Is it necessary to add experiment to my designed framework for a journal

Question

I'm working a framework X and trying to publish it in IEEE Communication Magazine. But, due to its limitation on the number of text and figures, I wonder it is necessary to add any experiment or proof-of-concept system there?

Thanks.

Answer 1

It depends a lot on the journal, the research area, and the research topic that you are working on. For some fields of computer science, reviewers will immediately reject most submissions that do not include some artifact or implementation with a convincing experimental evaluation. For other fields, this is totally optional (but even then, it may help).

I'm not familiar with the IEEE Communications Magazine or the field of communications in general. However, you can easily find out (and this goes for any other journal as well!) You should do the following:

1. Look at other papers that have been accepted in the journal in the past, especially related to your topic. How many of them had an experimental evaluation? All of them, some of them, or only a few?

2. Ask an expert in your research field, such as your adviser or any professor you have access to. They will likely know whether this particular journal expects an evaluation, and they should also be able to offer other specific advice about to your planned submission.

3. Finally, consider whether your particular research contribution requires or would benefit from an experimental evaluation. Are your main claims sufficiently justified without an evaluation? Even if the journal does not expect it, the evaluation may be necessary to make your paper convincing. Similarly, even if the journal does expect it usually, if your contribution is clearly of excellent value without any evaluation, you may be accepted without it.