Focus and Scope
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching (ISSN 2083-5205) is a refereed journal published four times a year by the Department of English Studies, Faculty of Pedagogy and Fine Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, Kalisz, Poland. The language of publication is English. The journal is devoted to reporting previously unpublished highest quality theoretical and empirical research on learning and teaching second and foreign languages. It deals with the learning and teaching of any language, not only English, and focuses on a variety of topics ranging from the processes underlying second language acquisition, various aspects of language learning in instructed and non-instructed settings, as well as different facets of the teaching process, including syllabus choice, materials design, classroom practices and evaluation.
Each issue carries about 6 papers, 6000-8000 words in length, as well as reply articles and reviews. At least one of the four issues per year is a special focus issue devoted to a particular area of second language learning and teaching, sometimes with a guest editor who is an expert on a specific topic.
Peer Review Process
Submissions are subjected to a double-blind review process, conducted by at least two independent referees who are leading specialists in the field affiliated with institutions different from that of the author. In cases where the outcomes of the review process are inconclusive, an additional referee is requested to evaluate the manuscript. The procedure applies in equal measure to both regular and special issues of the journal. Authors are notified of acceptance or rejection of their papers within three months of the submission date.
Open Access Policy
This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.
Everyone is allowed to freely create derivative works, download, copy and distribute the articles published in SSLLT through any medium and for any purpose on condition that the original author(s) and source (journal title, volume and issue numbers, year of publication, hyperlink to the original article and doi) are properly credited and information about the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) CC license is given.
Authors of articles published in SSLLT may archive post-review and/or final publisher's versions (immediately after publication) of their papers on their personal websites and/or in institutional repositories on condition that the original author(s) and source (journal title, volume and issue numbers, year of publication, hyperlink to the original article and doi) are properly credited and information about the Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) CC license is given.
For articles published in SSLLT there are neither article submission charges nor article processing charges whatsoever. Publication in SSLLT is entirely free.
Publishing ethics
Publication Ethics and Publication Malpractice Statement
Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching
(compiled in accordance with COPE’s Code of Conduct and Best Practice Guidelines for Journal Editors)
DUTIES OF EDITORS
Publication Decisions
The Editor-in-Chief is responsible for deciding which of the manuscripts submitted to the journal should be published. The Editor-in-Chief's decision to accept or reject a paper for publication is based on its importance, originality, clarity, and its relevance to the scope of the journal.
Fair Play
The Editor-in-Chief and the reviewers evaluate manuscripts for their intellectual content without regard to the author’s race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, citizenship, or political ideology.
Confidentiality
The Editor-in-Chief and the members of the editorial staff must ensure that all material submitted to the journal remains confidential while under review. The Editor-in-Chief and the editorial staff must not disclose any information about the submitted manuscript to anyone other than the corresponding author, reviewers, other editorial advisers, and the publisher.
Disclosure and Conflicts of Interest
Unpublished materials disclosed in the submitted manuscript must not be used by The Editor-in-Chief and the members of the editorial staff in their own research without the express written consent of the author.
DUTIES OF REVIEWERS
Contribution to Editorial Decisions
The peer review process assists the Editor-in-Chief and the members of the editorial staff in making editorial decisions and helps the author to improve their manuscript.
Promptness
Any reviewer who feels unqualified to review the manuscript or knows that its prompt review will be impossible should contact the Editor-in-Chief so as to excuse himself from the review process.
Confidentiality
Any manuscripts received for review should be treated with strict confidentiality. They must not be shown to or discussed with others except when authorized by the Editor-in-Chief.
Standards of Objectivity
Reviews should be conducted objectively. Personal criticism of the author is inappropriate. Reviewers should express their views clearly, with supporting arguments.
Acknowledgement of Sources
Reviewers should identify relevant published work that has not been cited by the author. Any similarity or overlap between the manuscript under consideration and any other published paper should be reported to the Editor-in-Chief.
Disclosure and Conflict of Interest
Privileged information or ideas obtained through the peer review process must be kept confidential and must not be used for personal advantage. Reviewers should not consider manuscripts in which they have conflicts of interest resulting from competitive, collaborative, or other connection with any of the authors, companies, or institutions connected to the manuscript.
DUTIES OF AUTHORS
Reporting Standards
The authors of manuscripts should present an accurate account of the work performed as well as an objective discussion of its significance. Underlying data should be represented accurately in the manuscript. The manuscript should contain sufficient details and references to permit others to replicate the study. Fraudulent or knowingly inaccurate statements constitute unethical behavior and are unacceptable.
Data Access and Retention
The authors may be asked to provide the raw data of their investigations for editorial review, and should be prepared to provide public access to such data for a reasonable period of time after the publication of their paper.
Originality and Plagiarism
The authors should ensure that they have written entirely their own original work, and if they have used the work and/or words of others, it needs to be cited or quoted.
Anti-plagiarism measures
In order to guarantee originality and high quality of the published articles, the journal follows the established procedures in their evaluation and is a member of the CrossCheck service.
CrossCheck is an initiative established by CrossRef and iThenticate, whose aim is to provide publishers with professional support in preventing plagiarism and other forms of academic misconduct. The system is a high-quality tool for comparing documents against the largest database of academic content in the world, obtained from numerous publishers.
Multiple, Redundant or Concurrent Publication
The authors should not submit manuscripts describing essentially the same research in more than one journal or primary publication. Submitting the same manuscript to more than one journal concurrently constitutes unethical publishing behavior and is unacceptable.
Acknowledgement of Sources
The proper acknowledgment of the work of others must always be given. The authors should cite publications that have been influential in determining the nature of the reported work.
Authorship of the Paper
Authorship should be limited to those who have made a significant contribution to the conception, design, execution, or interpretation of the reported study. All those who have made contributions should be listed as co-authors.
The corresponding author should ensure that all appropriate co-authors and no inappropriate co-authors are listed in the paper, and that all co-authors have seen and approved the final version of the paper and have agreed to its submission for publication.
Fundamental Errors in Published Works
When the author discovers a significant error or inaccuracy in his/her own published work, it is the author’s obligation to promptly notify the journal as well as to cooperate with the Editor-in-Chief to retract or correct the paper.