Information For Authors

Authors interested in submitting manuscripts to the Journal of Journal of Language Acquisition and Teacher Education (LATE) are advised to review the overview, aims and scope, and open access policy. Authors also need to register with the journal prior to submitting or, if already registered, can simply log in and begin the five-step submission process.

The manuscripts submitted to LATE must be original and can be either empirical research articles or critical review articles. The specific guidelines for these two types of manuscripts are included below.

Guidelines for Empirical Research Articles
Empirical research articles report original studies that make a substantial contribution to understanding issues in language acquisition. Such articles may employ qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approaches and should be grounded in clear theoretical frameworks and rigorous research design. Submissions should present well-structured analyses, discuss findings in relation to existing literature, and highlight implications for language teaching, teacher education, or policy. The research should offer new insights that advance knowledge and practice in the field of language acquisition and teacher training.

  • Length: Between 6,000 and 7,500 words (12 -14 pages approximately), including tables, figures, references, and appendices.
  • Abstract: Between 150-250 words.
  • Keywords: Between 3 and 5 key words, separated by commas, placed after abstract, all normal cases except the acronyms and proper nouns.
  • Structure: The manuscripts should, but are not limited to, include these sections: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Findings/ Results, Discussion, Conclusion, References, and Appendices if applicable.
  • References: APA 7th
  • Format: Strictly follow this Cover Page, this Article Manuscript (Without Author Information) and this Article Manuscript (With Author Information). Three files are required for each submission. The name(s) of all author(s) must be completely anonymized by five continuous hyphens (-----) in the file Article Manuscript (Without Author Information).

Guidelines for Critical Review Articles
Critical review articles provide a comprehensive and analytical overview of empirical research within a specific area of language acquisition. Reviews should be both broad and focused, summarizing key studies that have shaped the field while identifying trends, gaps, and future directions. These articles are expected to critically evaluate the methodological and theoretical contributions of existing research and to demonstrate the significance and impact of these studies on language acquisition, language policy, and teacher education.

  • Length: Between 5,000 and 6,500 words (8-10 pages approximately), including tables, figures, references, and appendices.
  • Abstract: Between 150-250 words.
  • Keywords: Between 3 and 5 key words, separated by commas, placed after abstract, all normal cases except the acronyms and proper nouns.
  • Structure: The manuscripts should, but are not limited to, include these sections: Introduction, Key Concept(s) and/or Topic(s), Methodology, Findings/ Results, Discussion, Conclusion, References, and Appendices if applicable.
  • References: APA 7th
  • Format: Strictly follow this Cover Page , this Article Manuscript (Without Author Information) and this Article Manuscript (With Author Information). Three files are required for each submission. The name(s) of all author(s) must be completely anonymized by five continuous hyphens (-----) in the file Article Manuscript (Without Author Information).

Common Mistakes
To avoid being rejected on the first round of technical review, please ensure that you follow the submission requirements as indicated in each section of the submission page. Here are some common mistakes that first-time submitters often encounter.

  • Inappropriate font style of the title: All capital or normal case letters in the title are not accepted.  Only the first letter of each content word is capitalized.
  • Inappropriate font style of the abstract: No italic format is used for the abstract texts in the abstract box of the submission form. However, the abstract texts in the files attached must be in italics.
  • Empty bio: Empty bio is not accepted. The authors often forget to fill in the details in the Bio Statement box of the submission form.
  • Empty or inaccurate affiliate: The correct details of author's affiliate must be included.
  • Identifiable name(s) of the research site(s) and participant(s): Authors must ensure that the names of research sites, institutions, or individual participants are not identifiable in their manuscripts. Real names should be replaced with pseudonyms or anonymized descriptions to protect privacy and confidentiality, unless explicit written consent has been obtained and documented.
  • Identifiable submission file name: The inclusion of author's name in the name of the submission file is not accepted.
  • Identifiable details in the submission file: The inclusion of author's name and affiliate in the submission file is not accepted.
  • Heading style in the navigation pane in MS Word: The heading styles provided in the template files must be consistently used for the whole manuscript. Do not create your own formatting manually. Do not insert numbers into the headings. To confirm that headings are correctly applied, press Ctrl + F to open the Navigation Pane. All section headings should appear under the Headings tab. This ensures your manuscript follows the required structure and is easy to navigate during review, editing, and production.
  • Submission file mis-location: The manuscript file must be submitted into the Author's section, not the Editor's submission.
  • Inappropriate referencing style: The referencing style required is APA 7th. This must be strictly observed throughout the whole manuscript.
  • Inappropriate keyword entering: The keywords must be separated from each other. 
  • Manuscript preparation tips: We have prepared a list of tips for your reference. Please have a look at them to avoid being desk-rejected.

Academic Integrity
LATE is committed to maintaining the highest standards of academic integrity. All submissions must represent original work that has not been published elsewhere. Manuscripts containing plagiarized or self-plagiarized content will be rejected, and authors may be banned from future submissions for up to two years.

LATE strictly prohibits the use of AI-generated content of any kind, including text, images, figures, or data. Authors must ensure that all content reflects their own original ideas and scholarly effort.

Authors are fully responsible for the accuracy and integrity of their work. Any detected violations, including plagiarism, data fabrication, or undisclosed AI use, will result in rejection or retraction. By submitting it to LATE, authors affirm that their manuscript adheres to these ethical and professional standards.