Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry is a journal whose aim is the rapid publication of original research results and ideas on all aspects of the science of gas-phase ions; it covers all the associated scientific disciplines. There is no formal limit on paper length (“rapid” is not synonymous with “brief”), but papers should be of a length that is commensurate with the importance and complexity of the results being reported. Contributions may be theoretical or practical in nature; they may deal with methods, techniques and applications, or with the interpretation of results; they may cover any area in science that depends directly on measurements made upon gaseous ions or that is associated with such measurements.
In general, submissions that use conventional MS, GC/MS or LC/MS methods to catalogue or screen for components of extracts including Traditional Chinese Medicines are discouraged, except where the authors can clearly demonstrate that their contribution represents a significant extension of the capabilities or applications of mass spectrometry or new understanding of ion chemistry and related disciplines. In addition, articles reporting Stable Isotope analyses may only be published if they express novelty or significant developments in SI methodology.