A "Letter to the Editor" is typically not considered a research article publication in the same way that original research articles, review articles, or research letters are. "Letter to the Editor" is a specific type of publication in academic journals, newspapers, or magazines where individuals, often experts or scholars in a particular field, express their opinions, provide commentary, or respond to previously published articles or issues. These letters are generally shorter in length and serve different purposes compared to traditional research articles.

While "Letters to the Editor" are valuable for scholarly discourse and can contribute to academic discussions and debates, they are not typically considered primary research contributions.

They may be used to:

In terms of research score or academic impact, "Letters to the Editor" may not carry as much weight as original research articles, which present new data, methodologies, or findings. However, they can still be valuable for sharing insights, opinions, or perspectives on relevant topics in a field. The perceived value of a "Letter to the Editor" may vary depending on the journal or publication in which it appears and the significance of the issues it addresses.

In some cases, academic institutions or organizations that evaluate research contributions may consider "Letters to the Editor" as a form of scholarly engagement or service to the academic community but may not assign them the same level of importance as original research publications when assessing research impact or productivity.

Gaurav H Tandon has given a good explanation. It depends also on your field of research and on the journal. There are some journals that publish short research papers with very new results more quickly than longer paper in a "Letters" section.

Thank you for the insightful answers # Gaurav H Tandon Sir and Wolfgang R. Dick Sir.

Hello Dr Akib Ali

I understand your concerns. I share the thoughts that the "Letters" section is often not well read in journals and that they are less cited generally.

I offer a slightly different view that it IS still listed in some indices and databases and, as such, would constitute a legitimate publication in some circumstances. That is a good outcome for people like me when I never get funding for any research work so I have to get more publications!