Review Process

All manuscripts submitted to the Journal of Language Teaching and Learning Today (LTLT) undergo a rigorous multi-stage review and editorial process to ensure academic quality, originality, and relevance. The process consists of four main stages, namely internal review, external review, editor review, and copyediting. Rejection may occur at any stage if a submission does not meet the standards or requirements.

1. Internal Review
Each submitted manuscript is first evaluated by the editorial team to determine its suitability for LTLT. The editorial member assesses whether the paper fits within the aims and scope of LTLT, meets basic academic standards, and demonstrates sufficient originality and quality to proceed to peer review. Manuscripts that fail to meet these criteria, or that are primarily descriptive or lacking theoretical grounding, are not sent for external review. The time required for internal review may vary according to submission volume, manuscript complexity, and editorial availability. Authors are notified once the initial editorial assessment has been completed. Current average processing times are available on the Metrics page.

2. External Review

Manuscripts that pass the internal review are sent for double-blind peer review by at least two independent experts in the relevant field. Reviewers evaluate the originality, theoretical contribution, methodological rigor, clarity, and significance of the manuscript to language teaching and learning. Double-blind anonymity is maintained throughout the review process. Authors are required to submit a fully anonymized manuscript in which author names, affiliations, acknowledgements, self-identifying information, identifying file properties, comments, and tracked changes have been removed or appropriately anonymized. The editorial team checks the review file before it is assigned to reviewers.

Reviewers receive only the anonymized version of the manuscript and do not have access to author-identifying information during the review process. Reviewer identities are not disclosed to authors. Reviewers are also required to remove their names and other identifying information from comments, tracked changes, and any files returned during the review process. The editorial team serves as the intermediary between authors and reviewers throughout the review and revision process. The duration of external peer review varies depending on reviewer availability, manuscript complexity, and the number of revision rounds required. Current average processing times are available on the Metrics page. The external review stage may include several rounds of revision and re-review, depending on the feedback received. Following this stage, authors are informed of the decision: Accept, revise and resubmit for review (major revisions), revise and resubmit (minor revisions), or reject.

3. Editor Review
After successful external review and satisfactory revisions, the manuscript is returned to the handling editor or the editorial team for further evaluation. During this stage, editors review the revised version to ensure that all reviewer comments have been adequately addressed, that the manuscript meets publication standards, and that the writing is clear and consistent. Additional rounds of editor review may occur before final acceptance.

4. Copyediting and Production
Once accepted, the manuscript proceeds to the copyediting and production stage. The copyediting team checks the paper for accuracy, consistency, formatting, and language quality while maintaining the author’s intended meaning. Authors are given an opportunity to review proofs before final publication.

Throughout this process, LTLT upholds high ethical standards and aims to ensure fairness, transparency, and quality at every stage.