Fulbright-Hays DDRA references question

[flagler20]

I can't find any information on what the reference form looks like or what specifically the referee should be able to comment on about me so that means I'm not sure who would be best to ask to fill out a form on my behalf.  Should the person I ask for a recommendation from be able to speak to my past research experience abroad?  Or should they be more familiar with what it is I plan to do with my current research, the feasibility of it and its intellectual merits?

 

If the former I would go with my adviser for my masters program for one recommendation, but he has no idea what I'm currently researching.  If the latter I will just stick with my current PhD committee members who know somewhat about what I've done in the past, and I suppose could comment more on that if i gave them my CV, but they wouldn't immediately be able to speak to those qualities.

 

Anybody have any advice?

Edited April 2, 2015 by flagler20

[kbirch]

One of the major purposes of these letters is to show how your committee will support you throughout the research process (how did they hp shape your thinking up to now? What's the plan for in the field? After you return to the US?). The committee wants to see that you will be supported in case anything weird happens. So my thought is all 3 letters should be closely tied to your scholarly development, but you could maybe have 2 members and 1 outside. They also should touch on the other things you've mentioned (academic record, past experience/research abroad). I always give my rec writers my proposal and some bullet points of what to include/highlight which helps.

Have you looked at the points breakdown? That helped me formulate my proposal a lot. Obviously I'm no expert but this is my interpretation of the expectations. Good luck!

Edited April 7, 2015 by kbirch

[ev108]

The grad student reference form can be found on page 85 (!) of the "FY 2015 Application Instructions" document for the DDRA, which you can download from here: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpsddrap/applicant.html (under "Current Application")

 

That document is very long and repetitive, I recommend not reading the whole thing. But the example forms are included in there.

Edited April 7, 2015 by ev108