<p>What is this stickied? Good lord, must EVERYTHING be boiled down to a how-to formula that can be manipulated and gamed? This advice reeks of machiavellian nonsense. </p>
<p>I don’t want my students swinging by and making small talk, wasting my time, faking their attentions, and giving me gifts with some master plan to garner some kind of letter from me later. Same sort of students that come to negotiate grades and/or brown nose. Go away! News flash: we know this student and there are a few every year. You don’t want to hear what we say about you OP. These students think they are oh so savvy because most professors are pretty polite and don’t point out what is obvious tot hem (but just because professors play along doesn’t mean they don’t see right through you as a suck up and share info with their colleagues about you-- info that isn’t good). </p>
<p>We want students that work hard and participate in class because they are genuinely interested in learning. We want students who are intellectually curious, with an apparent genuineness and sense of integrity. Few students can practice or manufacture their way into creating the illusion that they have these traits: those attempting to do so come across like used car salesmen. </p>
<p>I write letters for students gifted enough to work with me on my research or be involved such that I know them in a <em>working capacity</em> beyond the classroom. Oh and just because I say I’ll write a letter for you doesn’t mean you would necessarily agree with what I have to say. Think about it. The LAST thing you want in a letter of recommendation about you is to be described as “instrumental”. </p>
<p>I can’t believe the OP actually thinks so lowly of people that they believe a bag of coffee beans would override professional integrity.</p>