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References in Research – Types, Examples and Writing Guide

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References in Research

Definition:

References in research are a list of sources that a researcher has consulted or cited while conducting their study. They are an essential component of any academic work, including research papers, theses, dissertations, and other scholarly publications.

Types of References

There are several types of references used in research, and the type of reference depends on the source of information being cited. The most common types of references include:

References to books typically include the author’s name, title of the book, publisher, publication date, and place of publication.

Example: Smith, J. (2018). The Art of Writing. Penguin Books.

Journal Articles

References to journal articles usually include the author’s name, title of the article, name of the journal, volume and issue number, page numbers, and publication date.

Example: Johnson, T. (2021). The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health. Journal of Psychology, 32(4), 87-94.

Web sources

References to web sources should include the author or organization responsible for the content, the title of the page, the URL, and the date accessed.

Example: World Health Organization. (2020). Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease/novel-coronavirus-2019/advice-for-public

Conference Proceedings

References to conference proceedings should include the author’s name, title of the paper, name of the conference, location of the conference, date of the conference, and page numbers.

Example: Chen, S., & Li, J. (2019). The Future of AI in Education. Proceedings of the International Conference on Educational Technology, Beijing, China, July 15-17, pp. 67-78.

References to reports typically include the author or organization responsible for the report, title of the report, publication date, and publisher.

Example: United Nations. (2020). The Sustainable Development Goals Report. United Nations.

Formats of References

Some common Formates of References with their examples are as follows:

APA (American Psychological Association) Style

The APA (American Psychological Association) Style has specific guidelines for formatting references used in academic papers, articles, and books. Here are the different reference formats in APA style with examples:

Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of book. Publisher.

Example : Smith, J. K. (2005). The psychology of social interaction. Wiley-Blackwell.

Journal Article

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number), page numbers.

Example : Brown, L. M., Keating, J. G., & Jones, S. M. (2012). The role of social support in coping with stress among African American adolescents. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 22(1), 218-233.

Author, A. A. (Year of publication or last update). Title of page. Website name. URL.

Example : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020, December 11). COVID-19: How to protect yourself and others. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html

Magazine article

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day of publication). Title of article. Title of Magazine, volume number(issue number), page numbers.

Example : Smith, M. (2019, March 11). The power of positive thinking. Psychology Today, 52(3), 60-65.

Newspaper article:

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day of publication). Title of article. Title of Newspaper, page numbers.

Example: Johnson, B. (2021, February 15). New study shows benefits of exercise on mental health. The New York Times, A8.

Edited book

Editor, E. E. (Ed.). (Year of publication). Title of book. Publisher.

Example : Thompson, J. P. (Ed.). (2014). Social work in the 21st century. Sage Publications.

Chapter in an edited book:

Author, A. A. (Year of publication). Title of chapter. In E. E. Editor (Ed.), Title of book (pp. page numbers). Publisher.

Example : Johnson, K. S. (2018). The future of social work: Challenges and opportunities. In J. P. Thompson (Ed.), Social work in the 21st century (pp. 105-118). Sage Publications.

MLA (Modern Language Association) Style

The MLA (Modern Language Association) Style is a widely used style for writing academic papers and essays in the humanities. Here are the different reference formats in MLA style:

Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication year.

Example : Smith, John. The Psychology of Social Interaction. Wiley-Blackwell, 2005.

Journal article

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal, volume number, issue number, Publication year, page numbers.

Example : Brown, Laura M., et al. “The Role of Social Support in Coping with Stress among African American Adolescents.” Journal of Research on Adolescence, vol. 22, no. 1, 2012, pp. 218-233.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Webpage.” Website Name, Publication date, URL.

Example : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “COVID-19: How to Protect Yourself and Others.” CDC, 11 Dec. 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine, Publication date, page numbers.

Example : Smith, Mary. “The Power of Positive Thinking.” Psychology Today, Mar. 2019, pp. 60-65.

Newspaper article

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper, Publication date, page numbers.

Example : Johnson, Bob. “New Study Shows Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health.” The New York Times, 15 Feb. 2021, p. A8.

Editor’s Last name, First name, editor. Title of Book. Publisher, Publication year.

Example : Thompson, John P., editor. Social Work in the 21st Century. Sage Publications, 2014.

Chapter in an edited book

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Chapter.” Title of Book, edited by Editor’s First Name Last name, Publisher, Publication year, page numbers.

Example : Johnson, Karen S. “The Future of Social Work: Challenges and Opportunities.” Social Work in the 21st Century, edited by John P. Thompson, Sage Publications, 2014, pp. 105-118.

Chicago Manual of Style

The Chicago Manual of Style is a widely used style for writing academic papers, dissertations, and books in the humanities and social sciences. Here are the different reference formats in Chicago style:

Example : Smith, John K. The Psychology of Social Interaction. Wiley-Blackwell, 2005.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal volume number, no. issue number (Publication year): page numbers.

Example : Brown, Laura M., John G. Keating, and Sarah M. Jones. “The Role of Social Support in Coping with Stress among African American Adolescents.” Journal of Research on Adolescence 22, no. 1 (2012): 218-233.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Webpage.” Website Name. Publication date. URL.

Example : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “COVID-19: How to Protect Yourself and Others.” CDC. December 11, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine, Publication date.

Example : Smith, Mary. “The Power of Positive Thinking.” Psychology Today, March 2019.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper, Publication date.

Example : Johnson, Bob. “New Study Shows Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health.” The New York Times, February 15, 2021.

Example : Thompson, John P., ed. Social Work in the 21st Century. Sage Publications, 2014.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Chapter.” In Title of Book, edited by Editor’s First Name Last Name, page numbers. Publisher, Publication year.

Example : Johnson, Karen S. “The Future of Social Work: Challenges and Opportunities.” In Social Work in the 21st Century, edited by John P. Thompson, 105-118. Sage Publications, 2014.

Harvard Style

The Harvard Style, also known as the Author-Date System, is a widely used style for writing academic papers and essays in the social sciences. Here are the different reference formats in Harvard Style:

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of publication. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher.

Example : Smith, John. 2005. The Psychology of Social Interaction. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of publication. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal volume number (issue number): page numbers.

Example: Brown, Laura M., John G. Keating, and Sarah M. Jones. 2012. “The Role of Social Support in Coping with Stress among African American Adolescents.” Journal of Research on Adolescence 22 (1): 218-233.

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of publication. “Title of Webpage.” Website Name. URL. Accessed date.

Example : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2020. “COVID-19: How to Protect Yourself and Others.” CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html. Accessed April 1, 2023.

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of publication. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine, month and date of publication.

Example : Smith, Mary. 2019. “The Power of Positive Thinking.” Psychology Today, March 2019.

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of publication. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper, month and date of publication.

Example : Johnson, Bob. 2021. “New Study Shows Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health.” The New York Times, February 15, 2021.

Editor’s Last name, First name, ed. Year of publication. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher.

Example : Thompson, John P., ed. 2014. Social Work in the 21st Century. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of publication. “Title of Chapter.” In Title of Book, edited by Editor’s First Name Last Name, page numbers. Place of publication: Publisher.

Example : Johnson, Karen S. 2014. “The Future of Social Work: Challenges and Opportunities.” In Social Work in the 21st Century, edited by John P. Thompson, 105-118. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Vancouver Style

The Vancouver Style, also known as the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals, is a widely used style for writing academic papers in the biomedical sciences. Here are the different reference formats in Vancouver Style:

Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Book. Edition number. Place of publication: Publisher; Year of publication.

Example : Smith, John K. The Psychology of Social Interaction. 2nd ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell; 2005.

Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Article. Abbreviated Journal Title. Year of publication; volume number(issue number):page numbers.

Example : Brown LM, Keating JG, Jones SM. The Role of Social Support in Coping with Stress among African American Adolescents. J Res Adolesc. 2012;22(1):218-233.

Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Webpage. Website Name [Internet]. Publication date. [cited date]. Available from: URL.

Example : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19: How to Protect Yourself and Others [Internet]. 2020 Dec 11. [cited 2023 Apr 1]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.

Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Article. Title of Magazine. Year of publication; month and day of publication:page numbers.

Example : Smith M. The Power of Positive Thinking. Psychology Today. 2019 Mar 1:32-35.

Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Article. Title of Newspaper. Year of publication; month and day of publication:page numbers.

Example : Johnson B. New Study Shows Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health. The New York Times. 2021 Feb 15:A4.

Editor’s Last name, First name, editor. Title of Book. Edition number. Place of publication: Publisher; Year of publication.

Example: Thompson JP, editor. Social Work in the 21st Century. 1st ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 2014.

Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Chapter. In: Editor’s Last name, First name, editor. Title of Book. Edition number. Place of publication: Publisher; Year of publication. page numbers.

Example : Johnson KS. The Future of Social Work: Challenges and Opportunities. In: Thompson JP, editor. Social Work in the 21st Century. 1st ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications; 2014. p. 105-118.

Turabian Style

Turabian style is a variation of the Chicago style used in academic writing, particularly in the fields of history and humanities. Here are the different reference formats in Turabian style:

Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication.

Example : Smith, John K. The Psychology of Social Interaction. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell, 2005.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Journal volume number, no. issue number (Year of publication): page numbers.

Example : Brown, LM, Keating, JG, Jones, SM. “The Role of Social Support in Coping with Stress among African American Adolescents.” J Res Adolesc 22, no. 1 (2012): 218-233.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Webpage.” Name of Website. Publication date. Accessed date. URL.

Example : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “COVID-19: How to Protect Yourself and Others.” CDC. December 11, 2020. Accessed April 1, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/prevention.html.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Magazine, Month Day, Year of publication, page numbers.

Example : Smith, M. “The Power of Positive Thinking.” Psychology Today, March 1, 2019, 32-35.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Title of Newspaper, Month Day, Year of publication.

Example : Johnson, B. “New Study Shows Benefits of Exercise on Mental Health.” The New York Times, February 15, 2021.

Editor’s Last name, First name, ed. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication.

Example : Thompson, JP, ed. Social Work in the 21st Century. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2014.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Chapter.” In Title of Book, edited by Editor’s Last name, First name, page numbers. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication.

Example : Johnson, KS. “The Future of Social Work: Challenges and Opportunities.” In Social Work in the 21st Century, edited by Thompson, JP, 105-118. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 2014.

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Style

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) style is commonly used in engineering, computer science, and other technical fields. Here are the different reference formats in IEEE style:

Author’s Last name, First name. Book Title. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of publication.

Example : Oppenheim, A. V., & Schafer, R. W. Discrete-Time Signal Processing. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2010.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Article.” Abbreviated Journal Title, vol. number, no. issue number, pp. page numbers, Month year of publication.

Example: Shannon, C. E. “A Mathematical Theory of Communication.” Bell System Technical Journal, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 379-423, July 1948.

Conference paper

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Paper.” In Title of Conference Proceedings, Place of Conference, Date of Conference, pp. page numbers, Year of publication.

Example: Gupta, S., & Kumar, P. “An Improved System of Linear Discriminant Analysis for Face Recognition.” In Proceedings of the 2011 International Conference on Computer Science and Network Technology, Harbin, China, Dec. 2011, pp. 144-147.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Webpage.” Name of Website. Date of publication or last update. Accessed date. URL.

Example : National Aeronautics and Space Administration. “Apollo 11.” NASA. July 20, 1969. Accessed April 1, 2023. https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/apollo11.html.

Technical report

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Report.” Name of Institution or Organization, Report number, Year of publication.

Example : Smith, J. R. “Development of a New Solar Panel Technology.” National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL/TP-6A20-51645, 2011.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Patent.” Patent number, Issue date.

Example : Suzuki, H. “Method of Producing Carbon Nanotubes.” US Patent 7,151,019, December 19, 2006.

Standard Title. Standard number, Publication date.

Example : IEEE Standard for Floating-Point Arithmetic. IEEE Std 754-2008, August 29, 2008

ACS (American Chemical Society) Style

ACS (American Chemical Society) style is commonly used in chemistry and related fields. Here are the different reference formats in ACS style:

Author’s Last name, First name; Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Article. Abbreviated Journal Title Year, Volume, Page Numbers.

Example : Wang, Y.; Zhao, X.; Cui, Y.; Ma, Y. Facile Preparation of Fe3O4/graphene Composites Using a Hydrothermal Method for High-Performance Lithium Ion Batteries. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2012, 4, 2715-2721.

Author’s Last name, First name. Book Title; Publisher: Place of Publication, Year of Publication.

Example : Carey, F. A. Organic Chemistry; McGraw-Hill: New York, 2008.

Author’s Last name, First name. Chapter Title. In Book Title; Editor’s Last name, First name, Ed.; Publisher: Place of Publication, Year of Publication; Volume number, Chapter number, Page Numbers.

Example : Grossman, R. B. Analytical Chemistry of Aerosols. In Aerosol Measurement: Principles, Techniques, and Applications; Baron, P. A.; Willeke, K., Eds.; Wiley-Interscience: New York, 2001; Chapter 10, pp 395-424.

Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Webpage. Website Name, URL (accessed date).

Example : National Institute of Standards and Technology. Atomic Spectra Database. https://www.nist.gov/pml/atomic-spectra-database (accessed April 1, 2023).

Author’s Last name, First name. Patent Number. Patent Date.

Example : Liu, Y.; Huang, H.; Chen, H.; Zhang, W. US Patent 9,999,999, December 31, 2022.

Author’s Last name, First name; Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Article. In Title of Conference Proceedings, Publisher: Place of Publication, Year of Publication; Volume Number, Page Numbers.

Example : Jia, H.; Xu, S.; Wu, Y.; Wu, Z.; Tang, Y.; Huang, X. Fast Adsorption of Organic Pollutants by Graphene Oxide. In Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology, American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017; Volume 1, pp 223-228.

AMA (American Medical Association) Style

AMA (American Medical Association) style is commonly used in medical and scientific fields. Here are the different reference formats in AMA style:

Author’s Last name, First name. Article Title. Journal Abbreviation. Year; Volume(Issue):Page Numbers.

Example : Jones, R. A.; Smith, B. C. The Role of Vitamin D in Maintaining Bone Health. JAMA. 2019;321(17):1765-1773.

Author’s Last name, First name. Book Title. Edition number. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year.

Example : Guyton, A. C.; Hall, J. E. Textbook of Medical Physiology. 13th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 2015.

Author’s Last name, First name. Chapter Title. In: Editor’s Last name, First name, ed. Book Title. Edition number. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year: Page Numbers.

Example: Rajakumar, K. Vitamin D and Bone Health. In: Holick, M. F., ed. Vitamin D: Physiology, Molecular Biology, and Clinical Applications. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Springer; 2010:211-222.

Author’s Last name, First name. Webpage Title. Website Name. URL. Published date. Updated date. Accessed date.

Example : National Cancer Institute. Breast Cancer Prevention (PDQ®)–Patient Version. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/types/breast/patient/breast-prevention-pdq. Published October 11, 2022. Accessed April 1, 2023.

Author’s Last name, First name. Conference presentation title. In: Conference Title; Conference Date; Place of Conference.

Example : Smith, J. R. Vitamin D and Bone Health: A Meta-Analysis. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research; September 20-23, 2022; San Diego, CA.

Thesis or dissertation

Author’s Last name, First name. Title of Thesis or Dissertation. Degree level [Doctoral dissertation or Master’s thesis]. University Name; Year.

Example : Wilson, S. A. The Effects of Vitamin D Supplementation on Bone Health in Postmenopausal Women [Doctoral dissertation]. University of California, Los Angeles; 2018.

ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) Style

The ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) style is commonly used in civil engineering fields. Here are the different reference formats in ASCE style:

Author’s Last name, First name. “Article Title.” Journal Title, volume number, issue number (year): page numbers. DOI or URL (if available).

Example : Smith, J. R. “Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Sustainable Drainage Systems in Urban Areas.” Journal of Environmental Engineering, vol. 146, no. 3 (2020): 04020010. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)EE.1943-7870.0001668.

Example : McCuen, R. H. Hydrologic Analysis and Design. 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education; 2013.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Chapter Title.” In: Editor’s Last name, First name, ed. Book Title. Edition number. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year: page numbers.

Example : Maidment, D. R. “Floodplain Management in the United States.” In: Shroder, J. F., ed. Treatise on Geomorphology. San Diego, CA: Academic Press; 2013: 447-460.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Paper Title.” In: Conference Title; Conference Date; Location. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year: page numbers.

Example: Smith, J. R. “Sustainable Drainage Systems for Urban Areas.” In: Proceedings of the ASCE International Conference on Sustainable Infrastructure; November 6-9, 2019; Los Angeles, CA. Reston, VA: American Society of Civil Engineers; 2019: 156-163.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Report Title.” Report number. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year.

Example : U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Hurricane Sandy Coastal Risk Reduction Program, New York and New Jersey.” Report No. P-15-001. Washington, DC: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; 2015.

CSE (Council of Science Editors) Style

The CSE (Council of Science Editors) style is commonly used in the scientific and medical fields. Here are the different reference formats in CSE style:

Author’s Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial. “Article Title.” Journal Title. Year;Volume(Issue):Page numbers.

Example : Smith, J.R. “Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Sustainable Drainage Systems in Urban Areas.” Journal of Environmental Engineering. 2020;146(3):04020010.

Author’s Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial. Book Title. Edition number. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year.

Author’s Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial. “Chapter Title.” In: Editor’s Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial., ed. Book Title. Edition number. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year:Page numbers.

Author’s Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial. “Paper Title.” In: Conference Title; Conference Date; Location. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year.

Example : Smith, J.R. “Sustainable Drainage Systems for Urban Areas.” In: Proceedings of the ASCE International Conference on Sustainable Infrastructure; November 6-9, 2019; Los Angeles, CA. Reston, VA: American Society of Civil Engineers; 2019.

Author’s Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial. “Report Title.” Report number. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year.

Bluebook Style

The Bluebook style is commonly used in the legal field for citing legal documents and sources. Here are the different reference formats in Bluebook style:

Case citation

Case name, volume source page (Court year).

Example : Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954).

Statute citation

Name of Act, volume source § section number (year).

Example : Clean Air Act, 42 U.S.C. § 7401 (1963).

Regulation citation

Name of regulation, volume source § section number (year).

Example: Clean Air Act, 40 C.F.R. § 52.01 (2019).

Book citation

Author’s Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial. Book Title. Edition number (if applicable). Place of Publication: Publisher; Year.

Example: Smith, J.R. Legal Writing and Analysis. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Aspen Publishers; 2015.

Journal article citation

Author’s Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial. “Article Title.” Journal Title. Volume number (year): first page-last page.

Example: Garcia, C. “The Right to Counsel: An International Comparison.” International Journal of Legal Information. 43 (2015): 63-94.

Website citation

Author’s Last name, First Initial. Middle Initial. “Page Title.” Website Title. URL (accessed month day, year).

Example : United Nations. “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/ (accessed January 3, 2023).

Oxford Style

The Oxford style, also known as the Oxford referencing system or the documentary-note citation system, is commonly used in the humanities, including literature, history, and philosophy. Here are the different reference formats in Oxford style:

Author’s Last name, First name. Book Title. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.

Example : Smith, John. The Art of Writing. New York: Penguin, 2020.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Article Title.” Journal Title volume, no. issue (year): page range.

Example: Garcia, Carlos. “The Role of Ethics in Philosophy.” Philosophy Today 67, no. 3 (2019): 53-68.

Chapter in an edited book citation

Author’s Last name, First name. “Chapter Title.” In Book Title, edited by Editor’s Name, page range. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.

Example : Lee, Mary. “Feminism in the 21st Century.” In The Oxford Handbook of Feminism, edited by Jane Smith, 51-69. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2018.

Author’s Last name, First name. “Page Title.” Website Title. URL (accessed day month year).

Example : Jones, David. “The Importance of Learning Languages.” Oxford Language Center. https://www.oxfordlanguagecenter.com/importance-of-learning-languages/ (accessed 3 January 2023).

Dissertation or thesis citation

Author’s Last name, First name. “Title of Dissertation/Thesis.” PhD diss., University Name, Year of Publication.

Example : Brown, Susan. “The Art of Storytelling in American Literature.” PhD diss., University of Oxford, 2020.

Newspaper article citation

Author’s Last name, First name. “Article Title.” Newspaper Title, Month Day, Year.

Example : Robinson, Andrew. “New Developments in Climate Change Research.” The Guardian, September 15, 2022.

AAA (American Anthropological Association) Style

The American Anthropological Association (AAA) style is commonly used in anthropology research papers and journals. Here are the different reference formats in AAA style:

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of Publication. Book Title. Place of Publication: Publisher.

Example : Smith, John. 2019. The Anthropology of Food. New York: Routledge.

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of Publication. “Article Title.” Journal Title volume, no. issue: page range.

Example : Garcia, Carlos. 2021. “The Role of Ethics in Anthropology.” American Anthropologist 123, no. 2: 237-251.

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of Publication. “Chapter Title.” In Book Title, edited by Editor’s Name, page range. Place of Publication: Publisher.

Example: Lee, Mary. 2018. “Feminism in Anthropology.” In The Oxford Handbook of Feminism, edited by Jane Smith, 51-69. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of Publication. “Page Title.” Website Title. URL (accessed day month year).

Example : Jones, David. 2020. “The Importance of Learning Languages.” Oxford Language Center. https://www.oxfordlanguagecenter.com/importance-of-learning-languages/ (accessed January 3, 2023).

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of Publication. “Title of Dissertation/Thesis.” PhD diss., University Name.

Example : Brown, Susan. 2022. “The Art of Storytelling in Anthropology.” PhD diss., University of California, Berkeley.

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of Publication. “Article Title.” Newspaper Title, Month Day.

Example : Robinson, Andrew. 2021. “New Developments in Anthropology Research.” The Guardian, September 15.

AIP (American Institute of Physics) Style

The American Institute of Physics (AIP) style is commonly used in physics research papers and journals. Here are the different reference formats in AIP style:

Example : Johnson, S. D. 2021. “Quantum Computing and Information.” Journal of Applied Physics 129, no. 4: 043102.

Example : Feynman, Richard. 2018. The Feynman Lectures on Physics. New York: Basic Books.

Example : Jones, David. 2020. “The Future of Quantum Computing.” In The Handbook of Physics, edited by John Smith, 125-136. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Conference proceedings citation

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of Publication. “Title of Paper.” Proceedings of Conference Name, date and location: page range. Place of Publication: Publisher.

Example : Chen, Wei. 2019. “The Applications of Nanotechnology in Solar Cells.” Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Nanotechnology, July 15-17, Tokyo, Japan: 224-229. New York: AIP Publishing.

Example : American Institute of Physics. 2022. “About AIP Publishing.” AIP Publishing. https://publishing.aip.org/about-aip-publishing/ (accessed January 3, 2023).

Patent citation

Author’s Last name, First name. Year of Publication. Patent Number.

Example : Smith, John. 2018. US Patent 9,873,644.

References Writing Guide

Here are some general guidelines for writing references:

• Follow the citation style guidelines: Different disciplines and journals may require different citation styles (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). It is important to follow the specific guidelines for the citation style required.
• Include all necessary information : Each citation should include enough information for readers to locate the source. For example, a journal article citation should include the author(s), title of the article, journal title, volume number, issue number, page numbers, and publication year.
• Use proper formatting: Citation styles typically have specific formatting requirements for different types of sources. Make sure to follow the proper formatting for each citation.
• Order citations alphabetically: If listing multiple sources, they should be listed alphabetically by the author’s last name.
• Be consistent: Use the same citation style throughout the entire paper or project.
• Check for accuracy: Double-check all citations to ensure accuracy, including correct spelling of author names and publication information.
• Use reputable sources: When selecting sources to cite, choose reputable and authoritative sources. Avoid sources that are biased or unreliable.
• Include all sources: Make sure to include all sources used in the research, including those that were not directly quoted but still informed the work.
• Use online tools : There are online tools available (e.g., citation generators) that can help with formatting and organizing references.

Purpose of References in Research

References in research serve several purposes:

• To give credit to the original authors or sources of information used in the research. It is important to acknowledge the work of others and avoid plagiarism.
• To provide evidence for the claims made in the research. References can support the arguments, hypotheses, or conclusions presented in the research by citing relevant studies, data, or theories.
• To allow readers to find and verify the sources used in the research. References provide the necessary information for readers to locate and access the sources cited in the research, which allows them to evaluate the quality and reliability of the information presented.
• To situate the research within the broader context of the field. References can show how the research builds on or contributes to the existing body of knowledge, and can help readers to identify gaps in the literature that the research seeks to address.

Importance of References in Research

References play an important role in research for several reasons:

• Credibility : By citing authoritative sources, references lend credibility to the research and its claims. They provide evidence that the research is based on a sound foundation of knowledge and has been carefully researched.
• Avoidance of Plagiarism : References help researchers avoid plagiarism by giving credit to the original authors or sources of information. This is important for ethical reasons and also to avoid legal repercussions.
• Reproducibility : References allow others to reproduce the research by providing detailed information on the sources used. This is important for verification of the research and for others to build on the work.
• Context : References provide context for the research by situating it within the broader body of knowledge in the field. They help researchers to understand where their work fits in and how it builds on or contributes to existing knowledge.
• Evaluation : References provide a means for others to evaluate the research by allowing them to assess the quality and reliability of the sources used.

Advantages of References in Research

There are several advantages of including references in research:

• Acknowledgment of Sources: Including references gives credit to the authors or sources of information used in the research. This is important to acknowledge the original work and avoid plagiarism.
• Evidence and Support : References can provide evidence to support the arguments, hypotheses, or conclusions presented in the research. This can add credibility and strength to the research.
• Reproducibility : References provide the necessary information for others to reproduce the research. This is important for the verification of the research and for others to build on the work.
• Context : References can help to situate the research within the broader body of knowledge in the field. This helps researchers to understand where their work fits in and how it builds on or contributes to existing knowledge.
• Evaluation : Including references allows others to evaluate the research by providing a means to assess the quality and reliability of the sources used.
• Ongoing Conversation: References allow researchers to engage in ongoing conversations and debates within their fields. They can show how the research builds on or contributes to the existing body of knowledge.

About the author

Muhammad Hassan

Researcher, Academic Writer, Web developer

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The art of the job reference: Your guide to finding, recruiting and retaining the right references

By Laurie Davies

Quick links

• Job references , also known as professional references, are individuals like co-workers or employers who can speak to your strengths, skills, and abilities at work.
• Recruit references with the ABOUT method (Ask early, Build relationships, Organize your ask, Utilize references carefully, Thank your references).
• After landing a job, express gratitude to your references through thank-you notes, emails or gestures. Maintaining positive relationships with references is essential for future professional interactions.
• If you need additional help, download our job references page sample and template below.

This article has been vetted by University of Phoenix's editorial advisory committee.  Read more about our editorial process.

Reviewed by Jessica Roper, MBA, Director of Career Services

This article was updated on December 13, 2023.

You’ve made it through the final round of interviews with a potential employer, and it’s down to you and another candidate. Will you make the cut? Will you get the job?

When it comes to you versus Job Candidate B, who vouches for your performance may be a difference-maker during the job search. But  how do you find good job references ? How do you ask them to recommend you? How can you help them help you?

University of Phoenix Career Coach  Ricklyn Woods offers her best advice on everything you need to know ABOUT job references to highlight your skills to a potential employer. (Pay attention! That preposition is actually an acronym that will come in handy later.)

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What are job references?

Job references, or professional references as they are sometimes called, are essentially co-workers or employers who can speak to your strengths, skills and abilities on the job. Generally, references should be people who’ve worked with you in some capacity or another, whether that’s as your manager, your colleague or your subordinate.

If you haven’t worked in a traditional office setting in a while (or ever), you can also reach out to business contacts, clients and vendors. Consider whom you partner with on a regular basis and who’s seen you demonstrate the kind of skills, leadership and innovation you want to bring to your next role.

“It has been said that it’s not what you know but who you know,” Woods says. “I like to take it a step further. It is really about who knows you. I may know a lot of people, but what they know about me is what matters most! If their perception of me is a positive one, then they would likely be more than willing to provide a stellar reference.”

When deciding whom to ask to be a reference, consider the following:

• Who would have good things to say about me?  Yes, you want your references to be honest, but it’s best if that honest assessment is a positive one.
• Who would be as comfortable writing a letter of recommendation as speaking to someone about my strengths?  It may be rare for letters of recommendation to be required, but it can still happen. Make sure your references are as comfortable on the keyboard as they are on the phone.

Everything to know about job references

Once you have a short list of potential job references, Woods recommends applying the acronym ABOUT to the process of recruiting them.

A ' Ask early

Woods says it’s wise to plant the seeds for references before you need them. “If you know you are going to be leaving an organization, you can say something like, ‘I’ve really enjoyed working with you. Would you be open to providing a reference for me in the future?’”

Also, ask (and re-ask) your references in every season of job hunting. “Don’t assume that because you asked before it’s OK to list them again without a heads-up,” Woods says. “First, if they’re caught off-guard, there may be stammering and stuttering. Second, it’s rude.”

Rarely will an employer ask to call your current supervisor, but if they do, have this statement memorized: “I have not made my current manager aware that I am considering career opportunities, but I am happy to provide contact information for a prior supervisor.”

B ' Build relationships

If you ask someone to serve as a reference in 2022, but it’s 2025 before you need that reference, make sure you’ve had contact between now and then. This doesn’t mean you have to set up a lunch date every week. It can be as simple as commenting on their social media posts or texting them a note of encouragement.

“Don’t just be a taker. You’ve got to give,” Woods explains.

Meanwhile, keep collecting potential references wherever you work, volunteer, attend class or collaborate. This isn’t to say that you should view others as a means to an end or create a false sense of camaraderie. Rather, when you truly click with people who might vouch for your leadership style, work ethic or creative problem-solving abilities, it’s wise to keep those contacts top of mind.

Ideally, Woods recommends, you accrue contacts who can advocate for you on three levels:

1. Manager : A former supervisor can speak to your performance.

2. Peer : A colleague can speak to your sense of teamwork.

3. Cross-functional team member : A co-worker in a different department can speak to what it’s like to collaborate with you.

For those who are switching careers, in the midst of a job search or entering the workforce for the first time, Woods says it’s OK to get creative. “There could be a professor or even a fellow student who might serve as a reference. If you’ve worked on a volunteer basis, your team leader could speak to your character or work ethic,” she says.

References are intended to let employers know how you  work . If you only list personal references, you might ding your credibility.

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O ' organize your ask.

When the time comes to actually rely upon your references, reach out to them with a heads-up about the job you’re seeking. Be organized! Send them your resumé and possibly even a copy of the job listing.

“Personally, I wouldn’t want the person to feel like I’m giving them work to do,” Woods says. But you do want the reference check to be seamless, so ask them what they want or need in order to be able to help you.

If they ask, you can describe the role and how they could position you for it. For example, you might say: “Because the company I’m applying to is in a season of rapid growth, if you’re willing, perhaps you could talk about how we worked together when our department grew at Company A.”

There is a fine line here. Woods cautions against trying to influence your reference in any way. “I want them to be able to answer the questions with their honest perceptions and opinions of me,” she says.

When you plan to launch a job search, it’s important for you to be organized. Keep your references in a handy place and have enough of them. Woods says the ideal number of references to have on hand at all times is five.

U ' Utilize references carefully

No matter how impressive your references’ names are, do not list their names on the precious real estate of your resumé. You don’t want the personal contact information of your references floating around. Guard their privacy as you would your own.

Neither should you say “References available upon request” on your resumé.

“This is old school and a red flag that you’re not up to the times. References are a given,” Woods says.

Ask your references for their contact information, even if you have it. “This will offer them the courtesy of giving their preferred method, and to be watching for a call or email,” Woods says.

T ' Thank your references

If you land the job, send a thank-you note with your new business card inside, take them out to coffee or offer some gesture that shows your gratitude. “I have always sent a nice thank-you note, text or email depending on my relationship with the reference,” Woods says.

Your gratitude will go a long way toward maintaining the relationship. (Not to mention it’s better for your contacts to learn you got the job from you rather than an updated social media profile!)

If a colleague has given a professional reference for you, it’s a great idea to offer your willingness to return the favor.

Now that you know ABOUT job references, it’s time to put your plan into action! And if you need a little more help, check out the  wealth of job resources  — from templates to career guides — available on our website.

Click on the image to download our job references page sample and template.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A journalist-turned-marketer, Laurie Davies has been writing since her high school advanced composition teacher told her she broke too many rules. She has worked with University of Phoenix since 2017, and currently splits her time between blogging and serving as lead writer on the University’s Academic Annual Report. Previously, she has written marketing content for MADD, Kaiser Permanente, Massage Envy, UPS, and other national brands. She lives in the Phoenix area with her husband and son, who is the best story she’s ever written.

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Everything You Need to Know About Job References

Here is who should be on your reference list and how to format it.

Everything to Know About Job References

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Hiring someone is a major investment for a company, and hiring managers often rely on job references to ensure they're bringing on the best fit for their team.

For an interviewee , a glowing reference from a former boss or colleague could give you the edge you need to outshine your competition in a cut-throat job market. Here’s everything you need to know about job references, including how to properly present them to your future employer and who to ask.

When Do You Need Job References?

Many employers check your references toward the end of the hiring process or right before they’re ready to make an offer, which is why you typically don’t need to provide your job reference along with your resume and cover letter. Because gathering references can take time, however, it’s a good idea to have them prepared just in case.

Who Should You Ask to Be Your Reference?

When choosing the person to serve as your reference, focus on current or former managers, supervisors and colleagues who can “attest to your work product, professional accomplishments and day-to-day demeanor,” says Laura Mills, head of Early Career Insights at the ed-tech company Forage.

If you’re struggling to decide on whom to add to your job reference list, filter your options by seeing if they meet the following criteria:

• Know you well enough to answer questions related to your past work experience. 
• Can speak to your skills, achievements and work ethic in a positive way.
• Have worked with you within the past five years.
• Can recommend you wholeheartedly and have your best interest in mind.
• Express themselves clearly and professionally over the phone.

Once you have an idea of who to ask, narrow down your list to three references for any given job. If you’re early in your career and don’t have much job experience, consider asking professors from college courses in which you performed well. But don’t fret if you only have one to two references. Most employers will understand if you’re just starting out.

How Do You List References on Your Resume?

You don’t. Because resumes are typically only one page, cramming your list of job references onto them can be a waste of space. Plus, resumes can often look cluttered enough already, so by the time someone reaches the end, they may not be reading as thoroughly as you hope.

“Recruiters know candidates can offer references upon request, so even stating ‘references available upon request’ is an unnecessary use of valuable resume space,” says Eric Cormier, manager of HR Services with Insperity, a provider of scalable HR solutions.

Instead of sacrificing the readability of your resume by stuffing your job references in there, wait until the hiring managers explicitly ask for references. After that, you can provide your job references in a separate list with a readable format.

Proper Job Reference Format

Listing your job references is straightforward. Include the following information for each person on your reference list:

• Current job title.
• Email address.
• Phone number.
• Reference description.

Here’s an example of what that would look like: Dr. Sammie Lee VP of Engineering Happy Platforms, Inc. [email protected] (555) 444-3333 Dr. Lee was my manager for four years, from 2008-2012

Mr. Zachary Adam Director of Marketing Sunshine Motor Company [email protected] (222) 111-0000 Mr. Adam was my colleague for three years, from 2020-2023

Karoline Smith Front-End Software Engineer Interstellar Co. (444) 222-3333 [email protected] Karoline is a front-end software engineer I collaborate with daily in my current position at Interstellar Co.

Don’t forget to include your name, phone number and email at the top of the page so the hiring manager knows whose reference sheet it is.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Job References

Here are some do’s and don'ts to help you navigate job references and land your dream role:

Do check in with references first. Always check in with your references before listing them, even if they have already agreed via phone or email to help you. And make sure to give them a heads-up that they may be contacted soon by a recruiter. Thank them for their time in advance.

Do choose your references wisely. What your references say to the hiring manager can make or break your job search. So, think carefully about who may have the most in-depth knowledge about you and make sure your references can speak directly to the skills you’ll use on the job. For example, Cormier warns that although you may feel tempted to choose a co-worker with whom you’re especially close to serve as your reference, your manager may often possess more insight and credibility.

Do set your references up for success. Give your references all the tools they need to advocate for you by sending them a copy of your resume, cover letter and the job description for the position, as well as the specific skills or qualities you would like them to highlight in their conversation with the hiring manager.

Dont’s 

Don’t list friends or family. While your loved ones can vouch for how loving of a friend or sibling you are, they’re not appropriate choices for professional references. As Cormier points out, some employers may even have rules against using friends or family members as references. And even if this isn't the case, he says it’s still best to choose people who can offer a professional perspective on your work abilities.

Don’t choose a reference from the distant past. Your references should have worked with you recently enough to speak to your skills and work ethic. “For instance, a college professor may be an appropriate reference for a 20-year-old aspiring summer intern at Google, but not for a graduate with decades of work experience under their belt,” Cormier says.

Don’t provide more references than required. Overwhelming your hiring manager or recruiter with an excessively long list of references is never a good idea. “Most employers will specify how many references they want, so there’s no need for you to include any additional references beyond this number,” Cormier says. However, if the hiring manager or recruiter does not specifically say how many references they want, including three is usually appropriate.

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Latest blog posts, how to write a reference.

If you’ve been asked to provide a reference for a former employee, you might not know where to begin. To help, we’ve put together everything you need to know on how to write a reference letter as well as an employee reference template to make things even easier.

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Key Takeaways

A job reference is an endorsement of an employee’s skills, character and achievements for potential new employers.

You can decline providing a reference if you do not feel you’ll be able to provide a positive one or do not know enough about the candidate.

If you do agree to write a reference for an employee, legally it must be honest, fair and accurate.

• 1 What Is a Job Reference?
• 2 Are There Different Types of References?
• 3 Preparing To Write A Job Reference 
• 4 Key Points To Include in a Reference
• 5 5 Steps To Write A Great Reference Letter 
• 6 Employee Reference Template
• 7 Best Practices for Writing Job References 
• 8 Frequently Asked Questions
• 9 Job References Don’t Have To Be Difficult

What Is a Job Reference?

A job reference, or letter of recommendation, provides information about a former employee to their potential new employer, detailing their skills, attitude and other characteristics. It can be a basic summary of how the employee performed or a more detailed account of what the recruiter can expect if they decide to hire them.

Typically, a reference is a positive recommendation that helps the individual get a new job. If you are approached for a reference and you think you’ll be unable to provide a positive one, it’s okay to decline. You can provide a negative reference, but legally it must be ‘ fair and accurate ’ as candidates can dispute a reference they deem to be unfair.

Are There Different Types of References?

While we focus on employee references, there are three main types of references:

1. Professional Reference

A professional reference provides information about a candidate in a work setting and is usually written by their former manager, supervisor or colleague. It provides an honest overview of the candidate’s skills and characteristics that make them a good employee. It should also include the amount of time spent at the company, their responsibilities and any achievements within the role.

2. Character Reference

A character reference is more personal and is often used when the candidate doesn’t have any work experience or if it’s been a while since they were last employed. It is usually written by a family friend, neighbour or other source that knows the candidate well enough to discuss their personal traits and qualities that would help in the workplace.

3. Academic Reference

An academic reference details a candidate’s educational background and is written by a former teacher, lecturer or mentor. It should confirm any claims made about the candidate’s education, as well as provide information on any academic achievements that will increase the chances of the candidate being hired.

Preparing To Write A Job Reference 

Before you agree to write a personal reference, make sure you know enough about the candidate to provide a truthful recommendation. 

After all, you may not know them well enough to vouch for them or remember much about them if it’s been a while since they worked for you. If you have any doubts, it’s always better to politely decline and offer an alternative contact they can approach.

If you’re happy to proceed, it’s a good idea to refresh your memory of the candidate. Dive into your HR records for help or look back at your own notes from appraisals to see if there’s anything useful. 

If any specific examples spring to mind, be sure to include these to provide a realistic picture of the candidate. Remember you’re trying to help them, so anything positive you can include will go a long way.

Key Points To Include in a Reference

Now you’re ready to write a personal reference, here are the key details to include:

Your relationship to the candidate

Length of employment

Roles and responsibilities

Strengths and achievements

Professional conduct

Examples of good performance

Why the candidate left

Find out how to build a great reference check process today. 

5 Steps To Write A Great Reference Letter 

A personal reference should be long enough to provide enough detail about the candidate, but concise enough to convey the key points clearly. 

Be sure to use business letter format and a legible font, so it can be read easily. With the details of what to include in mind, here’s how to write a reference for an employee:

1. Greeting

As this is a professional document, start the letter using business format. If you know the recipient’s name, address the letter to them directly. If you don’t, use a formal greeting such as ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘To whom it may concern’.

2. Introduction

Give a brief introduction about yourself and explain your relationship to the candidate. Keep it short, but be sure to include how you know them and why you’re qualified to write this reference for them. Remember to include where you worked together and for how long.

The main body of the letter should focus on the candidate and include all the key points mentioned above. Split the text into paragraphs, so it’s easily digestible. Try to include relevant examples throughout to show why they’re qualified for this new role.

End the reference letter on a positive note, expressing your willingness to provide more information if required and give your contact details. You can also take this moment to reiterate why you would recommend the candidate.

5. Signature

Following the business letter format, you should end with ‘Yours sincerely’ if you know the name of the recipient or ‘Yours faithfully’ if you do not. Sign the letter with a handwritten signature, if you can, or simply type out your name if it is an email.

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Employee Reference Template

Looking for more guidance on how to write a personal reference? Download our free employee reference templates or copy the format below to cover everything you need: 

{{Referee’s company address}}

{{Recipient’s address}}

{{Document date}}

Dear {{recipient name}} | Sir/Madam | To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to provide a reference for {{candidate name}}, who was employed by our company as {{position}} from {{hire date}} to {{termination date}}. As {{candidate name’s}}  {{relationship to candidate, e.g. supervisor}}, I would thoroughly recommend them for the role of {{new position}} for the reasons detailed below.

{{Candidate name’s}} tasks included the following:

{{Candidate name}} consistently performed the above tasks autonomously to our fullest satisfaction and as a result, we appreciated them as a highly valuable member of our team. {{Provide specific examples if possible}}.

{{Candidate name}} has extensive experience and sound specialist knowledge. They demonstrated comprehensive, in-depth knowledge and understanding of their field at all times, frequently contributed fresh ideas and found optimal solutions. {{Provide specific examples if possible}}.

{{Candidate name’s}} helpful, friendly manner was highly appreciated by their supervisors, colleagues and clients. Their conduct was exemplary at all times. {{Provide specific examples if possible}}.

{{Candidate name}} is leaving our company of their own accord. We regret their decision very much and would like to thank them for their excellent, long-standing contribution. We wish them every success and all the best for their future professional and private life. 

Please feel free to contact me at {{email address and/or phone number}} should you have any questions or require more information.

{{Yours sincerely || Yours faithfully}}

{{Signature}}

_________________________________________

{{Referee’s name}}

{{Referee’s position}}

{{Referee’s contact details}}

Best Practices for Writing Job References 

Be honest – if you’re happy to write a reference, it must be truthful. Make sure there’s no misleading information, embellishments or outright lies to avoid legal action. If you do include anything negative, ensure you have evidence to back up any claims, such as written warnings .

Write formally – remember this is a business document and should be treated as such. Avoid using informal language and keep it professional. Also be sure to check your letter for any spelling mistakes or typos.

Stick to the facts – avoid including any irrelevant information about the candidate, such as their age, religion or nationality. You should focus on skills and characteristics that will help the recruiter understand what they’re like as an employee; anything outside of this may be construed as discrimination.

End on good terms – writing a positive reference for a former employee is a great way to end things on good terms, showing you would happily hire them again. This can pay off should they wish to return to your company in future.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you start a job reference.

To start off a job reference, clearly state within the introduction that you would thoroughly recommend the candidate. This sets the tone for the letter and allows you to provide the reasons why you would recommend them in the following paragraphs. 

How Do You Give Someone a Reference?

A reference should be a factual, honest and positive account of your experience with a candidate. Be sure to include specific examples of achievements or good qualities where possible, and include the key details highlighted in the What to Include in a Reference section above to give a good personal reference.

Job References Don’t Have To Be Difficult

Writing a job reference doesn’t have to be complicated. Take note of the key areas you should cover and do a bit of research to jog your memory before starting. Use a template to guide you and ensure you don’t miss anything, but be sure to personalise it to the candidate you’re discussing. Remember, you can say no to providing a job reference, but it’s always a good way to end things on good terms if you provide a positive one.

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We would like to inform you that the contents of our website (including any legal contributions) are for non-binding informational purposes only and does not in any way constitute legal advice. The content of this information cannot and is not intended to replace individual and binding legal advice from e.g. a lawyer that addresses your specific situation. In this respect, all information provided is without guarantee of correctness, completeness and up-to-dateness.

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Reference Letter Samples and Writing Tips

Types of Reference Letters

How to write a reference letter, reference letter samples, professional reference letters, character or personal reference letters, academic reference letters, letters requesting a reference, sample reference lists, reference checking letter example, reference letter template.

Do you need to request or write a reference? Both tasks can be difficult. If you're asking for a reference, you have to know  who you can ask and  how to word your reference request . On the other hand, if you are the one writing the letter, you'll want to start with a reference letter sample to see how to format it and what information to include. 

Unlike the rest of an application, a reference letter provides information about the candidate from an outside source, providing details about qualifications, skills, traits, and abilities, as well as listing achievements and giving a somewhat personal perspective of the candidate.

A recommendation letter endorses the candidate's qualifications for an internship, job, college, graduate school, or other employment, experiential or educational experience.

Reference letters can be required for many different reasons:

• Companies sometimes ask for reference letters for candidates under consideration.
• Schools often require a reference as part of an application.
• Certain professional organizations may require a reference.
• Lenders, landlords, cooperative buildings , and condominium boards may also request references. 

There are four different types of references:

• Academic references  are from teachers, professors, academic advisors, or someone else who knows you in an educational capacity.
• Employment references  are from previous employers, co-workers, clients, vendors, or someone else affiliated with your past or current employment.
• Personal references are from someone who can attest to your skills and attributes. These can also be referred to as character references .
• Professional references  are business references from someone who knows you in a professional capacity.

Review guidelines for how to write a reference letter , including what to include in each section of your letter and the best way to format and send or upload it.

Review the sample reference letters here—including professional references, academic references, personal references, and letters asking for a recommendation—to help you write your own. Plus, review guidelines and tips for requesting and writing reference letters. There is also information about how to create lists of references.

• Sample Employment Reference
• Reference Letter for a Laid-Off Employee
• Reference Letter for a Co-Worker
• Reference Letter for an Employee
• Recommendation Letter for an Employee
• Employee Reference Letter Example
• Professional Reference Letter
• Sample Recommendation Letter for a Promotion
• Sample Reference Letter for a Summer Employee
• Reference Letter From a Manager
• Reference Letter Sample From a Previous Employer
• Negative Recommendation Letter
• Positive Recommendation Letter

Use these examples if you need to write a personal reference letter .

For this type of letter, include information on how you know the person, their qualifications and characteristics, and whether you'd recommend them.

• Character Reference Letter
• Reference Letter for a Friend
• Sample Character Reference Letter
• Personal Employment Reference Letter
• Personal Reference Letter

An academic reference letter will highlight a student's strengths. Information on grades, attendance, and class participation, as well as any specific examples of strong papers or research, is relevant to include in this type of letter.

• Academic Reference Letter
• Sample Reference Letter for a Student
• Letter of Recommendation Samples for Students

Asking for a letter of reference can feel intimidating. Learn how to politely request a reference, as well as what information to pass along to the person writing the recommendation.

• Email Message Requesting a Reference Example
• Email Reference Request Letter
• Letter Sample Asking for a Reference
• Email Sample Asking for a Reference From a Professor or Advisor
• Request Permission to Use a Reference

During a job interview, you may be asked to provide references. See examples of how to format your list of references and who to include on the list.

• Sample List of References
• Professional References Format

Are you an employer who needs to check a candidate's employment references? Use this  sample letter  to help you format a request to check an applicant's references

Review an example of a reference letter written by an employer and download a template (compatible with Google Docs and Microsoft Word). Also, see below for more samples of recommendation letters based on position and relationship, as well as information on how to format reference letters and more templates you can download.

Reference Letter Example

Jane Williams Pacific Corp 47 Ocean Street, Suite 12 Los Angeles, CA 90001 (555)456-7890 jane.williams@email.com

March 18, 2024

Andrew Lee Atlantic Operations, Inc. 41 East 14th Street, Fourth Floor New York, New York, 10001

Dear Andrew,

John Wilson has worked for me here at Pacific Corp. for four years. He started as an intern and quickly rose to an administrative position while still attending classes at Ocean Community College.

He quickly became one of our most valued employees, the person everyone went to with questions and special projects. His dedication and willingness to work long hours to get the job done have made him a favorite team member for everyone on staff.

I highly recommend John for your assistant position. In his time at Pacific, he has shown the technical, organizational, and interpersonal skills that make for a truly exceptional administrative assistant. In particular, I know that you’re seeking someone with exceptional customer service and telephone skills, as well as the ability to get up to speed quickly with proprietary software. John offers all these skills, plus adaptability and grace under pressure.

We will miss having John on our team, but our loss can be your gain. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Best regards,

Jane Williams   ( signature hard copy letter )

Jane Williams

CareerOneStop. " References ."

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Reference List: Common Reference List Examples

Article (with doi).

Alvarez, E., & Tippins, S. (2019). Socialization agents that Puerto Rican college students use to make financial decisions. Journal of Social Change , 11 (1), 75–85. https://doi.org/10.5590/JOSC.2019.11.1.07

Laplante, J. P., & Nolin, C. (2014). Consultas and socially responsible investing in Guatemala: A case study examining Maya perspectives on the Indigenous right to free, prior, and informed consent. Society & Natural Resources , 27 , 231–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2013.861554

Use the DOI number for the source whenever one is available. DOI stands for "digital object identifier," a number specific to the article that can help others locate the source. In APA 7, format the DOI as a web address. 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. Also see our Quick Answer FAQ, "Can I use the DOI format provided by library databases?"

Jerrentrup, A., Mueller, T., Glowalla, U., Herder, M., Henrichs, N., Neubauer, A., & Schaefer, J. R. (2018). Teaching medicine with the help of “Dr. House.” PLoS ONE , 13 (3), Article e0193972. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0193972

For journal articles that are assigned article numbers rather than page ranges, include the article number in place of the page range.

For more on citing electronic resources, see  Electronic Sources References .

Article (Without DOI)

Found in a common academic research database or in print.

Casler , T. (2020). Improving the graduate nursing experience through support on a social media platform. MEDSURG Nursing , 29 (2), 83–87.

If an article does not have a DOI and you retrieved it from a common academic research database through the university library, there is no need to include any additional electronic retrieval information. The reference list entry looks like the entry for a print copy of the article. (This format differs from APA 6 guidelines that recommended including the URL of a journal's homepage when the DOI was not available.) Note that APA 7 has additional guidance on reference list entries for articles found only in specific databases or archives such as Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, UpToDate, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global, and university archives. See APA 7, Section 9.30 for more information.

Found on an Open Access Website

Eaton, T. V., & Akers, M. D. (2007). Whistleblowing and good governance. CPA Journal , 77 (6), 66–71. http://archives.cpajournal.com/2007/607/essentials/p58.htm

Provide the direct web address/URL to a journal article found on the open web, often on an open access journal's website. 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.

Weinstein, J. A. (2010).  Social change  (3rd ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.

If the book has an edition number, include it in parentheses after the title of the book. If the book does not list any edition information, do not include an edition number. The edition number is not italicized.

American Nurses Association. (2015). Nursing: Scope and standards of practice (3rd ed.).

If the author and publisher are the same, only include the author in its regular place and omit the publisher.

Lencioni, P. (2012). The advantage: Why organizational health trumps everything else in business . Jossey-Bass. https://amzn.to/343XPSJ

As a change from APA 6 to APA 7, it is no longer necessary to include the ebook format in the title. However, if you listened to an audiobook and the content differs from the text version (e.g., abridged content) or your discussion highlights elements of the audiobook (e.g., narrator's performance), then note that it is an audiobook in the title element in brackets. For ebooks and online audiobooks, also include the DOI number (if available) or nondatabase URL but leave out the electronic retrieval element if the ebook was found in a common academic research database, as with journal articles. APA 7 allows for the shortening of long DOIs and URLs, as shown in this example. See APA 7, Section 9.36 for more information.

Chapter in an Edited Book

Poe, M. (2017). Reframing race in teaching writing across the curriculum. In F. Condon & V. A. Young (Eds.), Performing antiracist pedagogy in rhetoric, writing, and communication (pp. 87–105). University Press of Colorado.

Include the page numbers of the chapter in parentheses after the book title.

Christensen, L. (2001). For my people: Celebrating community through poetry. In B. Bigelow, B. Harvey, S. Karp, & L. Miller (Eds.), Rethinking our classrooms: Teaching for equity and justice (Vol. 2, pp. 16–17). Rethinking Schools.

Also include the volume number or edition number in the parenthetical information after the book title when relevant.

Freud, S. (1961). The ego and the id. In J. Strachey (Ed.),  The standard edition of the complete psychological works of Sigmund Freud  (Vol. 19, pp. 3-66). Hogarth Press. (Original work published 1923)

When a text has been republished as part of an anthology collection, after the author’s name include the date of the version that was read. At the end of the entry, place the date of the original publication inside parenthesis along with the note “original work published.” For in-text citations of republished work, use both dates in the parenthetical citation, original date first with a slash separating the years, as in this example: Freud (1923/1961). For more information on reprinted or republished works, see APA 7, Sections 9.40-9.41.

Classroom Resources

Citing classroom resources.

If you need to cite content found in your online classroom, use the author (if there is one listed), the year of publication (if available), the title of the document, and the main URL of Walden classrooms. For example, you are citing study notes titled "Health Effects of Exposure to Forest Fires," but you do not know the author's name, your reference entry will look like this:

Health effects of exposure to forest fires [Lecture notes]. (2005). Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com

If you do know the author of the document, your reference will look like this:

Smith, A. (2005). Health effects of exposure to forest fires [PowerPoint slides]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com  

A few notes on citing course materials:

• [Lecture notes]
• [Course handout]
• [Study notes]
• It can be difficult to determine authorship of classroom documents. If an author is listed on the document, use that. If the resource is clearly a product of Walden (such as the course-based videos), use Walden University as the author. If you are unsure or if no author is indicated, place the title in the author spot, as above.
• If you cannot determine a date of publication, you can use n.d. (for "no date") in place of the year.

Note:  The web location for Walden course materials is not directly retrievable without a password, and therefore, following APA guidelines, use the main URL for the class sites: https://class.waldenu.edu.

Citing Tempo Classroom Resources

Clear author: 

Smith, A. (2005). Health effects of exposure to forest fires [PowerPoint slides]. Walden University Brightspace. https://mytempo.waldenu.edu

Unclear author:

Health effects of exposure to forest fires [Lecture notes]. (2005). Walden University Brightspace. https://mytempo.waldenu.edu

Conference Sessions and Presentations

Feinman, Y. (2018, July 27). Alternative to proctoring in introductory statistics community college courses [Poster presentation]. Walden University Research Symposium, Minneapolis, MN, United States. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/symposium2018/23/

Torgerson, K., Parrill, J., & Haas, A. (2019, April 5-9). Tutoring strategies for online students [Conference session]. The Higher Learning Commission Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, United States. http://onlinewritingcenters.org/scholarship/torgerson-parrill-haas-2019/

Dictionary Entry

Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Leadership. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary . Retrieved May 28, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leadership

When constructing a reference for an entry in a dictionary or other reference work that has no byline (i.e., no named individual authors), use the name of the group—the institution, company, or organization—as author (e.g., Merriam Webster, American Psychological Association, etc.). The name of the entry goes in the title position, followed by "In" and the italicized name of the reference work (e.g., Merriam-Webster.com dictionary , APA dictionary of psychology ). In this instance, APA 7 recommends including a retrieval date as well for this online source since the contents of the page change over time. End the reference entry with the specific URL for the defined word.

Discussion Board Post

Osborne, C. S. (2010, June 29). Re: Environmental responsibility [Discussion post]. Walden University Canvas.  https://waldenu.instructure.com  

Dissertations or Theses

Retrieved From a Database

Nalumango, K. (2019). Perceptions about the asylum-seeking process in the United States after 9/11 (Publication No. 13879844) [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses.

Retrieved From an Institutional or Personal Website

Evener. J. (2018). Organizational learning in libraries at for-profit colleges and universities [Doctoral dissertation, Walden University]. ScholarWorks. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6606&context=dissertations

Unpublished Dissertation or Thesis

Kirwan, J. G. (2005). An experimental study of the effects of small-group, face-to-face facilitated dialogues on the development of self-actualization levels: A movement towards fully functional persons [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. Saybrook Graduate School and Research Center.

For further examples and information, see APA 7, Section 10.6.

Legal Material

For legal references, APA follows the recommendations of The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation , so if you have any questions beyond the examples provided in APA, seek out that resource as well.

Court Decisions

Reference format:

Name v. Name, Volume Reporter Page (Court Date). URL

Sample reference entry:

Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). https://www.oyez.org/cases/1940-1955/347us483

Sample citation:

In Brown v. Board of Education (1954), the Supreme Court ruled racial segregation in schools unconstitutional.

Note: Italicize the case name when it appears in the text of your paper.

Name of Act, Title Source § Section Number (Year). URL

Sample reference entry for a federal statute:

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq. (2004). https://www.congress.gov/108/plaws/publ446/PLAW-108publ446.pdf

Sample reference entry for a state statute:

Minnesota Nurse Practice Act, Minn. Stat. §§ 148.171 et seq. (2019). https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/148.171

Sample citation: Minnesota nurses must maintain current registration in order to practice (Minnesota Nurse Practice Act, 2010).

Note: The § symbol stands for "section." Use §§ for sections (plural). To find this symbol in Microsoft Word, go to "Insert" and click on Symbol." Look in the Latin 1-Supplement subset. Note: U.S.C. stands for "United States Code." Note: The Latin abbreviation " et seq. " means "and what follows" and is used when the act includes the cited section and ones that follow. Note: List the chapter first followed by the section or range of sections.

Unenacted Bills and Resolutions

(Those that did not pass and become law)

Title [if there is one], bill or resolution number, xxx Cong. (year). URL

Sample reference entry for Senate bill:

Anti-Phishing Act, S. 472, 109th Cong. (2005). https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/senate-bill/472

Sample reference entry for House of Representatives resolution:

Anti-Phishing Act, H.R. 1099, 109th Cong. (2005). https://www.congress.gov/bill/109th-congress/house-bill/1099

The Anti-Phishing Act (2005) proposed up to 5 years prison time for people running Internet scams.

These are the three legal areas you may be most apt to cite in your scholarly work. For more examples and explanation, see APA 7, Chapter 11.

Magazine Article

Clay, R. (2008, June). Science vs. ideology: Psychologists fight back about the misuse of research. Monitor on Psychology , 39 (6). https://www.apa.org/monitor/2008/06/ideology

Note that for citations, include only the year: Clay (2008). For magazine articles retrieved from a common academic research database, leave out the URL. For magazine articles from an online news website that is not an online version of a print magazine, follow the format for a webpage reference list entry.

Newspaper Article (Retrieved Online)

Baker, A. (2014, May 7). Connecticut students show gains in national tests. New York Times . http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/08/nyregion/national-assessment-of-educational-progress-results-in-Connecticut-and-New-Jersey.html

Include the full date in the format Year, Month Day. Do not include a retrieval date for periodical sources found on websites. Note that for citations, include only the year: Baker (2014). For newspaper articles retrieved from a common academic research database, leave out the URL. For newspaper articles from an online news website that is not an online version of a print newspaper, follow the format for a webpage reference list entry.

Online Video/Webcast

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

Walden University Academic Skills Center. (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

Knowledge Check: Common Reference List Examples

Didn't find what you need? Email us at [email protected] .

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References Should Come from a Candidate’s Coworkers, Not Just Their Boss

• Disha Rupayana,
• Cynthia A. Hedricks,
• Leigh Puchalski,

An analysis shows your manager and colleagues talk about you differently.

Who you call for a reference check on a job candidate should depend, at least in part, on what you are hoping to accomplish. While talking with a candidate’s former managers is a common approach, it can be just as– if not more– important to speak to the potential employee’s colleagues. The authors found that the type of information gathered from each type of interview was significantly different. While managers tended to emphasize task-related behaviors (e.g., meeting deadlines, working independently), coworkers emphasized interpersonal behaviors (e.g., friendly, compassionate, listening). So if teamwork matters more than ever at your organization, conduct holistic reference checks on future employees, gathering feedback from both former coworkers and managers.

One of the most common ways to reference check a job candidate is to talk with their former managers over the phone. In a traditional workplace defined by a clear hierarchy and static job descriptions, this type of feedback may be sufficient. But in today’s dynamic, knowledge-based workplace, where work is often accomplished by teams working closely together, is talking to a manager really the best way to assess a potential employee’s fit? They may be able to speak to a person’s performance, dependability, and level of knowledge about their industry, but can they accurately speak to their interpersonal work styles?

• DR Disha Rupayana , Ph.D., is a Senior Research Scientist at at SkillSurvey, Inc., a reference checking technology firm that harnesses the power of references to help organizations.
• CH Cynthia A. Hedricks is the chief analytics officer at SkillSurvey, a reference-checking technology firm that harnesses the power of references to help organizations more effectively recruit, hire, and retain talent.
• LP Leigh Puchalski is a Research Specialist at SkillSurvey, Inc., a reference checking technology firm that harnesses the power of references to help organizations more effectively recruit, hire, and retain talent.
• CR Chet Robie , Ph.D., is a Professor of OB/HRM in the Lazaridis School of Business & Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario.

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References for employment.

The first consideration is to choose individuals who can provide the most appropriate references for the job being sought. References might be personal, professional, or academic. Effective references are provided by individuals who know the applicant well, who can be specific about the applicant’s skills, personal qualities, experience, and career goals, and who will respond with enthusiasm. Thought should also be given to selecting references who are credible because of their professions or personal reputations and who are effective communicators.

After developing the list of possible references, it is critical to determine each individual’s willingness to serve as a reference and then to prepare the individuals to provide helpful, accurate information. The applicant should supply each with a current resume. When a potential position is identified, a description of the job should be forwarded to the individuals selected as the most appropriate references for that particular position. It serves the applicant well to inform the references about why this job is of interest and why the applicant is a strong candidate. Employers are typically interested in knowing about an applicant’s interpersonal and teamwork skills, leadership qualities, quantity and quality of work output, as well as the ability to perform particular tasks associated with the job. The applicant should remind the references of examples of achievements corresponding to areas of importance to the employer.

Some employers request that an applicant submit letters of reference with the application. However, more typically, the employer will ask for a list of references, some of whom will be contacted by telephone. Consequently, the applicant must supply accurate information about how to contact each reference. The reference list, tailored to the particular job being sought, may be appended to the resume accompanying the application letter or provided at the interview. It is helpful to categorize and annotate the references. For example, a professional reference may be annotated as follows: “Colleague on a team redesigning company payroll system, 2003-2004.” If an employer requires completion of an application form, references can be copied onto the form. It is critical that the applicant notify the reference at the time his or her name is provided to a potential employer.

If employed and seeking a new position, an applicant may need to request deferral of contact with the current employer until a job offer has been made, perhaps contingent on a satisfactory reference from the current employer. The applicant should stay in touch with references during the job search. If some references are contacted by telephone, the questions asked can be good feedback to the applicant. All references should be notified and thanked on completion of the job search.

• Electronic employment screening
• Personnel selection
• Recruitment

References:

• Kennedy, J. L. 2000. Job Interviews for Dummies, 2nd ed. New York: Hungry Minds.
• Lucht, J. 2004. Rites of Passage at $100,000 to $1 Million+. New York: Viceroy Press.
• Stafford, D. and Moritza, D. 2004. Pp. 219-236 in 1000 Best Job Hunting Secrets. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks.

Will checking character references really help you find the best candidate for a job?

Associate Professor in Management, Swinburne University of Technology

Disclosure statement

Timothy Colin Bednall does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Swinburne University of Technology provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates.

Employers typically consider information from several sources , including the applicant’s work history, social media presence, responses to interview questions and sometimes, psychometric testing results.

It’s also common for hiring managers to check an applicant’s references by chatting to the candidate’s nominated referees or reading over their letters of recommendations.

Reference checks tend to be the final hurdle; a sort of background check for the candidate’s job history and credentials.

Nearly every employer does reference checks, but research suggests there are important limitations worth keeping in mind.

Inconsistency can be a problem

A reliable selection method produces a consistent measure of candidate suitability. In other words, reliability enables an apples-to-apples comparison of each candidate.

But early research into reference checks found referees tend to give substantially different ratings to the same candidates.

This inconsistency is problematic because it is unclear if a favourable report reflects genuine suitability or the candidate was fortunate enough to nominate a lenient referee.

Part of the problem is employers often do not take a structured approach to obtaining information from referees.

For instance, if asked overly general or vague questions about the candidate, each referee may focus on different aspects of past job performance or omit negative information.

Research suggests using a standardised set of questions can produce more reliable outcomes. This provides a stronger basis for making a meaningful comparison between candidates.

Unfortunately, even using a standardised assessment, referees still tend to disagree on their ratings .

This disagreement may still be worthwhile, as it can reveal important contextual differences in the candidate’s performance. For instance, one referee may have observed a candidate leading a team, while another may have only seen their project work.

However, employers still need to make sense of these different perspectives.

A reference is a poor indicator of future performance

A valid selection method is job-specific and provides useful information about how a candidate will actually perform in the role.

Reference checks are a relatively easy hurdle for candidates to overcome because referees are typically self-selected, and most job seekers can find at least one colleague who is willing to speak positively about them.

Read more: Employers should use skill-based hiring to find hidden talent and address labour challenges

As well, a candidate’s performance in a previous position may not always be relevant for the job they are applying for.

For these reasons, reference checks show only a small correlation with employee performance in their new job.

But because of their limited ability to predict performance, employers should not rely solely on reference checks.

A mix of checks the best approach

A recent systematic review of employee selection methods suggests structured interviews , work samples , and pre-employment assessments can provide useful insights into how employees will perform.

Pre-hiring assessments can reveal information about a person’s job knowledge, cognitive ability, integrity, personality, and emotional intelligence where appropriate. They are especially useful for screening numerous applicants, such as for graduate recruitment programs.

Ultimately, the job selection process should be tailored to the role requirements. For instance, if a role requires strong writing skills, this could be assessed through work samples or pre-hiring assessments.

Some candidates could be disadvantaged

A fair selection method is one that is unbiased and avoids giving weight to irrelevant information. It does not disadvantage people because of characteristics such as gender identity, age, or cultural background.

From this perspective, reference checks have several potential problems.

One is that candidates may not have access to referees of similar credibility.

For instance, a person from a high socioeconomic background is more likely to have access to senior leaders or experienced professionals in relevant fields who are willing to provide positive reports.

Reference checks may perpetuate existing inequalities.

In most cases, referees will want to provide positive reports. If the referee is a close colleague of the job applicant, they may be concerned that negative reports will be traced back to them and affect their ongoing relationship.

And employers may be motivated to offer under-performers a glowing review to get rid of them.

Read more: 6 questions you should be ready to answer to smash that job interview

Most references are difficult to verify, so referees are unlikely to suffer damage to their reputation if they talk up an average candidate, especially if the referee is outside the employer’s professional network.

Research suggests letters of recommendation can actually disadvantage female candidates by planting doubts about their suitability.

For instance, letters about female candidates more frequently contain negativity (such as, “does not have much teaching experience”), faint praise (“needs minimal supervision”) and hedging (“has the potential to become a strong performer”).

These types of statements can lead employers to evaluate female candidates more harshly.

However, when a structured questionnaire is used , this bias does not emerge.

A flawed but worthwhile tool

While reference checks remain common, their limitations are clear. They can be unreliable, offer only moderate validity in predicting performance at best and raise fairness concerns.

However, reference checks shouldn’t be discarded. By implementing structured questioning and adopting other well-established employee selection methods, references can still be included as a final step in a robust hiring process.

• Recruitment
• Job application
• Job interviews

Program Manager, Teaching & Learning Initiatives

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Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy

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April 26, 2024

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Will checking character references really help you find the best candidate for a job?

by Timothy Colin Bednall, The Conversation

Finding the best person to fill a position can be tough, from drafting a job ad to producing a shortlist of top interview candidates.

Employers typically consider information from several sources , including the applicant's work history, social media presence , responses to interview questions and sometimes, psychometric testing results.

It's also common for hiring managers to check an applicant's references by chatting to the candidate's nominated referees or reading over their letters of recommendations.

Reference checks tend to be the final hurdle; a sort of background check for the candidate's job history and credentials.

Nearly every employer does reference checks, but research suggests there are important limitations worth keeping in mind.

Inconsistency can be a problem

A reliable selection method produces a consistent measure of candidate suitability. In other words, reliability enables an apples-to-apples comparison of each candidate.

But early research into reference checks found referees tend to give substantially different ratings to the same candidates.

This inconsistency is problematic because it is unclear if a favorable report reflects genuine suitability or the candidate was fortunate enough to nominate a lenient referee.

Part of the problem is employers often do not take a structured approach to obtaining information from referees.

For instance, if asked overly general or vague questions about the candidate, each referee may focus on different aspects of past job performance or omit negative information.

Research suggests using a standardized set of questions can produce more reliable outcomes. This provides a stronger basis for making a meaningful comparison between candidates.

Unfortunately, even using a standardized assessment, referees still tend to disagree on their ratings .

This disagreement may still be worthwhile, as it can reveal important contextual differences in the candidate's performance. For instance, one referee may have observed a candidate leading a team, while another may have only seen their project work.

However, employers still need to make sense of these different perspectives.

A reference is a poor indicator of future performance

A valid selection method is job-specific and provides useful information about how a candidate will actually perform in the role.

Reference checks are a relatively easy hurdle for candidates to overcome because referees are typically self-selected, and most job seekers can find at least one colleague who is willing to speak positively about them.

As well, a candidate's performance in a previous position may not always be relevant for the job they are applying for.

For these reasons, reference checks show only a small correlation with employee performance in their new job.

But because of their limited ability to predict performance, employers should not rely solely on reference checks.

A mix of checks the best approach

A recent systematic review of employee selection methods suggests structured interviews , work samples , and pre-employment assessments can provide useful insights into how employees will perform.

Pre-hiring assessments can reveal information about a person's job knowledge, cognitive ability, integrity, personality, and emotional intelligence where appropriate. They are especially useful for screening numerous applicants, such as for graduate recruitment programs.

Ultimately, the job selection process should be tailored to the role requirements. For instance, if a role requires strong writing skills, this could be assessed through work samples or pre-hiring assessments.

Some candidates could be disadvantaged

A fair selection method is one that is unbiased and avoids giving weight to irrelevant information. It does not disadvantage people because of characteristics such as gender identity, age, or cultural background.

From this perspective, reference checks have several potential problems.

One is that candidates may not have access to referees of similar credibility.

For instance, a person from a high socioeconomic background is more likely to have access to senior leaders or experienced professionals in relevant fields who are willing to provide positive reports.

Reference checks may perpetuate existing inequalities.

In most cases, referees will want to provide positive reports. If the referee is a close colleague of the job applicant, they may be concerned that negative reports will be traced back to them and affect their ongoing relationship.

And employers may be motivated to offer under-performers a glowing review to get rid of them.

Most references are difficult to verify, so referees are unlikely to suffer damage to their reputation if they talk up an average candidate, especially if the referee is outside the employer's professional network.

Research suggests letters of recommendation can actually disadvantage female candidates by planting doubts about their suitability.

For instance, letters about female candidates more frequently contain negativity (such as, "does not have much teaching experience"), faint praise ("needs minimal supervision") and hedging ("has the potential to become a strong performer").

These types of statements can lead employers to evaluate female candidates more harshly.

However, when a structured questionnaire is used , this bias does not emerge.

A flawed but worthwhile tool

While reference checks remain common, their limitations are clear. They can be unreliable, offer only moderate validity in predicting performance at best and raise fairness concerns.

However, reference checks shouldn't be discarded. By implementing structured questioning and adopting other well-established employee selection methods, references can still be included as a final step in a robust hiring process.

Provided by The Conversation

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 9 sample excellent recommendation letters for your job.

Letters of Recommendation

Anyone who's applied for a job knows how important recommendation letters can be to getting hired. While you've probably asked for a reference letter in the past, you may be less familiar with writing one. If someone asks you for a reference, how can you produce a great letter that will help your employee, colleague, or friend get hired?

To help you through the writing process, we're providing nine samples of effective letters of recommendation (scroll down to skip to the samples!). By reading through these examples, you'll gain a clear understanding of how to structure your own letters.

Before getting to the free recommendation letter samples, let's briefly review the role that reference letters play in the hiring process. Why are they important, and what makes some stand out over others?

Why Are Recommendation Letters Important?

Many employers request recommendation letters to help them decide who to hire or internally promote. Throughout the hiring process, the applicant strives to present herself in the best light. Beyond the interview and resume, hiring managers look to recommendation letters to confirm the candidate's qualifications and to gain insight from an outside party.

The hiring manager wants to know what experiences the candidate will bring to the new role, how she'll contribute to the company or organization, and how she'll behave in the day-to-day. Recommendation letters can point to a candidate's future performance by talking about her past achievements.

Reference letters can also shed light on what it's like to manage, work with, or, in the case of a character reference, be friends with the person under consideration. They complement the candidate's story and suggest what she'll bring to the table in her next job.

If you get asked to write a letter for someone, it's safe to assume you want to do a good job. Helping someone get hired is not just a satisfying good deed, but it's also good professional karma! So how can you turn those good intentions into a stand-out employee letter of recommendation?

Each letter will, of course, be different, but good letters share certain key features. Read on to learn about three important characteristics of strong reference letters.

Your recommendation letter's not the time to be cagey about your identity! The hiring manager wants to know who you are and why you're qualified to recommend the applicant.

What Makes a Recommendation Letter Stand Out? 3 Key Features

Strong letters give positive descriptions of a candidate's skills in a concise and powerful way. Beyond using language that's clear and error-free, what elements should your recommendation letter include to be effective?

As you write your letter, make sure it does the following:

#1: Explains Why You're Qualified to Recommend the Candidate

In order to hold weight, a recommendation letter should come from a reputable source. If an employer wants a professional reference, then the writer of that letter probably worked with the candidate in a supervisory capacity. Some employers will also be interested in letters from a colleague or, occasionally, a friend, neighbor, or family member. Most letters, though, will be written by a supervisor, manager, or boss of some sort.

In the first paragraph, you should explain who you are and how you know the candidate. How long did you work with her and in what capacity? By explaining your relationship, you show that you're qualified to give an honest assessment.

If someone who feels like a relative stranger asks you to write a letter, you might consider declining or recommending someone else to write it. If you didn't get to know the candidate's work performance or only did so in a way completely unrelated to the new position, then you might not be able to provide a helpful letter of recommendation from employer to employee.

The best letters are written by people who can speak to the candidate's skills and accomplishments. Make sure to state clearly in the beginning of your letter who you are and why your opinion matters.

#2: Customized to the New Position

While you should speak to the candidate's accomplishments in her past role, you should also show why she'd make a good fit in the next one. Even if the candidate's making a career change, you can explain why she'll be able to do well in the new industry.

Here's where open communication with the applicant is important. She should share the job description so you have a clear understanding of the position's requirements. As the writer, you're not expected to do much research on the new job. The candidate should provide you with everything you need to know to customize your letter.

By drawing on this information, you can express confidence that the candidate will succeed in the new role. Then when the hiring manager reads your letter, she'll feel reassured that the candidate would make a good fit.

#3: Uses Specific Examples and Anecdotes

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, your letter should provide specific examples about the candidate. Don't just list adjectives like, "friendly, intelligent, and hard-working"; instead, present circumstances in which the candidate demonstrated those qualities. To borrow a favorite phrase of English teachers, "show, don't just tell."

Not only will examples point to the value the candidate brought to your organization or company, but they'll also paint a picture of how she works in day-to-day operations. Using two to three specific anecdotes in your letter will boost its level of persuasiveness. It will also sidestep a common rec letter trap: becoming a generic list of cliches.

Just as you should only write a recommendation letter if you feel qualified to assess the candidate, you should also only write it if you can provide a great one. While you don't want to go over the top and sound insincere, your letter should be a strongly positive endorsement.

Sample Recommendation Letters

As you read through the nine free job recommendation letters below, notice how they all share the three key features described above, even though they differ in terms of their source and target audience. Below are nine sample recommendation letters, each followed by an analysis of what it does well!

• Sample Recommendation Letter 1: Written by a Direct Manager for a Full-Time Employee
• Sample Recommendation Letter 2: Written by a Principal for a Teacher
• Sample Recommendation Letter 3: Written by a Direct Manager for a Part-Time Employee
• Sample Recommendation Letter 4: Written by a Manager for a Remote Worker
• Sample Recommendation Letter 5: Written by a Supervisor for an Internal Promotion
• Sample Recommendation Letter 6: Written by a Supervisor for a Student Intern
• Sample Recommendation Letter 7: Written by a Coworker
• Sample Recommendation Letter 8: Written by a Professor for a Former Student
• Sample Recommendation Letter 9: Written by a Friend as a Character Reference

After checking out the above samples of recommendation letters, read on for some final thoughts on how to write an excellent letter of recommendation for an employee, coworker, or friend.

Now that you've got all the building blocks, you can put them together into a powerful letter of recommendation!

Writing Strong Letters of Recommendation: Final Thoughts

While the above samples of recommendation letters will help guide you through the letter writing process, they can't look exactly like your final product. Writing a letter is a significant undertaking, as it requires you to customize your words to the candidate and make your letter unique. Even though the specifics will vary, strong letters of recommendation do have certain features in common. Each letter should...

Use an Official Format

The sample letters show the proper format for a recommendation letter. They have the employer's name, position, company, and company's address at the top. To give one example, here's the header for recommendation letter sample #1:

Ms. Greta Johanssen Sales Manager Streambase Corp. 66 Western Boulevard Santa Fe, New Mexico 87500

You should also use official letterhead that has your name and contact information across the top, in whatever way you've chosen to present it. Each letter is addressed to a specific person, a greeting that's more personal than, "Dear Hiring Manager." Typically, paragraphs are single-spaced with a double space in between each one.

Finally, every letter concludes with an invitation to contact the writer for any further information. Then the writer may include her position, company, phone number, and email below her name.

Start with a Strong Opener

The strongest letters start out with an immediate statement of support. They might say, "It's my honor," "It's my pleasure," or "I'm very pleased to provide this letter of recommendation for Joe." Stating the obvious with a sentence like, "I'm writing to recommend Joe," looks weak beside a more enthusiastic opener.

In the first paragraph, explain who you are and why you're qualified to recommend the candidate. Write a line or two of praise about her professional and personal strengths, perhaps with a summary of the main points you'll present in the rest of the letter.

Include Two to Three Specific Examples

As mentioned above, strong letters typically include two to three body paragraphs with specific anecdotes about the candidate. They don't just describe the applicant's great qualities and accomplishments; they give examples and prove to her prospective employer that she's made achievements in the past that predict future success.

You might talk about a project or responsibility of the applicant or the value she's brought to your company. Consider relevant qualities like flexibility, initiative, leadership, growth, collaboration, interpersonal skills, and/or ability to perform within a certain environment or culture.

To Sum Up...

Depending on your relationship with the candidate, you might focus more on her work performance or personal character in your recommendation letter. An employer will focus more heavily on professional skills while a coworker may add personal qualities.

A friend or neighbor providing a character reference would produce the most personal letter. It falls upon the candidate to choose her recommenders wisely and to share any relevant information about the prospective position to help them write the best letter they can.

As long as you incorporate the key features discussed above and take the time to make your letter positive and specific, you'll provide a strong recommendation letter that will help your employee, colleague, or friend get hired. And who knows—perhaps in a year or two, she'll be writing a recommendation letter for you!

What's Next?

Are you tasked with writing a recommendation letter for a student applying to college? If so, check out these samples of recommendation letters from teachers and counselors, along with additional writing tips and a thorough recommendation letter template!

• 4 Amazing Samples of Recommendation Letters from Teachers Should You Move to a State with No Income Taxes
• 3 Examples of Excellent Recommendation Letters from Counselors
• Complete Guide: Writing a Strong Letter of Recommendation
• Unsecured Credit Cards for Those with Bad Credit
• A Great College Recommendation Letter Template

Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT.

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Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

Postgraduate Research Associate (project employment) / Reference Code 95

Job Information

Offer description.

The Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Bioprocess Engineering is currently seeking a Postgraduate Research Associate (project employment).

Extent of employment:         30 hours per week

Duration of employment:       15 th of June 2024, limited to 14 th of June 2027

Workplace: 1190 Vienna, Muthgasse 18

Gross monthly salary and pay grade in terms of collective agreement for university staff (payable 14 times per year): B1, € 2.684,10

Responsibilities

• Assisting in development of purification processes for amino acids from archaea fermentation broth
• Process modeling to facilitate scale-up
• Environmental and economic modeling of the entire process chain
• Oral & written presentation of results, active contribution in the publication process of the results in peer-reviewed journals

Required skills and qualifications

• Diploma degree in process modeling, biological data science, (bio)informatics, computational bio(tech)nology or other equivalent university degree

Desirable skills and qualifications

• A background in biotechnology or chemical engineering and very good theoretical and practical knowledge of chromatography and membrane-based purification as well as analytical methods would be an asset
• We expect you to be enthusiastic to reach ambitious goals, to learn new techniques and to present your results in oral and written form
• A very close collaboration with the industrial partner would be envisioned
• Excellent skills in spoken and written English and the ability to work in an international team are essential

University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna seeks to increase the number of its female faculty and staff members. Therefore qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply. In case of equal qualification, female candidates will be given preference unless reasons specific to an individual male candidate tilt the balance in his favour.

People with disabilities and appropriate qualifications are specifically encouraged to apply.

Please send your job application incl.

• Motivation letter
• Bachelor certificate, master certificate, transcript of records

to Personnel Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Peter-Jordan-Straße 70, 1190 Vienna; E-Mail: [email protected] . (Reference code: 95)

We regret that we cannot reimburse applicants travel and lodging expenses incurred as part of the selection and hiring process.

www.boku.ac.at

Requirements

Additional information, work location(s), where to apply.

Assistant Archivist

• Fairbanks, Alaska, United States
• Staff Full-time
• UAF Rasmuson Library

Are you passionate about history and dedicated to assisting others in their research? The Alaska and Polar Regions Collections & Archives (APRCA) invites applications for the position of Public Services Assistant Archivist. APRCA is seeking someone to serve as the first point of contact for archival reference requests, assist researchers in the research room, organize public outreach events, and fulfill reproduction requests. Our patrons range from local students to international researchers, making each day a unique experience. APRCA is responsible for a world class collection and is dedicated to preserving and providing access to a diverse range of historical materials related to Alaska and the polar regions. Archives has around 2000 accessions covering a wide spectrum of topics including mining, politics, art, anthropology, and everyday life.

To thrive in this role, the successful applicant should display excellent interpersonal skills, should be familiar with effective research techniques, and should be comfortable utilizing those techniques to assist patrons with their own research. Applicants should also be capable of performing and prioritizing a variety of different tasks, while meeting deadlines and maintaining excellent customer service.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree; or an equivalent combination of training and experience. Preferred: Master of Library Science or related degree or Master’s degree in Alaska or polar regions history, anthropology, cultural studies, or related degree; Advanced knowledge of Alaska or polar history, anthropology, or political science (or related field).

Position Details:

This position is located on the Troth Yhedda campus in Fairbanks, Alaska. This is a full-time, non-exempt staff position complete with both a competitive salary and  full employee benefits package . UA provides a generous compensation package that includes retirement options, annual leave, 12 paid holidays per year, tuition waivers for employees and family members, and affordable medical, dental and vision care coverage. New hires will be placed on the  UA Staff Salary Schedule , Grade 78, based on education and experience.

 Review of applicants will begin immediately, to ensure full consideration you must apply by  11:55pm Sunday, May 12, 2024

Please provide the following documents with your application for full consideration:

1. Cover Letter

2. CV or Resume

3. Contact information (name, email and phone number) for three (3) professional references.

*To be eligible for this position, applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States without restriction.  Applicants who now or may in the future require visa sponsorship to work in the United States are not eligible.

The University of Alaska (UA) is responsible for providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities throughout the applicant screening process. If you need assistance in completing this application or during any phase of the interview process, please contact UA Human Resources by phone at 907-450-8200.

UA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer, educational institution and provider and prohibits illegal discrimination against any individual:  www.alaska.edu/nondiscrimination .

The successful applicant is required to complete a background check. Any offer of employment is contingent on the background check.

Your application for employment with the University of Alaska is subject to public disclosure under the Alaska Public Records Act.

If you have any questions regarding this position, please contact Wendy Frandse, [email protected].

* Each university within the University of Alaska system publishes an Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which contains information regarding campus safety and security including topics such as: campus law enforcement authority; crime reporting policies; campus alerts (Timely Warnings and Emergency Notifications); fire safety policies and procedures; programs to prevent dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking; the procedures the University will follow when one of these crimes is reported; and other matters of importance related to security on campus. The report also contains information about crime statistics for the three most recent calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on campus; in On-Campus Student Housing Facilities; in Noncampus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University or a recognized student organization; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus.  The report also contains fire statistics for any fires occurring in an On-Campus Student Housing Facility during the three most recent calendar years.  

Access to the reports is available at:

UAA : (Addresses Anchorage campus, Aviation Technology Complex, JBER - Elmendorf Extension, JBER - Richardson Extension, Kenai Peninsula College - Kachemak Bay campus, Kenai Peninsula College - Kenai River campus, Kodiak College, Kodiak High School Extension, Matanuska-Susitna College, Prince William Sound College, and Prince William Sound College - Cordova Extension) Online:  https://www.uaa.alaska.edu/students/safety . Request a paper copy in person: UAA Police Department Office at Room 114 of Eugene Short Hall on the Anchorage campus / UAA Dean of Students Office at Room 122 of Rasmuson Hall on the Anchorage campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-786-1120 or  [email protected]  / 907-786-1214 or  [email protected] . 

UAF:  (Addresses Fairbanks Campus, Bristol Bay Campus, Chukchi Campus, Community and Technical College, Kasitsna Bay Campus, Seward Marine Center, Tok Campus, Kuskokwim Campus, and Northwest Campus) Online:  https://www.uaf.edu/orca/files/ASFSR.pdf . Request a paper copy in person: UAF Office of Rights, Compliance and Accountability on the 3rd Floor of Constitution Hall. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-474-7300 or  [email protected] .

UAS:  (Addresses the Juneau Auke Bay Campus, Juneau Technical Education Center, Sitka Campus, & Ketchikan Campus) Online:  https://uas.alaska.edu/equity-and-compliance/docs/clery/UAS_ASFSR.pdf . Request a paper copy in person: Hendrickson Building, Suite 202 on the Juneau campus. Request a paper copy by mail: 907-796-6371 or emailing  [email protected] .

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Tests your skills in the ever-changing landscape of enterprise network technologies. 

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Enterprise Infrastructure

Validates your ability to maximize the potential of enterprise infrastructure solutions. 

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Enterprise Wireless

Proves your ability to maximize the potential of enterprise wireless solutions.

It’s time to expand your multicloud expertise

Show the world you have what it takes to deploy, secure, manage, and monitor complex public and private multicloud networks.

Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Network Assurance

Demonstrate your knowledge of network assurance design and implementation leveraging platforms and architecture, data collection, implementation, data analysis, insights and alerts.

Cisco Certified Specialist - Cloud Connectivity

Certify that you can design and implement cloud connectivity, including architecture models, IPsec, and Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) solutions.

Cisco Certified Specialist - Secure Cloud Access

Certify your knowledge of designing and implementing secure architectures, users and devices, networks, applications, data, and more.

Build security and resilience

Secure and protect the on-premises and cloud network infrastructures that organizations rely on.

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Security

Proves you can step into any security environment and protect the networks and data that clients rely on.

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Security

Proves your skills with complex security solutions.

Service Provider

Propel next-gen networking solutions.

Revolutionize IT infrastructure for businesses worldwide. Stay ahead of emerging technologies, and master strategic network design skills to provide unparalleled services to clients.

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Service Provider

Proves your ability to configure, verify, and optimize next-gen service provider IP network infrastructures.

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Service Provider

Proves your skills with complex service provider network solutions. 

Additional certifications

Consider additional certification possibilities.

Check out these additional training programs to get certified. You might discover your perfect match!

AppDynamics

Whether you’ve been tasked with implementing AppDynamics software or are responsible for setting up a monitoring dashboard, you’re sure to find certifications that align with your role.

Cisco Certified Technician (CCT)

Cisco Certified Technicians have the skills to diagnose, restore, repair, and replace critical Cisco networking and system devices at customer sites. Technicians work closely with the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC) to quickly and efficiently resolve support incidents.

Cisco Customer Experience

Cisco Customer Experience training and exams prepare you for key roles in services or subscription-based organizations. These exams validate your skills in accelerating time to value and ensuring your customers achieve their business goals by implementing, adopting, expanding, and renewing your software and service subscriptions.

Cisco Meraki Solutions

Cisco Meraki Solutions are sweeping the world, with over 2.5 million active networks in more than 190 countries. But who can run these new networks? You can. The Cisco Meraki Solutions Specialist certification validates your ability to design, implement, and operate Meraki technologies.

Land your dream role

Whether you’re interested in servers and hardware, network security, or software development, your dream role is out there - and a certification can help pave the way.

In-demand roles in tech

Network engineer.

Apply a range of technologies to connect, secure, and automate complex networks.

Systems engineer

Be the expert behind any project that optimizes systems for an organization.

CyberOps analyst

Continuously assess network security and look for ways to ensure security measures are well-planned and in place.

Showcase your unique skill set

Every professional- and expert-level exam now earns a Specialist certification. Specialist certifications help to showcase your unique skill set by validating your expertise in the areas that matter to you, from Enterprise to DevNet and everything between.

Certification Success Stories

Ccna moved elvin up the career ladder.

"Passing that CCNA exam triggered a chain of events I could never have predicted. First, I was a student, then a teacher, then a Cisco instructor, and I eventually became a Cisco VIP"

Elvin Arias Soto, CloudOps engineer

CCNA, CCDP, CCDA, CCNP, CCIE

Certifications give Kevin instant credibility at work

"People always want to know who they're talking to. They want to know if you’re qualified. Certifications give you instant credibility."

Kevin Brown, CyberOps analyst

CCNA, CyberOps Associate

Ben made a career change with a Cisco certification

"I chose to pursue Cisco certifications because I knew it would put me in the best position to start a career in networking."

Ben Harting, Configuration Engineer

Engage with a vibrant learning community of peers and experts

The Cisco Learning Network Community is more than just an online platform - it’s your global study group. Connect with peers, learn from experts, and access a wealth of resources that empower your learning journey.

Survey finds loneliness epidemic runs deep among parents

Majority of respondents feel isolation, loneliness and burnout from demands of parenthood.

A new national survey conducted by The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center finds a broad majority of parents experience isolation, loneliness and burnout from the demands of parenthood, with many feeling a lack of support in fulfilling that role.

The survey of parents conducted this month found:

• About two-thirds (66%) felt the demands of parenthood sometimes or frequently feel isolating and lonely.
• About 62% feel burned out by their responsibilities as a parent.
• Nearly 2 in 5 (38%) feel they have no one to support them in their parenting role.
• Nearly 4 in 5 (79%) would value a way to connect with other parents outside of work and home.

"I work from home full time and I actually have a job where I'm on camera a lot and I'm Zoom calling people very often," said Anne Helms, a mother of two young children in Columbus, Ohio. "However, you don't get the small talk, so you don't get the, 'How are your children? How's it going?' And you don't get a lot of genuine answers when you do ask, 'How is it going?'

"There are some days where the most chit-chat or idle talk that I get is with my dog because I work alone."

"It's pretty obvious that there is a huge difference between a virtual meeting and being in person," said Kate Gawlik, DNP, associate clinical professor at The Ohio State University College of Nursing, a researcher on parental burnout and a mother of four young children. "You miss a lot of those small interactions that you'd have in the hallway. Just a lot more of that personal touch has been eliminated, and in many regards it's just never been infiltrated back into our society."

"Even the places that I do try and seek out other parents, it's kind of like we're lost in the shuffle because it's at daycare drop-off or pick-up where everyone just has tunnel vision," Helms added. "And I think it's hard to make friends when you're feeling vulnerable."

Gawlik pointed to the ancillary negative impacts of loneliness.

"Loneliness has been shown to affect both your physical and mental health," Gawlik explained. "So anything from cardiovascular disease to depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, even your immune system can be affected when you're lonely. In fact, one study showed if you are in social isolation for a prolonged amount of time, it's equivalent to smoking about 15 cigarettes a day."

In response to the realities of parental isolation, loneliness and burnout, Gawlik created a six-week parenting program that brings parents together to be vulnerable, commiserate about challenges they face and find support. It's where Helms realized she wasn't alone.

"I think the biggest thing is she validated that if you're working and you have children and you're a conscientious parent, it would be wild if you weren't burned out," Helms said. "So I felt very validated when she said, "It's okay that you're here.'"

Gawlik also stressed the need for self-care and the value of connection.

"To have somebody that you can relate to and that feeling of connection that somebody else is dealing with what you are dealing with can be so powerful when it comes to combating feelings of loneliness," Gawlik said.

"I think it equips us to create better futures for our children; I think it makes us healthier," Helms said. "I think that the ripple effect from connecting with other parents and getting support when you need it is immeasurable. It makes you a better employee. It makes you a better spouse, parent, friend. I think that it just enriches our lives … just like parenting does, but it just makes you level up."

Gawlik recommends doing an online search for parent groups in your community, whether they are hosted at community centers or through your employer. Parents can also look for playgroups, book clubs, recreational sports leagues or initiate talking to parents about scheduling playdates with their little ones' friends from childcare.

"Parenting can feel very lonely at times, but it will be easier if you have people around who can support you," Gawlik said. "It can be hard to start seeking out connections because, to some degree, you will have to be vulnerable and, sometimes, it will take time and effort.

"But just take the first step."

• Child Psychology
• Child Development
• Infant and Preschool Learning
• Education and Employment
• Transportation Issues
• Public Health
• Popular Culture
• Yoga (alternative medicine)
• Panic attack
• United Nations Development Programme
• National security
• Water scarcity
• Psychological trauma

Story Source:

Materials provided by Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center . Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Cite This Page :

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