5.1 Appendices: time-saving cut-and-paste text

Standard response to requests to review manuscripts in bizarre journals

Dear Editor,

Thank you for your request to review a manuscript for your journal. However, I am already shouldering a heavy reviewing load for Phys. Rev. Letters, Phys. Rev. E, PNAS, Biophys. J., J. Phys. Chem., and Langmuir. Reviewing is a very important job, and I devote a great deal of time to it.

It is currently my policy to not review manuscripts for publications to which I do not submit my own work. I would appreciate it if you would remove me from your reviewer list at this time. Hopefully, in the future I will have the opportunity to submit a manuscript to your journal, at which time I would be happy to be added to your reviewer list.

Sincerely,

Sarah L. Keller

Standard response to requests for grade information

Dear P-chem student,

Please excuse the form mail. I receive a very large number of requests to report individual grades to students by e-mail.

According to University policy “Notification of grades via email is in violation of FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act). There is no guarantee of confidentiality on the Internet. The institution would be held responsible if an unauthorized third party gained access, in any manner, to a student's education record through any electronic transmission method.”

Your grades have been submitted to the registrar. Details such as homework scores, exam scores, and class averages are available on a spreadsheet posted in the Chemistry Department where you picked up your homework this quarter.

-Sarah

Standard response to undergrad requests for letters of recommendations

Hello,

Excuse the form letter below… I receive an overwhelming number of requests for recommendations.

Sarah

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Here is my standard response to requests for recommendations:

"I feel that it is part of my job to write recommendations and I am willing to take the time and stay in my office later in the evening to write a confidential recommendation for almost anyone. I typically stay 30-45 minutes later for each letter I write.

Your decision: