Other requests may be made by a candidate who has made no impression on you, or only a negative one. In this case, consider the candidate’s potential and future goals, and be fair in your evaluation. Sending a negative letter or a generic positive letter for individuals you barely know is not helpful to the selection committee and can backfire for the candidate. It can also, in some instances, backfire for you if a colleague accepts a candidate based on your generic positive letter when you did not necessarily fully support that individual. For instance, letter writers sometimes stretch the truth to make a candidate sound better than they really are, thinking it is helpful. If you do not know the applicant well enough or feel that you cannot be supportive, you are not in a strong position to write the recommendation letter and should decline the request, being open about why you are declining to write the letter. Also, be selective about writing on behalf of colleagues who may be in one’s field but whose work is not well known to you. If you have to read the candidate’s curriculum vitae to find out who they are and what they have done, then you may not be qualified to write the letter [ 8 ].
When declining a request to provide a letter of support, it is important to explain your reasoning to the candidate and suggest how they might improve their prospects for the future [ 8 ]. If the candidate is having a similar problem with other mentors, try to help them identify a more appropriate referee or to explore whether they are making an appropriate application in the first place. Suggest constructive steps to improve relationships with mentors to identify individuals to provide letters in the future. Most importantly, do not let the candidate assume that all opportunities for obtaining supportive letters of recommendation have been permanently lost. Emphasize the candidate’s strengths by asking them to share a favourite paper, assignment, project, or other positive experience that may have taken place outside of your class or lab, to help you identify their strengths. Finally, discuss with the candidate their career goals to help them realize what they need to focus on to become more competitive or steer them in a different career direction. This conversation can mark an important step and become a great interaction and mentoring opportunity for ECRs.
Once you decide to write a recommendation letter, it is important to know what type and level of opportunity the candidate is applying for, as this will determine what should be discussed in the letter ( Figure 1 ). You should carefully read the opportunity posting description and/or ask the candidate to summarize the main requirements and let you know the specific points that they find important to highlight. Pay close attention to the language of the position announcement to fully address the requested information and tailor the letter to the specific needs of the institution, employer, or funding organisation. In some instances, a waiver form or an option indicating whether or not the candidate waives their right to see the recommendation document is provided. If the candidate queries a waiver decision, note that often referees are not allowed to send a letter that is not confidential and that there may be important benefits to maintaining the confidentiality of letters (see Table 1 ). Specifically, selection committees may view confidential letters as having greater credibility and, value and some letter writers may feel less reserved in their praise of candidates in confidential letters.
To acquire appropriate information about the candidate, one or more of the following documents may be valuable: a resume or curriculum vitae (CV), a publication or a manuscript, an assignment or exam written for your course, a copy of the application essay or personal statement, a transcript of academic records, a summary of current work, and specific recommendation forms or questionnaires (if provided) [ 9 ]. Alternatively, you may ask the candidate to complete a questionnaire asking for necessary information and supporting documents [ 10 ]. Examine the candidate’s CV and provide important context to the achievements listed therein. Tailor the letter for the opportunity using these documents as a guide, but do not repeat their contents as the candidate likely submits them separately. Even the most articulate of candidates may find it difficult to describe their qualities in writing [ 11 ]. Furthermore, a request may be made by a person who has made a good impression, but for whom you lack significant information to be able to write a strong letter. Thus, even if you know a candidate well, schedule a brief in-person, phone, or virtual meeting with them to 1) fill in gaps in your knowledge about them, 2) understand why they are applying for this particular opportunity, 3) help bring their past accomplishments into sharper focus, and 4) discuss their short- and long-term goals and how their current studies or research activities relate to the opportunity they are applying for and to these goals. Other key information to gather from the applicant includes the date on which the recommendation letter is due, as well as details on how to submit it.
For most applications (for both academic and non-academic opportunities), a letter of recommendation will need to cover both scholarly capabilities and achievements as well as a broader range of personal qualities and experiences beyond the classroom or the laboratory. This includes extracurricular experiences and traits such as creativity, tenacity, and collegiality. If necessary, discuss with the candidate what they would like to see additionally highlighted. As another example of matching a letter with its purpose, a letter for a fellowship application for a specific project should discuss the validity and feasibility of the project, as well as the candidate’s qualifications for fulfilling the project.
Another factor that greatly facilitates letter writing is drafting one as soon as possible after you have taught or trained the candidate, while your impressions are still clear. You might consider encouraging the candidate to make their requests early [ 11 ]. These letters can be placed in the candidate’s portfolio and maintained in your own files for future reference. If you are writing a letter in response to a request, start drafting it well in advance and anticipate multiple rounds of revision before submission. Once you have been asked by a candidate to write a letter, that candidate may return frequently, over a number of years, for additional letters. Therefore, maintain a digital copy of the letter for your records and for potential future applications for the same candidate.
In the opening, you should introduce yourself and the candidate, state your qualifications and explain how you became acquainted with the candidate, as well as the purpose of the letter, and a summary of your recommendation ( Table 2 ). To explain your relationship with the candidate you should fully describe the capacity in which you know them: the type of experience, the period during which you worked with the candidate, and any special assignments or responsibilities that the candidate performed under your guidance. For instance, the letter may start with: “This candidate completed their postdoctoral training under my supervision. I am pleased to be able to provide my strongest support in recommending them for this opportunity.” You may also consider ranking the candidate among similar level candidates within the opening section to give an immediate impression of your thoughts. Depending on the position, ranking the candidate may also be desired by selection committees, and may be requested within the letter. For instance, the recommendation form or instructions may ask you to rank the candidate in the top 1%, 5%, 10%, etc., of applicants. You could write "the student is in the top 5% of undergraduate students I have trained" Or “There are currently x graduate students in our department and I rank this candidate at the top 1%. Their experimental/computational skills are the best I have ever had in my own laboratory.”. Do not forget to include with whom or what group you are comparing the individual. If you have not yet trained many individuals in your own laboratory, include those that you trained previously as a researcher as reference. Having concentrated on the candidate’s individual or unique strengths, you might find it difficult to provide a ranking. This is less of an issue if a candidate is unambiguously among the top 10% that you have mentored but not all who come to you for a letter will fall within that small group. If you wish to offer a comparative perspective, you might more readily be able to do so in more specific areas such as whether the candidate is one of the most articulate, original, clear-thinking, motivated, or intellectually curious.
Key do’s and don’ts when writing a letter of recommendation
Theme | Do | Do Not |
---|---|---|
Describe all scholarly outputs in equal weight e.g., preprints, protocols, engineered animal models, computer models, software among others. Describe all scholarly and non-scholarly outputs in equal weight e.g., teaching, service, advocacy efforts. Promote the whole human candidate. | Do not ignore the candidate’s non-peer reviewed (e.g. preprints, data or code or protocols submitted to repositories) or in-press outputs. | |
Describe the candidate’s preprints and journal publications in terms of their quality and impact on your work and the field. | Do not judge papers by where they are published. It is the quality of the science & the reputation of the researcher, not the journal’s brand, that matters. Avoid paying excessive attention to how many papers the candidate has published in the family of journals. Refrain from boasting the journals impact factor (JIF) or journal name in the letter as publication in glamour journals does not validate the candidate’s research or guarantee a promising & successful career path. | |
Use agentic (e.g., confident, ambitious, independent) and standout (e.g., best, ideal) adjectives for all candidates, focusing on relevant accomplishments for the opportunity. | Avoid communal words (e.g., kind, affectionate, agreeable) that are more often used for women. Avoid using doubt raising phrases such as “He might be good”, or “she may have potential”, “she has a difficult personality”. | |
Make a criticism sound less damaging. e.g., “When candidate started at my laboratory, their skills were poorly developed, but they have worked diligently to improve them and have taken major steps in that direction.” | Do not leave out important, relevant information even if it may be perceived as negative, put a positive spin on it. | |
Do explain how the candidate’s current and prior work contributes to your laboratories research efforts. | Do not compare the candidate as being as good as person and , but not as good as person . This type of information creates subjectivity. | |
Include context for your scientific field and how the candidate’s research fits into and advances the field. | Do not merely describe mastery of techniques. Pay attention to the candidate’s wider comprehension of the field and their impact on their discipline. Avoid too much jargon and field-specific language, as often a broad audience will be reading the letter. |
The body of the recommendation letter should provide specific information about the candidate and address any questions or requirements posed in the selection criteria (see sections above). Some applications may ask for comments on a candidate’s scholarly performance. Refer the reader to the candidate’s CV and/or transcript if necessary but don’t report grades, unless to make an exceptional point (such as they were the only student to earn a top grade in your class). The body of the recommendation letter will contain the majority of the information including specific examples, relevant candidate qualities, and your experiences with the candidate, and therefore the majority of this manuscript focuses on what to include in this section.
The closing paragraph of the letter should briefly 1) summarize your opinions about the candidate, 2) clearly state your recommendation and strong support of the candidate for the opportunity that they are seeking, and 3) offer the recipient of the letter the option to contact you if they need any further information. Make sure to provide your email address and phone number in case the recipient has additional questions. The overall tone of the letter can represent your confidence in the applicant. If opportunity criteria are detailed and the candidate meets these criteria completely, include this information. Do not focus on what you may perceive as a candidate’s negative qualities as such tone may do more harm than intended ( Table 2 ). Finally, be aware of the Forer’s effect, a cognitive error, in which a very general description, that fits almost everyone, is used to describe a person [ 20 ]. Such generalizations can be harmful, as they provide the candidate the impression that they received a valuable, positive letter, but for the committee, who receive hundreds of similar letters, this is non-informative and unhelpful to the application.
In discussing a candidate’s qualities and character, proceed in ways similar to those used for intellectual evaluation ( Box 1 ). Information to specifically highlight may include personal characteristics, such as integrity, resilience, poise, confidence, dependability, patience, creativity, enthusiasm, teaching capabilities, problem-solving abilities, ability to manage trainees and to work with colleagues, curriculum development skills, collaboration skills, experience in grant writing, ability to organize events and demonstrate abilities in project management, and ability to troubleshoot (see section “ Use ethical principles, positive and inclusive language within the letter ” below for tips on using inclusive terminology). The candidate may also have a specific area of knowledge, strengths and experiences worth highlighting such as strong communication skills, expertise in a particular scientific subfield, an undergraduate degree with a double major, relevant work or research experience, coaching, and/or other extracurricular activities. Consider whether the candidate has taught others in the lab, or shown particular motivation and commitment in their work. When writing letters for mentees who are applying for (non-)academic jobs or admission to academic institutions, do not merely emphasize their strengths, achievements and potential, but also try to 1) convey a sense of what makes them a potential fit for that position or funding opportunity, and 2) fill in the gaps. Gaps may include an insufficient description of the candidate’s strengths or research given restrictions on document length. Importantly, to identify these gaps, one must have carefully reviewed both the opportunity posting as well as the application materials (see Box 1 , Table 2 ).
When writing letters to nominate colleagues for promotion or awards, place stronger emphasis on their achievements and contributions to a field, or on their track record of teaching, mentorship and service, to aid the judging panel. In addition to describing the candidate as they are right now, you can discuss the development the person has undergone (for specific examples see Table 2 ).
A letter of recommendation can also explain weaknesses or ambiguities in the candidate’s record. If appropriate – and only after consulting the candidate - you may wish to mention a family illness, financial hardship, or other factors that may have resulted in a setback or specific portion of the candidate’s application perceived weakness (such as in the candidate’s transcript). For example, sometimes there are acceptable circumstances for a gap in a candidate’s publication record—perhaps a medical condition or a family situation kept them out of the lab for a period of time. Importantly, being upfront about why there is a perceived gap or blemish in the application package can strengthen the application. Put a positive spin on the perceived negatives using terms such as “has taken steps to address gaps in knowledge”, “has worked hard to,” and “made great progress in” (see Table 2 ).
Describe a candidate’s intellectual capabilities in terms that reflect their distinctive or individual strengths and be prepared to support your judgment with field-specific content [ 12 ] and concrete examples. These can significantly strengthen a letter and will demonstrate a strong relationship between you and the candidate. Describe what the candidate’s strengths are, moments they have overcome adversity, what is important to them. For example: “candidate x is exceptionally intelligent. They proved to be a very quick study, learning the elements of research design and technique y in record time. Furthermore, their questions are always thoughtful and penetrating.”. Mention the candidate’s diligence, work ethic, and curiosity and do not merely state that “the applicant is strong” without specific examples. Describing improvements to candidate skills over time can help highlight their work ethic, resolve, and achievements over time. However, do not belabor a potential lower starting point.
Provide specific examples for when leadership was demonstrated, but do not include leadership qualities if they have not been demonstrated. For example, describe the candidate’s qualities such as independence, critical thinking, creativity, resilience, ability to design and interpret experiments; ability to identify the next steps and generate interesting questions or ideas, and what you were especially impressed by. Do not generically list the applicant as independent with no support or if this statement would be untrue.
Do not qualify candidate qualities based on a stereotype for specific identities. Quantify the candidate’s abilities, especially with respect to other scientists who have achieved success in the field and who the letter reader might know. Many letter writers rank applicants according to their own measure of what makes a good researcher, graduate trainee, or technician according to a combination of research strengths, leadership skills, writing ability, oral communication, teaching ability, and collegiality. Describe what the role of the candidate was in their project and eventual publication and do not assume letter readers will identify this information on their own (see Table 2 ). Including a description about roles and responsibilities can help to quantify a candidate’s contribution to the listed work. For example, “The candidate is the first author of the paper, designed, and led the project.”. Even the best mentor can overlook important points, especially since mentors typically have multiple mentees under their supervision. Thus, it can help to ask the candidate what they consider their strengths or traits, and accomplishments of which they are proud.
If you lack sufficient information to answer certain questions about the candidate, it is best to maintain the integrity and credibility of your letter - as the recommending person, you are potentially writing to a colleague and/or someone who will be impacted by your letter; therefore, honesty is key above all. Avoid the misconception that the more superlatives you use, the stronger the letter. Heavy use of generic phrases or clichés is unhelpful. Your letter can only be effective if it contains substantive information about the specific candidate and their qualifications for the opportunity. A recommendation that paints an unrealistic picture of a candidate may be discounted. All information in a letter of recommendation should be, to the best of your knowledge, accurate. Therefore, present the person truthfully but positively. Write strongly and specifically about someone who is truly excellent (explicitly describe how and why they are special). Write a balanced letter without overhyping the candidate as it will not help them.
Beware of what you leave out of the recommendation letter. For most opportunities, there are expectations of what should be included in a letter, and therefore what is not said can be just as important as what is said. Importantly, do not assume all the same information is necessary for every opportunity. In general, you should include the information stated above, covering how you know the candidate, their strengths, specific examples to support your statements, and how the candidate fits well for the opportunity. For example, if you don’t mention a candidate’s leadership skills or their ability to work well with others, the letter reader may wonder why, if the opportunity requires these skills. Always remember that opportunities are sought by many individuals, so evaluators may look for any reason to disregard an application, such as a letter not following instructions or discussing the appropriate material. Also promote the candidate by discussing all of their scholarly and non-scholarly efforts, including non-peer reviewed research outputs such as preprints, academic and non-academic service, and advocacy work which are among their broader impact and all indicative of valuable leadership qualities for both academic and non-academic environments ( Table 2 ).
Provide an even-handed judgment of scholarly impact, be fair and describe accomplishments fairly by writing a balanced letter about the candidate’s attributes that is thoughtful and personal (see Table 2 ). Submitting a generic, hastily written recommendation letter is not helpful and can backfire for both the candidate and the letter writer as you will often leave out important information for the specific opportunity; thus, allow for sufficient time and effort on each candidate/application.
Making the letter memorable by adding content that the reader will remember, such as an unusual anecdote, or use of a unique term to describe the candidate. This will help the application stand out from all the others. Tailor the letter to the candidate, including as much unique, relevant information as possible and avoid including personal information unless the candidate gives consent. Provide meaningful examples of achievements and provide stories or anecdotes that illustrate the candidate’s strengths. Say what the candidate specifically did to give you that impression ( Box 1 ). Don’t merely praise the candidate using generalities such as “candidate x is a quick learner”.
Gender affects scientific careers. Avoid providing information that is irrelevant to the opportunity, such as ethnicity, age, hobbies, or marital status. Write about professional attributes that pertain to the application. However, there are qualities that might be important to the job or funding opportunity. For instance, personal information may illustrate the ability to persevere and overcome adversity - qualities that are helpful in academia and other career paths. It is critical to pay attention to biases and choices of words while writing the letter [ 13 , 14 ]. Advocacy bias (a letter writer is more likely to write a strong letter for someone similar to themselves) has been identified as an issue in academic environments [ 3 ]. Studies have also shown that there are often differences in the choice of words used in letters for male and female scientists [ 3 , 5 ]. For instance, letters for women have been found not to contain much specific and descriptive language. Descriptions often pay greater attention to the personal lives or personal characteristics of women than men, focusing on items that have little relevance in a letter of recommendation. When writing recommendation letters, employers have a tendency to focus on scholarly capabilities in male candidates and personality features in female candidates; for instance, female candidates tend to be depicted in letters as teachers and trainees, whereas male candidates are described as researchers and professionals [ 15 ]. Also, letters towards males often contain more standout words such as “superb”, “outstanding”, and “excellent”. Furthermore, letters for women had been found to contain more doubt-raising statements, including negative or unexplained comments [ 3 , 15 , 16 ]. This is discriminative towards women and gives a less clear picture of women as professionals. Keep the letter gender neutral. Do not write statements such as “candidate x is a kind woman” or “candidate y is a fantastic female scientist” as these have no bearing on whether someone will do well in graduate school or in a job. One way to reduce gender bias is by checking your reference letter with a gender bias calculator [ 17 , 18 ]. Test for gender biases by writing a letter of recommendation for any candidate, male or female, and then switch all the pronouns to the opposite gender. Read the letter over and ask yourself if it sounds odd. If it does, you should probably change the terms used [ 17 ]. Other biases also exist, and so while gender bias has been the most heavily investigated, bias based on other identities (race, nationality, ethnicity, among others) should also be examined and assessed in advance and during letter writing to ensure accurate and appropriate recommendations for all.
The recommendation letter should be written using language that is straightforward and concise [ 19 ]. Avoid using jargon or language that is too general or effusive ( Table 1 ). Formats and styles of single and co-signed letters are also important considerations. In some applications, the format is determined by the application portal itself in which the recommender is asked to answer a series of questions. If these questions do not cover everything you would like to address you could inquire if there is the option to provide a letter as well. Conversely, if the recommendation questionnaire asks for information that you cannot provide, it is best to explicitly mention this in writing. The care with which you write the letter will also influence the effectiveness of the letter - writing eloquently is another way of registering your support for the candidate. Letters longer than two pages can be counterproductive, and off-putting as reviewers normally have a large quantity of letters to read. In special cases, longer letters may be more favourable depending on the opportunity. On the other hand, anything shorter than a page may imply a lack of interest or knowledge, or a negative impression on the candidate. In letter format, write at least 3-4 paragraphs. It is important to note that letters from different sectors, such as academia versus industry tend to be of different lengths. Ensure that your letter is received by the requested method (mail or e-mail) and deadline, as a late submission could be detrimental for the candidate. Write and sign the letter on your department letterhead which is a further form of identification.
Recommendation letters can serve as important tools for assessing ECRs as potential candidates for a job, course, or funding opportunity. Candidates need to request letters in advance and provide relevant information for the recommender. Readers at selection committees need to examine the letter objectively with an eye for information on the quality of the candidate’s scholarly and non-scholarly endeavours and scientific traits. As a referee, it is important that you are positive, candid, yet helpful, as you work with the candidate in drafting a letter in their support. In writing a recommendation letter, summarize your thoughts on the candidate and emphasize your strong support for their candidacy. A successful letter communicates the writer’s enthusiasm for an individual, but does so realistically, sympathetically, and with concrete examples to support the writer’s associations. Writing recommendation letters can help mentors examine their interactions with their mentee and know them in different light. Express your willingness to help further by concluding the letter with an offer to be contacted should the reader need more information. Remember that a letter writer’s judgment and credibility are at stake thus do spend the time and effort to present yourself as a recommender in the best light and help ECRs in their career path.
S.J.H. was supported by the National Institutes of Health grant R35GM133732. A.P.S. was partially supported by the NARSAD Young Investigator Grant 27705.
ECR | Early-Career Researcher |
CV | Curriculum Vitae |
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
As you embark on your graduate school admissions process, strong letters of recommendations are a crucial part of your applications. These reference letters are often written by individuals who are familiar with your academic work and interests. As such, they can highlight your potential for success in a graduate program and contribute significantly to your admissions application.
Unfortunately, requesting and receiving letters of recommendation can be a lengthy process. Additionally, most graduate programs require more than one letter, so it’s important to identify a strategy, develop relationships, and establish a timeline early in your graduate school admissions process. Below we’ve outlined a few tips to help ensure strong letters of recommendations from your professors.
Your letters of recommendation should come from individuals who know you well. Ideally, these people are professors who have evaluated your work in upper-division courses or can comment on your research and professional potential . If it’s been a few years since you’ve graduated from college, it’s appropriate to ask supervisors in your career, though it’s also worth reaching out to professors you were close with as an undergrad. Regardless of who you ask, you want them to write a strong letter of recommendation, not something generic, so it is an advantage to find someone who is familiar with you, your experiences, and your goals.
It’s important to identify potential letter writers well in advance of the admissions process when applying to graduate school. This will give you the necessary time to build relationships that will help ensure your recommenders will provide strong letters in your favor. Create a list of five potential writers who you would like to ask for a recommendation. While most graduate programs at UC Davis require only three letters, it’s good to have backups. Focus on professors who have areas of expertise that are relevant to your graduate education interests.
Connecting with faculty members is key to securing a strong letter of recommendation. There are multiple ways to build a strong professional relationship with your professors. Consider trying the following as part of your strategy to secure a letter of recommendation:
Request letters of recommendation at least one or two months in advance of your admissions deadline. It’s important to ask in a timely manner to give recommenders plenty of time to write. It’s also important to make the request personal. Ask to meet with your professor, either virtually or in person, to discuss your plans for graduate school.
Phrase your request this way: “Would you feel comfortable writing me a strong letter of recommendation for graduate school?” This will provide them with an opportunity to answer honestly if they feel they would not be a good choice.
Give your recommender supporting documentation about what makes you a strong candidate for graduate school. This will help them write a stronger letter. This information can include:
Additionally, you should check in with your letter writer as your deadline approaches to ask if they have received their letter of recommendation request and if they have any questions about submitting the recommendation online. Since many graduate school applications only accept letters of recommendations online, you will also want to explain how to submit the letter electronically.
Always thank your professors for taking the time to write a letter of recommendation. A handwritten thank you note is a personal and thoughtful way to say thank you, but an email will also suffice. It’s also nice to keep your letter writers updated on your application process, especially if you’ve been admitted to the program of your choice.
Although it can be daunting to ask for these letters, remember that your professors are where they are because others wrote them letters of recommendation. They were once in the very same spot as you! Furthermore, it is an expectation of their profession that they provide letters of recommendation for the students they teach.
For more information on how to prepare for graduate school, visit the UC Davis Office of Educational Opportunity and Enrichment Services .
Special thanks to Josephine Moreno, Ph.D., Graduate Diversity Officer for the Humanities, Arts, Social Science, and Education programs, for her contributions to this article.
Heidi Kerr works as the content and media manager at UC Davis’ Graduate Studies. She has worked as a communications professional at multiple higher education institutions and is passionate about promoting student success.
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Although the criteria to be addressed varies depending on the opportunity, here are some general tips for writing a recommendation letter.
A successful letter should:
A successful letter should avoid:
CHOC - Children's health hub
brought to you by CHOC Children's Hospital of Orange County
Published on: August 27, 2024
Get an overview of the latest research on the impacts of screen time on toddlers, kids and teens.
Link: https://health.choc.org/the-effects-of-screen-time-on-children-the-latest-research-parents-should-know/
As technological innovations like cellphones and video games have become ever more prevalent over the past few decades, young people have been spending more and more of their time immersed in these gadgets. And too much screen time can have a deleterious impact on the development of young minds and bodies.
While various agencies offer guidelines on how much screen time kids should encounter in a day, Dr. Michelle Yang, a CHOC resident, wanted to know why these recommendations are in place and how helpful they really are. She discussed her research at a recent Grand Rounds talk at CHOC titled “Effects of Screen Time on Children and Adolescents.”
While the impact of unfettered access is negative, there are circumstances when screen time can help a child learn certain skills. And a little time on a device can actually help improve a child’s mental health.
Recommendations are one thing, but Dr. Yang also knows that many young people often spend more time online than ever before. Teens now spend an average of eight hours a day on screens, two hours more than in 2015.
Preteens (children aged 8 to 12 years) spend about 5 ½ hours daily on devices, up an hour from a decade earlier. That means that some young people spend half of their waking day in front of a screen. Usage jumped in 2019 just before the COVID-19 pandemic started to spread.
At least half of those hours are spent on the TV, not just on phones or tablets, Dr. Yang says, but the studies looked at various types of media.
“I think it’s really important to understand why we give the recommendations we do and what the reasoning for it is,” Dr. Yang says.
So, what are the recommendations? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC), they are:
Instead of children spending their days looking at monitors, the agencies suggest some simple age-appropriate alternatives: play a ballgame, ride a bike, do yard work, dance to some music, or take the dog for a walk.
Learn how to limit teens’ screen time.
Dr. Yang noted that limiting screen time is only part of the solution. It’s also important for adults to be active participants, especially for younger children.
“The studies overall have shown that there is definite improvement of learning when there’s a physical presence of adults in the room,” Dr. Yang says. “And that, of course, is very much what we would expect.”
For children younger than 18 months, researchers looked into whether including screen time along with adult supervision can impact development.
“What they found was having a background TV had a very negative effect on infants and their language development,” Dr. Yang says. “When there was background TV, parents tended to talk less. The tended to be more passive in their interactions with their children when the TV was on.”
This is especially true for the very young, even if they weren’t directly viewing the television.
“When the TV was on, it provided a very major distraction for the infants,” she says.
As children begin to develop motor skills, they can show signs of what Dr. Yang called a “video deficit effect,” wherein it took twice as long for them to learn or mimic an action if it was presented on video rather than in person. They also showed a lack of social skill development.
“When asked to reproduce that action, they weren’t able to reproduce it in real life with an adult in the room,” she says. “This is where they started to realize that perhaps these videos are categorized more as an imaginary concept rather than a real-world concept, and ultimately doesn’t become translated into their development.”
Yang said these studies show that infants should be kept away from electronic devices without adults being able to help interpret what they are seeing.
Learn about the impacts of screen time on vision.
Older children – those ages 12 to 24 months – who spent two hours a day in front of a
monitor show up to a six times more likelihood of language delay. And the problems compound if they started interacting with electronic devices earlier.
“Studies show that risks for language delay were worse if they started screen time before 12 months of age,” Yang said.
Other studies showed that television had a negative impact on children who were exposed to English as a second language while they were engaging in their primary language.
But there are indications that as children begin to develop a better understanding of the world around them – at about age 17 months – spending time with educational content with an adult present can help them with vocabulary development.
“If you looked at the data in the correct way, or used a different way to interpret the data, perhaps it actually could help with vocabulary development,” Dr. Yang says.
Not all screen time is the same. Some early research shows that touch-screen devices such as tablets can have a more positive impact development than passive devices like television. But that too requires active adult direction and high-quality educational material.
“Quality versus quantity is what matters,” Dr. Yang says.
For children ages 2 to 5 years, the picture becomes a little hazier, but generally, at this age, there are many dangers associated with screen time. Exposing children at this age to two to three hours of screen time showed increased likelihood of behavioral problems, poor vocabulary, and delayed milestones. This is especially true for children with special needs.
But there are some circumstances when it can have a positive impact. Programs and shows designed specifically to teach children can help boost school readiness, even if no adult is present.
“For things like numbers, letters, colors, shapes, spatial size and red relations, they tended to score higher on these rather than their peers who watched more general adult TV,” Dr. Yang says.
Some research also indicates that educational screen time could potentially enhance social and language skills, especially in lower-income homes. This could be because these homes previously had more limited access to learning material.
There are studies that show that boys can react differently to electronic stimulation than girls at this age. For instance, more TV at the age of 4 years led to a lower level of emotional understanding in girls. And the studies also showed that time spent on computer games led to lower emotional understanding in boys. However, Dr. Yang cautions that the matter needs to be studied further.
“Unfortunately, this is also a very subjective study, so it’s not clear exactly why or how that that truly was correlated,” she says. “But based on a couple of studies and similar findings, they felt there was enough of a correlation to at least associate those.”
DEVELOPMENT
Newborns 1-3 months
4-6 months 7-9 months 10-12 months
1 year old 2 years old 3 years old
4-5 years old 6-12 years old
13+ years old
As children grow older, studies become more subjective. The risks of excessive screen time can continue to impact their emotional and educational development.
For them, more screen time can be associated with higher anxiety, depression symptoms, lower quality of life, lower psychological well-being, lower school functioning, lower academic achievement, lower self-esteem, poor language achievement, and poor math achievement.
But the results largely depend on what kind of media is being consumed.
“Intuitively, we know it’s probably different watching a TV show versus watching a documentary, or playing a video game that you don’t have to think versus a video game that you have to work with other children and come up with a solution together on a problem,” Dr. Yang says.
Excessive screen time is also connected to an unhealthy diet, as well as weight problems. One study found that kids who spent two or more hours looking at a screen have a 42 percent greater risk of being overweight.
The studies found some unanticipated results. One paper found that screen time use on weekends had worse outcomes than weekday screen time use. This could be become weekend usage was more likely to be for entertainment, while weekday usage favored educational fare, she said.
Screen time isn’t all bad. In fact, researchers found that extremely low screen time actually tended to correlate with worse mental health scores. And as they increased the amount of screen time, that showed a moderate improvement in their mental health – but a limit does exist.
“After a certain point, it started worsening their mental health again,” Dr. Yang says,
A study from New Zealand indicates that spending time around the color green — from walks outside to plants in the classroom —can help reverse the negative effects of screen time.
They noted that the higher the amount of “green time,” regardless of screen time, showed an increased self-efficacy, positive identity and decreased anxiety in teenagers,” Dr. Yang says.
Another important way to counter the impact of screen time is to maintain a healthy lifestyle: get enough sleep, eat right and maintain physical activity.
Dr. Yang cautions that the studies she researched were not perfect and more work needs to be done. Many show an association between screen time and developmental issues, not direct causation.
Also, data was self-reported, meaning that parents reported the amount of screen time their children experienced.
Some parents can “feel like, ‘Oh, this really affecting my child, so I’m going to report higher scores or worse scores,” Dr. Yang says.
She stressed the importance of doctors recognizing children who are at risk and discussing these issues with them and their parents.
“It is important in certain kids to take the time to talk about that screen time they’re getting and how it’s affecting them,” Dr. Yang says.
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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.
For example, recommendations from research on climate change can be used to develop policies that reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability. Program development: Research recommendations can guide the development of programs that address specific issues. For example, recommendations from research on education can be used to develop ...
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.
Step 2: Analyse Your Findings. You have to examine your data and identify your key results. This analysis forms the foundation for your recommendations. Look for patterns and unexpected findings that might suggest new areas for other researchers to explore.
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 ...
Recommendation in research : The current study can be interpreted as a first step in the research on differentiated instructions. However, the results of this study should be treated with caution as the selected participants were more willing to make changes in their teaching models, limiting the generalizability of the model.
• Written after implications and before conclusion. WRITING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESEARCH AND PRACTICE THAT MAKE CHANGE Alice Ginsberg "The main purpose of research recommendations is to facilitate the transfer of knowledge from researchers to practitioners, policymakers, or other stakeholders who can benefit from the research findings.
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 ...
Prepare the content, suitable for your audience (colleagues, teammates, companions in the researching field, etc.). Your ideas should make further investigation possible. Give an expanded explanation of your recommendations. Do not only list them but provide the readers with evidence, underlining their effectiveness.
Author affiliations. "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.
Make sure your solutions cover all relevant areas within your research scope. Consider different contexts, stakeholders, and perspectives affected by the recommendations. Be thorough in identifying potential improvement areas and offering appropriate actions. Don't add new information to this part of your paper.
Place the study in a wider context of research in the discipline and/ or a situation in the real world. (positive) Applications of the research: Indicate how the research may be practically useful in real-world situations: Recommendations: Give specific suggestions for real-world actions to be taken on the basis of the research.
Here are a few guidelines to enable you to write a good recommendation for your research paper. Should be concrete and specific. Avoid beating around the bush. You can choose to restate the problem and then explain specific measures that can be used to solve those problems. The solutions or call for action should be specific for the problems ...
The research process should be systematic and logical. Conduct the research in an objective and unbiased manner. The research findings should be reproducible. The research recommendations should be made with a concrete plan in mind. The research recommendations should be based on a solid foundation of evidence.
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.
Recommendations in the research paper should also come from observation. For example, it is observed that Lenovo's income is stable and gross revenue has displayed a negative turn. Therefore the company should analyse its marketing and branding strategy. Recommendations in the research paper should be written in the order of priority. The ...
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. That seems clear enough, but the two are commonly confused.
Scholars rarely structure research studies in a way that can be followed like a story; they are complex and detail-intensive and often written in a descriptive and conclusive narrative form. However, in the social and behavioral sciences, journal articles and stand-alone research reports are generally organized in a consistent format that makes ...
Conclusion. Letters of recommendation inform the decisions of admissions committees, employers, funding agencies, and other organizations who are trying to choose between multiple candidates. Your efforts to create strong letters make a difference. If you commit to writing a letter of recommendation, follow through.
Writing recommendation letters on behalf of students and other early-career researchers is an important mentoring task within academia. An effective recommendation letter describes key candidate qualities such as academic achievements, extracurricular activities, outstanding personality traits, participation in and dedication to a particular discipline, and the mentor's confidence in the ...
As you embark on your graduate school admissions process, strong letters of recommendations are a crucial part of your applications. These reference letters are often written by individuals who are familiar with your academic work and interests. As such, they can highlight your potential for success in a graduate program and contribute significantly to your admissions application.
Although the criteria to be addressed varies depending on the opportunity, here are some general tips for writing a recommendation letter. A successful letter should: Provide a contextual and concrete comparison of the student's performance. Strong recommendations offer a quantitative comparison for the selection committee, for example, "in the top 3% of students in my […]
While various agencies offer guidelines on how much screen time kids should encounter in a day, Dr. Michelle Yang, a CHOC resident, wanted to know why these recommendations are in place and how helpful they really are. She discussed her research at a recent Grand Rounds talk at CHOC titled "Effects of Screen Time on Children and Adolescents."