It’s October and the requests are starting to pile up. They’re multiplying so fast they feel like an anvil-weight of duty perpetually hanging over your head. They refuse to dissipate as the semester ...

Researchers are often asked to write references or recommendation letters. Nature asked three senior scientists what they do when they can’t endorse someone. I’m a neuroscientist in the United States.

Question: In my department, we are finding that the largest problem in evaluating candidates for new appointments, promotion, or tenure is in their letters of reference, which often fail to address ...