LaTeX template for writing student recommendations
This can easily be used for anything that needs the RU letterhead.
\begin
Discover why over 20 million people worldwide trust Overleaf with their work.
%% $HeadURL: https://repository.cs.ru.is/svn/template-staff/tex/recommendation-sterilized/recommendation-template.tex $
%% $Id: recommendation-template.tex 28 2018-02-19 22:41:23Z foley $
%% LaTeX template for writing student recommendations by Joseph T. Foley <foley@ru.is>
%% This can easily be used for anything that needs the RU letterhead.
%% To get the exact font that is used on the official letterhead,
%% run xelatex instead of pdflatex.
%% This should not be distributed outside of RU staff to avoid having students forge documents.
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% TeXStudio Magic Comments %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%% These comments that start with "!TeX" modify the way TeXStudio works
%% For details see http://texstudio.sourceforge.net/manual/current/usermanual_en.html Section 4.10
%%
%% What encoding is the file in?
% !TeX encoding = UTF-8
%% What language should it be spellchecked?
% !TeX spellcheck = en_US
%% What program should I compile this document with?
% !TeX program = pdflatex
%% Which program should be used for generating the bibliography?
% !TeX TXS-program:bibliography = txs:///biber
%% This also sets the bibliography program for TeXShop and TeXWorks
% !BIB program = biber
%% Options should be separated by commas
%% Option: 11pt -- default font is 11pt
%% Option: letterhead -- if you want to "fake" letterhead instead of using real letterhead
%% Option: bibmagic -- if you want a references section with bibtex
%% this option is not needed with biblatex/biber
\documentclass[11pt,letterhead,draft]{recommendation}
\setlogo{ru-logo}
\usepackage[backend=biber,style=numeric,natbib=true]{biblatex}
%% natbib allows \citet and \citep to exist
\addbibresource{references.bib}
%% Put your information here
\newcommand{\myname}{John Hancock}
\signature{\myname}
\newcommand{\myopening}{Dear admissions officer,}
%% Default opening for all the letters
\newcommand{\myclosing}{Kind regards}
%% Pick if you have a graphic for the signature or not If you have a
%% graphic for a signature, uncomment the lines below. Replace signature.pdf with
%% your signature file.
\signature{}
\renewcommand{\myclosing}{Kind regards, \\
\fromsig{\includegraphics[height=3\baselineskip]{signature}}\\\fromname{\myname{}}}
%% More information
\newcommand{\email}{{\tt johnhc@ru.is}}
\newcommand{\position}{Professor}
\newcommand{\department}{Department of Stuff}
\newcommand{\university}{Reykjavík University}
\newcommand{\universityaddress}{Menntavegur 1\\
Reykjavík 101\\
Iceland}
\address{\myname{}\\\position{}\\\department{}\\university{}\\\universityaddress{}}
\newcommand{\cred}{(BJU BS '99)}
\newcommand{\info}{I am an \position{} at \university{} in the \department{}}
\newcommand{\phone}{+354-555-5555}
\newcommand{\imaddr}{skype at {\tt foo}, and google hangouts at {\tt foo.bar@gmail.com}}%last!
\newcommand{\disciplines}{Divine intervention}
\newcommand{\tenure}{8 years}
%% Information about the student
% \newcommand{\studentfull}{Jón Jonson}
\newcommand{\studentfull}{Katrín Jakobsdóttir}
\newcommand{\student}{Katrín}
%% Prononuns for the boilerplate text
\newcommand{\He}{She}
\newcommand{\he}{she}
\newcommand{\His}{Her}
\newcommand{\his}{her}
\newcommand{\studenttime}{3 months}
\newcommand{\teammates}{three team-mates} %%can put the number here if needed
\newcommand{\course}{my Awesome Robots\footnote{sometimes called Robotics or Industrial Feedback Systems in other curricula} course}
\newcommand{\grade}{$X \rightarrow Y$ \fxfatal{Fill in grade.}}
\newcommand{\rank}{Z out of ZZ in the class. \fxfatal{Fill in rank}}
\newcommand{\field}{Mechatronics}
\newcommand{\setfield}[1]{\renewcommand{\field}{#1}}
\newcommand{\target}{Bob Jones University}
\newcommand{\settarget}[1]{\renewcommand{\target}{#1}}
\newcommand{\skillsmastered}{\He{} has mastered the fundamentals necessary for research in this field including praying to the gods of the magic blue smoke in electronics.
}
%% Macros defined by the letter class
\address{\myname{}\\\position{}\\\department{}\\\university{}\\\universityaddress{}}
\newcommand{\recommendationbase}[1]{
\begin{refsection}
My name is Dr.\ \myname{} \cred{} and \info{}.
I have been teaching at this university for \tenure{} in the areas of \disciplines{}.
I have known \studentfull{} for \studenttime{}.
\student{} has completed \course{} and excelled with a grade of \grade{} out of 10.
\He{} ranked \rank{}.
\He{} had an excellent grasp of the very challenging and interdisciplinary material which draws from computer science, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.
\His{} final project with \teammates{} demonstrated all of the learning outcomes in Mechatronics 1:
\begin{itemize}
\item Be able to design, build, and test advanced circuits with active elements
\item Write lab reports for experiments performed
\item See opportunities, not obstacles, when problems arise.
\end{itemize}
\fxfatal{Fill in a summary of the group project, at least a paragraph.}
\His{} team built {\em something}.
This project required them to {\em do something}.
The project was well thought out, well implemented, and properly documented in a presentation and technical report.
\fxfatal{Fill out individual information, at least a paragraph}
\student{} has {\em characteristics}.
\He{} has shown {\em characteristic 1 by doing something}.
\fxfatal{Add the part makes the recommendation believable (and not generic).
Be as detailed as possible.}
\He{} has {\em area of improvement}.
\He{} is {\em improving them by doing \ldots\/}
%% Summary goes here. Put \skillsmastered{} in argument for default skills.
#1
If you have further questions, I can be contacted at \phone{},
\email{}, \imaddr{}.
\closing{\myclosing{}}
% make sure you have the bibmagic option for bibtex
% \bibliography{references} %bibtex
\printbibliography{} %biber/biblatex
\end{refsection}
}
\newcommand{\recommendation}[2]{\recommendationbase{To summarize, I would highly recommend \student{} for \his{} proposed graduate studies in #1 in #2. \skillsmastered{}} }
\newcommand{\recommendationGrant}[1]{\recommendationbase{To summarize, I would highly recommend \student{} for #1. \skillsmastered{}}
\setfield{#1}}
\begin{document}
%% Generic letter, probably for an industry job or needing more specific recommendation
%% This allows us to change the opening and the specific summary
%% For the common universities, macros have been setup as shown later.
% \begin{letter}{Human Resources Department\\
% Marel ehf.\\
% Austurhraun 9\\
% 210 Garðabær\\
% Iceland}
% \opening{Dear Human Resources administrator,}
% \recommendationbase{To summarize, I would recommend \student{} for positions in mechanical design, especially research and development.
% \He{} has mastered the fundamentals necessary for effective work in this field, including: design methodologies, CAD tools, rapid prototyping, version control, and documentation in \LaTeX.}
% \end{letter}
% Example of a grant or scholarship
% \newcommand{\scholname}{Google Europe Scholarship for 2016}
% \begin{letter}{\scholname{}}
% \opening{To whom it may concern,}
% \recommendationGrant{\scholname{}}
% \end{letter}
%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%% The preformatted address macros live in custom.tex
%% This is a recommendation boilerplate, but needing a specific address
% e.g. \genericletter{Name of University}{Address\\Address}{Degree Program}
% \genericletter{University of Southampton}{Faculty Of Engineering And The Environment\\
% Building 177\\
% University Of Southampton\\
% Boldrewood Campus\\
% SOUTHAMPTON\\
% SO16 7QF\\
% United Kingdom}{Unmanned Aircraft Systems Design}
\chalmersletter{Graduate Admissions}{Mechatronics}
%\dtuletter{Graduate Admissions}{Mechatronics}
%\ethletter{Graduate Admissions}{Mechatronics}
%\kthletter{Graduate Admissions}{Mechatronics}
%\tudelftletter{Graduate Admissions}{Mechatronics}
%\usdkletter{}{Mechatronics} % USDK doesn't use department
%\swedenletter{Graduate Admissions}{Mechatronics}
\end{document}
%%% Local Variables:
%%% mode: latex
%%% TeX-master: t
%%% TeX-engine: xetex
%%% End: