examples of implications and recommendations
• The “ Big 3 ” categories
• How to write the implications and recommendations
• Template sentences for both sections
• Key takeaways

Implications & Recommendations 101

Let’s start with the basics and define our terms.

At the simplest level, research implications refer to the possible effects or outcomes of a study’s findings. More specifically, they answer the question, “ What do these findings mean?” . In other words, the implications section is where you discuss the broader impact of your study’s findings on theory, practice and future research.

This discussion leads us to the recommendations section , which is where you’ll propose specific actions based on your study’s findings and answer the question, “ What should be done next?” . In other words, the recommendations are practical steps that stakeholders can take to address the key issues identified by your study.

In a nutshell, then, the research implications discuss the broader impact and significance of a study’s findings, while recommendations provide specific actions to take, based on those findings. So, while both of these components are deeply rooted in the findings of the study, they serve different functions within the write up.

Need a helping hand?

Examples: Implications & Recommendations

The distinction between research implications and research recommendations might still feel a bit conceptual, so let’s look at one or two practical examples:

Let’s assume that your study finds that interactive learning methods significantly improve student engagement compared to traditional lectures. In this case, one of your recommendations could be that schools incorporate more interactive learning techniques into their curriculums to enhance student engagement.

Let’s imagine that your study finds that patients who receive personalised care plans have better health outcomes than those with standard care plans. One of your recommendations might be that healthcare providers develop and implement personalised care plans for their patients.

Now, these are admittedly quite simplistic examples, but they demonstrate the difference (and connection ) between the research implications and the recommendations. Simply put, the implications are about the impact of the findings, while the recommendations are about proposed actions, based on the findings.

The “Big 3” Categories

Now that we’ve defined our terms, let’s dig a little deeper into the implications – specifically, the different types or categories of research implications that exist.

Broadly speaking, implications can be divided into three categories – theoretical implications, practical implications and implications for future research .

Theoretical implications relate to how your study’s findings contribute to or challenge existing theories. For example, if a study on social behaviour uncovers new patterns, it might suggest that modifications to current psychological theories are necessary.

Practical implications , on the other hand, focus on how your study’s findings can be applied in real-world settings. For example, if your study demonstrated the effectiveness of a new teaching method, this would imply that educators should consider adopting this method to improve learning outcomes.

Practical implications can also involve policy reconsiderations . For example, if a study reveals significant health benefits from a particular diet, an implication might be that public health guidelines be re-evaluated.

Last but not least, there are the implications for future research . As the name suggests, this category of implications highlights the research gaps or new questions raised by your study. For example, if your study finds mixed results regarding a relationship between two variables, it might imply the need for further investigation to clarify these findings.

To recap then, the three types of implications are the theoretical, the practical and the implications on future research. Regardless of the category, these implications feed into and shape the recommendations , laying the foundation for the actions you’ll propose.

How To Write The  Sections

Now that we’ve laid the foundations, it’s time to explore how to write up the implications and recommendations sections respectively.

Let’s start with the “ where ” before digging into the “ how ”. Typically, the implications will feature in the discussion section of your document, while the recommendations will be located in the conclusion . That said, layouts can vary between disciplines and institutions, so be sure to check with your university what their preferences are.

For the implications section, a common approach is to structure the write-up based on the three categories we looked at earlier – theoretical, practical and future research implications. In practical terms, this discussion will usually follow a fairly formulaic sentence structure – for example:

This research provides new insights into [theoretical aspect], indicating that…

The study’s outcomes highlight the potential benefits of adopting [specific practice] in..

This study raises several questions that warrant further investigation, such as…

Moving onto the recommendations section, you could again structure your recommendations using the three categories. Alternatively, you could structure the discussion per stakeholder group – for example, policymakers, organisations, researchers, etc.

Again, you’ll likely use a fairly formulaic sentence structure for this section. Here are some examples for your inspiration: 

Based on the findings, [specific group] should consider adopting [new method] to improve…

To address the issues identified, it is recommended that legislation should be introduced to…

Researchers should consider examining [specific variable] to build on the current study’s findings.

Remember, you can grab a copy of our tried and tested templates for both the discussion and conclusion sections over on the Grad Coach blog. You can find the links to those, as well as loads of other free resources, in the description 🙂

FAQs: Implications & Recommendations

How do i determine the implications of my study.

To do this, you’ll need to consider how your findings address gaps in the existing literature, how they could influence theory, practice, or policy, and the potential societal or economic impacts.

When thinking about your findings, it’s also a good idea to revisit your introduction chapter, where you would have discussed the potential significance of your study more broadly. This section can help spark some additional ideas about what your findings mean in relation to your original research aims. 

Should I discuss both positive and negative implications?

Absolutely. You’ll need to discuss both the positive and negative implications to provide a balanced view of how your findings affect the field and any limitations or potential downsides.

Can my research implications be speculative?

Yes and no. While implications are somewhat more speculative than recommendations and can suggest potential future outcomes, they should be grounded in your data and analysis. So, be careful to avoid overly speculative claims.

How do I formulate recommendations?

Ideally, you should base your recommendations on the limitations and implications of your study’s findings. So, consider what further research is needed, how policies could be adapted, or how practices could be improved – and make proposals in this respect.

How specific should my recommendations be?

Your recommendations should be as specific as possible, providing clear guidance on what actions or research should be taken next. As mentioned earlier, the implications can be relatively broad, but the recommendations should be very specific and actionable. Ideally, you should apply the SMART framework to your recommendations.

Can I recommend future research in my recommendations?

Absolutely. Highlighting areas where further research is needed is a key aspect of the recommendations section. Naturally, these recommendations should link to the respective section of your implications (i.e., implications for future research).

Wrapping Up: Key Takeaways

We’ve covered quite a bit of ground here, so let’s quickly recap.

• Research implications refer to the possible effects or outcomes of a study’s findings.
• The recommendations section, on the other hand, is where you’ll propose specific actions based on those findings.
• You can structure your implications section based on the three overarching categories – theoretical, practical and future research implications.
• You can carry this structure through to the recommendations as well, or you can group your recommendations by stakeholder.

Remember to grab a copy of our tried and tested free dissertation template, which covers both the implications and recommendations sections. If you’d like 1:1 help with your research project, be sure to check out our private coaching service, where we hold your hand throughout the research journey, step by step.

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• How to Write Recommendations in Research | Examples & Tips

How to Write Recommendations in Research | Examples & Tips

Published on 15 September 2022 by Tegan George .

Recommendations in research are a crucial component of your discussion section and the conclusion of your thesis , dissertation , or research paper .

As you conduct your research and analyse the data you collected , perhaps there are ideas or results that don’t quite fit the scope of your research topic . Or, maybe your results suggest that there are further implications of your results or the causal relationships between previously-studied variables than covered in extant research.

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Table of contents

What should recommendations look like, building your research recommendation, how should your recommendations be written, recommendation in research example, frequently asked questions about recommendations.

Recommendations for future research should be:

• Concrete and specific
• Supported with a clear rationale
• Directly connected to your research

Overall, strive to highlight ways other researchers can reproduce or replicate your results to draw further conclusions, and suggest different directions that future research can take, if applicable.

Relatedly, when making these recommendations, avoid:

• Undermining your own work, but rather offer suggestions on how future studies can build upon it
• Suggesting recommendations actually needed to complete your argument, but rather ensure that your research stands alone on its own merits
• Using recommendations as a place for self-criticism, but rather as a natural extension point for your work

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There are many different ways to frame recommendations, but the easiest is perhaps to follow the formula of research question   conclusion  recommendation. Here’s an example.

Conclusion An important condition for controlling many social skills is mastering language. If children have a better command of language, they can express themselves better and are better able to understand their peers. Opportunities to practice social skills are thus dependent on the development of language skills.

As a rule of thumb, try to limit yourself to only the most relevant future recommendations: ones that stem directly from your work. While you can have multiple recommendations for each research conclusion, it is also acceptable to have one recommendation that is connected to more than one conclusion.

These recommendations should be targeted at your audience, specifically toward peers or colleagues in your field that work on similar topics to yours. They can flow directly from any limitations you found while conducting your work, offering concrete and actionable possibilities for how future research can build on anything that your own work was unable to address at the time of your writing.

See below for a full research recommendation example that you can use as a template to write your own.

The current study can be interpreted as a first step in the research on COPD speech characteristics. However, the results of this study should be treated with caution due to the small sample size and the lack of details regarding the participants’ characteristics.

Future research could further examine the differences in speech characteristics between exacerbated COPD patients, stable COPD patients, and healthy controls. It could also contribute to a deeper understanding of the acoustic measurements suitable for e-health measurements.

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While it may be tempting to present new arguments or evidence in your thesis or disseration conclusion , especially if you have a particularly striking argument you’d like to finish your analysis with, you shouldn’t. Theses and dissertations follow a more formal structure than this.

All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the discussion section and results section .) The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following:

• A restatement of your research question
• A summary of your key arguments and/or results
• A short discussion of the implications of your research

For a stronger dissertation conclusion , avoid including:

• Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion…”)
• Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g. “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.

The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.

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George, T. (2022, September 15). How to Write Recommendations in Research | Examples & Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved 21 May 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/thesis-dissertation/research-recommendations/

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The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Impactful Recommendations in Research

Are you ready to take your research to the next level? Crafting impactful recommendations is the key to unlocking the full potential of your study. By providing clear, actionable suggestions based on your findings, you can bridge the gap between research and real-world application.

In this ultimate guide, we'll show you how to write recommendations that make a difference in your research report or paper.

You'll learn how to craft specific, actionable recommendations that connect seamlessly with your research findings. Whether you're a student, writer, teacher, or journalist, this guide will help you master the art of writing recommendations in research. Let's get started and make your research count!

Understanding the Purpose of Recommendations

Recommendations in research serve as a vital bridge between your findings and their real-world applications. They provide specific, action-oriented suggestions to guide future studies and decision-making processes. Let's dive into the key purposes of crafting effective recommendations:

Guiding Future Research

Research recommendations play a crucial role in steering scholars and researchers towards promising avenues of exploration. By highlighting gaps in current knowledge and proposing new research questions, recommendations help advance the field and drive innovation.

Influencing Decision-Making

Well-crafted recommendations have the power to shape policies, programs, and strategies across various domains, such as:

• Policy-making
• Product development
• Marketing strategies
• Medical practice

By providing clear, evidence-based suggestions, recommendations facilitate informed decision-making and improve outcomes.

Connecting Research to Practice

Recommendations act as a conduit for transferring knowledge from researchers to practitioners, policymakers, and stakeholders. They bridge the gap between academic findings and their practical applications, ensuring that research insights are effectively translated into real-world solutions.

Enhancing Research Impact

By crafting impactful recommendations, you can amplify the reach and influence of your research, attracting attention from peers, funding agencies, and decision-makers.

Addressing Limitations

Recommendations provide an opportunity to acknowledge and address the limitations of your study. By suggesting concrete and actionable possibilities for future research, you demonstrate a thorough understanding of your work's scope and potential areas for improvement.

Identifying Areas for Future Research

Discovering research gaps is a crucial step in crafting impactful recommendations. It involves reviewing existing studies and identifying unanswered questions or problems that warrant further investigation. Here are some strategies to help you identify areas for future research:

Explore Research Limitations

Take a close look at the limitations section of relevant studies. These limitations often provide valuable insights into potential areas for future research. Consider how addressing these limitations could enhance our understanding of the topic at hand.

Critically Analyze Discussion and Future Research Sections

When reading articles, pay special attention to the discussion and future research sections. These sections often highlight gaps in the current knowledge base and propose avenues for further exploration. Take note of any recurring themes or unanswered questions that emerge across multiple studies.

Utilize Targeted Search Terms

To streamline your search for research gaps, use targeted search terms such as "literature gap" or "future research" in combination with your subject keywords. This approach can help you quickly identify articles that explicitly discuss areas for future investigation.

Seek Guidance from Experts

Don't hesitate to reach out to your research advisor or other experts in your field. Their wealth of knowledge and experience can provide valuable insights into potential research gaps and emerging trends.

By employing these strategies, you'll be well-equipped to identify research gaps and craft recommendations that push the boundaries of current knowledge. Remember, the goal is to refine your research questions and focus your efforts on areas where more understanding is needed.

Structuring Your Recommendations

When it comes to structuring your recommendations, it's essential to keep them concise, organized, and tailored to your audience. Here are some key tips to help you craft impactful recommendations:

Prioritize and Organize

• Limit your recommendations to the most relevant and targeted suggestions for your peers or colleagues in the field.
• Place your recommendations at the end of the report, as they are often top of mind for readers.
• Write your recommendations in order of priority, with the most important ones for decision-makers coming first.

Use a Clear and Actionable Format

• Write recommendations in a clear, concise manner using actionable words derived from the data analyzed in your research.
• Use bullet points instead of long paragraphs for clarity and readability.
• Ensure that your recommendations are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely (SMART).

Connect Recommendations to Research

By following this simple formula, you can ensure that your recommendations are directly connected to your research and supported by a clear rationale.

Tailor to Your Audience

• Consider the needs and interests of your target audience when crafting your recommendations.
• Explain how your recommendations can solve the issues explored in your research.
• Acknowledge any limitations or constraints of your study that may impact the implementation of your recommendations.

Avoid Common Pitfalls

• Don't undermine your own work by suggesting incomplete or unnecessary recommendations.
• Avoid using recommendations as a place for self-criticism or introducing new information not covered in your research.
• Ensure that your recommendations are achievable and comprehensive, offering practical solutions for the issues considered in your paper.

By structuring your recommendations effectively, you can enhance the reliability and validity of your research findings, provide valuable strategies and suggestions for future research, and deliver impactful solutions to real-world problems.

Crafting Actionable and Specific Recommendations

Crafting actionable and specific recommendations is the key to ensuring your research findings have a real-world impact. Here are some essential tips to keep in mind:

Embrace Flexibility and Feasibility

Your recommendations should be open to discussion and new information, rather than being set in stone. Consider the following:

• Be realistic and considerate of your team's capabilities when making recommendations.
• Prioritize recommendations based on impact and reach, but be prepared to adjust based on team effort levels.
• Focus on solutions that require the fewest changes first, adopting an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) approach.

Provide Detailed and Justified Recommendations

To avoid vagueness and misinterpretation, ensure your recommendations are:

• Detailed, including photos, videos, or screenshots whenever possible.
• Justified based on research findings, providing alternatives when findings don't align with expectations or business goals.

Use this formula when writing recommendations:

Observed problem/pain point/unmet need + consequence + potential solution

Adopt a Solution-Oriented Approach

Foster collaboration and participation.

• Promote staff education on current research and create strategies to encourage adoption of promising clinical protocols.
• Include representatives from the treatment community in the development of the research initiative and the review of proposals.
• Require active, early, and permanent participation of treatment staff in the development, implementation, and interpretation of the study.

Tailor Recommendations to the Opportunity

When writing recommendations for a specific opportunity or program:

• Highlight the strengths and qualifications of the researcher.
• Provide specific examples of their work and accomplishments.
• Explain how their research has contributed to the field.
• Emphasize the researcher's potential for future success and their unique contributions.

By following these guidelines, you'll craft actionable and specific recommendations that drive meaningful change and showcase the value of your research.

Connecting Recommendations with Research Findings

Connecting your recommendations with research findings is crucial for ensuring the credibility and impact of your suggestions. Here's how you can seamlessly link your recommendations to the evidence uncovered in your study:

Grounding Recommendations in Research

Your recommendations should be firmly rooted in the data and insights gathered during your research process. Avoid including measures or suggestions that were not discussed or supported by your study findings. This approach ensures that your recommendations are evidence-based and directly relevant to the research at hand.

Highlighting the Significance of Collaboration

Research collaborations offer a wealth of benefits that can enhance an agency's competitive position. Consider the following factors when discussing the importance of collaboration in your recommendations:

• Organizational Development: Participation in research collaborations depends on an agency's stage of development, compatibility with its mission and culture, and financial stability.
• Trust-Building: Long-term collaboration success often hinges on a history of increasing involvement and trust between partners.
• Infrastructure: A permanent infrastructure that facilitates long-term development is key to successful collaborative programs.

Emphasizing Commitment and Participation

Fostering quality improvement and organizational learning.

In your recommendations, highlight the importance of enhancing quality improvement strategies and fostering organizational learning. Show sensitivity to the needs and constraints of community-based programs, as this understanding is crucial for effective collaboration and implementation.

Addressing Limitations and Implications

If not already addressed in the discussion section, your recommendations should mention the limitations of the study and their implications. Examples of limitations include:

• Sample size or composition
• Participant attrition
• Study duration

By acknowledging these limitations, you demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of your research and its potential impact.

By connecting your recommendations with research findings, you provide a solid foundation for your suggestions, emphasize the significance of collaboration, and showcase the potential for future research and practical applications.

Crafting impactful recommendations is a vital skill for any researcher looking to bridge the gap between their findings and real-world applications. By understanding the purpose of recommendations, identifying areas for future research, structuring your suggestions effectively, and connecting them to your research findings, you can unlock the full potential of your study. Remember to prioritize actionable, specific, and evidence-based recommendations that foster collaboration and drive meaningful change.

As you embark on your research journey, embrace the power of well-crafted recommendations to amplify the impact of your work. By following the guidelines outlined in this ultimate guide, you'll be well-equipped to write recommendations that resonate with your audience, inspire further investigation, and contribute to the advancement of your field. So go forth, make your research count, and let your recommendations be the catalyst for positive change.

Q: What are the steps to formulating recommendations in research? A: To formulate recommendations in research, you should first gain a thorough understanding of the research question. Review the existing literature to inform your recommendations and consider the research methods that were used. Identify which data collection techniques were employed and propose suitable data analysis methods. It's also essential to consider any limitations and ethical considerations of your research. Justify your recommendations clearly and finally, provide a summary of your recommendations.

Q: Why are recommendations significant in research studies? A: Recommendations play a crucial role in research as they form a key part of the analysis phase. They provide specific suggestions for interventions or strategies that address the problems and limitations discovered during the study. Recommendations are a direct response to the main findings derived from data collection and analysis, and they can guide future actions or research.

Q: Can you outline the seven steps involved in writing a research paper? A: Certainly. The seven steps to writing an excellent research paper include:

• Allowing yourself sufficient time to complete the paper.
• Defining the scope of your essay and crafting a clear thesis statement.
• Conducting a thorough yet focused search for relevant research materials.
• Reading the research materials carefully and taking detailed notes.
• Writing your paper based on the information you've gathered and analyzed.
• Editing your paper to ensure clarity, coherence, and correctness.
• Submitting your paper following the guidelines provided.

Q: What tips can help make a research paper more effective? A: To enhance the effectiveness of a research paper, plan for the extensive process ahead and understand your audience. Decide on the structure your research writing will take and describe your methodology clearly. Write in a straightforward and clear manner, avoiding the use of clichés or overly complex language.

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Writing the parts of scientific reports

22 Writing the conclusion & recommendations

There are probably some overlaps between the Conclusion and the Discussion section. Nevertheless, this section gives you the opportunity to highlight the most important points in your report, and is sometimes the only section read. Think about what your research/ study has achieved, and the most important findings and ideas you want the reader to know. As all studies have limitations also think about what you were not able to cover (this shows that you are able to evaluate your own work objectively).

Possible structure of this section:

Use present perfect to sum up/ evaluate:

This study has explored/ has attempted …

Use past tense to state what your aim was and to refer to actions you carried out:

• This study was intended to analyse …
• The aim of this study was to …

Use present tense to evaluate your study and to state the generalizations and implications that you draw from your findings.

• The results add to the knowledge of …
• These findings s uggest that …

You can either use present tense or past tense to summarize your results.

• The findings reveal …
• It was found that …

Achievements of this study (positive)

• This study provides evidence that …
• This work has contributed to a number of key issues in the field such as …

Limitations of the study (negative)

• Several limitations should be noted. First …

Combine positive and negative remarks to give a balanced assessment:

• Although this research is somewhat limited in scope, its findings can provide a basis for future studies.
• Despite the limitations, findings from the present study can help us understand …

Use more cautious language (modal verbs may, can, could)

• There are a number of possible extensions of this research …
• The findings suggest the possibility for future research on …
• These results may be important for future studies on …
• Examining a wider context could/ would lead …

Or indicate that future research is needed

• There is still a need for future research to determine …
• Further studies should be undertaken to discover…
• It would be worthwhile to investigate …

Academic Writing in a Swiss University Context Copyright © 2018 by Irene Dietrichs. All Rights Reserved.

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How to formulate research recommendations

• Related content
• Peer review
• Polly Brown ( pbrown{at}bmjgroup.com ) , publishing manager 1 ,
• Klara Brunnhuber , clinical editor 1 ,
• Kalipso Chalkidou , associate director, research and development 2 ,
• Iain Chalmers , director 3 ,
• Mike Clarke , director 4 ,
• Mark Fenton , editor 3 ,
• Carol Forbes , reviews manager 5 ,
• Julie Glanville , associate director/information service manager 5 ,
• Nicholas J Hicks , consultant in public health medicine 6 ,
• Janet Moody , identification and prioritisation manager 6 ,
• Sara Twaddle , director 7 ,
• Hazim Timimi , systems developer 8 ,
• Pamela Young , senior programme manager 6
• 1 BMJ Publishing Group, London WC1H 9JR,
• 2 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, London WC1V 6NA,
• 3 Database of Uncertainties about the Effects of Treatments, James Lind Alliance Secretariat, James Lind Initiative, Oxford OX2 7LG,
• 4 UK Cochrane Centre, Oxford OX2 7LG,
• 5 Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, University of York, York YO10 5DD,
• 6 National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment, University of Southampton, Southampton SO16 7PX,
• 7 Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, Edinburgh EH2 1EN,
• 8 Update Software, Oxford OX2 7LG
• Correspondence to: PBrown
• Accepted 22 September 2006

“More research is needed” is a conclusion that fits most systematic reviews. But authors need to be more specific about what exactly is required

Long awaited reports of new research, systematic reviews, and clinical guidelines are too often a disappointing anticlimax for those wishing to use them to direct future research. After many months or years of effort and intellectual energy put into these projects, authors miss the opportunity to identify unanswered questions and outstanding gaps in the evidence. Most reports contain only a less than helpful, general research recommendation. This means that the potential value of these recommendations is lost.

Current recommendations

In 2005, representatives of organisations commissioning and summarising research, including the BMJ Publishing Group, the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination, the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network, and the UK Cochrane Centre, met as members of the development group for the Database of Uncertainties about the Effects of Treatments (see bmj.com for details on all participating organisations). Our aim was to discuss the state of research recommendations within our organisations and to develop guidelines for improving the presentation of proposals for further research. All organisations had found weaknesses in the way researchers and authors of systematic reviews and clinical guidelines stated the need for further research. As part of the project, a member of the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination under-took a rapid literature search to identify information on research recommendation models, which found some individual methods but no group initiatives to attempt to standardise recommendations.

Suggested format for research recommendations on the effects of treatments

Core elements.

E Evidence (What is the current state of the evidence?)

P Population (What is the population of interest?)

I Intervention (What are the interventions of interest?)

C Comparison (What are the comparisons of interest?)

O Outcome (What are the outcomes of interest?)

T Time stamp (Date of recommendation)

Optional elements

d Disease burden or relevance

t Time aspect of core elements of EPICOT

s Appropriate study type according to local need

In January 2006, the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment presented the findings of an initial comparative analysis of how different organisations currently structure their research recommendations. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment request authors to present recommendations in a four component format for formulating well built clinical questions around treatments: population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes (PICO). 1 In addition, the research recommendation is dated and authors are asked to provide the current state of the evidence to support the proposal.

Clinical Evidence , although not directly standardising its sections for research recommendations, presents gaps in the evidence using a slightly extended version of the PICO format: evidence, population, intervention, comparison, outcomes, and time (EPICOT). Clinical Evidence has used this inherent structure to feed research recommendations on interventions categorised as “unknown effectiveness” back to the National Coordinating Centre for Health Technology Assessment and for inclusion in the Database of Uncertainties about the Effects of Treatments ( http://www.duets.nhs.uk/ ).

We decided to propose the EPICOT format as the basis for its statement on formulating research recommendations and tested this proposal through discussion and example. We agreed that this set of components provided enough context for formulating research recommendations without limiting researchers. In order for the proposed framework to be flexible and more widely applicable, the group discussed using several optional components when they seemed relevant or were proposed by one or more of the group members. The final outcome of discussions resulted in the proposed EPICOT+ format (box).

A recent BMJ article highlighted how lack of research hinders the applicability of existing guidelines to patients in primary care who have had a stroke or transient ischaemic attack. 2 Most research in the area had been conducted in younger patients with a recent episode and in a hospital setting. The authors concluded that “further evidence should be collected on the efficacy and adverse effects of intensive blood pressure lowering in representative populations before we implement this guidance [from national and international guidelines] in primary care.” Table 1 outlines how their recommendations could be formulated using the EPICOT+ format. The decision on whether additional research is indeed clinically and ethically warranted will still lie with the organisation considering commissioning the research.

Research recommendation based on gap in the evidence identified by a cross sectional study of clinical guidelines for management of patients who have had a stroke

• View inline

Table 2 shows the use of EPICOT+ for an unanswered question on the effectiveness of compliance therapy in people with schizophrenia, identified by the Database of Uncertainties about the Effects of Treatments.

Research recommendation based on a gap in the evidence on treatment of schizophrenia identified by the Database of Uncertainties about the Effects of Treatments

Discussions around optional elements

Although the group agreed that the PICO elements should be core requirements for a research recommendation, intense discussion centred on the inclusion of factors defining a more detailed context, such as current state of evidence (E), appropriate study type (s), disease burden and relevance (d), and timeliness (t).

Initially, group members interpreted E differently. Some viewed it as the supporting evidence for a research recommendation and others as the suggested study type for a research recommendation. After discussion, we agreed that E should be used to refer to the amount and quality of research supporting the recommendation. However, the issue remained contentious as some of us thought that if a systematic review was available, its reference would sufficiently identify the strength of the existing evidence. Others thought that adding evidence to the set of core elements was important as it provided a summary of the supporting evidence, particularly as the recommendation was likely to be abstracted and used separately from the review or research that led to its formulation. In contrast, the suggested study type (s) was left as an optional element.

A research recommendation will rarely have an absolute value in itself. Its relative priority will be influenced by the burden of ill health (d), which is itself dependent on factors such as local prevalence, disease severity, relevant risk factors, and the priorities of the organisation considering commissioning the research.

Similarly, the issue of time (t) could be seen to be relevant to each of the core elements in varying ways—for example, duration of treatment, length of follow-up. The group therefore agreed that time had a subsidiary role within each core item; however, T as the date of the recommendation served to define its shelf life and therefore retained individual importance.

Applicability and usability

The proposed statement on research recommendations applies to uncertainties of the effects of any form of health intervention or treatment and is intended for research in humans rather than basic scientific research. Further investigation is required to assess the applicability of the format for questions around diagnosis, signs and symptoms, prognosis, investigations, and patient preference.

When the proposed format is applied to a specific research recommendation, the emphasis placed on the relevant part(s) of the EPICOT+ format may vary by author, audience, and intended purpose. For example, a recommendation for research into treatments for transient ischaemic attack may or may not define valid outcome measures to assess quality of life or gather data on adverse effects. Among many other factors, its implementation will also depend on the strength of current findings—that is, strong evidence may support a tightly focused recommendation whereas a lack of evidence would result in a more general recommendation.

The controversy within the group, especially around the optional components, reflects the different perspectives of the participating organisations—whether they were involved in commissioning, undertaking, or summarising research. Further issues will arise during the implementation of the proposed format, and we welcome feedback and discussion.

Summary points

No common guidelines exist for the formulation of recommendations for research on the effects of treatments

Major organisations involved in commissioning or summarising research compared their approaches and agreed on core questions

The essential items can be summarised as EPICOT+ (evidence, population, intervention, comparison, outcome, and time)

Further details, such as disease burden and appropriate study type, should be considered as required

We thank Patricia Atkinson and Jeremy Wyatt.

Contributors and sources All authors contributed to manuscript preparation and approved the final draft. NJH is the guarantor.

Competing interests None declared.

• Richardson WS ,
• Wilson MC ,
• Nishikawa J ,
• Hayward RSA
• McManus RJ ,
• Leonardi-Bee J ,
• PROGRESS Collaborative Group
• Warburton E
• Rothwell P ,
• McIntosh AM ,
• Lawrie SM ,
• Stanfield AC
• O'Donnell C ,
• Donohoe G ,
• Sharkey L ,
• Jablensky A ,
• Sartorius N ,
• Ernberg G ,

Implications or Recommendations in Research: What's the Difference?

• Peer Review

High-quality research articles that get many citations contain both implications and recommendations. Implications are the impact your research makes, whereas recommendations are specific actions that can then be taken based on your findings, such as for more research or for policymaking.

Updated on August 23, 2022

That seems clear enough, but the two are commonly confused.

This confusion is especially true if you come from a so-called high-context culture in which information is often implied based on the situation, as in many Asian cultures. High-context cultures are different from low-context cultures where information is more direct and explicit (as in North America and many European cultures).

Let's set these two straight in a low-context way; i.e., we'll be specific and direct! This is the best way to be in English academic writing because you're writing for the world.

Implications and recommendations in a research article

The standard format of STEM research articles is what's called IMRaD:

• Introduction
• Discussion/conclusions

Some journals call for a separate conclusions section, while others have the conclusions as the last part of the discussion. You'll write these four (or five) sections in the same sequence, though, no matter the journal.

The discussion section is typically where you restate your results and how well they confirmed your hypotheses. Give readers the answer to the questions for which they're looking to you for an answer.

At this point, many researchers assume their paper is finished. After all, aren't the results the most important part? As you might have guessed, no, you're not quite done yet.

The discussion/conclusions section is where to say what happened and what should now happen

The discussion/conclusions section of every good scientific article should contain the implications and recommendations.

The implications, first of all, are the impact your results have on your specific field. A high-impact, highly cited article will also broaden the scope here and provide implications to other fields. This is what makes research cross-disciplinary.

Recommendations, however, are suggestions to improve your field based on your results.

These two aspects help the reader understand your broader content: How and why your work is important to the world. They also tell the reader what can be changed in the future based on your results.

These aspects are what editors are looking for when selecting papers for peer review.

Implications and recommendations are, thus, written at the end of the discussion section, and before the concluding paragraph. They help to “wrap up” your paper. Once your reader understands what you found, the next logical step is what those results mean and what should come next.

Then they can take the baton, in the form of your work, and run with it. That gets you cited and extends your impact!

The order of implications and recommendations also matters. Both are written after you've summarized your main findings in the discussion section. Then, those results are interpreted based on ongoing work in the field. After this, the implications are stated, followed by the recommendations.

Writing an academic research paper is a bit like running a race. Finish strong, with your most important conclusion (recommendation) at the end. Leave readers with an understanding of your work's importance. Avoid generic, obvious phrases like "more research is needed to fully address this issue." Be specific.

The main differences between implications and recommendations (table)

Now let's dig a bit deeper into actually how to write these parts.

What are implications?

Research implications tell us how and why your results are important for the field at large. They help answer the question of “what does it mean?” Implications tell us how your work contributes to your field and what it adds to it. They're used when you want to tell your peers why your research is important for ongoing theory, practice, policymaking, and for future research.

Crucially, your implications must be evidence-based. This means they must be derived from the results in the paper.

Implications are written after you've summarized your main findings in the discussion section. They come before the recommendations and before the concluding paragraph. There is no specific section dedicated to implications. They must be integrated into your discussion so that the reader understands why the results are meaningful and what they add to the field.

A good strategy is to separate your implications into types. Implications can be social, political, technological, related to policies, or others, depending on your topic. The most frequently used types are theoretical and practical. Theoretical implications relate to how your findings connect to other theories or ideas in your field, while practical implications are related to what we can do with the results.

Key features of implications

• State the impact your research makes
• Helps us understand why your results are important
• Must be evidence-based
• Written in the discussion, before recommendations
• Can be theoretical, practical, or other (social, political, etc.)

Examples of implications

Let's take a look at some examples of research results below with their implications.

The result : one study found that learning items over time improves memory more than cramming material in a bunch of information at once .

The implications : This result suggests memory is better when studying is spread out over time, which could be due to memory consolidation processes.

The result : an intervention study found that mindfulness helps improve mental health if you have anxiety.

The implications : This result has implications for the role of executive functions on anxiety.

The result : a study found that musical learning helps language learning in children .

The implications : these findings suggest that language and music may work together to aid development.

What are recommendations?

As noted above, explaining how your results contribute to the real world is an important part of a successful article.

Likewise, stating how your findings can be used to improve something in future research is equally important. This brings us to the recommendations.

Research recommendations are suggestions and solutions you give for certain situations based on your results. Once the reader understands what your results mean with the implications, the next question they need to know is "what's next?"

Recommendations are calls to action on ways certain things in the field can be improved in the future based on your results. Recommendations are used when you want to convey that something different should be done based on what your analyses revealed.

Similar to implications, recommendations are also evidence-based. This means that your recommendations to the field must be drawn directly from your results.

The goal of the recommendations is to make clear, specific, and realistic suggestions to future researchers before they conduct a similar experiment. No matter what area your research is in, there will always be further research to do. Try to think about what would be helpful for other researchers to know before starting their work.

Recommendations are also written in the discussion section. They come after the implications and before the concluding paragraphs. Similar to the implications, there is usually no specific section dedicated to the recommendations. However, depending on how many solutions you want to suggest to the field, they may be written as a subsection.

Key features of recommendations

• Statements about what can be done differently in the field based on your findings
• Must be realistic and specific
• Written in the discussion, after implications and before conclusions
• Related to both your field and, preferably, a wider context to the research

Examples of recommendations

Here are some research results and their recommendations.

A meta-analysis found that actively recalling material from your memory is better than simply re-reading it .

• The recommendation: Based on these findings, teachers and other educators should encourage students to practice active recall strategies.

A medical intervention found that daily exercise helps prevent cardiovascular disease .

• The recommendation: Based on these results, physicians are recommended to encourage patients to exercise and walk regularly. Also recommended is to encourage more walking through public health offices in communities.

A study found that many research articles do not contain the sample sizes needed to statistically confirm their findings .

The recommendation: To improve the current state of the field, researchers should consider doing power analysis based on their experiment's design.

What else is important about implications and recommendations?

When writing recommendations and implications, be careful not to overstate the impact of your results. It can be tempting for researchers to inflate the importance of their findings and make grandiose statements about what their work means.

Remember that implications and recommendations must be coming directly from your results. Therefore, they must be straightforward, realistic, and plausible.

Another good thing to remember is to make sure the implications and recommendations are stated clearly and separately. Do not attach them to the endings of other paragraphs just to add them in. Use similar example phrases as those listed in the table when starting your sentences to clearly indicate when it's an implication and when it's a recommendation.

When your peers, or brand-new readers, read your paper, they shouldn't have to hunt through your discussion to find the implications and recommendations. They should be clear, visible, and understandable on their own.

That'll get you cited more, and you'll make a greater contribution to your area of science while extending the life and impact of your work.

The AJE Team

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 20 July 2020

Writing the perfect recommendation letter

Andy Tay is a freelance writer based in Singapore.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Undergraduates need them for graduate-school applications; PhD students and postdocs use them to apply for fellowships and jobs; senior scientists often have to have them to apply for awards and promotions. But writing an effective and personal recommendation letter can be time-consuming, especially for academics who must juggle grant applications, manuscripts, teaching and student supervision. And some might struggle to say the right things to support a former employee or student in their career move, while sounding original and unique.

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Nature 584 , 158 (2020)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-02186-8

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity.

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Turn your research insights into actionable recommendations

At the end of one presentation, my colleague approached me and asked what I recommended based on the research. I was a bit puzzled. I didn’t expect anyone to ask me this kind of question. By that point in my career, I wasn’t aware that I had to make recommendations based on the research insights. I could talk about the next steps regarding what other research we had to conduct. I could also relay the information that something wasn’t working in a prototype, but I had no idea what to suggest. 

How to move from qualitative data to actionable insights

Over time, more and more colleagues asked for these recommendations. Finally, I realized that one of the key pieces I was missing in my reports was the “so what?” The prototype isn’t working, so what do we do next? Because I didn’t include suggestions, my colleagues had a difficult time marrying actions to my insights. Sure, the team could see the noticeable changes, but the next steps were a struggle, especially for generative research. 

Without these suggestions, my insights started to fall flat. My colleagues were excited about them and loved seeing the video clips, but they weren’t working with the findings. With this, I set out to experiment on how to write recommendations within a user research report. 

.css-1nrevy2{position:relative;display:inline-block;} How to write recommendations 

For a while, I wasn’t sure how to write recommendations. And, even now, I believe there is no  one right way . When I first started looking into this, I started with two main questions:

What do recommendations mean to stakeholders?

How prescriptive should recommendations be?

When people asked me for recommendations, I had no idea what they were looking for. I was nervous I would step on people’s toes and give the impression I thought I knew more than I did. I wasn’t a designer and didn’t want to make whacky design recommendations or impractical suggestions that would get developers rolling their eyes. 

When in doubt, I dusted off my internal research cap and sat with stakeholders to understand what they meant by recommendations. I asked them for examples of what they expected and what made a suggestion “helpful” or “actionable.” I walked away with a list of “must-haves” for my recommendations. They had to be:

Flexible. Just because I made an initial recommendation did not mean it was the only path forward. Once I presented the recommendations, we could talk through other ideas and consider new information. There were a few times when I revised my recommendations based on conversations I had with colleagues.

Feasible.  At first, I started presenting my recommendations without any prior feedback. My worst nightmare came true. The designer and developer sat back, arms crossed, and said, “A lot of this is impossible.” I quickly learned to review some of my recommendations I was uncertain about with them beforehand. Alternatively, I came up with several recommendations for one solution to help combat this problem.

Prioritized (to my best abilities).  Since I am not entirely sure of the recommendation’s effort, I use a chart of impact and reach to prioritize suggestions. Then, once I present this list, it may get reprioritized depending on effort levels from the team (hey, flexibility!).

Detailed.  This point helped me a lot with my second question regarding how in-depth I should make my recommendations. Some of the best detail comes from photos, videos, or screenshots, and colleagues appreciated when I linked recommendations with this media. They also told me to put in as much detail as possible to avoid vagueness, misinterpretation, and endless debate. 

Think MVP. Think about the solution with the fewest changes instead of recommending complex changes to a feature or product. What are some minor changes that the team can make to improve the experience or product?

Justified.  This part was the hardest for me. When my research findings didn’t align with expectations or business goals, I had no idea what to say. When I receive results that highlight we are going in the wrong direction, my recommendations become even more critical. Instead of telling the team that the new product or feature sucks and we should stop working on it, I offer alternatives. I follow the concept of “no, but...” So, “no, this isn’t working, but we found that users value X and Y, which could lead to increased retention” (or whatever metric we were looking at.

Let’s look at some examples

Although this list was beneficial in guiding my recommendations, I still wasn’t well-versed in how to write them. So, after some time, I created a formula for writing recommendations:

Observed problem/pain point/unmet need + consequence + potential solution

Evaluative research

Let’s imagine we are testing a check-out page, and we found that users were having a hard time filling out the shipping and billing forms, especially when there were two different addresses.

A non-specific and unhelpful recommendation might look like :

Users get frustrated when filling out the shipping and billing form.

The reasons this recommendation is not ideal are :

It provides no context or detail of the problem 

There is no proposed solution 

It sounds a bit judgemental (focus on the problem!) 

There is no immediate movement forward with this

A redesign recommendation about the same problem might look like this :

Users overlook the mandatory fields in the shipping and billing form, causing them to go back and fill out the form again. With this, they become frustrated. Include markers of required fields and avoid deleting information when users submit if they haven’t filled out all required fields.

Let’s take another example :

We tested an entirely new concept for our travel company, allowing people to pay to become “prime” travel members. In our user base, no one found any value in having or paying for a membership. However, they did find value in several of the features, such as sharing trips with family members or splitting costs but could not justify paying for them.

A suboptimal recommendation could look like this :

Users would not sign-up or pay for a prime membership.

Again, there is a considerable lack of context and understanding here, as well as action. Instead, we could try something like:

Users do not find enough value in the prime membership to sign-up or pay for it. Therefore, they do not see themselves using the feature. However, they did find value in two features: sharing trips with friends and splitting the trip costs. Focusing, instead, on these features could bring more people to our platform and increase retention. 

Generative research

Generative research can look a bit trickier because there isn’t always an inherent problem you are solving. For example, you might not be able to point to a usability issue, so you have to look more broadly at pain points or unmet needs. 

For example, in our generative research, we found that people often forget to buy gifts for loved ones, making them feel guilty and rushed at the last minute to find something meaningful but quickly.

This finding is extremely broad and could go in so many directions. With suggestions, we don’t necessarily want to lead our teams down only one path (flexibility!), but we also don’t want to leave the recommendation too vague (detailed). I use  How Might We statements  to help me build generative research recommendations. 

Just reporting the above wouldn’t entirely be enough for a recommendation, so let’s try to put it in a more actionable format:

People struggled to remember to buy gifts for loved one’s birthdays or special days. By the time their calendar notified them, it was too late to get a gift, leaving them filled with guilt and rushing to purchase a meaningful gift to arrive on time. How might we help people remember birthdays early enough to find meaningful gifts for their loved ones?

A great follow-up to generative research recommendations can be  running an ideation workshop !

Researching the right thing versus researching the thing right

How to format recommendations in your report.

I always end with recommendations because people leave a presentation with their minds buzzing and next steps top of mind (hopefully!). My favorite way to format suggestions is in a chart. That way, I can link the recommendation back to the insight and priority. My recommendations look like this:

Overall, play around with the recommendations that you give to your teams. The best thing you can do is ask for what they expect and then ask for feedback. By catering and iterating to your colleagues’ needs, you will help them make better decisions based on your research insights!

Written by Nikki Anderson, User Research Lead & Instructor. Nikki is a User Research Lead and Instructor with over eight years of experience. She has worked in all different sizes of companies, ranging from a tiny start-up called ALICE to large corporation Zalando, and also as a freelancer. During this time, she has led a diverse range of end-to-end research projects across the world, specializing in generative user research. Nikki also owns her own company, User Research Academy, a community and education platform designed to help people get into the field of user research, or learn more about how user research impacts their current role. User Research Academy hosts online classes, content, as well as personalized mentorship opportunities with Nikki. She is extremely passionate about teaching and supporting others throughout their journey in user research. To spread the word of research and help others transition and grow in the field, she writes as a writer at dscout and Dovetail. Outside of the world of user research, you can find Nikki (happily) surrounded by animals, including her dog and two cats, reading on her Kindle, playing old-school video games like Pokemon and World of Warcraft, and writing fiction novels.

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Evans D, Coad J, Cottrell K, et al. Public involvement in research: assessing impact through a realist evaluation. Southampton (UK): NIHR Journals Library; 2014 Oct. (Health Services and Delivery Research, No. 2.36.)

Public involvement in research: assessing impact through a realist evaluation.

Chapter 9 conclusions and recommendations for future research.

• How well have we achieved our original aim and objectives?

The initially stated overarching aim of this research was to identify the contextual factors and mechanisms that are regularly associated with effective and cost-effective public involvement in research. While recognising the limitations of our analysis, we believe we have largely achieved this in our revised theory of public involvement in research set out in Chapter 8 . We have developed and tested this theory of public involvement in research in eight diverse case studies; this has highlighted important contextual factors, in particular PI leadership, which had not previously been prominent in the literature. We have identified how this critical contextual factor shapes key mechanisms of public involvement, including the identification of a senior lead for involvement, resource allocation for involvement and facilitation of research partners. These mechanisms then lead to specific outcomes in improving the quality of research, notably recruitment strategies and materials and data collection tools and methods. We have identified a ‘virtuous circle’ of feedback to research partners on their contribution leading to their improved confidence and motivation, which facilitates their continued contribution. Following feedback from the HS&DR Board on our original application we did not seek to assess the cost-effectiveness of different mechanisms of public involvement but we did cost the different types of public involvement as discussed in Chapter 7 . A key finding is that many research projects undercost public involvement.

In our original proposal we emphasised our desire to include case studies involving young people and families with children in the research process. We recruited two studies involving parents of young children aged under 5 years, and two projects involving ‘older’ young people in the 18- to 25-years age group. We recognise that in doing this we missed studies involving children and young people aged under 18 years; in principle we would have liked to have included studies involving such children and young people, but, given the resources at our disposal and the additional resource, ethical and governance issues this would have entailed, we regretfully concluded that this would not be feasible for our study. In terms of the four studies with parental and young persons’ involvement that we did include, we have not done a separate analysis of their data, but the themes emerging from those case studies were consistent with our other case studies and contributed to our overall analysis.

In terms of the initial objectives, we successfully recruited the sample of eight diverse case studies and collected and analysed data from them (objective 1). As intended, we identified the outcomes of involvement from multiple stakeholders‘ perspectives, although we did not get as many research partners‘ perspectives as we would have liked – see limitations below (objective 2). It was more difficult than expected to track the impact of public involvement from project inception through to completion (objective 3), as all of our projects turned out to have longer time scales than our own. Even to track involvement over a stage of a case study research project proved difficult, as the research usually did not fall into neatly staged time periods and one study had no involvement activity over the study period.

Nevertheless, we were able to track seven of the eight case studies prospectively and in real time over time periods of up to 9 months, giving us an unusual window on involvement processes that have previously mainly been observed retrospectively. We were successful in comparing the contextual factors, mechanisms and outcomes associated with public involvement from different stakeholders‘ perspectives and costing the different mechanisms for public involvement (objective 4). We only partly achieved our final objective of undertaking a consensus exercise among stakeholders to assess the merits of the realist evaluation approach and our approach to the measurement and valuation of economic costs of public involvement in research (objective 5). A final consensus event was held, where very useful discussion and amendment of our theory of public involvement took place, and the economic approach was discussed and helpfully critiqued by participants. However, as our earlier discussions developed more fully than expected, we decided to let them continue rather than interrupt them in order to run the final exercise to assess the merits of the realist evaluation approach. We did, however, test our analysis with all our case study participants by sending a draft of this final report for comment. We received a number of helpful comments and corrections but no disagreement with our overall analysis.

• What were the limitations of our study?

Realist evaluation is a relatively new approach and we recognise that there were a number of limitations to our study. We sought to follow the approach recommended by Pawson, but we acknowledge that we were not always able to do so. In particular, our theory of public involvement in research evolved over time and initially was not as tightly framed in terms of a testable hypothesis as Pawson recommends. In his latest book Pawson strongly recommends that outcomes should be measured with quantitative data, 17 but we did not do so; we were not aware of the existence of quantitative data or tools that would enable us to collect such data to answer our research questions. Even in terms of qualitative data, we did not capture as much information on outcomes as we initially envisaged. There were several reasons for this. The most important was that capturing outcomes in public involvement is easier the more operational the focus of involvement, and more difficult the more strategic the involvement. Thus, it was relatively easy to see the impact of a patient panel on the redesign of a recruitment leaflet but harder to capture the impact of research partners in a multidisciplinary team discussion of research design.

We also found it was sometimes more difficult to engage research partners as participants in our research than researchers or research managers. On reflection this is not surprising. Research partners are generally motivated to take part in research relevant to their lived experience of a health condition or situation, whereas our research was quite detached from their lived experience; in addition people had many constraints on their time, so getting involved in our research as well as their own was likely to be a burden too far for some. Researchers clearly also face significant time pressures but they had a more direct interest in our research, as they are obliged to engage with public involvement to satisfy research funders such as the NIHR. Moreover, researchers were being paid by their employers for their time during interviews with us, while research partners were not paid by us and usually not paid by their research teams. Whatever the reasons, we had less response from research partners than researchers or research managers, particularly for the third round of data collection; thus we have fewer data on outcomes from research partners‘ perspectives and we need to be aware of a possible selection bias towards more engaged research partners. Such a bias could have implications for our findings; for example payment might have been a more important motivating factor for less engaged advisory group members.

There were a number of practical difficulties we encountered. One challenge was when to recruit the case studies. We recruited four of our eight case studies prior to the full application, but this was more than 1 year before our project started and 15 months or more before data collection began. In this intervening period, we found that the time scales of some of the case studies were no longer ideal for our project and we faced the choice of whether to continue with them, although this timing was not ideal, or seek at a late moment to recruit alternative ones. One of our case studies ultimately undertook no involvement activity over the study period, so we obtained fewer data from it, and it contributed relatively little to our analysis. Similarly, one of the four case studies we recruited later experienced some delays itself in beginning and so we had a more limited period for data collection than initially envisaged. Research governance approvals took much longer than expected, particularly as we had to take three of our research partners, who were going to collect data within NHS projects, through the research passport process, which essentially truncated our data collection period from 1 year to 9 months. Even if we had had the full year initially envisaged for data collection, our conclusion with hindsight was that this was insufficiently long. To compare initial plans and intentions for involvement with the reality of what actually happened required a longer time period than a year for most of our case studies.

In the light of the importance we have placed on the commitment of PIs, there is an issue of potential selection bias in the recruitment of our sample. As our sampling strategy explicitly involved a networking approach to PIs of projects where we thought some significant public involvement was taking place, we were likely (as we did) to recruit enthusiasts and, at worst, those non-committed who were at least open to the potential value of public involvement. There were, unsurprisingly, no highly sceptical PIs in our sample. We have no data therefore on how public involvement may work in research where the PI is sceptical but may feel compelled to undertake involvement because of funder requirements or other factors.

• What would we do differently next time?

If we were to design this study again, there are a number of changes we would make. Most importantly we would go for a longer time period to be able to capture involvement through the whole research process from initial design through to dissemination. We would seek to recruit far more potential case studies in principle, so that we had greater choice of which to proceed with once our study began in earnest. We would include case studies from the application stage to capture the important early involvement of research partners in the initial design period. It might be preferable to research a smaller number of case studies, allowing a more in-depth ethnographic approach. Although challenging, it would be very informative to seek to sample sceptical PIs. This might require a brief screening exercise of a larger group of PIs on their attitudes to and experience of public involvement.

The economic evaluation was challenging in a number of ways, particularly in seeking to obtain completed resource logs from case study research partners. Having a 2-week data collection period was also problematic in a field such as public involvement, where activity may be very episodic and infrequent. Thus, collecting economic data alongside other case study data in a more integrated way, and particularly with interviews and more ethnographic observation of case study activities, might be advantageous. The new budgeting tool developed by INVOLVE and the MHRN may provide a useful resource for future economic evaluations. 23

We have learned much from the involvement of research partners in our research team and, although many aspects of our approach worked well, there are some things we would do differently in future. Even though we included substantial resources for research partner involvement in all aspects of our study, we underestimated how time-consuming such full involvement would be. We were perhaps overambitious in trying to ensure such full involvement with the number of research partners and the number and complexity of the case studies. We were also perhaps naive in expecting all the research partners to play the same role in the team; different research partners came with different experiences and skills, and, like most of our case studies, we might have been better to be less prescriptive and allow the roles to develop more organically within the project.

• Implications for research practice and funding

If one of the objectives of R&D policy is to increase the extent and effectiveness of public involvement in research, then a key implication of this research is the importance of influencing PIs to value public involvement in research or to delegate to other senior colleagues in leading on involvement in their research. Training is unlikely to be the key mechanism here; senior researchers are much more likely to be influenced by peers or by their personal experience of the benefits of public involvement. Early career researchers may be shaped by training but again peer learning and culture may be more influential. For those researchers sceptical or agnostic about public involvement, the requirement of funders is a key factor that is likely to make them engage with the involvement agenda. Therefore, funders need to scrutinise the track record of research teams on public involvement to ascertain whether there is any evidence of commitment or leadership on involvement.

One of the findings of the economic analysis was that PIs have consistently underestimated the costs of public involvement in their grant applications. Clearly the field will benefit from the guidance and budgeting tool recently disseminated by MHRN and INVOLVE. It was also notable that there was a degree of variation in the real costs of public involvement and that effective involvement is not necessarily costly. Different models of involvement incur different costs and researchers need to be made aware of the costs and benefits of these different options.

One methodological lesson we learned was the impact that conducting this research had on some participants’ reflection on the impact of public involvement. Particularly for research staff, the questions we asked sometimes made them reflect upon what they were doing and change aspects of their approach to involvement. Thus, the more the NIHR and other funders can build reporting, audit and other forms of evaluation on the impact of public involvement directly into their processes with PIs, the more likely such questioning might stimulate similar reflection.

• Recommendations for further research

There are a number of gaps in our knowledge around public involvement in research that follow from our findings, and would benefit from further research, including realist evaluation to extend and further test the theory we have developed here:

• In-depth exploration of how PIs become committed to public involvement and how to influence agnostic or sceptical PIs would be very helpful. Further research might compare, for example, training with peer-influencing strategies in engendering PI commitment. Research could explore the leadership role of other research team members, including research partners, and how collective leadership might support effective public involvement.
• More methodological work is needed on how to robustly capture the impact and outcomes of public involvement in research (building as well on the PiiAF work of Popay et al. 51 ), including further economic analysis and exploration of impact when research partners are integral to research teams.
• Research to develop approaches and carry out a full cost–benefit analysis of public involvement in research would be beneficial. Although methodologically challenging, it would be very useful to conduct some longer-term studies which sought to quantify the impact of public involvement on such key indicators as participant recruitment and retention in clinical trials.
• It would also be helpful to capture qualitatively the experiences and perspectives of research partners who have had mixed or negative experiences, since they may be less likely than enthusiasts to volunteer to participate in studies of involvement in research such as ours. Similarly, further research might explore the (relatively rare) experiences of marginalised and seldom-heard groups involved in research.
• Payment for public involvement in research remains a contested issue with strongly held positions for and against; it would be helpful to further explore the value research partners and researchers place on payment and its effectiveness for enhancing involvement in and impact on research.
• A final relatively narrow but important question that we identified after data collection had finished is: what is the impact of the long periods of relative non-involvement following initial periods of more intense involvement for research partners in some types of research, particularly clinical trials?

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Walden University. (2013).  An overview of learning  [Video]. Walden University Canvas.  https://waldenu.instructure.com  

Use this format for online videos such as Walden videos in classrooms. Most of our classroom videos are produced by Walden University, which will be listed as the author in your reference and citation. Note: Some examples of audiovisual materials in the APA manual show the word “Producer” in parentheses after the producer/author area. In consultation with the editors of the APA manual, we have determined that parenthetical is not necessary for the videos in our courses. The manual itself is unclear on the matter, however, so either approach should be accepted. Note that the speaker in the video does not appear in the reference list entry, but you may want to mention that person in your text. For instance, if you are viewing a video where Tobias Ball is the speaker, you might write the following: Tobias Ball stated that APA guidelines ensure a consistent presentation of information in student papers (Walden University, 2013). For more information on citing the speaker in a video, see our page on Common Citation Errors .

Taylor, R. [taylorphd07]. (2014, February 27). Scales of measurement [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDsMUlexaMY

OASIS. (2020, April 15). One-way ANCOVA: Introduction [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/_XnNDQ5CNW8

For videos from streaming sites, use the person or organization who uploaded the video in the author space to ensure retrievability, whether or not that person is the speaker in the video. A username can be provided in square brackets. As a change from APA 6 to APA 7, include the publisher after the title, and do not use "Retrieved from" before the URL. See APA 7, Section 10.12 for more information and examples.

See also reference list entry formats for TED Talks .

Technical and Research Reports

Edwards, C. (2015). Lighting levels for isolated intersections: Leading to safety improvements (Report No. MnDOT 2015-05). Center for Transportation Studies. http://www.cts.umn.edu/Publications/ResearchReports/reportdetail.html?id=2402

Technical and research reports by governmental agencies and other research institutions usually follow a different publication process than scholarly, peer-reviewed journals. However, they present original research and are often useful for research papers. Sometimes, researchers refer to these types of reports as gray literature , and white papers are a type of this literature. See APA 7, Section 10.4 for more information.

Reference list entires for TED Talks follow the usual guidelines for multimedia content found online. There are two common places to find TED talks online, with slightly different reference list entry formats for each.

TED Talk on the TED website

If you find the TED Talk on the TED website, follow the format for an online video on an organizational website:

Owusu-Kesse, K. (2020, June). 5 needs that any COVID-19 response should meet [Video]. TED Conferences. https://www.ted.com/talks/kwame_owusu_kesse_5_needs_that_any_covid_19_response_should_meet

The speaker is the author in the reference list entry if the video is posted on the TED website. For citations, use the speaker's surname.

TED Talk on YouTube

If you find the TED Talk on YouTube or another streaming video website, follow the usual format for streaming video sites:

TED. (2021, February 5). The shadow pandemic of domestic violence during COVID-19 | Kemi DaSilvalbru [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGdID_ICFII

TED is the author in the reference list entry if the video is posted on YouTube since it is the channel on which the video is posted. For citations, use TED as the author.

Walden University Course Catalog

To include the Walden course catalog in your reference list, use this format:

Walden University. (2020). 2019-2020 Walden University catalog . https://catalog.waldenu.edu/index.php

If you cite from a specific portion of the catalog in your paper, indicate the appropriate section and paragraph number in your text:

...which reflects the commitment to social change expressed in Walden University's mission statement (Walden University, 2020, Vision, Mission, and Goals section, para. 2).

And in the reference list:

Walden University. (2020). Vision, mission, and goals. In 2019-2020 Walden University catalog. https://catalog.waldenu.edu/content.php?catoid=172&navoid=59420&hl=vision&returnto=search

Vartan, S. (2018, January 30). Why vacations matter for your health . CNN. https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/why-vacations-matter/index.html

For webpages on the open web, include the author, date, webpage title, organization/site name, and URL. (There is a slight variation for online versions of print newspapers or magazines. For those sources, follow the models in the previous sections of this page.)

American Federation of Teachers. (n.d.). Community schools . http://www.aft.org/issues/schoolreform/commschools/index.cfm

If there is no specified author, then use the organization’s name as the author. In such a case, there is no need to repeat the organization's name after the title.

In APA 7, active hyperlinks for DOIs and URLs should be used for documents meant for screen reading. Present these hyperlinks in blue and underlined text (the default formatting in Microsoft Word), although plain black text is also acceptable. Be consistent in your formatting choice for DOIs and URLs throughout your reference list.

Related Resources

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How to Write a Letter of Recommendation (Template + Tips)

Learn how to write a letter of recommendation, including tips on what to include and when to say no.

A letter of recommendation is a letter written on behalf of an applicant by someone who can vouch for that person’s educational or professional performance. This letter is typically sent to an admissions officer or hiring manager considering a candidate for admission, employment, or a scholarship.

Letters of recommendation help round out an application. They do this by offering insight into an applicant’s personal qualities like integrity, intellectual curiosity, or leadership potential. Writing a strong letter of recommendation as a teacher, counselor, manager, or co-worker can help give an applicant an edge over their competition.

Letter of recommendation template

Use this template to get you started on writing a properly formatted recommendation.

Letter of recommendation sample

Here’s an example of a strong recommendation letter written using the template above.

How to format a letter of recommendation

Different organizations have different recommendation letter requirements. Be sure to ask the requester about any specific guidelines. In general, a letter or recommendation can be broken down into the following sections:

Recipient Name

Recipient Title

Recipient Address

Greeting: Address the recipient by name if possible (Dear Ms/Mr).

Personal introduction: Begin the body of your letter by introducing who you are and your relationship to the applicant.

Recommendation: What makes the candidate a good fit? Offer specific examples of skills or qualifications that match the role.

Anecdote or example: Include a personal anecdote about what it’s like to work with the candidate. Include any workplace or people skills you’ve observed them to possess.

Closing: Give an overview of why you’d recommend this person.

Contact information: Provide your email address and phone number so the recipient can follow up.

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Tips for writing a strong letter of recommendation

If you’re writing a recommendation letter, you likely want the candidate to have the best chance of getting a positive result. Here are some tips for writing a good letter that may stand out to admissions officers, potential employers, or anyone else reviewing the letter.

Do your research.

Find out what exactly the candidate is applying for. Ask them to provide:

A copy of the job description or academic program requirements 

Their resume

Any particular skills, achievements, or qualifications they’d like you to highlight 

This will help you focus your letter on the skills or qualifications that are specific to the role the candidate is applying for. 

Be specific.

Please feel free to use a template (like the one above) to guide your writing, but remember to make it personal. Use examples and specific details to illustrate why this person is the best candidate. Choose strong, accurate adjectives over general terms or cliches. 

Think about what the person reading the letter might want to know. Include details or insight that wouldn’t necessarily show up on a resume or application. Your letter should help the recipient get to know the person you are recommending. 

Read more: How to Ask for a Letter of Recommendation (Template + Tips)

Stay positive.

Your recommendation should confirm that this candidate is a strong contender for whatever they’re applying for. Demonstrate honest enthusiasm, and avoid any comments that could be construed in a negative light. If you can make a superlative comparison between this person and others you’ve worked with (e.g. “she’s one of the best student aides I’ve had the pleasure to work with in my career as a professor”), do so.

Keep it formal and concise.

Use a business letter format using a twelve point font size in either Arial or Times New Roman. Write your letter on your business or organization letterhead if possible. The recipient likely reads dozens if not hundreds of letters, so keep yours concise and to the point. Aim for at least one page but no more than two. 

Don’t be afraid to say no.

If you feel like you’re unable to offer a glowing recommendation for a candidate, it’s okay to say no. A mediocre endorsement can often do as much damage as a negative one. While it may feel uncomfortable, it’s perfectly acceptable to respectfully decline a request.

Follow the instructions.

You’re vouching for this person. Be sure to follow any specific submission guidelines carefully, and get your letter in on time (or early). If your letter makes a good impression, that will carry over to the candidate you’re endorsing.

How to ask for a letter of recommendation

Chances are that you’ll be asked to provide letters of recommendation as part of an application you’re submitting sometime during your education or career. This is particularly true when you’re applying for graduate programs. One or more letters of recommendation are almost always part of the application process.

Keep reading

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How to write recommendation slides like a consultant (examples and template).

Table of contents

What is a recommendation slide, what is the difference between a recommendation and a next steps slide, how to write best practice recommendation slides, examples from mckinsey, bcg, and bain.

Recommendation slides are often the most important part of any consulting project, yet are not often discussed. In this post, we’ll go over what a Recommendation slide is, how it is different from a Next Steps slide, how to create a best practice layout, as well as show you examples of what it looks like in McKinsey , BCG , and Bain projects.  

A Recommendation slide is a slide that outlines the main suggestions or proposed actions based on the information presented in the preceding slides. It typically comes after the analysis section of a presentation and is the introduction to the solution/conclusion/roadmap section. The Recommendation slide may be a stand-alone slide just listing suggested initiatives, or it may be several slides that summarizes opportunities and expands them into concrete sub-initiatives. The purpose of a Recommendation slide is to give a clear, concise, and easily understandable overview of initiatives that an organization or team can take to achieve some stated goals or change a situation identified through the analysis. In that sense, the recommendation slide is the “R” of the SCR or Situation-Complication-Resolution framework commonly used by management consultants to structure their presentations. This also means the Recommendation slide is in many ways the most important slide of the entire presentation or project, and presents the most valuable information.  It is important to remember that a Recommendation slide is meant to elicit action and form the basis of a plan going forward and a roadmap for change. It should be a guide that aids decision makers in allocating resources and formulating strategies going forward. In other words, the Recommendation slide ties together the analysis and the plan moving forward. A good Recommendation slide should therefore directly address the issues or opportunities discussed in the presentation and be relevant to the goals and objectives of the audience/client. Furthermore, each recommendation should ideally be supported by data or analysis presented earlier in the presentation. This helps make the recommendations credible and persuasive. Finally, the recommendations should be action-oriented and be both practical and achievable.

Some examples of Recommendations slides from our Slideworks templates

Recommendation slides are sometimes confused with Next Step slides, however the two types are quite different.

A Recommendation slide lays out the key actions needed to reach an established goal. These include both short and long term actions. The recommendations are typically unfolded in a longer roadmap or implementation plan.

A Next Steps slide typically focuses on the immediate next steps that need to be taken to start putting the implementation plan/roadmap into action.

A good way to distinguish between the two is to think of them as answering two different types of questions:

• Recommendation slide: What do we need to do to achieve our goal(s)?
• Next steps slide: What do we need to do on Monday to start taking actions on those recommendations?

Find ready-to-use PowerPoint slides for creating best-practice Recommendations in our Consulting Toolkit Template .

Recommendation slides come in many different formats, with a simple text slide being one of the most common forms.  However, even if it is a simple slide there are some basic best practices that help make your Recommendations slide clear and impactful:

• Group your recommendations: Group your recommendations into logical categories or areas to make it easier for your audience to digest where and what the main recommendations are. Try to group them in enough different categories that each group is small enough to get an overview of everything needed within that category, but not so many categories that each one only ends up with a couple of sub-initiatives in it. A rule of thumb is to aim for somewhere between three and nine main groups in total, with between three and eleven sub-initiatives in each group. An intuitive way to do this is to use categories or areas that correspond to the way your company or team are already organized. E.g., if you’re presenting cost improvements and your company is organized by functions, then you might have categories like “HR”, “Procurement” or similar. Depending on your type of presentation, you may also choose to use categories that mirror the way you’ve conducted the analyses that have led to the recommendations, e.g., by presenting the recommendations as responses to key challenges or issues that have been identified through previous analysis. Regardless of the way you decide to group the recommendations, make sure they are MECE .  
• Divide your recommendations into main recommendations and sub-initiatives: Make sure your recommendations are generally on the same “level”. This means your main recommendations/initiatives should have expected impacts at the same order of magnitude. In other words, you do not want one main recommendation to be “Cut HR costs by 10%” and another to be “Switch to private label bottled water in the HQ break rooms”, as these two are on two different levels of impact and granularity. You can do this by dividing your recommendations into main recommendations/initiatives and sub-initiatives, and moving any recommendations that are too granular to sub-initiatives.  
• Use active language: Try to ensure that all recommendations start with verbs like “Implement…”, “Set up…”, “Define…” so your recommendations read like a to-do list or plan. Remember, recommendations are supposed to inspire immediate action.  
• Be concise: Make sure that your recommendations are written in a concise, straightforward manner to avoid any ambiguity. Read through them and trim down any excess words or unclear statements. In addition, make it easier for your audience to grasp the recommendations by bolding key words or sentences.  
• Use an action title for your recommendation slide: Use action titles on your recommendation slides to help guide your audience to the key points and fit the slide into your overall storyline .  
• Make your recommendations visually easy to follow throughout your presentation: Add some formatting that will make it easy to distinguish each recommendation going forward and for your audience to quickly refer back to whatever main recommendation you are discussing once you start digging into more granular solutions. This can be done with either numbers, colors, or icons.

Below is an example of how a simple text slide of recommendations is made easier to understand and digest by following the simple steps above. The slide on the left is a simple bulletpoint text slide but it is difficult to see what type of recommendations are put forth and what each recommendation is. The slide on the right contains the same information but has been grouped in categories with bolded text summarizing the recommendation and added numbers to get an easy overview.

Below we bring you a series of examples from McKinsey, BCG, and Bain to show you how recommendation slides are presented in top-tier consulting houses.

The first example if a slide from McKinsey from this deck . Here you can see how they highlight key points in each recommendation with bolded text, as well as adding numbers to make the recommendations easier to grasp.  In addition, notice that the title is an action title and does not simply say "Recommendations".

A simple recommendation slide from McKinsey & Co

Our second example is a similarly succinct and simple recommendation slide from BCG from this project . 

Here, they have used simple boxes to group the recommendations into main categories that mirror the client's strategic priorities. By adding contrasting number balls to each recommendation they make it easy to get an overview and follow the recommendations in the rest of the deck.

A simple recommendation slide from Boston Consulting Group

Below is also an example from BCG, from this classic deck . Here, they start off by recommending seven overarching areas of action to effectively communicate where the burning platforms are. They then expand on these areas with specific, granular initiatives to create the "to-do" list, and finally present a prioritization of initiatives to aid decision makers in where to start allocating resources.

An example of a recommendation slide from Boston Consulting Group that starts with the overarching areas of action...

...that are then expanded into concrete initiatives...

...and finally prioritized according to effort and impact

Finally, here is an example from Bain (find the full deck here ). Similarly to the previous BCG example, they start off by summarizing the five opportunity areas they have identified through their analysis. This gives the client a clear idea of where the most impactful recommendations will be and helps frame the following initiatives.

Within each opportunity area, the Bain consultants then frame recommendations/initiatives by contrasting them to their key findings. This gives the client an assurance that the recommendations are data-driven and helps anchor each recommendation in a known context.

They end by summing up the expected results of implementing each recommendation to both help the client understand which areas bring the most savings and support the "case for change".

An example of a recommendation slide from Bain & Co that starts off with an overview of opportunity areas...

...before deep-diving into each area and listing specific recommendations...

...and finally summing up the impact of these recommendations

These are just some examples of what recommendation slides can look like. If you need to create your own Recommendations slide, you can find ready-to-use, best-practice template slides in our Consulting Toolkit , along with many other useful slide layouts.

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2024 Medical School Letters of Recommendation Guide

• By Med School Insiders
• January 10, 2024
• Medical Student , Pre-med
• Letters of Recommendation , Medical School Application

Medical school letters of recommendation are often under-appreciated. Not giving your letters the respect and attention they deserve is extremely detrimental to your application and could be the difference between being accepted or rejected.

Letters of recommendation are vital to an effective and successful medical school application. They provide a respected professional’s opinion of you, as opposed to your own claims or the opinion of a biased friend or relative. A quality letter from a professor at an academic institution or someone who works with students through extracurriculars holds a lot of weight.

Letters of recommendation offer an impartial summary of your unique skills from a qualified professional—so they have a big impact on admissions committees.

Learn why letters of recommendation are so important, how to ask, and common mistakes to avoid. In this post, we’ll cover the Why, Who, What, Where, When, and How of letters of recommendation.

Applying through TMDSAS or AACOMAS? We have a guide dedicated to TMDSAS Letters of Recommendation and AACOMAS Letters of Recommendation .

Why Letters of Recommendation Are So Important

Letters of recommendation are a crucial piece of the medical school application. Some argue they’re even more important than the personal statement since the personal statement is naturally biased. After all, a personal statement is all about trying to paint yourself in the absolute best light.

Read our free Step-by-Step Guide: How to Write a Medical School Personal Statement for tips on getting started, what to include, and common mistakes to avoid.

On the other hand, letters of recommendation are written by respected professionals, such as mentors, professors, and physicians. An admissions committee is very likely going to take their word over yours. If the person you ask to write your letter of recommendation has worked closely with you and speaks very highly of you, it’s a big deal.

A negative letter of recommendation is a huge problem. A poor or lukewarm letter of recommendation could do irreparable harm to your application. You must approach this process in advance with plenty of organization, taking care to choose your letters wisely.

Who to Ask For Letters of Recommendation

You’ll need to include a total of four to five letters with your medical school application.

Three of these must be academic letters written by undergraduate professors—two science letters and one non-science letter. The two remaining letters are from your extracurriculars, typically research and clinical experience.

While it may be tempting to secure a respected, recognizable name to write your letters, it’s much more important that you choose someone who knows you well and thinks very highly of you. If you’ve only had a few conversations with the person you’re asking to write your letter, it won’t be effective. They simply won’t have that much to say about you and can’t offer much insight into who you really are.

Choose someone who can speak about your strengths on a deep level. The letter will have a much greater impact on the admissions committee.

Use our framework to maximize your chances of success: How to Choose Medical School Letters of Recommendation Writers .

What to Provide to Letter of Recommendation Writers

The people you’re asking to write a letter are busy with their own careers and lives. It’s up to you to make the process as smooth and simple as possible. In order to do so, there are a number of key pieces you need to provide.

• Submission instructions —Provide the writers of your letters of recommendation with all of the information they need to submit your letter to the submission service. Typically, this is the AMCAS Letter Service (for allopathic medical schools.) Your letter writer won’t be submitting the letter to you; they will need to submit it directly to the service. Provide your letter writer with a Letter Request Form, available in the Main Menu of the Letters of Evaluation section. This form is a PDF generated in the AMCAS application for each of your designated letter authors, and it includes your mailing address, AAMC ID, the Letter ID, and information about how to submit letters to AMCAS. The Letter ID is a unique seven-digit code assigned to each letter entry on your AMCAS application. It must be provided to each letter writer in order to correctly match their letter with the letter entry you created in your application.
• Updated CV —A comprehensive, organized, and professional summary of your academic, work, and extracurricular achievements to date. If you need any assistance crafting your CV, consider our advising services .
• Academic transcript.
• Personal Statement —If available. Ideally, you should have at least a first draft of your personal statement prepared by the time you request a letter, but you may ask for academic letters early in your undergrad. If you don’t have a draft yet, write a brief summary of the reasons you are pursuing medicine, including what makes you a unique and qualified candidate.
• MCAT score —This should be included in your CV, but it’s possible the letter writer will ask for a more verifiable source, such as a score printout. If you haven’t taken the MCAT, don’t delay asking for a letter just because you don’t have your MCAT score yet.
• Submission deadline —Include the date in writing, either through email or printed with the materials you provide to the letter writer. Make sure the date is at least a week in advance of when you actually need to submit the letter. We recommend giving letter writers six to eight weeks to complete a letter after receiving the materials listed above. This means it’s important to start the process two to three months before you plan to submit your application.
• A printed copy of materials —Even though the LOR submission process is completely digital, you may have letter writers who prefer to read and review physical materials. Ask them if they would like you to deliver or mail a printed packet of all of the above. It’s up to you to make this process as simple as possible for them and a crisp manila envelope with all of your materials and submission information is a nice touch for those less digitally inclined.

Where — Asking for Letters of Recommendation Virtually

Asking for a letter of recommendation in-person may not be possible, which means you will need to request a letter via email or possibly over Zoom, Skype, Microsoft Teams, and so on. While this may not feel as personal as you intended, all of us need to adapt to our new virtual world.

Virtual meetings are our new normal, so it’s important to cultivate relationships with potential letter writers and mentors online. A mentor could be someone you worked with, someone you met through a mutual contact, or you might find one through professional networks like LinkedIn.

For more advice on how to build relationships with mentors and letter writers online, read our article: Connecting with Mentors Over Zoom .

When to Ask For Letters of Recommendation

Start thinking about your letters of recommendation as soon as possible. It will take time to figure out who to ask and even longer to build strong relationships. If you have someone in mind, they may not have the time or feel they know you well enough, so make sure you have a backup plan and budget extra time in case a letter falls through.

Ask toward the end of your time working together or shortly after the conclusion of a class. Don’t wait months or years. You want the letter writer to have you on their mind so they can write a genuine letter full of fresh enthusiasm.

How to Ask For Letters of Recommendation

If you are requesting a letter of recommendation virtually, you can use our sample request template. Be sure to personalize the request with a sentence or two about your relationship. This could include involvement in their class/organization, the time you spent working together, what you enjoyed or learned, or how they inspired you.

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1 | think about your letters well in advance.

Letters of recommendation can make or break your medical school application. Who you ask can make all the difference. Approach relationships with professors and mentors with the idea that they could potentially be one of your letters of recommendation.

2 | Work to Develop Strong Relationships

Relationships take time. Cultivate your relationships with professors and prospective mentors as soon as possible, and mark how often you check-in with them using a calendar. Share your goals and successes with them so they can clearly see your progress and watch you grow. Express gratitude, and be sure to help them in whatever way you can. Relationships are two-way streets, after all.

If in-person office hours are difficult, be diligent about scheduling virtual meetings . You still need to build strong relationships even if you are unable to meet in person.

3 | Only Ask People Who Will Give You a Strong Letter

This is crucial. If you don’t know a professor all that well or scored anywhere under an A- in their class, do not ask that professor for a letter. Ask someone who you have worked with closely, knows you well, and thinks highly of you.

If the person you ask expresses any hesitation, don’t pursue the letter further. Their hesitation is a sign that they either don’t know you well enough, don’t have positive things to say, or simply don’t have the time. It’s better to catch that hesitation early on as opposed to ending up with a late or lukewarm letter.

More tips: How to Get Strong Medical School Letters of Recommendation .

4 | Make the Process as Simple as Possible

Provide all of the necessary materials to make writing and submitting the letter as smooth as possible. See what to provide in the above section, and ask them if they need anything else ahead of time.

5 | Provide a Deadline to Ensure You Receive Letters on Time

The best letter in the world won’t matter if it’s late. Provide a clear deadline to ensure you receive your letters on time.

Give your letter writers as much time as possible, as they are extremely busy and have likely received plenty of other requests. We recommend two-three months. Set a reminder two weeks out from the due date.

For more tips, check out our advice on How to Ask For Medical School Letters of Recommendation .

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid the following common letter of recommendation mistakes.

• Asking someone who doesn’t know you well.
• Asking for a letter when you haven’t thoroughly prepared.
• Forgetting to provide the writer with the necessary materials.
• Asking people who don’t know you well enough to provide real insight into who you are.
• Not obtaining a variety of letters across science, non-science, and extracurriculars.
• Asking the professor of a class you scored below A- in.
• Coming across as overly-friendly or unprofessional when asking for a letter.
• Waiting too long after working with someone to ask for a letter.
• Getting a letter from someone who was reluctant when you asked.
• Not thinking about letters of recommendation early in your application preparation.

Letters of Recommendation FAQs

How many letters of recommendation do i need.

The medical school letter of recommendation requirements vary from school to school. Most schools require at least three letters, but some may ask for four or five. Make sure you check the specific requirements of each school you hope to apply to.

Since the number varies based on the school, we recommend all applicants plan to have four to five letters of recommendation spread across science professors, non-science professors, and extracurriculars.

How Many Letters of Recommendation for Medical School Are Required?

How do I submit letters of recommendation?

Your letter writers must submit their letter electronically through the AMCAS Letter Writer Application or Interfolio . You do not review or submit your own letters of recommendation.

You will need to provide each of your letter authors with submission information, including your AAMC ID, and a unique seven-digit Letter ID. Each letter writer will be assigned an individual Letter ID when you add them to your AMCAS application, which is needed in order to upload your letter(s).

If you are applying through multiple services, AMCAS, TMDSAS, AACOMAS, etc., Interfolio acts as a go-between so that writers only need to upload once. They will still need their unique seven-digit Letter ID for your letter to be matched to your application. There is a small yearly fee to use Interfolio’s Dossier Deliver service .

Letters submitted through either process will be marked as received—immediately with AMCAS, or within three days with Interfolio. Contact your letter writer and ask them to submit the letter again, if a letter is not marked as received by the deadline you provided.

When are letters of recommendation due?

Include your letters with your medical school application. You can also add letters of recommendation up until you submit your secondary application, though you shouldn’t procrastinate. They are a key piece of your application that shouldn’t be left to the last minute. It takes time to ask for letters, and you need to give the letter writer adequate time to complete it.

Secondary applications are due between July and January, but it’s best to submit yours, along with your letters, by the end of the summer.

Read our Medical School Application Timeline to ensure you plan ahead and don’t miss any important deadlines.

What if a letter writer doesn’t submit a recommendation?

If a letter is not marked as received through the electronic portal you are using, contact your letter writer and ask them to submit the letter again.

In rare circumstances, a letter writer may disappear or stop responding. They are people too, and emergencies happen. This is why it’s so important to have more letters planned than the bare minimum required for your application.

What if a potential letter writer says no?

If a potential letter writer says no, it means they do not feel they know you well enough, they’re already swamped with other requests, or they don’t have confidence in you. Whatever the reason, it’s important to move on and look for another option.

Even if they hesitate before saying yes, it may be better to find someone else. A poor or even lukewarm letter can jeopardize an otherwise excellent medical school application.

Who can write a letter besides professors?

You should have letters from two science professors and one non-science professor. In addition to professors, you may choose to ask a research PI or mentor, a physician you shadowed or worked closely with, or a volunteer activity supervisor.

You could also ask a TA or an employer for a letter of recommendation if they know you better than your other options. What’s most important is that you choose letter writers who know you very well and will speak highly of you.

Are extracurricular letters required?

While not required, we recommend securing letters of recommendation from extracurriculars that were particularly significant. This may include research mentors or principal investigators (PI), physicians that you shadowed, or leadership from other volunteer organizations. If appropriate, aim to secure a letter from each of your three most meaningful activities on your AMCAS.

Who shouldn’t give me a recommendation?

Don’t ask someone who is positively biased towards you, such as a friend or family member. Your letters should come from people who can provide an honest and impartial recommendation.

If the person you ask seems hesitant or unenthusiastic about submitting a letter of recommendation on your behalf, don’t push it; instead, find someone else. A poor or even neutral letter can jeopardize an otherwise excellent medical school application.

Can I add additional letters after I submit my application?

Yes, you can add additional letters after your application is submitted, but you cannot delete or change the letters your writers submit.

Although you can add letters of recommendation after submitting your application, we do not recommend it. Strong letters take time, so give your letter writers as much time as possible to compose thoughtful, detailed letters. You should choose four to five strong letter writers—having more won’t increase your chances, but it can dilute your positive recommendations with ones that aren’t as strong.

What types of letters does AMCAS accept?

AMCAS accepts Committee Letters, Letter Packets, and Individual Letters. Committee Letters are authored by a prehealth committee or prehealth advisor representing an evaluation of you by your institution. A Letter Packet is a set of letters assembled by your institution, often including a cover sheet from your prehealth committee or advisor. Individual Letters are written by, and represent, the opinions of one letter writer. All three letter types count as one letter entry.

Can I see my letter of recommendation?

Letters of recommendation are submitted confidentially, and you do not get to see them. Don’t ask letter writers what they have written, as they are under no obligation to show you. You should have absolute confidence that the person you ask knows you well and will speak highly of you.

How should I thank letter writers?

Don’t forget about your letter writers as soon as your application is submitted. Send a thank you email once they submit their letter and consider sending them a handwritten card by physical mail when you are accepted to medical school.

What If You’re Asked to Write Your Own Letter?

You may be asked to write your own letter by people who don’t typically write medical school letters of recommendation, such as those who are not part of the medical school world.

While it does mean more work, it’s important to remember that this is as much a win as earning a strong letter of recommendation. If the person you asked to write you a strong letter asks you to write it yourself, it means you just secured a yes . You have a letter writer, even if you have to write the letter yourself. They want to support you, but you’ve got to do the leg work.

Learn How to Write Your Own Letter of Recommendation , including 7 mistakes to avoid.

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Read our Guide to Understanding the Medical School Application Process , which includes an application timeline, what you need to include in your application, mistakes to avoid, and what happens next.

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How to Get the Best Recommendation Letters for Law School

Think through the references you will ask for letters and when and how you will approach them.

Good Law School Recommendation Letters

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Make sure the person who writes your letter of recommendation is someone you have a good relationship with.

Although they are rarely decisive, recommendations letters are a meaningful factor in law school admissions.

Most other law school application materials, such as personal and diversity statements , present your case in your own voice. Recommendation letters are one of the few ways for admissions officers to hear others’ impressions of you.

While your transcript and test scores may say a lot about your academic skills, they don’t communicate what kind of person you are, or how you think or relate to other people. One student might get straight A's while acting like a pompous jerk, while another helped others, steadily improved through hard work or had the courage to take on challenging research.

Hearing stories about you from a professor or work supervisor helps law admissions officers build a three-dimensional picture of who you are and how you might contribute to the law school community.

This is why it is important to approach recommendation letters strategically, even though they’re just one part of your application process. 

Whom to Ask for a Recommendation Letter

Unless you are an older applicant who has been in the workforce for many years, you should get at least one law school recommendation letter from a professor. Others might come from other professors, mentors or supervisors from an internship, job or activity .

One mistake that applicants make is to request a recommendation letter from someone they think is a big shot – a well-known professor, a high-level executive or a family friend who is a venerable lawyer or local politician.

This is only a good idea if such a person teaches or works with you directly and can speak knowledgeably about your work and your goals. If your relationship is more indirect or distant, it can come across as superficial and uninformative, like a vague book blurb by a celebrity who seems unlikely to have read the book.

Above all, ensure the recommendation letter will be positive! If you detect signs that you have chosen the wrong reference to write a letter, move on to someone who can speak about your strengths more knowledgeably and enthusiastically. 

What a Recommendation Letter Should Include

If a recommendation letter is simply a series of compliments strung together, it will sound generic, no matter how effusive or truthful it is. An effective letter should back up its claims with specific details and examples of times when you stood out because of your dedication, helpfulness, initiative or insight.

A recommendation letter does not have to be unwaveringly positive. In fact, a letter that shows how you have grown, overcome adversity, responded constructively to feedback or taken responsibility for yourself can show the kinds of “ soft factors ” that law school admissions officers seek.  

How to Request a Recommendation Letter

Once you have identified a reference who is likely to write you a strong recommendation letter, ask him or her politely. Explain why you are applying to law school, why you think he or she would be a good reference and when you will need the letter.

Be prepared for the recommender to ask for your resume or other materials. For example, a professor might ask to see copies of your papers for the class, or any feedback received.

You might offer to provide more information or details as needed or to discuss the letter in a meeting or phone call. However, do not crowd your initial request with ideas and advice. That could come across as presumptuous.

If a recommender has a personal connection to a school you are applying to, consider requesting a school-specific letter , in addition to a more general recommendation letter.

Finally, avoid writing a recommendation letter yourself . If a recommender asks you to do so, gently explain why this is a bad idea and instead offer to provide ideas and notes that he or she could incorporate into his or her own letter. 

How Many Recommendation Letters to Request

Very few law schools require more than one recommendation letter. Many limit you to two, although some allow up to five.

It is important that all your recommendation letters are strong and substantive, because they may take time away from other aspects of your application. Quality matters more than quantity.

If you are worried that one of your letters is not as strong as the others, don’t submit it. A mediocre letter could very well overshadow better letters read alongside it. Just think about how often you read a mixed review that turns you off of a business, even if the other reviews seem positive. 

When to Request a Recommendation Letter

Recommendation letters are submitted and processed through the Credential Assembly Service of the Law School Admission Council. Since they can take a couple of weeks to process, it’s a good idea to get them in before you plan to apply.

Anticipate that your recommender may need at least a few weeks to write the letter, particularly at busy times of the year. That means that you should request recommendation letters more than a month before you plan to apply.

For applicants planning to apply in the fall, it is best to request letters over the summer or early fall. It’s OK to request letters earlier, as well. For example, if you just finished a summer internship where you worked together well with your boss, you might request the letter before leaving, even if you don’t plan to apply anytime soon. 

What if Your Recommendation Letter Is Delayed?

While law school admissions are rolling , a week or so of delay will not be of consequence. So, consider waiting until your application is complete before you submit it.

That said, if it is late in the cycle, or if you are aiming to meet an early decision deadline , waiting may not be an option. As long as you have the minimum number of recommendation letters required, your application can be submitted. You can always add further letters to your file later.

Remember that a law school is unlikely to review your application as soon as it is received. So, if a recommendation letter is delayed for a few days, it is unlikely to matter. If the letter is important and it may be delayed for some time, notify the admissions office by phone or email that another recommendation letter is forthcoming and ask if your application could be put on hold until it is received.

Of course, the best way to ensure that a recommendation letter does not hold up your application is to request it several weeks in advance. The law school admissions process is stressful enough without having to wait on other people!

Tips to Boost a Law School Application

Tags: law school , graduate schools , education , students

About Law Admissions Lowdown

Law Admissions Lowdown provides advice to prospective students about the law school application process, LSAT prep and potential career paths. Previously authored by contributors from Stratus Admissions Counseling, the blog is currently authored by Gabriel Kuris, founder of Top Law Coach , an admissions consultancy. Kuris is a graduate of Harvard Law School and has helped hundreds of applicants navigate the law school application process since 2003. Got a question? Email [email protected] .

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University letters of recommendation: an essential guide

Letters of recommendation can make or break a student’s university application, so it’s important that we get them right

Phillip Wenturine

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There are a plethora of documents that go into compiling the perfect college application. From transcripts to predicted grades, activity lists, resumés or CVs, essays, recommendation letters, certificates and more – each element of the application holds a different purpose and separate weight of importance, often varying from country to country and university to university.

By the senior year (Year 13), academics are nearly finalised, so there’s little wiggle room when it comes to improving that element of the application: senior GPA is set and calculated; IB predictions are nearly issued.

But beyond academics, some universities require recommendation letters, and this is where a student can stand out more, highlighting and emphasising their skills, qualities and abilities. 

These recommendation letters can sometimes illuminate the true heart and soul of the student, beyond their transcripts or personal-statement essay. The words in these letters can make or break a student’s application, so it’s important we get them right and tell their story with the thought and effort it deserves. 

Teacher letters of recommendation

In a teacher’s recommendation letter, students are brought to life beyond their grades, showcasing their holistic potential.

Teachers seize the chance to praise consistent academic excellence, to spotlight specific projects or skills, and to contextualise grade fluctuations resulting from personal circumstances.

These letters illustrate growth, revealing students’ readiness for university life. The emphasis is on articulating acquired skills and potential – a narrative far more impactful than grades alone. While an A-grade student may excel in tests, a B-grade student might exhibit invaluable traits, such as grit and resilience, best articulated through personalised advocacy.

Recommendation letter timelines

To support students and teachers, it’s important to highlight the importance of the teacher recommendation letter early on to teachers and students alike. Let students know as early as grades 10 and 11 (Years 11 and 12) that it’s important to build relationships with teachers well in advance of senior year. The best letters come from those teachers who have an excellent rapport with the student in question.

Ask students in the spring of junior year (Year 12) to select those teachers they would like recommendation letters from. The recommendation should ideally come from a core-subject teacher (maths, science, social studies, English) rather than an elective teacher, unless the elective is a field in which they intend to pursue a career.

To support the teachers, we work with students to compile what we call a brag sheet. Students answer a series of questions about themselves, in order to give the teacher the best context for writing the letter.

We tell teachers that if the student does not provide this brag sheet, or if they feel that the student has not performed well enough in their class to deserve a letter, they are allowed to respectfully decline the request to write the letter.

We also remind teachers that they do not need to agree to write any more than 20 letters. It is unfair if students all ask one teacher – who may then end up writing 60 letters – for a recommendation letter, while other teachers only have to write a few.. With that in mind, we also remind students of the importance of being organised and requesting the letter from their preferred teacher early on.

Writing the letters

Here are some examples of the questions we ask students on their brag sheets, which then give teachers a starting point for their letters:

• What do you hope this letter will show about you that your GPA doesn’t?
• What was a challenge that you faced in this class, and what actions did you take to overcome it?
• Describe how this class influenced you, either through academic content or teacher interaction.
• Give between one and three examples of times when you have exceeded expectations with your communication skills, and also some areas where you can reflect that you may need growth.
• What majors or careers interest you?

To support the teachers further, we host a writing workshop in the spring of each year to give them examples of strong and weak letters (all confidential). We coach them in "show, don't tell" when it comes to writing about students’ strengths, as well as giving them concrete examples of how best to advocate for students and highlight their strengths.

We review what each different country’s universities desire from these letters, as some universities – such as the US – appreciate a holistic view of the student (for example, highlighting student athletes or detailing extracurriculars). By contrast, the UK is very academic-focused and prefers to read about the student’s abilities when working on class projects, research and outside endeavours in the field of study.

Counsellor recommendation letters

Some universities – mostly in the US – also allow a counsellor letter of recommendation. This letter goes beyond academic ability in the classroom and speaks more to students’ characteristics, personality, outside involvement and external factors helpful for an admission committee to review in the context of other application documents.

The counsellor’s role is to fill in the missing pieces of an application: we help identify and tell a student’s story, covering any hardships, exceptional leadership abilities, impressive commitment to community and so on.

Now more than ever, admission committees are telling us that they trust the counsellor and teacher letters to help give them the full picture of a student, and to help them judge whether or not they will be the best fit for their incoming class and able to thrive on their campus.

We send our students what we call a junior questionnaire, in order to collect the information necessary to write these letters successfully.

Some examples of the questions on the junior questionnaire:

• What languages do you speak, and to what level of fluency?
• Please provide some details about your family and highlight any diversity and/or adversity that you have experienced. 
• Have there been any major circumstances that have impacted on your personal or academic life? 
• What are three adjectives you would use to describe yourself? Think deeply about this one. 
• How have you used your time outside of school, and can you elaborate on any particular projects, clubs, work experience, internships, or volunteer work that speaks to consistency in an activity, leadership experience or a particular commitment to have an impact on your community?

External letters

Sometimes students may wish to have an outside recommendation letter from a coach – for example, if they are a student athlete.

Overall, references should be academic-focused, but some universities that accept more than one letter are willing to receive one from an outside observer, too. In these cases, the person should be someone who oversees the student as the coach of a sport or the supervisor of an internship or work-experience programme.

The external referee should give this letter to the counsellor to send off on their behalf, as all recommendation letters must confidential and never shared with the student.