The study presents valuable insights into trends in NSF-funded big data research; however, there are significant methodological and interpretational concerns. The reliance on a limited and narrowly defined dataset (e.g., restrictive keywords and temporal exclusions) may introduce biases that affect the study’s conclusions. Additionally, the lack of detailed justifications for methodological choices, such as topic modeling parameters, and insufficient data transparency (e.g., preprocessing workflows) raises questions about reproducibility and robustness. We kindly urge the authors to address these issues to enhance the clarity and reliability of their findings.
