Journal of Language Research (JLR)
Language Research publishes empirical and theoretical investigations into the cognitive, psychological, and social dimensions of language structure, acquisition, processing, and use. We focus on understanding language as a behavioral and cognitive phenomenon, not clinical language therapy or treatment protocols.
Core Research Domains
Language Cognition & Processing
Research examining cognitive mechanisms underlying language comprehension, production, and representation in the mind.
- Psycholinguistic models of language processing
- Cognitive mechanisms in language comprehension and production
- Mental lexicon organization and access
- Working memory and language processing
- Neurolinguistic correlates of language behavior
- Attention and executive function in language use
Eye-tracking study examining cognitive load during syntactic ambiguity resolution in native vs. second language readers
Language Acquisition & Development
Behavioral and cognitive research on how individuals acquire, learn, and develop language competence across the lifespan.
- First language acquisition mechanisms and milestones
- Second language acquisition processes and individual differences
- Bilingual and multilingual development
- Age effects and critical periods in language learning
- Input processing and intake in language acquisition
- Cognitive factors in language learning success
Longitudinal study tracking phonological development in bilingual children using behavioral assessment measures
Language Structure & Variation
Systematic investigation of linguistic patterns, structures, and variation across languages and speech communities.
- Phonetics and phonological systems
- Morphological structure and word formation
- Syntactic patterns and grammatical organization
- Semantic and pragmatic analysis
- Sociolinguistic variation and language change
- Comparative and typological linguistics
Corpus analysis of syntactic variation in spoken discourse across socioeconomic groups
Language Assessment & Measurement
Development, validation, and application of instruments and methods for measuring language abilities and behaviors.
- Language proficiency assessment design and validation
- Psychometric properties of language tests
- Diagnostic assessment of language abilities
- Performance-based language measurement
- Automated scoring and assessment technologies
- Cross-linguistic assessment challenges
Validation study of a new pragmatic competence assessment tool using Rasch measurement model
Secondary Focus Areas
Language and Social Behavior
Sociolinguistic patterns, language attitudes, identity construction through language, and language in social interaction
Educational Linguistics
Language teaching methodologies, curriculum development, language policy in education, and classroom discourse analysis
Discourse & Conversation Analysis
Systematic analysis of spoken and written discourse structures, conversation patterns, and pragmatic phenomena
Computational Approaches
Computational linguistics, corpus methods, natural language processing applications, and computational modeling of language behavior
Language and Technology
Human-computer interaction in language contexts, computer-assisted language learning, and digital communication patterns
Translation and Interpreting Studies
Cognitive processes in translation, interpreting performance, translation quality assessment, and bilingual processing in translation
Emerging Research Frontiers
We selectively consider innovative research in emerging areas that advance behavioral and cognitive understanding of language. These submissions undergo additional editorial review to ensure alignment with journal scope.
AI and Language Behavior
Human behavioral responses to AI-generated language, cognitive processing of machine translation, and human-AI linguistic interaction
Language and Migration
Language adaptation in migration contexts, heritage language maintenance, and linguistic integration processes
Language Endangerment Research
Documentation methods, language vitality assessment, and cognitive aspects of language shift and maintenance
Forensic Linguistics
Language analysis in legal contexts, authorship attribution methods, and linguistic evidence evaluation
Out of Scope
We do NOT consider submissions in the following areas, as they fall outside our behavioral science focus:
- Clinical speech-language pathology: Treatment protocols, therapy outcomes, clinical intervention studies, and patient rehabilitation programs (refer to clinical journals)
- Medical diagnosis and treatment: Clinical diagnosis of language disorders, medical treatment approaches, pharmaceutical interventions, or clinical case management
- Pure literary criticism: Interpretive literary analysis without empirical methodology or theoretical linguistic framework (refer to literature journals)
- Language teaching materials: Textbook reviews, curriculum materials without empirical evaluation, or pedagogical resources without research component
- Opinion pieces without data: Commentaries, editorials, or position papers lacking empirical evidence or systematic theoretical development
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Original Research Articles
Empirical studies with novel findings (4,000-8,000 words). Must include clear research questions, systematic methodology, and replicable procedures.
Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
Comprehensive synthesis following PRISMA guidelines (6,000-10,000 words). Must include systematic search strategy and quality assessment.
Methods & Measurement
New assessment tools, methodological innovations, or validation studies (3,000-6,000 words). Must include psychometric evidence.
Short Communications
Brief reports of preliminary findings or replication studies (2,000-3,500 words). Must present complete methodology and results.
Data Notes
Description of novel datasets, corpora, or linguistic resources (2,000-4,000 words). Must include data accessibility information.
Theoretical Perspectives
Theory development or critical theoretical analysis (4,000-7,000 words). Must advance theoretical understanding with clear argumentation.
Commentaries
Invited only. Critical responses to published articles or methodological debates (1,500-2,500 words).
Book Reviews
Invited only. Critical evaluation of recent scholarly monographs (1,000-2,000 words).
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
Empirical studies must follow discipline-specific reporting standards: CONSORT for experiments, STROBE for observational studies, PRISMA for reviews
Research Ethics
All human subjects research requires IRB/ethics committee approval. Informed consent and data protection compliance mandatory
Data Transparency
Authors must state data availability. We encourage open data sharing in recognized repositories when ethically permissible
Preprint Policy
Preprints on recognized servers (PsyArXiv, OSF, arXiv) accepted. Must be disclosed during submission
Statistical Rigor
Effect sizes, confidence intervals, and power analysis required. We encourage preregistration for confirmatory research
Reproducibility
Sufficient methodological detail for replication required. Analysis code sharing encouraged
Decision Metrics & Timeline
Desk Rejection Rate: Approximately 35% of submissions receive desk rejection within 5 business days for scope misalignment, insufficient methodological rigor, or failure to meet reporting standards. We encourage authors to carefully review scope criteria before submission.
Questions about fit? Contact the editorial office at [email protected] with a 250-word abstract and brief statement of how your work aligns with our core domains. We respond within 3 business days.
Research Keywords & Topics
The following keywords represent active research areas within our scope. This list is illustrative, not exhaustive. Novel topics aligned with our behavioral science focus are welcome.
- Psycholinguistics
- Language acquisition
- Second language learning
- Bilingualism and multilingualism
- Language processing
- Cognitive linguistics
- Sociolinguistics
- Phonetics and phonology
- Syntax and morphology
- Semantics and pragmatics
- Discourse analysis
- Conversation analysis
- Language assessment
- Language testing
- Educational linguistics
- Language teaching methods
- Corpus linguistics
- Computational linguistics
- Neurolinguistics
- Language and cognition
- Language and society
- Language policy
- Language planning
- Historical linguistics
- Comparative linguistics
- Translation studies
- Interpreting research
- Language and gender
- Language and identity
- Language variation
- Language change
- Applied linguistics
- Research methodology
- Experimental design
- Statistical analysis
