FAQs

1. When did BD&S open for submissions?

We started accepting submissions in March 2014. For updates on Journal developments follow us on Twitter: @BigDataSoc  

2. Why should I publish with BD&S?

BD&S is committed to maximizing impact through open access and digital enhancements. Our approach focuses on:

• High quality content. Original research articles are triple-reviewed in a double-blind peer review process.
• Open Access.  It is a free online Journal and available to all readers. 
• Timeframes:  We seek to publish content as soon as possible after a final version has been accepted for publication. 
• Digital enhancements.  BD&S allows for various digital media in the presentation of research. Some content can be best conveyed using multiple illustrations or video accompaniment. While still adhering to limits in article length, we encourage authors to use rich media and, when possible, to include links to data sources in the body of the article such as to a data archive.
• Altmetrics.  The Journal incorporates article level metrics (downloads, citations, searches, likes, etc.) and easy discoverability thus providing readers (and authors) indicators of influence and significance.
• We are indexed by Clarivate Analytics and the journal impact factor for 2020 is 5.987. Our Google Scholar h5 index is 45. More information at https://journals.sagepub.com/metrics/bds
  
• In 2020, we moved to the SAGE Open Access Portal that is an integrated online platform providing a single portal for authors, consortia, libraries and funders to manage open access publishing across more than 1000 journals published by SAGE. It provides several benefits for our authors, including but not limited to a clear process of selecting the appropriate OA Creative Commons licence and a fully integrated online system for managing APC transaction process.
  

3. How will BD&S support the careers of new scholars?

BD&S provides Assistant Editorships on the Journal Editorial Team and encourages submissions of Original Research Articles and Commentaries for early career researchers.

4. How will BD&S, as a new journal, deliver on its commitment to be a hub for leading interdisciplinary research on Big Data?

Together, the Editorial Team, Advisory Board, Editorial Board and Reviewer Pool cover some ten disciplines.  In addition to ensuring high quality research articles, the Journal community also contributes to its content.

The Editorial Team consists of accomplished, active researchers at various stages of their academic careers who are fully committed to the Journal’s goals. Together with the Advisory and Editorial Boards they cover the main disciplines that the Journal engages.

Appointments on all bodies are for three years and reviewed to ensure active engagement and balanced representation of scholarship in the emerging field of Big Data practices.

5. How much will it cost to publish an article?

Big Data & Society is a peer-reviewed, open access journal. Original Research Articles submitted from 1st Janury 2020 which are accepted after peer review are subject to an open access article processing charge (APC) of $1500. The APC is subject to taxes where applicable. Authors who do not have funding for open access publishing can request a waiver from the publisher, SAGE, once their Original Research Article is accepted after peer review. For all other content (Commentaries, Editorials, Demos) and Original Research Articles commissioned by the Editor the APC is waived.

*The article processing charge (APC) is payable upon acceptance after peer review and is subject to value added tax (VAT) where applicable. If the paying author/institution is based in the European Union, to comply with European law, VAT must be added to the APC. Providing a VAT registration number will allow an institution to avoid paying this tax, except for UK institutions. Payments can be made in GBP or USD.

See more from the journal webpage https://journals.sagepub.com/author-instructions/BDS.

6.  If BD&S is digital only then is it similar to open-access “megajournals”?

No.  BD&S is based on a model of continuous digital publishing whereby research articles and other content will be regularly released. While not facing the same space constraints as many other print Journals, it stays within a limit of 40 to 50 peer reviewed research articles annually. Ensuring a high quality Journal requires a rigorous process of editorial and peer review so that only the highest quality of work is selected for publication.  This requires significant time and commitment of the Editorial Team, Board and reviewers. BD&S thus is not a database of research but a rigorously peer-reviewed journal.  It publishes annual volumes and rather than 'issues' it gathers together content on 'Special Themes.' Early every summer, there is an annual call for proposals for Special Themes.