Submissions

Author Guidelines

Editorial Policy

JALT Journal, the refereed research journal of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (Zenkoku Gogaku Kyoiku Gakkai), invites empirical and theoretical research articles and research reports on second and foreign language teaching and learning in Japanese contexts. Submissions from Asian and other international contexts are accepted if applicable to language teaching in Japan. Areas of particular interest include but are not limited to the following:

• Curriculum design and teaching methods
• Classroom-centered research
• Intercultural studies
• Testing and evaluation
• Teacher training
• Language learning and acquisition
• Overviews of research and practice in related fields  

The editors encourage submissions in five categories: (a) full-length articles, (b) short research reports (Research Forum), (c) essays on language education framed in theory and supported by argumentation which may include either primary or secondary data (Perspectives), (d) comments on previously published JALT Journal articles (Point to Point), and (e) book and media reviews (Reviews). Articles should be written for a general audience of language educators; therefore, statistical techniques and specialized terms must be clearly explained.

Note: JALT Publications do not charge author publication fees (e.g., APC). Membership in JALT is not required to submit to or publish in any of our publications.

Guidelines

Style

JALT Journal follows the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition. A downloadable copy of the JALT Journal style sheet is also available for download.

Format

Full-length articles must not be more than 8,000 words, including references, notes, tables, and figures. Research Forum submissions should not be more than 4,000 words in length. Perspectives submissions should be not more than 5,000 words in length. Point to Point comments on previously published articles should not be more than 675 words in length, and Reviews should generally range from 500 to 1,000 words. All submissions must be word processed in A4 or 8.5 x 11” format with line spacing set at 1.5 lines. For refereed submissions, names and identifying references should appear only on the cover sheet, and names as well as self-identifying references and citations must be anoymized.  Authors are responsible for the accuracy of references and reference citations.

Submission Procedure

Please submit the following materials, except for reviews, as two email attachments in MS Word format to the appropriate editor indicated below:

1. Cover sheet with the title and author name(s), affiliation(s), and contact information of corresponding author.
2. Manuscript, including title, abstract, and keywords, with no reference to the author. Do not use running heads. Follow the JALT Journal style sheet.

If the manuscript is accepted for publication, a Japanese translation of the abstract will be required. Authors will also be asked to provide biographical information. Insert all tables and figures in the manuscript. Do not send as separate files.

Submissions will be acknowledged within 1 month of their receipt. All manuscripts are first reviewed by an editor to ensure they comply with JALT Journal Guidelines. Those considered for publication are subject to blind review by at least two readers, with special attention given to (1) compliance with JALT Journal Editorial Policy, (2) the significance and originality of the submission, and (3) the use of appropriate research design and methodology. Evaluation is usually completed within 3 months. Click here for more details about the manuscript peer review process.

Each contributing author of published articles and Book Reviews will receive one complimentary copy of the Journal and a PDF of the article (Book Reviews are compiled together as one PDF). JALT Journal does not provide off-prints. Contributing authors have the option of ordering further copies of JALT Journal (contact JALT Central Office for price details).

Restrictions

Papers submitted to JALT Journal must not have been previously published, nor should they be under consideration for publication elsewhere. JALT Journal has First World Publication Rights, as defined by International Copyright Conventions, for all manuscripts published. If accepted, the editors reserve the right to edit all copy for length, style, and clarity without prior notification to authors. Plagiarism, including self-plagiarism, will result in articles not being published or being retracted and may also result in the author(s) being banned from submitting to any JALT Publication.

Please be sure to review the JALT Publications—Statement of Ethics and Malpractice before submission.