A Brief Letter on “Letters”

An exchange of letters (German: “Briefwechsel”) or correspondence is commonly understood to be a reciprocal return of civilities, usually in written form, or a friendly discussion. The German Wikipedia version notes that handwritten letters have retained their importance for artists and in amorous relationships, whereas they have been replaced by e-mail in business and science.[1] This has had consequences for a traditional feature of scientific journals, the so-called “Letter-to-the-Editor,” because it is virtually never a love letter and only very occasionally written by an artist. Usually introduced by a politically incorrect “Dear Sir,” such a letter intends to discuss an article recently published in that same journal. It may thus be regarded as a special kind of quality control.

To keep things manageable and to deter the notorious eternal discussants, most journals have introduced strict deadlines and a very limited number of permitted words and references for Letters. It is common usage to refer such a commentary to the corresponding author of the original publication with the option of a reply. There are journals, for instance, Deutsches Ärzteblatt, in which such discussions feature quite prominently. Often times there are several letters concerning one article, and the authors wrap it all up with a collective answer. For the reader this is a bit like the discussion after an oral presentation—which may be more interesting and revealing than the original itself.

This journal is currently experimenting with the potential of articles with a provocative content to spur discussion. The first one was published in January[2] and we shall follow it up toward the end of the year. So far the echo has been moderate. “Contributions in the form of a Letter-to-the-Editor” are still being eagerly awaited, although meanwhile we are not sure if this is really the way to go.

Maybe this Letter-thing has become outdated or is just an inadequate term nowadays. When was the last time you actually bought a stamp? How many pillar boxes are left in your area? So should we call it something else? Should we introduce a separate platform on the e-journal Web site? Others have introduced “post-publication peer review.”[3] Inspired by the potential shortcomings of traditional peer review the aim here is to publish articles electronically after a cursory check by the editorial office and making them open for discussion by (almost) everyone interested. This is a radical alternative model which can only function in a totally electronic world. At the ThCVS we still strive to constantly improve our conservative model by extending the number of reviewers and by increasingly enforcing sharp deadlines for the return of reviews. Nevertheless, articles can get published which may be considered misinterpreting or even misleading by some, who (for want of a surrogate so far) are then more than welcome to submit a Letter-to-the-Editor.

Again, I would be very interested in knowing your opinion on how we should handle discussions in the future. Maybe the easiest way to let me know is an informal e-mail to [e-mail]. The Editor's job is, after all, to serve the readers, and one can only meet the expectations of the community if they are known. If you are still hesitant, just follow the advice given by one of the greatest writers of all time to his sister Cornelia, “Simply write as you would talk—and you will write a good letter.”[4]

• References

• 1 Briefwechsel. Available at: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Briefwechsel . Accessed July 1, 2016
• 2 Gansera LS, Eszlari E, Deutsch O, Eichinger WB, Gansera B. High-risk cardiac surgery in patients with intravenous drug abuse and/or active hepatitis C or HIV infection: an ethical discussion of six cases. Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2016; 64 (1) 2-5
• 3 Hunter J. Post-publication peer review: opening up scientific conversation. Front Comput Neurosci 2012; 6: 63 10.3389/fncom.2012.00063
• 4 von Goethe JW. Letter to Cornelia Goethe, December 7, 1765. In: Mandelkow KR, Morawe B, , eds. Goethes Briefe und Briefe an Goethe: Hamburger Ausgabe in 6 Bänden. Vol 1, p.42 Munich: C.H. Beck; 2013