In the recent editorial on CMAJ's impact factor,1 what is the basis for the statement that "short reports ... are less likely to be cited"? Brevity by itself is not the problem. Consider Watson and Crick's 1953 paper!2 However, the increased number of short reports may lead to a lower average impact. I would think that these short reports would eventually be supplemented by more definitive or complete papers so that long-term impact might be affected, but in the short run you might be surprised at the outcome.