Difference between a "Article" and a "Letter/Communication"

Graduate School
1

<p>Hi so this is somewhat unrelated to the topic on everyone’s minds at this time (grad school apps and fellowship things)</p>

<p>I was wondering what the difference between an Article and a Letter/Communication was (different journals call it different things I think?). I always assumed that a Letter/Communication was just a small and fast publication that was less formal and kind of a way to excite the scientific community for what’s forthcoming but recently I’ve been reading a lot of letters/communications that are far more intense than many full articles that I’ve read.</p>

<p>Could someone just break down the difference? I tried to look for it online but there are many many hits for the words “letter” “communication” and “article.” </p>

<p>Thanks</p>

2

<p>Letter/Communication usually just means shorter. They still go through peer review, but the turnaround time is shorter. Usually, people publish letters when they have a hot result that they want to get out ASAP.</p>