Journal profile · COMMUNICATION
JCOM-Journal of Science Communication
ISSN 1824-2049 · Sissa Medialab · Italy
JCOM-Journal of Science Communication: CAS Zone 3 · Literature (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.1 (journal website); diamond open access (no APC); no APC; review about 5 weeks (community reports); 83 articles in 2025; indexed in ESCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
JCOM-Journal of Science Communication is published by Sissa Medialab and is in Zone 3 of Literature in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Climate Change Communication and Perception, Misinformation and Its Impacts and Science Education and Perceptions, together about 50.6% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
JCOM covers topics related to science communication, including original research, theoretical reflections, case studies of best practice and evaluations. The Journal is aimed at researchers, educators, trainers and professional and occasional practitioners in science communication. JCOM publishes research that explores a wide range of issues pertinent to the science communication community, including: issues in communication between science and citizens and within the scientific community itself; challenges arising when models for theoretical analysis or practical means to popularize science are used; the changing relation between science and social institutions; and the informative, pedagogical, interpretative and political dimensions of science communication. Contributors should bear in mind the breadth of this target audience in writing papers intended for publication in JCOM. We take a broad view of science communication, encompassing, for example, popular science publishing, science in information and entertainment forms of media, public demonstrations and discussions of science, mediations between scientific and other social institutions, science museums and centres, science journalism and science information services. JCOM has a global remit and we invite submissions from all parts of the world, and concerning all parts of the world. We also seek to encourage new scholarship and new perspectives; we welcome submissions from prospective contributors who are at early stages in their careers and seeking to build up a portfolio of published work. The Journal’s scope is detailed by its keyword list.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): COMMUNICATION
Editor-in-chief Michelle RiedlingerPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 3%); most named Germany 4, Australia 4, South Africa 4, United States 3, Spain 3 (39 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Climate Change Communication and PerceptionSocial Sciences34.5%
- Misinformation and Its ImpactsSocial Sciences8.3%
- Science Education and PerceptionsPsychology7.8%
- Animal and Plant Science EducationPsychology5.1%
- Museums and Cultural HeritageArts and Humanities4.2%
- Species Distribution and Climate ChangeEnvironmental Science4%
- Interdisciplinary Research and CollaborationDecision Sciences3.1%
- Media Studies and CommunicationSocial Sciences3.1%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Literature Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Communication | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Literature Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Communication | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Not covered
Not covered by this edition.
Database indexing
ESCIScopusDOAJLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
Web of SciencePublisher website
Other: Dimensions, Scilit
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.1Publisher website ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2023
- 2Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 3.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 3.2Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.53LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.86LetPub ·
- h-index
- 52OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 406OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.14OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 19%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 99.57%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 78LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,476 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 102 | 102 | 21 |
| 2025 | 83 | 83 | 192 |
| 2024 | 98 | 98 | 393 |
| 2023 | 70 | 70 | 503 |
| 2022 | 103 | 103 | 772 |
| 2021 | 90 | 90 | 1,481 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 5 weeksLetPub ·
- Submission to publication (journal-reported)
- about 16 weeksDOAJ ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewDOAJ
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Diamond open access (no APC)DOAJ
Every article is open access and authors pay no article processing charge.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DOAJ | No APC | No | CC BY | |
| LetPub | No APC | No | — |
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 100–150 words
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 8,000 words
- First submission
- Free format: the journal's layout is not required
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted16, with length limits
- articlesArticles (i.e, research articles) present new empirical research using quantitative and/or qualitative methods.Length not stated
- book reviewEditorial Board reviews book reviews. A book review should be no more than 1,000 words, including a short abstract (about 50 - 100 words) and a limain text ≤ 1,000 words
- book reviewsBook reviews draw attention to current and significant scholarly and non-fiction books in the field of science communication, thereby helping JCOM readers stay …Length not stated
- case studyThe Journal of Science Communication (JCOM) welcomes submissions falling within the scope of the Journal, at any time in any of the following forms: Articles (i…Length not stated
- commentary setsCommentary sets (invited contributions only). They comprise several author perspectives on a shared topic.Length not stated
- conference reviewsConference reviews share the outcomes of science communication events relevant for JCOM readers.Length not stated
- editorialThe Journal of Science Communication (JCOM) welcomes submissions falling within the scope of the Journal, at any time in any of the following forms: Articles (i…Length not stated
- editorialsEditorials (invited contributions only)Length not stated
- essaysEssays explore and reflect on current issues, e.g. a policy, theory, or emerging trend in science communication.Length not stated
- letterJCOM Editorial Board reviews letters. A letter to JCOM should be no more than 1,000 words, including a short abstract (about 50 - 100 words) and a limain text ≤ 1,000 words
- lettersLetters may be submitted as responses to published papers or to comment on topical issues.Length not stated
- literature reviewThe Journal of Science Communication (JCOM) welcomes submissions falling within the scope of the Journal, at any time in any of the following forms: Articles (i…Length not stated
- practice insightsPractice insights present critical reflections on science communication in practice, including project evaluations, action research, and innovative case studies…Length not stated
- research articleThe Journal of Science Communication (JCOM) welcomes submissions falling within the scope of the Journal, at any time in any of the following forms: Articles (i…Length not stated
- reviewesearch reviews are peer-reviewed. Your review should be up to 9,000 words long, including an abstract of 100 - 150 words and literatumain text ≤ 9,000 words
- review articlesReview articles (i.e, research reviews) provide a comprehensive review of a topic pertinent to science communication.Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Code availability, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Peer review, Plagiarism, Preprints, Self-archiving
- AI use Use of AI:
AI use beyond basic tools must be reported in Acknowledgment or Methods; generative AI cannot be considered as authors. Model summary
In submitting their work authors should be aware of the possible shortcomings of AI generated material. The journal's policy on AI use is guided by the principles of ethical use, transparency and accountability, inclusivity and diversity, fairness and intellectual property protection. Aside from the use of basic tools for checking grammar, spelling, references, etc., authors should report the use …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship
All those who have made a significant contribution to a manuscript must be cited as co-authors. According to JCOM policy, authorship is based on the following 4 criteria: Substantial contributions to the conception or design of the work; or the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data for the work; AND Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content; AND Fina…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Code availability Data/Software/Code Availability Statements:
JCOM strongly encourages posting data files and similar supplementary material to publicly-accessible, discipline-specific, community-recognised repositories that comply with the FAIR principles as much as possible.In cases where a suitable discipline-specific resource does not exist, such files may be submitted to a generalist repository (for example, Zenodo), including any such repositories prov…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Conflict of interest
Any potential conflicts of interest should be declared by the authors when submitting their article, either in the acknowledgments section or in a separate cover letter. Examples of conflicts of interest that must be disclosed are: direct or indirect sources of funding (employment, grants, patents, sponsorships, consulting fees, equipment supplies); unpaid advisory affiliations and memberships of …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability
Data/Software/Code availability encouraged via FAIR-compliant repositories. Model summary
JCOM strongly encourages posting data files and similar supplementary material to publicly-accessible, discipline-specific, community-recognised repositories that comply with the FAIR principles as much as possible.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Misconduct
Manuscripts submitted to JCOM must not have been published or be under consideration for publication in other refereed journals, nor should they be sent to other journals while still being considered for publication in JCOM. Cases of misconduct are seriously considered and investigated and anonymity of whistleblowers is protected. JCOM reserves the right to refuse to publish any content that, in i…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Access and copyright
Content licensed under Creative Commons 4.0 Model summary
JCOM is a Diamond Open Access journal, charging no fees to either authors or readers and fully funded by SISSA Medialab. Authors retain the copyright of their work. To improve its open access characteristics, JCOM has adopted a Creative Commons licensing policy, giving the community the opportunity to freely spread published contributions under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review The review process
Double-anonymous peer review; authors must remove personal information from manuscripts. Model summary
The whole process - from submission to publication - is carried out electronically. All users involved in a manuscript have personal web pages to monitor the process, take action and communicate according to their role. The JCOM refereeing procedure is based on the traditional double-anonymous peer-review system. An Editor in charge is automatically assigned the newly submitted manuscript and will…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Plagiarism Plagiarism and duplicate publication
Plagiarism constitutes unethical scientific behaviour and is never acceptable. Duplicate publication (production of multiple papers with essentially the same content by the same authors) is also considered unacceptable.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints
Preprint submission allowed if copyright and licence permit. Model summary
Manuscripts posted to preprint repositories can be submitted to JCOM, as long as the copyright and licence allow for it.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Self-archiving
Version of Record may be uploaded to repositories starting 1 week after publication with required credit. Model summary
Authors are allowed to upload the Version of Record (VoR) of their manuscript published in JCOM to an institutional and/or subject repository starting from 1 week after publication.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Sissa Medialab
- Country or region
- Italy
- Language
- English
- ISSN
- 1824-2049
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Author guidelines ↗DOAJ
- Aims & Scope ↗DOAJ
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
- APC information ↗DOAJ
- Open access statement ↗DOAJ
- License & copyright ↗DOAJ
- Peer review process ↗DOAJ
- Editorial board ↗DOAJ
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about JCOM-Journal of Science Communication
What CAS zone is JCOM-Journal of Science Communication in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, JCOM-Journal of Science Communication is in Zone 3 of Literature, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Communication. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Literature. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of JCOM-Journal of Science Communication?
The journal's website gives an impact factor of 2.1 (2025); this is the journal's own figure, as LetPub lists none for it; CiteScore 3.2, h-index 52.
How long does peer review take at JCOM-Journal of Science Communication?
Authors report an average review time of about 5 weeks. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of JCOM-Journal of Science Communication?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 100–150 words; Manuscript length: ≤ 8,000 words; First submission: Free format: the journal's layout is not required; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of JCOM-Journal of Science Communication based?
Of the 39 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 3%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Germany (4), Australia (4) and South Africa (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index JCOM-Journal of Science Communication?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, JCOM-Journal of Science Communication is indexed in ESCI, Scopus and DOAJ. The journal's website also lists Web of Science; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is JCOM-Journal of Science Communication open access, and what is the APC?
JCOM-Journal of Science Communication is a diamond open-access journal (no APC). It charges no article processing charge.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website, DOAJ; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .