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Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication (JCMC) is a fully open access, peer-reviewed journal published by Oxford University Press (Oxford Academic) as one of the International Communication Association (ICA) journals. This page is for researchers deciding whether to submit to it, or checking how to identify and cite it. Facts below come from the journal’s own Oxford Academic pages, read on 2026-11-08.
What it is
JCMC (also written Journal of Computer Mediated Communication, without the hyphen) covers communication that happens through digital technologies. Oxford Academic lists its subject categories as Computer Networking and Communications; Information and Communication Technologies; and Use of Technology in Communication. For the wider field it sits in, see What Is Communication Studies?
| Item | What the journal page states (read 2026-11-08) |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (Oxford Academic); an ICA journal |
| Online ISSN | 1083-6101 (no print ISSN listed). See ISSN |
| Access model | Fully open access |
| Impact Factor | 7.4 (2025), as displayed on the journal page. See journal impact factor |
| CiteScore | 12.8 (2025), as displayed on the journal page. See CiteScore |
| Editors-in-Chief | Nicole Ellison, Teresa Correa, Cuihua (Cindy) Shen, Mike Yao |
Metrics change each year and are calculated by their owners, not by the journal; check the journal page for the current figures before you cite them. Older third-party pages may show earlier values.
Who runs it and what it covers
The journal is published by Oxford University Press as one of the ICA journals and is edited by the four Editors-in-Chief above. It has been fully open access since 1 August 2020: accepted articles are published open access immediately. Its Oxford Academic home page is academic.oup.com/jcmc.
How to find it, cite it and submit
Finding and identifying the journal
- Go to the journal home page on Oxford Academic (academic.oup.com/jcmc); author information is on the General Instructions page linked from it.
- Confirm identity by the online ISSN 1083-6101, because the title appears both with and without the hyphen.
- Use the same ISSN when you build a reference or look the journal up in an indexer.
Submission checklist from the author instructions
The journal’s General Instructions page sets these requirements. Non-compliant manuscripts are returned without review.
- Length: under 10,000 words including abstract and references.
- Abstract and keywords: abstract of at most 250 words, with 5 to 7 keywords.
- File format: one Word file for the main manuscript; PDF is not accepted for the main manuscript.
- Style: APA 7th edition; alternative text for figures.
- Data availability: a data availability statement is required. See data availability statement.
- Cover letter: required; it covers why you chose JCMC, an AI-use disclosure, and confirmation that the work is not under consideration elsewhere. See journal cover letter example.
- Corresponding author: institutional email address.
- Submission system: the instructions page names Manuscript Central.
Anonymous review
Remove author names and affiliations from the manuscript, including from any OSF preregistration you link (see OSF preregistration). You may suggest reviewers in the cover letter; reviewers cannot see the cover letter. For the general model, see double-anonymized peer review.
Fees and open access
Because the journal is fully open access, a charge applies to published articles. The instructions describe a discount for authors from low- and middle-income countries and a 20% discount for society members, and note that read-and-publish agreements may cover the charge. This page does not quote a figure; the current charge is on the journal’s own pages.
Strengths and limits
- Strength: specific author instructions (word limit, abstract limit, data availability and AI-use disclosure) make formal-compliance returns avoidable.
- Strength: immediate open access on acceptance, with the metrics above displayed by the journal.
- Limit: the 10,000-word cap, single Word file and required anonymisation of linked materials add preparation steps.
- Limit: the scope is communication through technology; work outside that remit belongs with a different journal. Impact Factor and CiteScore measure journal-level citation rates, not the quality of any one article (see CiteScore vs impact factor).
Alternatives
JCMC is one of several ICA journals; the ICA lists its journal portfolio on its own website, which is the place to compare scope and aims across them. Compare candidate journals on the same criteria: scope, open access model, charges, review model and the metrics each journal itself reports.
FAQ
Who publishes the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication?
Oxford University Press, on Oxford Academic, as one of the International Communication Association journals.
Is JCMC open access?
Yes. It has been fully open access since 1 August 2020, and accepted articles are published open access immediately.
What is the ISSN of JCMC?
The online ISSN is 1083-6101; no print ISSN is listed on the journal page.
What is the Impact Factor of JCMC?
The journal page displayed a 2025 Impact Factor of 7.4 and a 2025 CiteScore of 12.8 when read on 2026-11-08.
Is “Journal of Computer Mediated Communication” the same as “Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication”?
Yes. They are two spellings of the same title; use the hyphenated form in references and confirm by ISSN 1083-6101.
What is the word limit?
Under 10,000 words including abstract and references, with an abstract of at most 250 words.
Sources
- Oxford Academic, Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication home page: academic.oup.com/jcmc (read 2026-11-08).
- JCMC General Instructions: academic.oup.com/jcmc/pages/General_Instructions (read 2026-11-08).
