Modern Language Journal

Submission Information

Submission Guidelines

The MLJ submissions are to be made through an online tool called Manuscript Central. Please submit electronic files of the manuscript and supporting materials through this online tool. Manuscript Central will be used throughout the manuscript process to manage the referee process.

We would like to emphasize that authors and referees will continue to receive personal letters and messages from the MLJ office. Referees who receive requests for reviews through Manuscript Central will now submit their reviews directly online.

Our Manuscript Central Web address is: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/mlj

For further information and assistance, please contact us at mlj@miis.edu

Please observe the following manuscript formatting requirements.

Language of Publication: English. (We strongly encourage all authors to have their manuscripts proofread by a native speaker of English with good writing skills.)

Manuscript Style: APA (Publication Manual of The American Psychological Association. 5th ed., 2001). For frequently asked questions about APA style, consult the APA Web site.

Manuscript Length: 7,000–12,000 words preferred, including bibliography, tables, notes, etc. (or 25–30 pages, excluding bibliography, tables, notes, etc.); longer, or shorter, articles acceptable, depending on merit.

Manuscript Format:

(a) The manuscript must use 12-point font and be double-spaced throughout (including bibliography, any notes, citations, figures, and tables) with a 1.5" left margin and a 1" margin elsewhere;
(b) The manuscript must be prepared for blind review: refer to your own previous publications in the third person. For example, do not use "as I said in...," but "as Jane Smith noted..." Also, refer to an institution where research was conducted or where the author teaches as "institution X." Following the refereeing process, these instances may indicate the correct names;
(c) The original manuscript documents must be sumitted in Word format, and Manuscript Central will create a PDF and an HTML version of the Word documents.

Figures & Tables: All figures and tables must be formatted for portrait orientation (8.5 inches wide); we cannot use figures or tables in landscape format. All figures and tables must be in black and white. The author must obtain written permission from the copyright holder to use any copyrighted material.

Submission Requirements: please include with your submission:

1. A separate cover page containing the title of the manuscript, name, address, office and home telephone numbers, fax number, Email address, and full name of institution where (each) author is employed;
2. An abstract of 200 words;
3. The main manuscript document, which must be formatted for 8.5 inch by 11 inch paper (American letter size); we cannot accept submissions formatted for A4 or other paper sizes.
Please Note: Author(s) must inform editor at time of submission of similar/related versions of the manuscript that have appeared or are being considered elsewhere. Manuscripts submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere, including on the Web, are not considered.

Submission FAQs

10 Most frequently asked questions from prospective authors

1. I am not a native speaker of English. Is it acceptable scholarship to have a native speaker review and correct my manuscript?

All authors, especially those whose native language is not English, are encouraged to have colleagues with a very high level of proficiency in English read their manuscripts and suggest adjustments for language and style.

2. What types of EFL studies are likely to be published in the MLJ?

The MLJ considers for publication all studies or essays dealing with second or foreign language learning. Therefore manuscripts about studies that concern teaching and learning English abroad fall within the parameters of the MLJ. The journal is receiving an increasing number of such submissions, and is most interested in articles that address issues of concern to more than one language and more than one geographic location. Authors of case studies of single institutions are encouraged to discuss what the particular case offers to readers who work in other locations or with other languages. Prospective authors should look at back copies of the journal and the examples available online. Alternative publication outlets for EFL/ESL studies might be one of the TESOL publications (www.tesol.org).

3. Is it recommended to send the editor an email with an abstract prior to submitting a manuscript?

This practice is not recommended because it is difficult for the editor to judge from an abstract whether a manuscript is likely to be accepted. You can assess whether the topic of your manuscript and how you have developed it match the parameters of the journal by viewing the sample articles online, or, better yet, by reading the journal.

4. MLJ currently asks for manuscripts of 25 pages excluding tables, notes, appendixes, references. If my manuscript is longer than suggested in the submission guidelines, can I send it for consideration anyway?

Yes, manuscripts longer than suggested will be considered. Please still prepare them in 12-point font, double spaced. Using a smaller font or 1½-line spacing makes them hard to read and sometimes results in more frustration for reviewers. Manuscripts submitted in a difficult-to-read font or format may be returned to the author. Manuscripts shorter than those typically published in the MLJ should be carefully considered in terms of how they meet MLJ expectations. Short manuscripts often do not have the depth of analysis and discussion required by the MLJ.

5. Is there a certain organization that all research studies must follow?

No, typically qualitative and quantitative studies do not follow the same format of presentation. Even among studies that would be considered qualitative and those considered quantitative, differences of format are common. The organization of the article should reflect how the study was done, and should help readers focus on the main data and results that the study offers to readers. See sample articles online and back issues of the journal for examples of formats used in the past.

6. The APA manual (5th edition) encourages authors of quantitative studies to report effect sizes. Is this necessary?

Effect size is a measure of the strength of relationship and relates to the power of a study. Effect sizes are usually reported along with reports of statistical significance. Although MLJ policy does not eliminate manuscripts that do not report effect size, because in some instances it may not be appropriate to do so, effect sizes for your data should usually be reported along with reports of statistical significance.

Manuscripts often benefit from reporting effect sizes of both the new study and studies cited in the literature review. To do the latter, it may be necessary to calculate the effect size measures from data summaries or test statistics given in those cited studies. In some cases, of course, such calculation will not be possible. Ideally, the author will relate the effect size of the new study to those of previous studies. Confidence intervals are generally appropriate for this purpose (e.g., Do the effect sizes in other studies fall within the confidence interval estimated from the current study? Do confidence intervals for effect sizes overlap in a particular region?). The practical significance of the obtained effect should be emphasized.

There are quite a few different measures of effect size. Selection of the most appropriate one depends upon the nature of the study conducted. Authors may wish to consult the following publications for guidance:

Cooper and Hedges. The Handbook of Research Synthesis. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1994.

Wilkinson, Leland and the Task Force on Statistical Inference. "Statistical Methods in Psychology Journals: Guidelines and Explanations." American Psychologist, 1999. Available online at: http://www.apa.org/journals/amp/amp548594.html

7. May I use figures or illustrations published elsewhere?

Yes, but you must obtain and supply written verification that the copyright holder will allow MLJ to reprint that material and note the source in the manuscript. The author must pay any fees required by the copyright holder. Usually these fees are minimal.

8. May I submit my manuscript to two or more journals at the same time?

The MLJ does not accept for consideration manuscripts that are simultaneously submitted elsewhere. Except with special arrangements such as exchange articles, the MLJ does not publish articles that have appeared in print elsewhere. For submitted manuscripts, the waiting time for a decision is generally no longer than 2 to 3 months. Reviewers invest substantial time and effort in the manuscripts they read. If a manuscript is accepted, it is expected that it will be available for publication.

9. When should I query the editor to check on the status of a submission?

We try to acknowledge receipt of a manuscript shortly after it is delivered to the MLJ office. If you do not receive acknowledgment of receipt within 3 weeks, please check the Manuscript Central Web site. After receiving acknowledgment of receipt, please wait 3 months before inquiring about the status of the manuscript. MLJ strives to make decisions sooner; however, sometimes reviewers are heavily committed and the review process takes a bit longer.

10. If my manuscript is rejected by the MLJ, can it be resubmitted to the MLJ?

Yes, if it has been revised after the initial submission. The author should call the editor's attention to the fact that the new submission is actually a resubmission of an article considered previously, and include an explanation of the changes made, with specific reference to the comments of the reviewers and how they were addressed. The article will likely be sent to some of the previous readers as well as to some new readers.