About the Journal
Publication and Submission Policy
Journal standards, editorial principles, and policies of Explorations in Linguistic Review.
This page sets out ELR’s publication model, fixed submission cycles for the main journal, year-round Special Collection arrangements, similarity screening, DOI practice, electronic article numbering, and an indicative publication schedule.
1. Publication Model
Explorations in Linguistic Review (ELR) operates a continuous publication model. Once a manuscript has completed peer review, author revision, the final editorial decision, copy preparation, typesetting and author proof, it is published individually as the Version of Record. An article need not wait until every contribution assigned to the same issue has completed production.
Volume 1 is ELR’s transitional inaugural volume. Its first issue runs from September 2026 to February 2027. From Volume 2 onwards, each volume normally runs from March of one year to February of the following year and comprises two main-journal issues.
- Issue 1: March to August;
- Issue 2: September to February of the following year.
Appropriate editorial intervals are maintained between the two issues for the management of manuscripts under review, author revisions, copy preparation, typesetting, DOI and metadata checks, issue assembly, and preparation for the next submission cycle. These intervals form part of the ordinary editorial process and do not constitute separate issues.
2. Fixed Submission Cycles for the Main Journal
Each main-journal issue is organised around a scholarly theme announced in advance. ELR reviews submissions as they are received: initial editorial screening and external peer review may begin immediately after a complete submission has been recorded and do not wait for the closing date.
Issue 1 submission cycle. The call for papers is normally issued between June and August of the preceding year. Submissions close at 23:59 on the last calendar day of February, Beijing Time (UTC+8).
| Reference region | Local closing time |
|---|---|
| Beijing and Hong Kong | Last calendar day of February, 23:59 (UTC+8) |
| United States Eastern Time (New York / Boston) | Same calendar day, 10:59 (EST, UTC−5) |
| United Kingdom | Same calendar day, 15:59 (GMT, UTC+0) |
| Central European Time (Paris / Berlin / Rome) | Same calendar day, 16:59 (CET, UTC+1) |
Issue 2 submission cycle. The call for papers is normally issued between December of the preceding year and February of the submission year. Submissions close at 23:59 on 31 August, Beijing Time (UTC+8).
| Reference region | Local closing time |
|---|---|
| Beijing and Hong Kong | 31 August, 23:59 (UTC+8) |
| United States Eastern Time (New York / Boston) | 31 August, 11:59 (EDT, UTC−4) |
| United Kingdom | 31 August, 16:59 (BST, UTC+1) |
| Central European Summer Time (Paris / Berlin / Rome) | 31 August, 17:59 (CEST, UTC+2) |
Binding time standard. Beijing Time (UTC+8) is the sole binding time standard for ELR main-journal deadlines. United States and European times are supplied only as a convenience for international authors. In the event of any discrepancy caused by daylight-saving changes, device settings, network display or another conversion, the successful submission timestamp recorded by the ELR submission system prevails.
3. Nature of the Closing Date
The published closing date is the fixed date on which ELR ceases to receive new manuscripts for the target main-journal issue. It is a submission-receipt deadline, not the date by which editorial screening, external peer review, author revision, final decision, online publication or final issue closure must be completed.
A submission is treated as received before the deadline only when the ELR system records a successful and complete submission before the applicable closing time. The author must have completed every required submission step, uploaded the complete manuscript and required supporting files, supplied the necessary author and affiliation information, and received a system-generated submission record or acknowledgement.
4. Main-Journal Submissions Received after the Deadline
A complete manuscript received after the closing time may continue through peer review, revision and editorial handling after the deadline, but it is not normally considered for the closed issue. In ordinary circumstances, it will be evaluated for the next suitable main-journal issue or for another appropriate venue within ELR’s publication framework.
Exceptionally, the Editors may reassign a late manuscript in another way if this is warranted by scope, timing, thematic fit, editorial balance or other publishing considerations.
5. Regular Themed Issues
Each main-journal issue is organised around a declared scholarly theme. The call for papers, scope statement and indicative schedule for the issue are normally announced in advance. The announcement identifies the thematic focus, expected areas of contribution and applicable submission cycle.
Articles are selected on scholarly merit, theoretical relevance and fit with the issue. Acceptance is never guaranteed by thematic fit alone.
6. Year-Round Submissions to Special Collections
ELR’s Special Collections — including HCLT, RCTL and PCP — operate on a continuous publication basis throughout the year. They do not follow the main-journal fixed closing dates and may receive submissions at any time unless a particular collection announcement specifies otherwise.
Each Special Collection develops issue by issue under its own editorial planning. Individual calls may announce a topic, guest editorial arrangement, indicative timeline or recommended period for submission, but the collections as publication series remain open throughout the year.
7. Peer Review for Special Collections
Special Collection submissions are subject to the same core academic and ethical standards as other ELR submissions. Manuscripts normally undergo editorial screening followed by external peer review appropriate to the subject area and the character of the collection.
The presence of a collection theme or guest editorial involvement does not remove the requirement for independent scholarly assessment and final editorial decision.
8. Similarity Screening
ELR may use plagiarism-detection or similarity-screening tools as part of its normal editorial workflow. A similarity report does not by itself determine the editorial decision: findings are interpreted in light of quotation practice, referencing, prior dissemination, data presentation, methodology, and the scholarly conventions of the field.
If significant overlap or an integrity concern is identified, the Editors may request clarification, revision, documentation or further editorial review before a manuscript proceeds.
9. DOI Policy
ELR assigns a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) to each published article as part of the journal’s permanent scholarly record. DOI registration takes place after a manuscript has completed the editorial and production process and the final Version of Record is ready for publication.
DOIs are assigned only to published articles, not to manuscripts under review, rejected submissions, or author drafts that have not entered the publication record.
10. Electronic Article Numbers
Because ELR publishes continuously online, articles may be identified by an electronic article number rather than a conventional terminal page span. Article numbers, DOI, metadata and citation information are treated as part of the formal publication record.
Where applicable, the official citation format recommended by ELR should be followed in preference to informal references derived from draft PDFs or temporary pre-publication files.
11. Indicative Publication Schedule
The following schedule is indicative rather than contractually fixed. Exact dates may vary according to editorial workload, the pace of peer review, author revision time and the requirements of individual Special Collections.
| Publication stream | Issue window / cycle | Call period | Closing date / submission basis | Editorial note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volume 1, Issue 1 | September 2026 – February 2027 | Transitional inaugural arrangements | As specified in the inaugural call for papers, with Beijing, United States Eastern, United Kingdom and Central European reference times stated together | Inaugural transitional issue |
| Volume 2, Issue 1 | March – August 2027 | Normally announced June – August 2026 | 28 February 2027, 23:59 Beijing (UTC+8); reference times: 10:59 US Eastern (EST, UTC−5); 15:59 United Kingdom (GMT, UTC+0); 16:59 Central Europe (CET, UTC+1) | Main-journal fixed cycle |
| Volume 2, Issue 2 | September 2027 – February 2028 | Normally announced December 2026 – February 2027 | 31 August 2027, 23:59 Beijing (UTC+8); reference times: 11:59 US Eastern (EDT, UTC−4); 16:59 United Kingdom (BST, UTC+1); 17:59 Central Europe (CEST, UTC+2) | Main-journal fixed cycle |
| Subsequent Issue 1 cycles | March – August of the publication year | Normally June – August of the preceding year | Last calendar day of February, 23:59 Beijing Time (UTC+8) | Reference times follow the same conversion principles |
| Subsequent Issue 2 cycles | September – February of the following publication year | Normally December of the preceding year – February of the publication year | 31 August, 23:59 Beijing Time (UTC+8) | Reference times follow the same conversion principles |
| HCLT, RCTL and PCP Special Collections | Continuous publication according to the development of each collection | Open for submissions throughout the year unless otherwise announced | No single annual main-journal closing date; submissions are accepted year-round | Collection-specific timing may be announced separately |
The closing date determines when the target main-journal issue ceases to receive new manuscripts; it is not the final date by which review and editorial handling must be completed. A complete manuscript received in time may continue through review and editorial handling after the deadline and, if formally accepted, may in principle be assigned to the corresponding issue. A late main-journal submission is normally considered for a later suitable issue. Special Collections remain open throughout the year.