Todd's Answer:

1. We would like you to look at letters of recommendation that you have received, or have been written for you, or that someone else has written.  Find a good example of a sentence that might be found in a "dog" letter.  We'll start a collection of "doggie" bones for letters of recommendation.

   My example that was written by my Captain before I left Hawaii: "Todd and I have worked together for 2 years and in that time Todd has proven to be a creative problem-solver and detail orientated"

2. Read any of the reports of learning for Spring 1999 classes.  Spot and copy one that could have been a "doggie" bone.  Why do you think I used it? 

   "Great project, good links, good work in spite of so many barriers" *The above line does not give an indication of why the project was "great" or what kind of links were provided.  That is why I feel this could be considered a "doggie" bone.

   jeanne's comment:

   Good point. By not giving any details on the project, I force the reader to accept my conclusion that the project was "great" on my word alone.

3. Think back through classes you have taken,  Describe in 25 words or less some work you did studying, thinking, discussing the concepts, applying what you learned, that you are pretty sure your teacher did not know about.

   Studying aids and group studying methods are beneficial in the process of learning.  Being able to understand materials presented in more than one way aids.

   jeanne's comment:

   Todd, Your statement is accurate, but it is non-responsive. I was asking you for a real incident in your experience where someone you were working or studying with didn't listen to you in good faith. Consider, for example, your Captain. What had you accomplished that he failed to include in his recommendation?

4. Describe how you might tell me about that work so that it would be included in your final evaluation.

   There needs to be clear communication with the instructor and  students.  Communicate by class discussion, after class, email, office hours, and find out what works and what doesn't.

   jeanne's comment: Again, this is accurate, but non-responsive. What could you have done to make your Captain aware of your good work? Would any of the approaches you named above have worked? Or were there other approaches you could have used, like maybe buying coffee for your supervising, and reminding him over coffee what you had done and that you hoped the Captain would know about that?