Is an LOR from your research advisor necessary?

Graduate School
1

<p>Is it better to get a Letter of Recommendation for a Masters from a professor who thinks highly (read: glowingly) of your work (and you, in general) or your research advisor who you felt didn’t know you well? </p>

<p>Allow me to explain. I took an Independent Study and my thesis topic was related to the field I now plan to enter (International Development).</p>

<p>However, the thesis was in the Spanish department. </p>

<p>My research needed to focus on a Spanish-speaking country, so I chose a topic in international development. That said, my research advisor had little to no knowledge about my thesis topic. His speciality is literature in Spain. Not anything related to South America. He did his best to show enthusiasm for my topic, but unfortunately, I felt like there was more weight put on the grammar (i.e. my ability to write and present the findings in Spanish) than on the actual research.</p>

<p>I guess I just feel weird asking him for a letter of recommendation. There were also three other students in my Independent Study. Naturally, he gave more attention to students focused on topics he has knowledge/research experience in.</p>

<p>Does not including him as a recommender reflect poorly on me or suggest something “negative” happened? The other professor I’m considering asking was a professor in my major who teaches an upper level class I took. She actually approached me when the course was done and said if I ever wanted a LOR, she’d gladly write one for me. </p>

<p>Any sound advice would be appreciated!</p>

2

<p>Yes, it looks bad if you don’t get one from the person you did research with (unless you had so many experiences that it looks like you were forced to pick 3 out of _).</p>

3

<p>^Agreed with DoubleD. It’ll look weird if you say you did a thesis/independent study but don’t get a recommendation from your supervisor. (This does hold a little less weight for an MA program than a PhD program, though, especially if that master’s program is a professional one like an MIA.)</p>

<p>HOWEVER, it’s better to get a positive strong recommendation from someone who did not supervise you in research than to get a lukewarm recommendation from someone who did. So if you don’t think your thesis advisor will give you a strong, positive rec, then ask the other professor.</p>