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v2026.1714 entries · CC-BY 4.0
Dictionary termTrack AStablev2026.2

Research letter

A short peer-reviewed publication presenting original research findings in a compressed format (typically under 1,000 words, limited tables/figures, abbreviated methods), used by journals for results that warrant rapid or concise communication.

ByCASRAI Editorial Board
· Last updated 21 May 2026

Examples

Worked examples

  • Is an instance

    A 900-word JAMA Research Letter reporting a single-centre cohort finding with one table and minimal discussion

Counter-examples

Looks similar, but isn't

  • Not an instance

    A comment-only letter responding to another article is a letter to the editor, not a research letter

Editorial commentary

Research letters differ from letters to the editor by presenting original data rather than commenting on existing publications. They differ from short communications by being formally categorised as a journal-specific publication type. JAMA, NEJM, and Lancet all use the format for compact-yet-substantive findings.

References

  • JAMA Research Letter Author Instructions
  • NEJM Brief Communications guidelines

Also known as

Brief research letter · Research correspondence

Machine-readable encodings

Use in your systems

JATS XML <role> element
xml
<role vocab="credit"
      vocab-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/"
      vocab-term="Research letter"
      vocab-term-identifier="https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/research-letter" />
Schema.org DefinedTerm (JSON-LD)
json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "DefinedTerm",
  "name": "Research letter",
  "identifier": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/research-letter",
  "description": "A short peer-reviewed publication presenting original research findings in a compressed format (typically under 1,000 words, limited tables/figures, abbreviated methods), used by journals for results that warrant rapid or concise communication.",
  "inDefinedTermSet": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/domain/research-outputs-expanded/",
  "url": "https://casrai.org/dictionary/term/research-letter",
  "sameAs": [
    "Brief research letter",
    "Research correspondence"
  ],
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"
}

Adopted by research universities worldwide

University of Cambridge logoColumbia University logoUniversity of Edinburgh logoHarvard University logoMassachusetts Institute of Technology logoUniversity of Oxford logoPrinceton University logoStanford School of Medicine logoUniversity College London logoUniversity of Cambridge logoColumbia University logoUniversity of Edinburgh logoHarvard University logoMassachusetts Institute of Technology logoUniversity of Oxford logoPrinceton University logoStanford School of Medicine logoUniversity College London logo
  • University of Cambridge logo
  • Columbia University logo
  • University of Edinburgh logo
  • Harvard University logo
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology logo
  • University of Oxford logo
  • Princeton University logo
  • Stanford School of Medicine logo
  • University College London logo

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