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[notagunner]

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[Lactic Folly]

I think it would be nice to express your thanks in writing, either with a paper card or an email, at the very least (just thank them for the time and effort they invested in your training/career and say how much you appreciated their support). A gift card from a student to a professor might be a bit awkward; if you worked closely with them, perhaps you could come up with an idea for a more personalized gift they might enjoy, but I wouldn't say one is necessary.

[drdaydream]

A thank you card would be very nice! If you feel awkward about it, you can always ask someone in the office to hand it to them, or you could even mail it!. Although I don't think there's anything to feel awkward about, it's a nice gesture and I'm sure they would love to receive it in person!

[bearded frog]

only if you get in lmao

[Meridian]

Hand-written thank you card.   No to $$ gift cards.  

[frenchpress]

Agree with everyone that a hand written card is a very nice gesture, and will be remembered if you need to ask for references again in the future. You don’t have to write much - you can just say something as simple as “Thank you, I appreciate you taking the time to write me a reference”! And if you don’t want to deliver it in person, you can send it in the mail to their office. 

No to gift card or $$ spent. I had a few from students over the years, and always felt a bit awkward - it’s difficult to decline them without hurting students feelings, but it also feels inappropriate to accept. Writing references is part the job, so they’re already paid to do it. But receiving a thank you card for the time spent doing it well is appreciated. 

This is not to say you can NEVER give a professor a gift. For example, I’ve given out a few bottles of wine or chocolates or small home made gifts to research supervisors / thesis supervisors (and received a few as well) at the end of our time working together. But it’s not really done for something as simple as a reference.

[Lactic Folly]

Agree except I'm not sure that I would say that profs are already paid to provide your reference, or that it's necessarily a simple task to write a personalized and detailed letter. It's certainly associated with and expected of the role in general, but I don't think there's any obligation to provide a reference for a student they don't know well or don't feel very supportive of. Not sure if this varies by field.

[Nik-]

I personally handed out starbucks gift cards to all my references. I do this because I've asked for their references so many times (twice for med school applications and many, many times for job applications). I knew that they already bought from that store regardless so it would be used and appreciated. They all were flattered. I wouldn't give a gift to someone if I wasn't totally sure they would enjoy it.

[frenchpress]

On 11/21/2019 at 6:55 PM, Lactic Folly said:

Agree except I'm not sure that I would say that profs are already paid to provide your reference, or that it's necessarily a simple task to write a personalized and detailed letter. It's certainly associated with and expected of the role in general, but I don't think there's any obligation to provide a reference for a student they don't know well or don't feel very supportive of. Not sure if this varies by field.

I meant that the general task of giving references is widely considered to be part of the job when you are a employed as a professor, at least at my university. Just like that of an employer for an employee. 

Of course there’s no obligation to provide a personalized and detailed reference to every student who asks. But among my own department colleagues I found over the years (most frequently when we were all complaining around grad school and med school application season) that a majority do feel it is a professional obligation to provide at least a basic reference when asked. I always tell students I WILL give a reference, but I am very up front with them when I am unable to provide a STRONG reference. Most then decline. But I have had the occasional student who needed a reference for something to check some box, and even when I told them it wouldn't have anything other than a description of the course and the class average and their grade, they still wanted it - so they got it! And I have even given a rather detailed and poor reference to a student, after I told the student directly that’s what would happen, because they were adamant that they wanted it anyways. 

[Edict]

I wouldn't do gift card but i would do gifts. Like a bottle of wine, or scotch, if you know they like that sort of thing. A box of chocolates etc. always does wonders. Honestly.