JSMS rides into the archival sunset

Cover of the first issue. 

From 2012 to 2025, the Journal of Social Media in Society has been home to social media research. When we started the journal, finding a home for a project focused on social media and specific platforms was a tougher search. With social media entering its 20s, journals are receptive to articles and scholarship in this area. As such, we have decided to shutter the journal.

So, so, so many people were involved in the creation and continuation of JSMS. Some of our reviewers have been with us since the beginning. That is an amazing service lift, and we are ever grateful for all of our reviewers. Associate editors were added as we plodded along, and they were instrumental in our forward momentum. We have had wonderful editorial assistants, both doctoral and master's students. Our authors always impressed me with their work, but also their kindness. Founding a journal has been a ride, and I am filled with gratitude for the journey. The masthead for the journal is now located in our archived site: https://thejsms.blogspot.com.

ARCHIVE

You can still access all of the fantastic research published in the journal in our online archive. We are also in the process of archiving it with the Public Knowledge Project. OJS/PKP has been a wonderful partner in the publishing process.

TOP TEN

JSMS had 1.1 million abstract views and 893,000 article downloads. To celebrate the 13-year run, we have tallied the most PDFs downloaded and created our Top 10 list. 

1. Parasocial Interaction in the Digital Age:  An Examination of Relationship Building and the Effectiveness of YouTube Celebrities Vol. 7 No. 1 (2018)
2. Scrolling, Simping, and Mobilizing Vol. 12 No. 1 (2023)
3. The Evolution of Social Media from 1969 to 2013: A Change in Competition and a Trend Toward Complementary, Niche Sites Vol. 3 No. 2 (2014)
4. Internet Dependency and Academic Performance Vol. 4 No. 1 (2015)
5. The Development of Parasocial Interaction Relationships on YouTube Vol. 7 No. 1 (2018)
6. Using the PAD (Pleasure, Arousal, and Dominance) Model to Explain Facebook Attitudes and Use Intentions Vol. 6 No. 1 (2017)
7. An Analysis of George Floyd-themed Memes Vol. 10 No. 2 (2021)
8. Twitter, Social Support Messages, and the #MeToo Movement Vol. 7 No. 2 (2018)
9. Effects of Parasocial Interaction with an Instafamous Influencer on Brand Attitudes and Purchase Intentions Vol. 10 No. 1 (2021)
10. The Looking Glass Lens: Self-concept Changes Due to Social Media Practices Vol. 4 No. 1 (2015)

Stop, collaborate and research

When looking back at the past 10 years of research, I was amazed at the number of collaborators I have been lucky enough to work with on various projects. I may have received an award from my college for my scholarship, but I accept it on their behalf. It would not have happened without my partners in research and cheerleaders along the way.

On Facebook, I said my research journey started with my dissertation advisor, Dr. Kathleen Whitson, but I neglected to mention Dr. Daniel Chen, who tried to impart the importance of strong research questions in one of our doctoral research courses. So, there's two people acknowledged. Only 28 co-authors left to thank! 

Then there are all of the journal editors and their anonymous team of reviewers, from the ones that have rejected my work, but made it better with reviews -- and the ones who have suggested needed improvements and worked through multiple revisions.

My research agenda started with a focus on experiential learning in student-run communication organizations and returns there every so often. Adding to that is social media research and most recently listening in social media. Collaborations led me to new efforts like case studies in ethics, mentoring projects, and Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) papers and presentations. 

I am grateful for these opportunities because they have informed my teaching. In grad school, you hear about how research is part of the professor's job because it informs your teaching and expands the body of literature. Every project has added something to what I bring to the classroom. 

So, thank you, Academy, for this honor.  Oh, and I forgot the most important: thank you to my family who puts up with writing frenzies stealing me away from time to time.

Partnering on research

Partnering on research projects can be a way to maximize your time and efforts, learn new methods/approaches yourself, and add a layer of accountability. Some institutions and tenure/promotion committees want to see single-author publications, and others accept and value collaborative works. You can see from my vitae, the little girl who hated group work in grade school has learned how to co-author and co-present.

So if you're ready to partner up, let me offer these thoughts:

1. Test run. Pick a small project to start. This could be a co-authored guest blog post or regional panel. You will be able to see how each other works. And it's OK if it's not a good fit.
2. Consider your threshold for deadlines and procrastination. Before my little one arrived, I was up for late night writing sessions that pushed deadlines to within seconds. Now, I can't guarantee you that kind of window of work. I work much more in advance because I must.
3. Find partners with complementary skills sets. Maybe you have a great network for survey solicitation, and your partner is a strong statistician. Find someone to strengthen your gaps and vice versa.
4. Cross disciplines. Find ways to bridge the silos and connect with colleagues in different departments. This also opens your work to more publication options.
5. Communicate. Discuss openly issues like order of authorship and timelines before beginning a project. 
6. Going separate ways. You're kind of like a band. Play while it works. Strike out for a solo tour when you need, and be open to the reunion project. 

Dealing with rejection

Sting. It still stings a bit, OK sometimes a LOT. Academic rejection. It's that paper you were sure was awesome, or a panel that had a zingy title and great speakers. I had no idea how much rejection would be part of the process.

How do I deal?

1. Pity party. I take a day or two to feel sorry for myself, get mad at reviewers, or whatever else I need to feel. The key is to limit the time and amount of energy devoted to said pity party.
2. Reread the reviews. After I have taken a bit of time to get over the initial sting, I hold my breath and really digest the reviews. That initial read is always clouded by the REJECTION. 
3. Reread the manuscript. Yup, now I typically start to see what the reviewers see. 
4. Decision time. The manuscript is not tied up anywhere. I research other potential outlets and develop a plan. I reframe the paper entirely, reach out to a co-author who could help add something to the work, or retire the poor dear. 
5. Act. I try not to let too much dust settle. I want to get the work back into the pipeline. Revamp, rework and revise, and try again.
6. Hope. After submission, I hope for the best, and begin work on the next project.

How do you deal?