Instructors who have shown an appreciation of your work (as seen through your grades) are appropriate choices if you are still studying or are a recent graduate. The best academic references are people who saw you at your best, as they will provide a positive assessment of your knowledge and skills. If you get asked to provide an academic reference letter, these tips can help you identify a suitable person to be your reference: Choose someone who saw your best performance Related: What Is a Job Reference? (Definition, Types and Examples) Tips for choosing a suitable academic reference Professors and lecturers are often asked to write references for their current or former students and teaching or research assistants for various opportunities, including scholarships, grants, study programs, internships and jobs. References attest to a person's character and abilities. An academic reference, also called an academic letter of recommendation, is a type of written recommendation. If you've never had to obtain one before, you might be wondering what an academic reference is exactly. We also provide some examples of how to request a reference or write one. In this article, we define academic references, explain how to choose and approach someone about being your academic reference and describe how to write an academic reference yourself. Understanding more about academic references will help you to obtain an academic reference or write one for someone else. A good academic reference can help you, or someone you recommend, advance academically or professionally. Some education and career opportunities require academic references.

How to provide a ucas reference example