Academic Poll: Forms of Address

Well, the times I've written such letters, I have referred to them by full name initially, and then by first name thereafter. Mainly because I'm supposedly writing this letter because I know the student well enough to do so, which kind of implies that I should be on a first-name basis with them. Calling them "Mr/Ms Lastname" implies that I don't actually know them very well at all, in which case my recommendation would be worth very little.

I think that it's sad such things are even considered important enough for deliberation or voicing opinions on. Even asking the question sounds excessively formal in this day and age.

I don't know how much the addressing style really does matter, but the letters I write are always exactly as #1 said: Full name in the opening sentence, first name thereafter because I know my students very well.

I'm with #1, and would find it odd to write any other way.

Full name in the opening sentence, Mr/Ms Lastname thereafter: that's normal in my country (they address me as Prof. MyLastname). I'm appalled at the idea that Americans would think I don't know the students well because of that.

When I write letters of recommendation I start with FirstName LastName and thereafter use Mr./Ms. LastName. I find the formality more appropriate for professional correspondence.

I'm curious about #1, 3 & 4: What do the students call you? As #5 points out, s/he uses the same form of address as students use with professors.

When I was in graduate school the professor in one of my first classes pointed out that we were becoming professionals and should therefore behave as professionals. He had introduced himself as Doctor LastName, but proceeded to call the students by our first names. Including the one of us who already and a Ph.D. in another field.

(On the other hand, I call my non-adult clients by their first names and they call me by my first name. Except the ones who just can't bring themselves to call an adult by a first name, then I become "Ms. Ruth," and, eventually, "Mrs. Ruth.")

I've never consciously thought of it, but I always seem to have started with FirstName Lastname (no Mr/Ms) and thereafter FirstName. These were not academic recommendations, though.

So, Professor Chad, could you please now tell us your opinion is?

There was an inversion some time back. It used to be that "being on a first name basis" meant that you knew someone well. Now, everyone is on a first name basis. Knowing someone's last name means that you know them well. I'd use Mr./Ms. Lastname to show that you know the person in question well.

Oops. That would be:
So, Professor Chad, could you please now tell us what your opinion is?

I'm on the tail end of my PhD studies. My adviser, with whom I have a very good relationship, refers to me by firstname lastname and then Ms. lastname in recommendation letters (and we're in a fairly informal discipline). It's never seemed strange to me.

It never happened, but, so long as you provoke the fantasy, I wish that I prevailed upon my mentor Feynman to write a Letter of Recommendation that began:

Dear Division Chairman,

The eccentric Jonathan Vos Post, quite likely to win a Nobel Prize if he continues his topological quantum madness, first came to my attention through a teacher who instructed both of us in Brooklyn, albeit in different decades. Notwithstanding Jonathan's uncle Joe Vos, back when he was dating Shirley Bassey and hanging out with Frank Sinatra, and whom I still suspect cheated me at Pinochle, I heartily... etc. etc.

First name after first use of full name. Mr./Ms. sounds goofily formal to me. They called me Prof. MyLastName.

Mr./Ms. Lastname is more professional. Firstname is more collegial. Context is key.

For students and postdocs, Firstname/Lastname initially, then Firstname on second reference. This seems to be how most of the people who send us recommendation letters do it, too. [if you live in enough countries you do become more sensitised to differences in style of address]

I did recently write a letter recommending a colleague from another institution for a visiting appointment, and I alternated between Firstname and Dr Lastname.

Students in my department mostly call me by my first name. Students in other departments may use first name or Prof Lastname or Dr Lastname (this happens particularly with MDs and medical students).

One of my high school students calls me "Mister NASA." One in a Continuation High school where I taught last year (guns, gangs, weapons, drugs) called me Professor OG (as in Original Gangster). I have written undergrad, grad, and postdoc Letters of Recommendation, but have no idea where my file of them might be. Also more and more requests for Recommendations on LinkedIn. Makes me wonder...

Reply to [#6] - The students generally call me by my first name.

As Elizabeth #14 said, context matters. For a college/grad school application (assuming the school is in the US), I would refer to the student as Firstname (after the initial reference to Firstname Lastname). For something more formal like a non-academic job application (again, assuming it's not a McJob), Mr./Ms. Lastname would be more appropriate. For anything outside the US, definitely use Mr./Ms. Lastname, as there are some cultures (most famously the Japanese) where you would only use Firstname to refer to a close relative (or to distinguish between people with the same surname)--in Japan even a friend would be Lastname-san or some variant thereof (there is a protocol that Japanese are expected to follow, but Westerners are forgiven for not knowing all of the details).