Journal of Information Giants (JIG)

ISSN:
eISSN:
Publisher: Information Giants Publishers
Frequency: Twice per year
Language: English
Peer Review: Double-blind peer review
Access Model: Open Access

About the Journal

The Journal of Information Giants (JIG) is a peer-reviewed academic journal published by Information Giants Publishers. The journal provides an international and interdisciplinary platform for the publication and dissemination of original scholarly research in communication, journalism, media studies, science communication, strategic communication, public relations, digital media, education, public affairs, governance and related areas of the social sciences.

Although JIG is independently published and is not affiliated with a university or academic institution, it is committed to maintaining rigorous scholarly and ethical standards. The journal draws on suitably qualified scholars and researchers from diverse institutions, disciplines and geographical contexts to support a robust and independent peer-review process. JIG seeks to publish scholarship that contributes meaningfully to academic knowledge, professional practice and public understanding. We welcome theoretically informed, methodologically rigorous and empirically grounded research that addresses significant contemporary questions and emerging challenges.

The journal is particularly interested in research examining how information is produced, communicated, mediated, interpreted, contested and transformed in increasingly complex social, political, cultural and technological environments.

We recognise the importance of scholarship that does not remain confined to academic communities. JIG therefore encourages research that demonstrates relevance to policy, professional practice, education, industry and wider society, while maintaining the standards expected of scholarly publication.

Our Aim

The Journal of Information Giants aims to advance knowledge by providing a credible, inclusive and internationally oriented platform for original scholarship in communication, media, information and related social science disciplines.

The journal seeks to:

Advance theoretical and empirical knowledge;
Encourage interdisciplinary scholarship;
Promote methodological innovation and rigour;
Provide a platform for emerging and established scholars;
Encourage scholarship from diverse geographical and cultural contexts;
Connect academic research with professional practice and public discourse;
Promote responsible and ethical research and publishing;
Contribute to contemporary debates surrounding information, communication, technology and society.

Aims and Scope

JIG welcomes original research that critically examines the changing relationship between information, communication, media, technology and society. The journal has an interdisciplinary orientation and welcomes contributions from established and emerging scholars across different geographical, cultural and disciplinary contexts. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:

Communication and Strategic Communication

Communication theory and practice
Strategic communication
Corporate communication
Organisational communication
Public relations
Crisis and risk communication
Government and public-sector communication
Political communication
Development communication
Intercultural communication
Science communication

Journalism and Media

Journalism studies
Journalism practice and ethics
Journalism education
Media history
Media sociology
Media audiences
Media representation
Media economics
Community and alternative media
Media and democracy
Media policy and regulation

Digital Media and Emerging Technologies

Social media
Digital communication
New media
Artificial intelligence and communication
Algorithmic communication
Platform governance
Digital cultures
Influencer cultures
Digital journalism
Misinformation and disinformation
Media technologies and society

Communication, Society and Public Policy

Communication and governance
Public administration
Public policy communication
Health communication
Environmental communication
Crisis communication
Communication and education
Communication and development
Communication and social change
Diversity, inclusion and representation
Marginalised and underrepresented voices

The journal may also consider systematic reviews, conceptual papers, methodological papers, theoretical articles, research notes, book reviews and other scholarly contributions where appropriate.

Peer-Review Policy

Double-Blind Peer Review

The Journal of Information Giants operates a double-blind peer-review process for research articles.

Under the double-blind system:

Authors do not know the identities of the reviewers.
Reviewers do not know the identities of the authors.
Manuscripts are prepared for anonymous review before being sent to external reviewers.
Reviewers are selected based on their subject expertise, methodological competence and relevant scholarly experience.
At least two independent reviewers will normally be invited to review each research article.
Reviewers are expected to provide constructive, objective and evidence-based assessments.
The final editorial decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor.

The journal may seek additional reviews where reviewers provide substantially different recommendations, where methodological concerns require further assessment, or where the editor considers an additional expert opinion necessary.

The journal does not guarantee acceptance or publication of submitted manuscripts. Acceptance is based on scholarly quality, originality, methodological rigour, relevance to the journal’s scope and compliance with publication standards. Transparency in peer-review procedures and decision-making is an important component of responsible scholarly publishing.

Possible Editorial Decisions

Following peer review, an editor may make one of the following decisions:

Accept
Accept subject to minor revisions
Revise and resubmit / major revisions
Reject and resubmit where appropriate
Reject

Authors may be required to respond to reviewers’ comments and submit a revised manuscript for further evaluation.

Editorial Independence

The editorial decisions of JIG are based on academic merit, originality, methodological quality, relevance and ethical standards.

Editorial decisions will not be influenced by:

The author’s institutional affiliation;
Nationality or geographical location;
Race or ethnicity;
Gender;
Religion;
Political beliefs;
Personal characteristics;
Commercial considerations; or
The author’s ability or willingness to purchase additional publishing services.

The publisher and editorial team will maintain a clear distinction between editorial decision-making and commercial activities.

This is particularly important for an independently published journal because scholarly credibility depends on transparent editorial governance and decisions based on academic merit.

Editorial Structure

Editor-in-Chief

The Editor-in-Chief provides overall academic and editorial leadership and is responsible for maintaining the journal’s scholarly direction, editorial standards and publication integrity.

Associate Editors

Associate Editors will be appointed based on recognised expertise in relevant fields and will assist with:

Manuscript assessment;
Peer-review coordination;
Editorial decisions;
Special issues;
Thematic development; and
Maintaining scholarly standards.

Editorial Board

The Editorial Board will consist of appropriately qualified academics and researchers representing different disciplines, institutions, countries and areas of expertise.

Board members may advise on the journal’s scholarly direction, assist with peer review, promote the journal and contribute to maintaining academic standards.

As the journal develops, JIG will maintain a transparent listing of editorial board members, including their names, institutional affiliations and areas of expertise. A diverse editorial board is an important element of scholarly journal governance.

Manuscript Types

JIG welcomes the following submissions:

Original Research Articles

Full-length empirical studies presenting original findings and making a clear contribution to knowledge.

Theoretical and Conceptual Articles

Papers that develop, critique, integrate or extend theories and conceptual frameworks.

Methodological Articles

Papers presenting significant methodological developments or innovations relevant to communication, media and social science research.

Systematic and Scoping Reviews

Rigorous reviews that synthesise existing scholarship using transparent and appropriate methodologies.

Research Notes

Short scholarly contributions addressing emerging research findings, methodological issues or significant developments.

Book Reviews

Critical assessments of recently published academic books relevant to the journal’s scope.

Special Issue Contributions

Articles submitted in response to approved special issue calls.

Originality and Plagiarism

All manuscripts submitted to JIG must be original work and must not have been published previously or be under consideration by another journal at the time of submission.

Authors are responsible for ensuring that:

All sources are appropriately acknowledged;
Quotations are properly cited;
Paraphrased material is appropriately referenced;
Data and findings are accurately represented;
The manuscript does not contain fabricated or falsified information; and
The manuscript has not been submitted simultaneously to another publication.

JIG may use plagiarism and similarity-detection software as part of its editorial screening process.

Where plagiarism, duplicate publication, fabricated data, falsified information, citation manipulation or other forms of research or publication misconduct are suspected, the journal may investigate the matter and take appropriate action.

The journal will follow recognised publication-ethics principles when addressing allegations of misconduct.

Research Ethics

Authors are responsible for ensuring that research involving human participants, personal data or sensitive information has received appropriate ethical approval where required.

Manuscripts should clearly indicate:

The relevant ethical approval;
The approving institution or committee;
Informed consent procedures where applicable;
Participant confidentiality and anonymity measures; and
Any relevant ethical limitations.

Authors should not publish information that could unnecessarily identify research participants.

Where research does not require formal ethical approval, authors may be required to provide an appropriate explanation.

Authorship and Contributorship

Authorship should be limited to individuals who have made a substantial intellectual contribution to the research and manuscript.

All listed authors should:

Have made a meaningful contribution to the research;
Have contributed to the manuscript;
Approve the final version;
Agree to submission; and
Accept responsibility for the integrity of the work.

Individuals who provided administrative, technical, financial or other assistance but do not meet authorship criteria should be appropriately acknowledged.

The corresponding author is responsible for communicating with the journal and ensuring that all authors have approved the submission.

Artificial Intelligence and Generative AI

JIG recognises the increasing use of artificial intelligence and generative artificial intelligence tools in research and scholarly communication.

Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy, originality, integrity and ethical integrity of their manuscripts, regardless of whether artificial intelligence tools were used during preparation.

Artificial intelligence tools should not be listed as authors.

Where the use of generative artificial intelligence has materially contributed to the development of the manuscript, authors should disclose the nature and extent of that use in accordance with the journal’s author guidelines.

Authors remain responsible for verifying citations, factual claims, data, interpretations and references generated or assisted by artificial intelligence tools.

Conflicts of Interest

Authors, reviewers and editors must disclose any actual, potential or perceived conflict of interest that could influence the research or editorial process.

Conflicts may include:

Financial interests;
Professional relationships;
Personal relationships;
Institutional interests;
Funding relationships; or
Other circumstances that could reasonably be perceived as influencing judgement.

Reviewers should decline invitations where a conflict could compromise their objectivity.

Editors should recuse themselves from manuscripts where they have a conflict of interest.

Funding Disclosure

Authors should disclose all significant sources of financial or material support for the research.

Where applicable, funding statements should identify:

The funding organisation;
Grant or project number; and
The role of the funder in the research.

Data Availability and Research Transparency

Where ethically and legally possible, authors are encouraged to make relevant research data, instruments, materials, coding procedures or supplementary materials available to support transparency and reproducibility.

Where data cannot be shared because of confidentiality, privacy, contractual restrictions or ethical considerations, authors should provide an appropriate explanation.

Copyright and Licensing

Copyright and licensing arrangements will be clearly stated for each published article. For open-access articles, JIG will use an appropriate open licence, such as a Creative Commons licence, where applicable. Authors will retain or transfer copyright according to the journal’s publishing agreement. The copyright and licensing information applicable to an article should be clearly visible on the article’s webpage and published version.

Open Access

JIG is committed to making scholarly knowledge accessible to researchers, students, professionals, policymakers and the wider public.

Where the journal operates under an open-access model, articles will be made available online without subscription or paywall restrictions.

Open-access articles will be subject to the same editorial and peer-review standards as all other scholarly submissions.

Benefits of Open Access

Global accessibility;
Increased discoverability;
Wider academic readership;
Greater potential for scholarly and societal impact;
Accessibility for researchers without institutional subscriptions; and
Greater circulation of research beyond traditional academic audiences.

Article Processing Charges

Any Article Processing Charge (APC) must be clearly disclosed before manuscript submission.

Where applicable, the journal will publish:

The APC amount;
When the fee becomes payable;
What the fee covers;
Whether taxes are applicable;
Available waivers or discounts; and
Circumstances under which fees may be reduced or waived.

Payment of an APC will not influence editorial decisions or guarantee acceptance.

If JIG intends to operate without APCs, I strongly recommend stating this explicitly:

JIG currently does not charge authors an Article Processing Charge for the submission or peer review of manuscripts.

Do not use vague wording such as “An APC may be charged”. A professional journal should state its fee policy clearly. Transparency around author fees is specifically recommended in scholarly publishing standards.

Publication Ethics

JIG is committed to maintaining the integrity of the scholarly record.

The journal does not tolerate:

Plagiarism;
Fabrication of data;
Falsification of research;
Duplicate publication;
Simultaneous submission;
Unethical authorship practices;
Citation manipulation;
Peer-review manipulation;
Undisclosed conflicts of interest; or
Other forms of research or publication misconduct.

The journal will develop and maintain procedures for handling allegations of misconduct, complaints, conflicts of interest, corrections and retractions in accordance with recognised scholarly publishing principles.

Corrections, Retractions and Expressions of Concern

The integrity of the published scholarly record is a priority for JIG.

Where a published article contains an error that affects the accuracy or interpretation of the work, the journal may publish a correction.

Where serious concerns arise regarding the reliability, integrity or ethical basis of a published article, the journal may issue an expression of concern while the matter is investigated. Where an article is found to contain serious problems that invalidate the scholarly record, the journal may retract the article. Corrections, expressions of concern and retractions will be clearly linked to the original article to maintain transparency and preserve the scholarly record. Crossref also supports metadata relating to corrections, withdrawals and retractions.

Complaints and Appeals

Authors may appeal an editorial decision where they believe that:

A significant procedural error occurred;
The manuscript was evaluated using inappropriate criteria;
A conflict of interest affected the editorial process; or
There is substantive evidence that the decision should be reconsidered.

Appeals must provide a clear and reasoned explanation. An appeal is not an opportunity simply to disagree with reviewers’ academic judgement.

Complaints concerning editorial conduct, peer review, publication ethics or other journal processes should be directed to the Editor-in-Chief.

The journal will endeavour to handle complaints and appeals fairly, confidentially and promptly.

Reviewer Responsibilities

Reviewers play a central role in maintaining the quality and integrity of JIG.

Reviewers are expected to:

Provide objective and constructive feedback;
Assess manuscripts based on scholarly merit;
Maintain confidentiality;
Identify potential ethical concerns;
Declare conflicts of interest;
Avoid using unpublished information for personal advantage;
Assess methodological and theoretical quality; and
Submit reviews within the agreed timeframe.

Reviewers should not contact authors directly about a manuscript under review unless authorised by the journal.

Special Issues

JIG welcomes proposals for special issues addressing significant and emerging themes within the journal’s scope.

Special issue proposals should normally include:

Proposed title;
Theme and rationale;
Background and significance;
Key research questions or themes;
Proposed contributors or areas of contribution;
Expected scholarly contribution;
Proposed guest editors;
Estimated number of articles; and
Proposed publication timeline.

Guest editors may coordinate submissions and peer review but do not have unilateral authority to accept manuscripts. All articles remain subject to the journal’s established peer-review and editorial standards. Final publication decisions rest with the Editor-in-Chief or an appropriately delegated editor.

Publication Schedule

JIG will publish yearly issues. The journal will maintain a consistent publication schedule and will clearly identify the volume, issue, publication date and individual article publication date. For online articles, publication dates and, where applicable, submission and acceptance dates should be displayed.

Digital Preservation and Archiving

JIG is committed to ensuring the long-term accessibility and preservation of its published scholarship.

The journal will establish an appropriate digital preservation and archiving arrangement to ensure that published articles remain accessible even if the journal or publisher’s operations change.

[Insert the specific preservation service once confirmed, e.g. LOCKSS, CLOCKSS or another recognised archive.]

Do not claim LOCKSS, CLOCKSS or another archiving service until JIG has actually established participation.

DOI and Article Identification

JIG intends to assign Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to published scholarly articles through an appropriate DOI registration agency, subject to the journal’s registration arrangements.

DOIs provide persistent identification and improve the discoverability, citation and linking of scholarly publications. Crossref recommends DOI registration for journal articles and supports article-level metadata including authors, affiliations, abstracts, references, ORCID, funding and licensing information.

Indexing and Abstracting

JIG will seek inclusion in appropriate scholarly databases, indexing services, library discovery systems and abstracting platforms as the journal meets their eligibility requirements.

The journal will only list indexing and abstracting services in which it has been formally accepted.

Important: Do not advertise JIG as “Scopus indexed”, “Web of Science indexed”, “DOAJ indexed”, “Google Scholar indexed” or similar unless the journal has actually been accepted and can be verified through the relevant service.

Author Guidelines

Authors should consult the JIG Author Guidelines before submitting a manuscript.

The guidelines will provide information on:

Manuscript structure;
Word limits;
Abstract requirements;
Keywords;
Referencing style;
Tables and figures;
Formatting;
Research ethics;
Author information;
ORCID;
Funding disclosure;
Conflict-of-interest declarations;
Data availability;
AI disclosure;
Supplementary materials; and
Submission requirements.

Authors should submit manuscripts in a format that allows anonymous peer review. Author names, affiliations, acknowledgements and other identifying information should therefore be placed in a separate title page or submission field where required.

Submission and Editorial Process

The JIG editorial process follows the general sequence below:

1. Manuscript Submission
↓
2. Initial Editorial Screening
↓
3. Scope and Quality Assessment
↓
4. Plagiarism/Similarity and Ethical Checks
↓
5. Double-Blind Peer Review
↓
6. Editorial Decision
↓
7. Revision and Author Response
↓
8. Further Review Where Necessary
↓
9. Final Acceptance
↓
10. Copyediting and Proofreading
↓
11. Typesetting and Production
↓
12. Publication and DOI Assignment

This process may vary according to manuscript type.

Editorial Screening

All submissions undergo an initial editorial assessment before being sent for external peer review.

The editorial team may assess:

Alignment with the journal’s scope;
Originality and contribution;
Basic methodological quality;
Academic writing and presentation;
Ethical considerations;
Completeness of submission;
Potential plagiarism or duplicate publication; and
Compliance with author guidelines.

A manuscript may be rejected at the editorial screening stage if it falls substantially outside the journal’s scope or does not meet minimum scholarly or ethical requirements.

Advertising and Commercial Activities

JIG may provide appropriate opportunities for academic, professional and scholarly announcements.

Advertising and commercial activities will be kept separate from editorial decision-making and peer review.

Advertising will not influence whether a manuscript is accepted, rejected or published.

For advertising and announcements: Email: advertising@informationgiants.co.za

Editorial and Journal Contact

Journal of Information Giants (JIG)
Published by Information Giants Publishers

Publisher: Information Giants Publishers
Email: jig@informationgiants.co.za
Submission:
Website: www.informationgiants.co.za/JIG