Journal decision profile

Communication Theory

Social Sciences

Communication Theory's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 6.2, ranking Q1 in Communication and 2 other subfields. Two-year citation average from OpenAlex data, updated August 2026.

WileyUnited StatespISSN 1050-3293eISSN 1468-2885
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Bookmark this page — track observed submission-to-acceptance timing, FWCI and field-normalized citation data for this journal in one view.

Journal Metrics Score
i
Journal Metrics ScoreThe raw score is citations received in the latest complete year by works from the two previous years, divided by the number of those works. It is calculated from OpenAlex open data (CC0) and is not a percentage grade.
2026
6.2

Journal Metrics Score 2026 · 2021–2024 window citedness 6.03.

Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceCalendar days between the received and accepted dates reported in recent PubMed records. This interval includes editorial handling and author revisions, so it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
PUBMED

Not available — there are not enough recent PubMed records with both received and accepted dates.

Indicative APC
i
Indicative APCThis journal-level estimate comes from the OpenAlex source record. It is not a verified quote and may exclude taxes, waivers, society discounts, or article-type charges. Check the journal's official website before deciding.
OPENALEX · VERIFY
$4,235

Journal-level estimate only. Verify current charges, taxes, waivers, discounts, and article-type fees with the journal.

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Does your manuscript fit Communication Theory?

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At a glance

Journal decision profile

Each spoke is a 0–100 percentile within a comparable journal cohort—not a percentage grade or a single black-box rating.

Relative profile

Metrics ScoreThe raw 2026 Journal Metrics Score is the recent two-year citation average shown above. The radar converts it to a 0–100 cohort percentile: farther out means a higher score than more comparable journals. It is not a percentage grade.iSource outputThe raw rank compares lifetime output inside the journal’s leading-topic source set. The radar then compares that rank position across Decision Profile journals in the same primary OpenAlex field; when that field has too few profiles, it uses the broader profile set. Farther out means relatively more output, not better research quality.iTop 10% shareThe share of recent papers in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield. The radar converts that share to a 0–100 cohort percentile; it does not predict how a new paper will perform.iMedian FWCICitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected citation level for comparable papers; the radar shows its 0–100 cohort percentile.iOutput volumeAverage works published per year in the recent analysis window, converted to a 0–100 cohort percentile. Farther out means the journal publishes more papers; it does not mean those papers are better.i
Cost is intentionally excluded. Missing APC data is never converted to a zero-dollar fee or a fabricated cost score.

Raw values behind the shape

Always visible
Metrics Score
i
Metrics ScoreThe 2026 raw Journal Metrics Score shown above. The bar is its 0–100 percentile within the radar's comparable journal cohort; it is not a percentage score.
6.22026 · OPENALEX
Source output rank
i
Source output rankThis lifetime journal-wide output rank compares works published by the OpenAlex source with sources associated with the journal’s leading topic. More output does not mean higher quality.
#555 / 6,033LIFETIME OUTPUT
Highly cited papers
i
Highly cited papersShare of recent works in the global top 10% for citations after comparing papers of the same type, publication year, and subfield.
66.7%FIELD-NORMALIZED TOP 10%
Field-normalized impact
i
Field-normalized impactCitation performance of the middle recent paper after field, year, and work type are considered. A raw FWCI of 1.0 is the expected level for comparable work.
5.72MEDIAN FWCI
Submission-to-acceptance
i
Submission-to-acceptanceReceived-to-accepted calendar days from qualified PubMed records. It includes editorial handling and author revisions; it is not time to first decision or pure peer-review time.
—NOT AVAILABLE
Recent output
i
Recent outputAverage works published per year across the complete analysis window. This is a volume measure, not a quality score.
22 / yr2021–2024 AVG
Field-normalized top 10% share66.7%

58 of 87 works · same type, year & subfield

Field-normalized top 1% share18.4%

16 works · same type, year & subfield

Median FWCI5.72×

Above field-year expectation

Source output rank#555

of 6,033 topic-associated OpenAlex sources by lifetime output

What does Median FWCI mean?

FWCI compares papers with the same publication year, type, and field. 1.0 is the world average; above 1.0 is above expectation. This journal's median is 5.72, so its typical recent paper runs about 472% above its field benchmark.

What does Top 10% Share mean?

66.7% of recent papers rank in the global top 10% after field normalization. This is easier to compare across specialties than raw citation totals.

Publishing pattern

Publication volume and article mix

Volume is separated from citation accumulation so newer papers are not presented as weaker simply because they are newer.

Works published by year

OpenAlex source records · 2016–2025

242016
172017
482018
282019
492020
232021
222022
172023
252024
382025

Recent work-type mix

87 OpenAlex works · 2021–2024

Article95.4%
Review2.3%
Editorial1.1%
Erratum1.1%
OpenAlex article is broader than “original research.” PubMed Publication Types can add case-report and clinical-study detail.
Fit signals

Topics and research coverage

OpenAlex topics show the research communities this journal serves.

Leading OpenAlex topics

2021–2024 works
Media Studies and Communication16
Social Media and Politics8
Misinformation and Its Impacts7
Communication Studies and Media6
Decolonial Thought and Epistemologies3
Impact of Technology on Adolescents3
Media and Communication Studies3
Rhetoric and Communication Studies3
Attachment and Relationship Dynamics2
Media and Digital Communication2
Methodology: OpenAlex snapshot 2026-10-25. FWCI, percentile badges, topics, and type mix use 87 works published 2021–2024. Radar normalization is versioned in the cached profile, and no cost score is assigned without reliable APC data.

Subject Category Quartiles

Quartiles computed within each OpenAlex subfield
CategoryQuartile
CommunicationQ1
PhilosophyQ1
Language and LinguisticsQ1

Is Communication Theory a good journal?

Yes. One of the most-cited journals in Social Sciences

Yes. By citation data, Communication Theory is one of the most-cited journals in Social Sciences: it ranks #170 of 6,918 Social Sciences journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 3%) and is Q1 in Communication and 2 other subfields. Communication Theory's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 6.2. OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $4,235 USD. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Communication, Philosophy, and Language and Linguistics, so check that your topic fits its scope.

Best quartile
Q1
Communication
Rank in Social Sciences
#170 of 6,918
Top 3%
2026 Journal Metrics Score
6.2
Acceptance rate
Not published
By the journal or publisher
Indicative APC
$4,235
OpenAlex, verify with the journal
Papers published in 2025
37
OpenAlex works

Check before you submit

  • Confirm the current article processing charge, waivers, and any institutional agreement on the journal website; the OpenAlex figure is indicative.
  • Confirm the journal is indexed where your institution or funder requires (for example Scopus or PubMed) before you submit.

Verdict from citation data only: quartile and field rank by Journal Metrics Score (OpenAlex), publisher-reported acceptance rates, and PubMed submission and acceptance dates. See how we rank journals and how to verify indexing.

Q1
Subfield Quartile
B1
CAS Block

Ranking and source check

#170
of 6,918 Social Sciences field journals
#170
among Q1 Social Sciences journals

Confirm the exact title and ISSNs against the publisher homepage before a high-stakes submission decision.

Journal Details

OpenAlex Works
1,246
H-Index
131
Fully Open Access
No
Recent OA Works
129
Subject Areas
CommunicationPhilosophyLanguage and Linguistics

Source: the current OpenAlex source record. OpenAlex works can include multiple work types. Fully Open Access is a source-level flag. Recent OA Works is summed from OpenAlex's counts_by_year series (up to the latest ten years); it is not a lifetime OA percentage. Any APC shown here is an indicative OpenAlex value—verify current charges on the journal's official website.

How to submit to Communication Theory

  1. 1

    Check the scope

    OpenAlex classifies Communication Theory's papers in subfields including Communication, Philosophy, and Language and Linguistics. Read the aims and scope page and a few recent papers close to your topic before you prepare the manuscript.

  2. 2

    Follow the author guidelines

    Article types, word and figure limits, reference style, and the required statements (data availability, ethics, conflicts of interest, author contributions) are set by the journal. Prepare the cover letter and files to match them.

    Communication Theory homepage ↗
  3. 3

    Submit online

    Use the submit link in Communication Theory's author guidelines; Wiley runs the submission site. Every author usually needs an ORCID iD, and the corresponding author needs an account on the submission site.

  4. 4

    Plan for costs

    OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $4,235 USD. Check the current fee, waivers, and any institutional agreement on the journal website.

  5. 5

    Know what to expect

    Communication Theory does not publish an acceptance rate.

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Common questions about Communication Theory

Is Communication Theory a good journal?

Yes. By citation data, Communication Theory is one of the most-cited journals in Social Sciences: it ranks #170 of 6,918 Social Sciences journals by Journal Metrics Score (top 3%) and is Q1 in Communication and 2 other subfields. Communication Theory's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 6.2. OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $4,235 USD. OpenAlex classifies its papers in subfields including Communication, Philosophy, and Language and Linguistics, so check that your topic fits its scope.

What is Communication Theory's Journal Metrics Score in 2026?

Communication Theory's 2026 Journal Metrics Score is 6.2, from the August 2026 data release. The score is a two-year citation average computed from OpenAlex (CC0) data: citations received in the most recent complete year to works published in the two prior years, divided by the number of those works.

What is the acceptance rate of Communication Theory?

We have not found an official acceptance rate published by Communication Theory or its publisher, and Journal Metrics does not estimate one because submission counts are not public. To judge selectivity, compare Communication Theory's quartile and score with similar journals, or ask the editorial office.

What quartile is Communication Theory in?

Communication Theory's best quartile is Q1. By OpenAlex subfield: Q1 in Communication; Q1 in Philosophy; Q1 in Language and Linguistics. Quartiles rank journals by Journal Metrics Score within each subfield.

Is the Journal Metrics Score the same as other journal citation metrics?

No. Journal Metrics computes the score independently from OpenAlex open data. Other providers use different citation databases, document types, and counting rules, so their published figures for Communication Theory will not match this score exactly. Compare journals using one source at a time.

How much does it cost to publish in Communication Theory?

OpenAlex lists an indicative article processing charge of $4,235 USD for Communication Theory. This journal-level estimate may exclude taxes, waivers, discounts, or article-type fees, so confirm the current charge on the journal's website.

Which journals are alternatives to Communication Theory?

Comparable journals include Journalism and Media, Central European Journal of Communication, International Journal of Communication, and Digital Journalism. Compare their scores, acceptance times, and costs in the recommended alternatives on this page before choosing where to submit.

How do I submit a paper to Communication Theory?

Submit online through the link in Communication Theory's author guidelines on the journal homepage. Before submitting, check the scope, follow the author guidelines for article type, length, and required statements, and prepare a cover letter.

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