[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":3,"doc-seo-276650-105":53,"doc-detail-276650-en":127},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,14,19,24,29,34,39,44,49],{"id":8,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":11,"show_sort_weight":12,"slug":13},11,1,"Template","Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":15,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":16,"show_sort_weight":17,"slug":18},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":20,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":21,"show_sort_weight":22,"slug":23},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":25,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":26,"show_sort_weight":27,"slug":28},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":30,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":31,"show_sort_weight":32,"slug":33},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":35,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":36,"show_sort_weight":37,"slug":38},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":40,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":41,"show_sort_weight":42,"slug":43},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":45,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":46,"show_sort_weight":47,"slug":48},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":50,"doc_module":9,"doc_module_name":10,"category_name":51,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":52},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":54,"data":55},"ok",{"site_id":56,"language":57,"slug":58,"title":59,"keywords":60,"description":61,"schema_data":62,"social_meta":120,"head_meta":122,"extra_data":124,"updated_unix":126},105,"en","examples-of-bias-in-letters-of-recommendation-watch-out-for","Examples of Bias in Letters of Recommendation - Watch Out For","","A study-backed guide outlines common bias patterns found in letters of recommendation and explains how they appear across male and female medical faculty applicants. Analysis covers letter length and assurance, gendered descriptions, doubt-raising phrasing, stereotypical wording, and grindstone language that attributes effort differently. Examples and quantified findings are provided, including how shorter letters correlate with minimal assurance and which bias types show higher detection rates for women versus men.",{"@graph":63,"@context":119},[64,80,102],{"@type":65,"itemListElement":66},"BreadcrumbList",[67,71,74,77],{"item":68,"name":69,"@type":70,"position":9},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":72,"name":10,"@type":70,"position":73},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/",2,{"item":75,"name":41,"@type":70,"position":76},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/",3,{"item":78,"name":59,"@type":70,"position":79},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/examples-of-bias-in-letters-of-recommendation-watch-out-for/276650/",4,{"url":78,"name":59,"@type":81,"image":82,"author":87,"headline":59,"publisher":90,"fileFormat":93,"inLanguage":57,"description":61,"dateModified":94,"datePublished":95,"encodingFormat":93,"isAccessibleForFree":96,"interactionStatistic":97},"DigitalDocument",{"url":83,"@type":84,"width":85,"height":86},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/examples-of-bias-in-letters-of-recommendation-watch-out-for/276650.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":88,"@type":89},"Aurora","Person",{"url":68,"name":91,"@type":92},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-28","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":98,"interactionType":99,"userInteractionCount":101},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":100},"ViewAction",8,{"@type":103,"mainEntity":104},"FAQPage",[105,111,115],{"name":106,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":108},"What biases are highlighted as common in recommendation letters?","Question",{"text":109,"@type":110},"The document lists five bias types: gendered language, doubt raisers (negative language, hedges, potential negative), stereotypical language, and grindstone language, along with bias related to letter length and assurance.","Answer",{"name":112,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":113},"How does letter length relate to the level of assurance in recommendations?",{"text":114,"@type":110},"Shorter recommendation letters are often associated with minimum assurance. Full or maximum assurance requires elements such as the recommender’s commitment and relationship, specific focus and record of the applicant, and evaluation or comparison of traits and accomplishments.",{"name":116,"@type":107,"acceptedAnswer":117},"What are grindstone language and how do they differ by gender?",{"text":118,"@type":110},"Grindstone language uses adjectives describing applicants as hard-working, often implying effort for women and ability for men. The document provides example phrases and corresponding detection findings for women’s versus men’s letters.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":78,"og:type":121,"og:title":59,"og:site_name":91,"og:description":61},"article",{"robots":123,"canonical":78},"index,follow",{"doc_id":125,"site_id":56},276650,1790483641,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":128},{"doc_id":125,"user_id":129,"nickname":88,"user_avatar":130,"doc_module":9,"category_id":40,"category_name":41,"doc_title":59,"doc_description":61,"doc_content":131,"file_id":132,"file_url":133,"file_type":134,"file_size":135,"view_count":101,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":9,"is_downloadable":9,"audit_status":9,"page_count":73,"language":136,"language_code":57,"site_id":56,"html_lang":57,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":61,"update_tm":140,"read_time":9},4810365810221,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d","Examples of Bias in Letters to Watch Out For  \nThe following are types of bias to watch out for in letters.  \n1. Lengh of Letters and Level of Assurance  \n2. Use of Gender in the Letter  \n3. Doubt Raisers  \n4. Stereotypical Language  \n5. Grindstone Language  \nResearch Study Details  \nThe following sections describe examples of the types of bias listed above, which were found in \"Exploring the Color of Glass: Letters of Recommendation for Female and Male Medical Faculty\" [1] . The article discusses the results of a study that analyzed 312 letters of recommendation written from 1992 to 1995 for applicants of 103 faculty positions at an American medical school. The level of positions included assistant, adjunct, associate, and full professor. The letters analyzed in this study were for successful applicants, with approximately three letters written per applicant. Of the analyzed letters, 71% were for men and 29% were for women. Further, 85% of letters were written by men and only 12% by women. Results of the analysis include findings regarding how often each type of bias was detected in male and female letters of recommendation. Examples and findings for each bias category are given below.  \n1. Length of Letters and Level Assurance  \n• Recommendation letters for women are often shorter than those for men.  \n• Shorter letters are often associated with minimum assurance.  \n• To achieve full or maximum assurance, a letter of recommendation will include:  \no Commitment and relationship of recommender with the applicant  \no Specificity of focus and record of applicant  \no Evaluation or comparison of traits and accomplishments  \n• Anything less is considered minimal assurance.  \n• Sample letter:  \nDear Dr. Alfred Koop:  \nI have known Sarah as a resident and as staff at The Metropolitan Hospital. She is knowledgeable, pleasant, and easy to get along with. I have no hesitation in recommending her for a faculty position at Centvingcinq. I will be happy to answer any further questions in this regard.  \nCharles Lewis, MD, Chairman, Department of Psychiatry  \no This letter shows commitment and relationship to applicant but that's all, making it a letter of minimal assurance.  \n• FINDINGS: 15% for women's and 6% for men's letters  \n2. Use of Gender in the Letter  \n• The following are examples of the use of gender in letters:  \no Dr. Simpson is a thorough, hardworking, extremely intelligent and insightful woman.  \no On a personal level Sarah is, in my opinion, the quintessence of the contemporary lady physician who very ably combines dedication, intelligence, idealism, compassion, and responsibility without compromise.  \no I believe Dr. Smith to be a man of great personal integrity.  \no He is entirely dedicated to patient care, personable, a gentleman in every sense of the word.  \n• FINDINGS: 10% for women’s and 5% for men’s letters  \n3. Doubt Raisers  \n• Negative Language  \no While Sarah has not done a lot of this type of research…  \no Although his publications are not numerous…  \n• Hedges  \no It appears her health and personal life is stable.  \no He appears to be a highly motivated collegue  \n• Potential Negative  \no An independent worker, she requires only a minimum of supervision.  \no Bright, enthusiastic, he responds well to feedback.  \n• FINDINGS: 24% of women’s and 12% of men’s letters had at least one doubt raiser  \n4. Stereotypical Language  \n• The following are examples of stereotypical language:  \no Dr. (William) Smith has been very successful in obtaining grants from both the NIH (National Institute of Health) and industry and has developed an excellent clinical trials group for the study and treatment of AIDS.  \no His substantial record of publication in reputable journals, during those developing years, certainly attests to his overall research capabilities and accomplishments.  \no Dr. (Sarah) Simpson is a caring, compassionate physician who has excellent interpersonal  \nrelationships with patients and their families as well as n","cbCaisIKRCGUffGA","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaisIKRCGUffGA","pdf",672489,"English","# Types of bias to watch out for\n## Length of letters and level of assurance\n## Use of gender in the letter\n## Doubt raisers\n## Stereotypical language\n## Grindstone language\n# Research study details\n# References","[{\"question\":\"What biases are highlighted as common in recommendation letters?\",\"answer\":\"The document lists five bias types: gendered language, doubt raisers (negative language, hedges, potential negative), stereotypical language, and grindstone language, along with bias related to letter length and assurance.\"},{\"question\":\"How does letter length relate to the level of assurance in recommendations?\",\"answer\":\"Shorter recommendation letters are often associated with minimum assurance. Full or maximum assurance requires elements such as the recommender’s commitment and relationship, specific focus and record of the applicant, and evaluation or comparison of traits and accomplishments.\"},{\"question\":\"What are grindstone language and how do they differ by gender?\",\"answer\":\"Grindstone language uses adjectives describing applicants as hard-working, often implying effort for women and ability for men. The document provides example phrases and corresponding detection findings for women’s versus men’s letters.\"}]","Examples of Bias in Letters of Recommendation - Watch Out For | PDF",1789494631]