Hi,
  I am a foreign student from taiwan. 
I obtained my M.S. degree at the U.S. and
would like to apply for a Ph.D degree. Due
to the different culture of the two countries,
I don't know how to ask my professors to write
recommendation letters for me. I preferred sending
them e-mails first, asking if they are willing to
do so. I'd appreciate sample letters of this kind of
email or information of how to write them politely. 

Thanks.

Ao-Jan

Hello 

Congratulations on getting your M.S. 

First I'd like to say there is no need to feel hesitant about asking
your professors for recommendation letters. They are asked for this
kind of help all the time and most will see it as just part of the
job.  They expect students to need letters of recommendation so that
they can move on to the next stage of their education or career.

One very important point is to leave plenty of time for the professor
to fit your letter of recommendation in amongst all his other
commitments. All the advice I've found stresses that you should give
him a minimum of three weeks notice and some people suggest more. So,
if you're short of time, I suggest not emailing in case the professor
is slow about replying. But a preliminary email would be a nice polite
touch otherwise. I'm afraid I haven't found a sample request letter
but there is plenty of advice available.

Here's a good general guide which tells you what to send, including "a
file with all of your background information". So make sure you remind
your professors of all achievements which might support your
application. You do not have to be modest to be polite:

http://gradschool.about.com/library/weekly/aa092400a.htm

There are similar useful tips at:

http://gradschool.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.socialpsychology.org%2Frectips.htm

In this advice -  "Getting a GOOD Letter of Recommendation" they
suggest asking in person. Since you can't do this, how about sending a
photograph? It's a great memory jogger for absent-minded professors.:

http://216.239.39.100/search?q=cache:4Y6BdYoBJJIC:www.psichi.org/content/publications/eye/volume/vol_5/5_1/rewey.asp

Advice here gives a helpful list of what you should include with your
request - "full name, major classes taken (also when and grade earned)
from the referee and other classes taken in the department, relevant
classes taken in other departments, special skills or talents,
statement of career interests and goals, list of professionally
relevant extracurricular and summer activities, honors, professional
associations, formal research experience (papers written, read,
submitted for publication), and anything else which would serve to
identify you and your strengths."

It also suggests that you should be both cordial and formal in your
approach. So don't start 'Hi there, prof' but be reasonably relaxed
and friendly all the same.

http://www.hanover.edu/soc/letters.html

This advice emphasises how important it is to choose the right person:

http://career.berkeley.edu/Grad/GradLetter.stm

I do hope this is helpful.  If anything I've written is unclear, or
you have trouble with a link, please feel free to ask for
clarification.

Good luck with your grad school application.

Regards - Leli

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