Start a New Publication with ACM

ACM’s long-standing reputation as a respected publisher in the computing field is a result of our enduring focus on quality and the ability to attract pioneering thought leaders from both academia and industry.

ACM maintains this standing by proactively cultivating new publications in all areas of computer science and information technology, and we always welcome publication proposals from the community. We look to launch both research as well as applications-oriented publications on a variety of topics, including Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Gaming, Computer Graphics, Robotics, Internet of Things, Big Data, Interdisciplinary Applications, and Computational Linguistics.

Here are some compelling reasons to think of ACM when considering a journal or finding a new publisher:

• The ACM Digital Library (DL), to which a new publication would be added, is the world’s most comprehensive database of full-text articles and bibliographic literature covering computing and information technology. ACM publications are regarded as among the highest quality in their respective fields.
• ACM has excellent relationships with libraries, agents, consortia, and related organizations to maximize readership andw subscriptions.
• ACM, as a nonprofit association, offers low subscription rates for its publications.
• ACM has developed an industry-forward copyright policy that maximizes authors’ rights as well as providing intellectual-property protection.

How to Submit a Proposal

The first step in exploring an idea for a new ACM publication is to contact ACM's Senior Editor, New Publications for a preliminary discussion. Should a more detailed, formal proposal be encouraged, you will be asked to prepare the needed documents, including a completed proposal form and submit the package to the ACM Publications Board for review.

ACM Publications follow a number of models: formally peer-reviewed print/online journals; timely magazines on topics of general or specific interest; non-refereed zines or newsletters; online or print; aimed at academics, practitioners, researchers, or a combination of all. Make your preference clear in the proposal and indicate the publication's frequency.

Your proposal should include the following information:

Name, affiliation, and full contact information for proposer(s)

Please include your email and postal mail addresses and phone number. A proposal for a new publication is often the product of a core group or is being endorsed by a group of people in the field. Please list co-proposers and/or endorsers along with e-mail addresses and affiliations. Such lists serve as evidence that a community is behind the establishment of the publication.

Proposed name of new publication

Depending upon the type of format, most research-based ACM publications will use one of the following naming conventions:

• ACM Journal on TOPIC: "Journals" typically explore research areas across various computer science topics.
• ACM Transactions on TOPIC: "Transactions" explore a research topic in depth within a single computer science topic.
• TOPIC: Research and Practice: Research and Practice titles should contain articles that appeal to both researchers and practitioners.

Please propose a name for this publication, with the understanding that the ACM Publications Board is responsible for final name selection.

Aims, scope and perspective of proposed publication

Please describe the topics to be covered by this new publication. Your scope should distinguish what kinds of related topics will not be covered as well. Please also indicate the perspective, style and type of publication you envision. For example, do you intend the journal to focus mainly on theoretical contributions, or a particular disciplinary or multidisciplinary perspective? Will the journal include any content on societal impact associated with its content, or digital threats?

Format of proposed publication

What formats will be included in the journal (e.g., original research papers, practitioner papers, special issues, critical reviews or commentaries, letters to the editor, etc.)? Describe how you think these will contribute to the journal's quality (e.g., impact factor), readership base, etc. Also describe how these formats will be used to energize the journal's intellectual content and relevance to the community.

Please indicate what approximate percentage of the publication's content will consist of each of these various possible content types (0% if the type will not be included):

Content Type	Percentage
Original research	0 %
Practitioner reports or case studies	0 %
Critical review articles	0 %
Perspective, opinion, commentary, or letters to editor	0 %
Book reviews	0 %
Special issues	0 %
Other _________________	0 %

Rationale for new publication

Explain why a new publication is needed in this area at this time. Tell us about the field it covers, and important emerging trends within it. What other publications exist that cover this or related fields? List each and the publisher. What conferences and workshops cover this field? What evidence have you seen that a new publication is needed in this area? You may want to describe academic programs in this area, hiring trends in this area, or other factors that would indicate a high level of interest in this area and a sufficient number of submissions. If other publications already exist in this area, why is a new publication needed, and what evidence do you have that this area can support an additional publication? How would your proposed journal be distinct, or higher quality?

Relationship to other publications

What other ACM and non-ACM publications cover similar topics to the proposed new publication? Please estimate the extent of overlap and how this publication is different from each of these existing publications. What advice would you give authors to help them determine whether their papers are more appropriate for one of the existing publications or your proposed new publication? Please refer to the ACM Computing Classification System taxonomy for a global view of ACM Journals. In order to establish the footprint of the proposed publication within ACM's current portfolio of publications, this proposal will be shared with the Editor-in-Chief of any ACM publication named here.

Editorial process

Please provide an overview of the proposed editorial process. Will articles go through a full refereeing process, or a less rigorous review process (research papers must use a refereeing process)? How will the editorial board be structured and what role will the editor and other editorial board members play? Many ACM journals publish their review process. It may be helpful to review these established processes. See for example, ACM TOPS Guidelines for AEs.

Describe the planned review time frame, and how you intend to build a successful base of high quality reviewers. That is, how will you recruit and retain top quality reviewers as supporters and advocates of the journal, which currently can be challenging. Do you have ideas for offering them special recognition, or other incentives?

Some ACM publications form an advisory board (composed of leading figures in the field); the advisory board can help with strategic planning for growth, editorial board engagement, improving visibility, and outreach to the community. Will your publication form an advisory board and what role will it play?

Achieving a high quality and innovative outcome

Describe your vision for how this journal will succeed in becoming a leading, or even the dominant, journal in its area. What specific milestones do you aim to achieve? Do you have a target impact factor in mind, and how will you build toward it? What ideas do you have for improving upon, or injecting innovation into, the ACM journal process?

Authors

Who do you expect will submit articles for this publication? Will most submissions come from computer scientists, or are there other fields (physics, law, economics, art, social science, etc.) from which you expect many submissions to come? Do you expect submissions from researchers, practitioners, or whom?

Readers

Who do you think would be likely to read this publication? Are there ACM Special Interest Groups (SIGs) or other organizations whose members might be particularly interested in the publication? Is the likely audience predominantly researchers or practitioners, or a blend of both. What about this publication specifically will appeal to the audience you've identified?

Proposed editor-in-chief

If you have someone in mind to serve as editor-in-chief please name this person and attach their CV as well as a rationale for their nomination. The editor-in-chief of an ACM journal or transaction should be a senior person in the field with an international reputation. In some cases in emerging areas or involving interdisciplinary content, in may be advisable to have co-editors-in-chief. However, please first consult with that person to make sure they would be willing to serve. EIC terms are for three years, with the option to renew once upon approval of the ACM Publications Board. See ACM's Policy on EIC Appointments and ACM's Editor-in-Chief Position Description for additional information regarding Editor-in-Chief responsibilities and duties.

Proposed editorial board members

Please also list possible editorial board members and indicate who has already agreed to serve for the new publication, should it be approved. We recommend that approximately 1/3 already have indicated a willingness to serve. Finally, for each possible editorial board member, please include a specific subject area (or area of expertise) that he/she would be responsible for covering, and for how many other journal boards they currently serve as a board member.

Board diversity: ACM strives for editorial boards that truly represent the worldwide community of computing in their makeup. In addition to ensuring board members are proficient in their fields of expertise, boards should also be diverse geographically. In general, approximately 35-40% of the board should be outside the US and have significant representation from Europe and Asia and some representation from other regions around the world. Women should also be well-represented on the board (ideally, 25% or more).

Example articles

1. Please provide a list of articles (10-15) published in other publications, conference papers, tech reports, etc. that are typical of the kinds of articles you envision for this new publication.
2. Please also provide a list of the leading researchers, and their relevant publishing in this field.
3. List two examples of special issue content you envision.

Support

Have you discussed this proposal with relevant ACM Special Interest Groups? If so, please describe the feedback you received and, if possible, attach a letter of support from one or more SIG officers. Also indicate whether the EIC or editorial board members you've listed are affiliated or play a leadership role in the most relevant SIGs. If your proposal has not been discussed with a relevant SIG, ACM will contact the SIG(s) for input. After input from the most relevant SIGs, the proposal will be circulated to all SIGs for comment.

ACM Publications Policies

The ACM Publications Board sets maintains official associations policies for all ACM publications. The most relevant policies to new journals and transactions are linked below. Proposers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with policies.

• Evaluation Criteria for Editors-in-Chief (See also, Editor-in-Chief Appointment Policy)
• Reviewer Anonymity
• Editor-in-Chief Appointments (See also, Evaluation Criteria for Editors-in-Chief)
• ACM Author Rights and Publishing Agreements
• Rights and Responsibilities in ACM Publishing
• EiC Conflicts of Interest
• Joint-Publishing Agreements for Journals
• Pre-Publication Evaluation
• Prior Publication and Simultaneous Submissions
• Position Descriptions - Volunteer Editors of ACM Journals
• Author Representations
• Criteria for Authorship
• Artifact Review and Badging

Process

ACM staff is available to advise and assist in the development of your proposal. The first step in creating the proposal if you haven't done so already is to email ACM new publications staff to arrange a first discussion. The staff member assigned to your project will answer questions for you and act as a liaison with the ACM New Publications Committee, which is the body that recommends to the Publications Board whether a proposal should be approved. Process and timing may vary depending on a number of factors, but typically takes less than 6 months and follows this path: