Focus and scope

methods, data, analyses (mda) is an international, peer-reviewed, diamond open access journal that advances the methodological and analytical foundations of the social sciences. We provide a platform for cutting-edge work on scientific methods, quantitative data analysis, data, and research software, with a strong commitment to transparency, reproducibility, and best practices in scientific conduct.

The journal places particular emphasis on two areas of research:

• Survey methodology and survey statistics – including innovative approaches to survey design, sampling, weighting and measurement, as well as advances in statistical modeling and inference for survey data. Contributions range from highly technical developments of new methods to innovative practical applications to improve data quality in empirical research.
• Computational social science and digital behavioral data – addressing the growing role of digital trace data, data from online platforms, and computational methods in the study of social phenomena. Topics include new forms of data collection, machine learning and network analysis, ethical and privacy concerns, and the integration of digital behavioral data with traditional social science approaches.

These focus areas highlight core disciplines of mda, but the journal also welcomes high-quality contributions from across the broader of social science methodology, data analysis, and research infrastructure.

mda aims to be an essential resource for researchers seeking to deepen their methodological knowledge, apply cutting-edge analytical techniques, and contribute to the ongoing advancement of rigorous social scientific inquiry.

Manuscript types

To support a wide range of contributions, mda publishes:

• Original research report. This category presents original research findings with methodological or analytical relevance. It includes replications of previous work and welcomes both “positive” results as well as “null” or “negative” findings.
• Research note. This category is for shorter papers that may not have extensive or definite results but still provide valuable insights for the field. Contributions should be concise (max. 4,000 words), require less background discussion, and focus more directly on presenting useful findings.
• Review. This category synthesizes the current state of knowledge on a methodological or analytical topic. This may be systematic reviews, meta-analyses, or narrative overviews that highlight developments, unresolved issues, and future directions in survey methodology, computational social science, or related fields.
• Commentary. This category offers an opportunity to engage with and critically reflect on previously published work. Commentaries may discuss findings, raise methodological concerns, or situate contributions within a broader scientific debate.
• Data report. This category describes and documents datasets that are relevant for the social sciences. It provides information on study design, data collection, variables, assessment of data quality, and potential applications, enabling other researchers to evaluate and re-use the data in their own work. We place a particular emphasis on digital behavioral data.
• Software report. This category presents new or existing software tools that are useful for methodological or analytical work in the social sciences. It should describe the purpose and functionality of the software, illustrate potential use cases, and discuss availability, licensing, and reproducibility aspects.

Peer review process

All submissions are initially screened by an editor for suitability. Manuscripts that pass this stage undergo by at least two independent experts. Based on these reviews, the associate editor makes the final publication decision. mda strives for a timely and constructive review process to ensure both rigor and relevance.

Publication model and open science

mda follows a diamond open access model: all articles are freely available without fees for authors or readers. We encourage the sharing of data, code, and materials in line with modern open science practices.

Online first

To accelerate the dissemination of research, accepted manuscripts are published Online First after copyediting and production, making them immediately available and citable via DOI. Articles are later assigned to issues (published twice a year) and receive volume, issue, and page numbers. Once an article appears Online First, no further changes can be made.

Copyright and licensing

All content is published under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0). Authors retain the right to upload the final published version of their work to institutional repositories and academic social networks, provided the original source is credited and the work is not sold or commercially redistributed.

Journal history

mda was founded in 2007 under the name Methoden, Daten, Analysen and originally published articles in both German and English. Since 2014, the journal has been published entirely in English under its current title: methods, data, analyses. The first editor-in-chief was Christof Wolf, followed by Henning Best (2013), Annelies G. Blom (2016), and Melanie Revilla (2019–present). Since its founding, mda has been published by GESIS - Leibniz Institute for the Social Sciences.

Publication ethics and misconduct policy

Plagiarism and publication misconduct continue to be challenges in academic publishing. mda strictly opposes these practices and takes proactive steps to ensure that all articles meet the highest ethical standards. If our editors or publishers become aware of, or independently discover, any allegations of research misconduct, reserves the right to retract or correct articles as necessary.

Author responsibilities

There are no fees for submitting or publishing a manuscript in mda.

All authors are expected to actively participate in the peer review process and contribute accurately and fully to the research presented in their article. Authors are personally responsible for the content of their work and must uphold accountability to the public.

mda does not accept manuscripts that have already been published in other journals or are under consideration elsewhere at the time of submission. However, we welcome submissions that have previously appeared as preprints on recognized platforms or that are derived from dissertations or thesis chapters. This ensures transparency while allowing the journal to consider work that is part of ongoing scholarly communication or academic training.

mda maintains a strict policy against the use of falsified, fabricated, or manipulated data. Any submission found to contain such data will be immediately rejected, and appropriate actions may be taken in accordance with ethical guidelines. Authors are expected to ensure that all data and analyses reported in their manuscripts are accurate, honest, and reproducible. Upholding research integrity is a fundamental requirement for publication in mda.

By submitting a manuscript, each author agrees to comply with this policy and affirms their commitment to the ethical standards of the journal.

Editor and reviewer responsibilities

The mda editorial board oversees the review process, ensuring that all submissions are evaluated rigorously, fairly, and promptly, in accordance with our editorial policies.

Upon submission, a managing editor conducts an initial assessment to determine whether the manuscript is suitable for peer review. If approved, the editor-in-chief assigns an associate editor to manage the next stage of the process. Each manuscript is then reviewed in a double-blind manner by at least two independent reviewers.

After peer review, the associate editor provides the authors with a decision letter, including any required revisions or recommendations. mda reserves the right to reject manuscripts at any stage if deemed necessary based on the assessment of the associate editor.