How should a professor proceed when a student or colleague asks for a letter of recommendation and the professor does not have a high opinion of that person?
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20In short: Just say no. – Dan C Aug 01 '12 at 13:30
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7At the risk of putting anyone on the defensive (I don't mean to); when would the answer ever not be "say no"? The letter writer would be doing the student/colleague a huge disservice by writing a weak letter but letting their expectation remain that they have a strong recommendation. – Josephine Moeller Aug 01 '12 at 21:43
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@JohnMoeller I asked because this answer suggested that some people think differently. – David Ketcheson Aug 02 '12 at 08:05
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Fair enough. I suppose that you could say, "I'll write you a recommendation, but it will have to be somewhat weak." – Josephine Moeller Aug 02 '12 at 19:45
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Although it may be quite awkward, it is certainly acceptable to tell the student/colleague that you do not feel you can write a strong LoR for them, and to suggest that they ask someone else. This may seem rude or even unkind, but it's much better for the student/colleague in the long run than a lukewarm or poor letter.
Jeff
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7In fact, in some cases students don't understand that they should get the best letters possible, or that it's not all perfunctory. – paul garrett Aug 01 '12 at 15:31