I was recently working with a research team on a CERA study that had just been completed and data analyzed. The team was reviewing the results of the study in preparation for writing the manuscript. Before typing a single word, our team had a decision to make. We debated for some time and found ourselves toggling between two tabs on the Family Medicine website: Original Research and Brief Report.
It’s a familiar moment in most medical education research studies when the real question becomes: What is the right format for telling this based on the type and quality of the data?
This decision isn’t about prestige or hierarchy. A brief report is not “less than” an original research article. A brief report does not have a lower bar for acceptance than an original research article. It’s simply a different way of communicating scholarship. The challenge is knowing which format fits your study best.
Choosing the right format helps reviewers understand your intentions, helps editors see the value of your work, and helps readers grasp your contribution quickly. It’s also an act of scholarly honesty: matching the scope of your study to the appropriate venue. The format you choose shapes how your work is received, and how effectively it communicates what you’ve learned.
Many family medicine journals (including JABFM and Annals of Family Medicine) have multiple formats and categories to tell the story of the study. Referencing the Author Guidelines is imperative each time you write a manuscript. Here’s a practical breakdown of what the journal Family Medicine looks for in each format.
| Original Research Article | Brief Report | |
| Word limit | ≤3,000 words | ≤1,200 words |
| Abstract | Structured, ≤250 words | Structured, ≤250 words |
| Tables/figures | ≤5 combined | ≤3 combined |
| References | ≤75 References | ≤50 References |
| Best for | – Multi-site studies – Longitudinal studies – Mixed-methods or complex designs – Rich qualitative analyses – National surveys (CERA) – Studies with multiple outcomes or substantial methodological detail | – Pilot studies – Small trials in a single program -Single-site surveys – Small descriptive studies – Early-phase innovations – Focused qualitative insights that can be conveyed succinctly |
| Typical features | – Full background section – Detailed methods – Comprehensive results – Clear implications for practice, education, or policy | – Tight background (only essential context) – Streamlined methods – One primary finding – Appropriately scoped conclusions |
One pattern often seen in submissions is authors trying to force a study into the wrong format. A complex, multi-site project with several outcomes simply can’t be compressed into a brief report without losing essential detail, yet people try. For many they’re hoping for a quicker path to publication. On the flip side, some authors stretch a small, single-site study into an original research article, adding unnecessary background or over-interpreting modest findings to make the work seem more substantial. The editor in chief will notice this and send back manuscripts that are forced into a wrong category prior to peer review. Another frequent issue is overwriting the background section of a brief report; these papers work best when the context is tight and purposeful, not expansive. Perhaps the most common pitfall of all is the temptation to make grand, sweeping conclusions from small datasets. It’s natural to want your work to feel big, but the strongest papers, regardless of format, are the ones that stay true to the scope of the study and let the data speak for themselves.
Writing is hard. Choosing a format is part of that challenge. But both formats are valued, respected, and needed in our discipline. The best choice is the one that captures your data and serves your readers.
When we finally chose to write a Brief Report, it wasn’t because our CERA study was small. It was because the story I needed to tell was focused, clear, and concise. That was exactly the right way to share it.
Your study has a story too. Choose the format that lets it shine.
