• Edit letters using MS Word. Avoid Google Docs to avoid formatting issues.
• Enable Track Changes to improve revision transparency.
• Refer to the faculty member by Title + Last Name throughout the letter (full name is OK at the beginning and end of the letter).
• Include spring and fall workload numbers. Compare the total annual workload to the approximate target specified in the workload forms for the respective distribution percentage.
• Add a brief summary at the end of the letter. This is a great place to include quote-worthy comments summarizing the colleague's work. Include the average score in this paragraph.
• At the end of each section, state the recommended score for that category.
• The voice of the letter is always that of the Committee - avoid first-person language.
• Keep punctuation inside quotations (for consistency).
• Note that if two committee members edit a file at the same time, Dropbox will generate a "conflicting" file, resulting in 2 copies of the file. Avoid this situation by moving to another letter if you get a notification from Dropbox that another user has the file currently open.
• When you finish editing a letter, save and close the file to avoid file conflicts in Dropbox.