non-academic letter

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Mountain Cow

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What is the definition?

Ok, it sounds like a dumb question, but does "academic" only refer to profs who taught your courses? How about researchers I have worked with who have not taught any of my courses? Or a researcher I worked with who only taught a few lectures in one of my courses?
 
What is the definition?

Ok, it sounds like a dumb question, but does "academic" only refer to profs who taught your courses? How about researchers I have worked with who have not taught any of my courses? Or a researcher I worked with who only taught a few lectures in one of my courses?

I think you could use the non-academic letter for a researcher with whom you have worked, but who has not taught you in a course (I did). Honestly, I'm not sure that it really matters what the relationship is to you: if they're great letters, they will enhance your application.