Submissions

Author Guidelines

These guidelines describe the requirements for submitting manuscripts to Applied Linguistics: Research, Measurement and Practice (ALRMP). Authors are strongly advised to read them carefully before submission to ensure that manuscripts comply with journal standards for structure, ethics, and style.

1. Scope and Article Types

ALRMP publishes experimental, quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods investigations that advance applied linguistics through rigorous evidence and clear pedagogical or policy implications. Contributions should relate to language learning, teaching, assessment, discourse, teacher cognition, technology-mediated instruction, or programme evaluation.

Article categories

• Research Articles (7,000–10,000 words): Comprehensive empirical studies that contribute theoretical and practical insights.
• Methods and Measurement Notes (3,500–5,000 words): Reports on new or validated instruments, rater reliability, scoring, or classroom assessment tools.
• Short Reports / Data Briefs (2,500–3,500 words): Focused empirical investigations presenting concise findings of immediate interest.
• Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses (6,000–12,000 words): Reviews following transparent, protocol-driven procedures (e.g., PRISMA).
• Registered Reports (Stage 1 and Stage 2): Protocols peer-reviewed before data collection and followed by outcome reports.
• Replication Studies (3,500–6,000 words): Direct or conceptual replications with clear justification for methodological variations.

Word limits include all elements—abstract, references, tables, figures, and appendices.

2. Submission Requirements

• Submissions are made through the journal’s online portal (OJS).
• Manuscripts must be in English and use British spelling.
• Submissions must be original, not under review elsewhere.
• All authors must register ORCID iDs.
• Each submission must include a cover letter outlining:
• The article’s main contribution.
• Its relevance to the journal’s scope.
• Disclosure of any related preprints or conference papers.

3. Manuscript Preparation

File format: Microsoft Word (.docx), single column, 12-point font, double-spaced, with standard margins.

Manuscript components:

1. Title Page (uploaded separately):
• Title, author names, institutional affiliations, emails, corresponding author, ORCIDs, CRediT author roles, and total word count.
2. Main Manuscript (anonymous):
• Title
• Abstract (200–250 words)
• Keywords (4–6 terms)
• Introduction
• Methods
• Results
• Discussion
• Implications for practice or assessment
• Limitations and future work
• Conclusions
• Acknowledgements
• Funding
• Conflicts of interest
• Ethics statement
• Data, code, and materials availability statement
• References (APA 7th edition)
• Appendices (if applicable)

Tables and Figures:
Insert table and figure call-outs within the text (e.g., “Table 2 near here”).

• Tables: editable Word format.
• Figures: minimum 300 dpi (TIFF, PNG, or PDF).
• Provide editable originals when possible.

References:
Follow APA (7th edition). Include DOIs as full URLs. Ensure in-text citations and reference list entries correspond exactly.

4. Reporting Standards

Quantitative studies:
Report design, sampling, inclusion/exclusion criteria, measures with reliability indices (α, ω, or generalisability), assumption checks, effect sizes, and confidence intervals. For SEM, include model specification, estimator, identification, fit indices, and validation procedures.

Qualitative studies:
Describe methodological orientation (e.g., thematic, discourse, or grounded analysis), participant selection, context, data collection, analysis steps, and measures for credibility (e.g., triangulation, audit trail, member reflection).

Mixed-methods studies:
Explain the integration rationale, sequencing, and how qualitative and quantitative components inform each other (e.g., joint displays, integrative narrative).

Assessment and measurement research:
Define constructs, provide test specifications, and include evidence for reliability, validity, and fairness. Supply rubrics or descriptors in appendices or repositories.

5. Ethics and Integrity

Authors must confirm compliance with institutional and international ethical standards.

• Specify the ethics committee approval number or rationale for exemption.
• Describe consent and data-protection procedures.
• All submissions are screened for plagiarism.
• Use of large language models or AI tools must be disclosed (e.g., for grammar checking). AI systems cannot be listed as authors.
• Declare conflicts of interest and funding sources.
• List author roles using the CRediT taxonomy.
• Refer to the journal’s Publication Ethics and Malpractice Policy for full details.

6. Data, Code, and Materials Availability

State one of the following in the manuscript:

• Open: “Data, code, and materials are available at [repository DOI or URL].”
• Restricted: “Data contain confidential information; de-identified materials are available upon reasonable request.”
• Not applicable: “No new data were created or analysed in this study.”

Preferred repositories include OSF, Zenodo, or institutional repositories.

7. Preprints and Prior Dissemination

Posting preprints on non-commercial servers is permitted before submission. Preprints and conference presentations should be disclosed in the cover letter and acknowledged upon acceptance.

8. Anonymisation for Double-Blind Review

Remove all identifying details (names, institutions, acknowledgements, and self-citations). Replace self-citations with “Author(s), Year,” to be restored post-review.

9. Peer-Review Process

• All submissions undergo an initial editorial screening for scope, ethics, and quality.
• Two independent experts review each manuscript; a third may be consulted if necessary.
• Decision outcomes: accept, minor revision, major revision, or reject.
• Initial decisions are typically communicated within 4–6 weeks.
• Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Editor-in-Chief within 21 days and are reviewed independently.

10. Open Access, Licensing, and Fees

ALRMP is a Diamond Open Access journal: no submission or publication charges apply.
Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) licence, permitting unrestricted use with appropriate citation. Authors retain copyright.

11. Permissions

Authors must secure written permission for reproducing third-party materials (figures, tables, or lengthy quotations) before acceptance and provide credit lines as required.

12. Language and Presentation

Manuscripts must be clearly written and logically organised. Authors are responsible for language accuracy. Professional editing services may be used but do not guarantee acceptance.

13. After Acceptance

• Submit final editable versions of text, tables, and figures.
• Confirm author details, ORCIDs, funding, and conflict disclosures as they should appear in print.
• Proofs must be checked promptly; only minor corrections are allowed.

14. Withdrawals, Corrections, and Retractions

The journal follows COPE guidance for all post-publication changes. Withdrawal requests require written agreement from all authors and are approved only for valid reasons.

15. Checklists and Templates

Authors should use the following resources (available on the journal website):

• Manuscript template (DOCX)
• Cover-letter template
• Data availability statement form
• Ethics and consent statement template
• Permissions form
• Author contribution (CRediT) form
• Reviewer form (for reference)

16. Contact

Editorial Office
Applied Linguistics: Research, Measurement and Practice (ALRMP)
Submission portal: [insert URL]
Queries regarding scope or submissions: [editor@alrmp.com]

Authors are encouraged to review these guidelines carefully before submission to ensure a smooth review and production process.