LoR Advice?

[NoSleepTilBreuckelen]

Does anyone have good advice on asking someone who is a colleague to write a LoR?

 

I have asked 3 professors, two of whom I've done research with and one who is the department chair to write letters (they all said yes), but I've also spent the past 3 years as a science educator and since that's such a long time, I'm wondering if I should have a letter from that institution.

 

The issue is that there is really high turn-over where I work, so no one who is a boss/superior of mine has been/were there that long and I don't feel like they could speak to my ability as an educator (none of them have seen me teach...). Would it hurt my app to have a colleague, another educator in a similar position to the one I am in, write a letter? It would be a 4th letter, so it won't take the place of a professor's letter? She'd really be able to speak to my teaching and curriculum development abilities, and I almost think it would be strange not to have a letter from this job... Thoughts?

[sarab]

From what I've read, departments really prefer LOR from professors who are anthropologists themselves. You don't need an extra letter, so I would avoid sending one that might not be as benefitial. Good luck!

[mutualist007]

I will tag along on this thread. It could help others too.

 

My question is similar, except in my case the choice is between someone I worked with GRA outside the department, someone in the department yet a cultural person, who helped me with an extended ethnography project; versus someone who is broadly in my sub-field yet never worked with outside of coursework and having them read my paper on my committee. 

 

Do I choose people I worked with on actual projects or GRA work, or someone I took courses from but who has a background more similar to the sub-field I am applying to work in next year.

Edited March 8, 2014 by fuzzylogician
Edited for privacy at the poster's request.

[strudelle]

I have been told to always use people who you have worked with on projects first.  It doesn't really matter so much if they're directly in your field, as long as they can attest to your ability to be a successful candidate.