Short Communication: Format Defined

Short communication

A peer-reviewed publication format for compact original research findings, typically with word limits below those of full original articles (2,000-3,000 words) but greater than letters or research letters, used for results meriting publication but not requiring full-article treatment.

ByCASRAI Editorial Board

· Last updated 15 Aug 2026

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Different journals use the label inconsistently: some use it as a synonym for research letter, others as a distinct middle-length category. The operational identifier is the journal’s stated word-limit, structure (often abbreviated methods/discussion), and category in the table of contents.

References

NLM Publication Type Vocabulary
Elsevier Short Communication format guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a short communication in a research journal?

A short communication is a compact, peer-reviewed research format: shorter than a full research article but longer than a letter. Journals do not use the label consistently — some treat it as a synonym for research letter, while others define it as a distinct middle-length category with its own word limit and structure.

How is a short communication different from a research letter?

The distinction depends on the journal. Some journals use “short communication” and “research letter” interchangeably, while others define them as separate categories with different word limits and structural requirements. The reliable way to tell them apart for a specific journal is to check its stated word-limit and its listed category in the table of contents, not to assume a universal rule.

How long is a short communication and how is it structured?

Short communications are typically 2,000-3,000 words — longer than a letter but shorter than a full article — and often use an abbreviated methods and discussion section compared with a standard research article. The exact word limit and structural requirements are set by each journal individually.

Does Elsevier have its own short communication format?

Yes. Elsevier publishes its own short communication format guidelines, and other publishers do the same. Because the format is not standardized across the industry, the applicable word limit and structure come from the specific journal’s author guidelines rather than a single fixed definition.

Is short communication a recognized publication type?

Yes, it appears in standard bibliographic vocabularies used for indexing scholarly literature, such as the NLM Publication Type Vocabulary. Even so, individual journals still set their own specific word limits and structural requirements for what qualifies as a short communication.

Use in your systems

JATS XML <role> element

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Schema.org DefinedTerm (JSON-LD)

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