References and Rcommendations Forum

[Anonymous User]

On Oscar, if a judge lists that he wants 2 letters and 2 references, are the references meant to be different people than the people who write you letters?

[brassmonkey7]

FWIW, I applied to a judge with a posting like that and gave two recommendations through OSCAR, and then in the references box wrote something like, "In addition to the professors who wrote my letters of recommendations, I offer the following two professors as additional references." I got an interview. I can't really say that my choice to give separate people as references helped but judges can be anal about following directions so better safe than sorry is my view.

[johndhi]

No idea. I've been using the same people as are sending the letters, but providing additional contact info (an email on top of the phone number already included).

[A. Nony Mouse]

I don't know for certain, but I would think references would be different from letter-writers. First, pretty much every letter writer is going to include contact info and say, contact me if you have any questions, so giving them as a reference is redundant. Second, asking for both gives judges more people to talk to without making you get letters from EVERYONE. But I think it also reflects that judges often don't like to write actual letters, for fear of looking like they're abusing their position, but will serve as references, .

(But this is just a gut reaction.)