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newms-topic-selection

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Use when judging whether a topic fits New Media & Society (NM&S) and how to frame it for an interdisciplinary digital-media-and-society readership. Tests fit and stakes; it does not design the study or write the paper.

When to use

• Deciding whether an idea belongs at NM&S vs. a sibling venue
• Framing a study of one platform so it speaks to digital media and society broadly
• Addressing feedback that work is too niche, just a case study, or atheoretical
• Testing if a topic clears the four-part fit test
• Evaluating if a contribution is a portable concept rather than a platform report
• Assessing interdisciplinary reach and timely but not ephemeral claims

When not to use

• Designing the study
• Writing the paper
• Quantitative US communication-science effects
• Narrowly about information systems, policy, or ICT mechanics
• Social-media-platform-specific empirical studies with little reach
• Technical methods or systems
• Pure platform walkthroughs or feature audits
• Chasing a viral moment with no durable mechanism

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