Situating Evaluation and Authority: Direct Sponsorship in Letters of Recommendation

Written Communication Apr 2024

Situating Evaluation and Authority: Direct Sponsorship in Letters of Recommendation

Lauren Tuckley Georgetown University ; Catherine Salgado Arizona State University ; Jessica Edens McCrary Emory University ; Elise Rudt-Moorty University of Notre Dame

Abstract

The letter of recommendation (LOR) is a stylized form of direct sponsorship, a rhetorical appeal that confers favor on a person or object in keeping with the writer’s—or sponsor’s—character, authority, and expertise. In response to Swales’s call to “unveil” the rhetorical features of occluded genres, this research employs a move-step analysis to determine the rhetorical features of a sample of 83 LORs written by college faculty and administrators for a nationally competitive, postgraduate fellowship. This study finds five core moves expressed in its LOR sample: (1) sponsor positioning, (2) applicant performance, (3) applicant attributes, (4) future projection, and (5) audience appeals. Our discussion offers three key insights and provides macro-level takeaways in an effort to raise rhetorical awareness for LOR writers and requestors alike.

Journal: Written Communication
Published: 2024-04-01
DOI: 10.1177/07410883231222955
Open Access: Closed
Topics: multilingual writers

Citation Context

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