Scholarship Is a Conversation

Published research is the beginning of a scholarly conversation, not the end. BCPHR encourages post-publication discussion to clarify findings, raise alternative interpretations, identify errors, and extend research questions. This page describes the two formal channels for post-publication discussion at BCPHR.

How to Engage

Letters to the Editor

Letters to the editor are short pieces (typically 500 words or fewer) that respond to a previously published BCPHR article. Letters may raise questions about methodology, suggest alternative interpretations, identify factual errors, or extend the discussion in new directions. Letters are reviewed by the editorial team and, if accepted, are published with the article cited and a link to the original. The original authors are notified and given the opportunity to respond.

Published Commentaries

Commentaries are longer pieces (500 to 3,000 words) that engage substantively with one or more previously published BCPHR articles. Commentaries undergo the same peer review process as original research articles. Like letters, commentaries citing prior BCPHR work prompt notification of the original authors and an opportunity for response.

What BCPHR Considers

In accordance with COPE guidelines, post-publication critiques are considered for publication only if three conditions are met:

Starting a Post-Publication Discussion

To submit a letter to the editor or proposal for a published commentary, contact the editorial team. Letters and commentaries are submitted through Scholastica using the appropriate article type templates. Authors should clearly indicate which previously published article they are responding to and include the article citation.