About the Journal
Focus on ELT Journal is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal publishing original research on English language teaching and learning. Published twice a year, in June and December, the journal provides a platform for researchers and practitioners to share empirical findings, theoretical perspectives, and critical discussions relevant to English language education.
The journal welcomes qualitative, quantitative, mixed-methods, and review studies addressing English language teaching and learning across educational contexts, including primary, secondary, tertiary, and adult education.
Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:
- English as a foreign, second, or additional language
- English language teacher education and professional development
- Language teaching methods, approaches, and classroom practices
- Curriculum development, materials design, and evaluation
- Technology-enhanced language learning and artificial intelligence in ELT
- Language assessment, testing, and feedback
- Learner and teacher beliefs, motivation, and engagement
- Language skills development and instructional practices
- Inclusive education and individual differences in language learning
- Research methodology and ethical issues in ELT research
Submissions must demonstrate a clear and substantive connection to English language teaching or learning. Studies in general education, educational technology, or other related fields are considered only when their research questions, findings, and implications make a meaningful contribution to ELT.
All manuscripts submitted to Focus on ELT Journal undergo an initial editorial screening to assess their relevance to the journal's scope, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance, and contribution to the field of English language teaching.
Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's editorial standards may be rejected without external peer review. Submissions that pass the initial screening are evaluated through a double-anonymous peer-review process involving at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise.
Editorial decisions are based on the reviewers' assessments, the quality of the research, the authors' responses to reviewer comments, and the journal's publication standards. The Editor-in-Chief retains final responsibility for publication decisions.
The journal considers only original manuscripts that have not been formally published and are not simultaneously under consideration by another journal. All submissions must comply with the journal's publication ethics and research integrity policies.
Authors are not required to pay any fees at any stage of the publication process in FELT. This includes zero charges for submitting a manuscript, no fees for peer review, no article processing charges, and no page or color figure charges. All accepted papers are published completely free of cost to the authors. Additionally, FELT is an open access journal, which means that all published articles are freely available to everyone. Readers can access, read, download, share, and print any article without any subscription or payment. This policy is designed to support broad dissemination of research and to remove financial barriers for both authors and readers.
| Dr. Ahmet Başal | Yıldız Technical University | Türkiye |
| Dr. Erdem Akbaş | Erciyes University | Türkiye |
Focus on ELT Journal follows a double-anonymous peer-review process to maintain the quality, originality, and relevance of the research it publishes.
All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial assessment by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated editor. The assessment considers the manuscript's relevance to the journal's scope, originality, methodological quality, ethical compliance, clarity of argument, and potential contribution to English language teaching research.
Manuscripts that do not meet the journal's editorial standards may be rejected without external peer review. Authors are informed of the editorial decision.
Research manuscripts that pass the initial editorial screening are evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise. The journal uses double-anonymous peer review, in which authors’ and reviewers’ identities are concealed from one another.
Reviewers assess the originality, theoretical foundation, methodological quality, interpretation of findings, engagement with relevant literature, and contribution of the manuscript.
Reviewers are normally given four to six weeks to complete the first round of evaluation. Extensions may be granted when necessary.
Following peer review, the handling editor considers the reviewers' reports and the overall quality of the manuscript. Editorial decisions may include acceptance, minor revision, major revision, or rejection.
When reviewers provide substantially conflicting assessments, the editor may seek an additional review or make a reasoned decision based on the available evidence.
Reviewers provide recommendations, while the final publication decision remains the responsibility of the Editor-in-Chief.
Authors invited to revise their manuscripts are normally given four to six weeks to submit a revised version and a point-by-point response to the reviewers' and editor's comments.
Revised manuscripts may be returned to the original reviewers or assessed by the handling editor, depending on the extent of the revisions and the concerns raised.
An invitation to revise does not guarantee acceptance.
Editors and reviewers must treat submitted manuscripts and related editorial materials as confidential. Reviewers should decline an invitation when a conflict of interest could affect their impartiality.
Editors must not participate in decisions concerning manuscripts in which they have a relevant personal, professional, or financial conflict of interest. Such manuscripts are assigned to another qualified editor.
Authors may appeal editorial decisions by submitting a reasoned explanation identifying a factual error, procedural concern, or substantial misunderstanding in the evaluation.
Appeals are examined by the Editor-in-Chief or, where a conflict of interest exists, another qualified editor. An appeal does not automatically result in a new review or a change in the original decision.
Concerns regarding editorial conduct or the peer-review process may be submitted to the journal's editorial office.
Focus on ELT Journal may occasionally publish special issues focusing on specific themes or emerging topics in English language teaching and learning. Special issues are not published on a regular schedule and are organized only when a suitable scholarly theme and editorial arrangements have been established.
Special issue proposals are reviewed and approved by the Editor-in-Chief. Guest editors may be invited based on their expertise in the proposed theme. The Editor-in-Chief oversees the editorial process and retains overall responsibility for the scholarly quality and ethical integrity of special issues. The Editor-in-Chief verifies the qualifications and relevant expertise of guest editors before their appointment.
Manuscripts submitted to special issues are subject to the same editorial screening, double-anonymous peer-review procedures, and publication ethics standards as manuscripts submitted to regular issues. Manuscripts proceeding to external review are evaluated by at least two independent reviewers with relevant expertise. Invitation to contribute to a special issue does not guarantee acceptance.
Guest editors may assist with identifying suitable reviewers, coordinating the review process, and making editorial recommendations. They are required to follow the journal's policies on confidentiality, conflicts of interest, research integrity, and editorial independence. Their work is subject to oversight by the Editor-in-Chief.
When a guest editor submits or co-authors a manuscript for a special issue, that guest editor must not participate in the selection of reviewers, peer-review management, or editorial decision-making for the manuscript. Such submissions are handled by the Editor-in-Chief or another independent editor without a conflict of interest.
The same principle applies to submissions by editorial board members and other individuals involved in the editorial process. If the Editor-in-Chief has a conflict of interest, an independent editor is assigned to manage the submission. Articles authored or co-authored by guest editors must not exceed 25% of the special issue’s total content.
Guest editors may provide recommendations, but final editorial decisions are made by the Editor-in-Chief or a designated independent editor. All manuscripts must meet the journal's established scholarly and ethical standards before acceptance.
The journal reserves the right to request additional reviews or take appropriate editorial action if concerns arise regarding the fairness or independence of the review process.
Writing is a thoughtful, human act. It involves searching for the right words, refining ideas, and making sense of complexity. Generative AI tools have recently become part of this process for some authors. These tools may suggest alternative phrasings, offer clarity, or support coherence during manuscript preparation. Focus on ELT recognizes that authors may consult such tools as part of their academic writing process. Manuscripts submitted to Focus on ELT must be the product of human authorship. AI tools may assist with phrasing or organization, but they are not capable of evaluating meaning, interpreting research, or ensuring the ethical standards of scholarly work. The responsibility for all content remains with the authors.
If an AI tool was used in a meaningful way, Focus on ELT expects a short acknowledgment to be included in the manuscript. The note should confirm that the authors reviewed and approved all content. The tool must not be listed as an author or co-author. Authors are not required to provide details such as prompts or technical explanations. The editorial team of Focus on ELT considers transparency and integrity as essential values. Authors are asked to affirm that they made the final decisions about the manuscript and that the submitted work reflects their own academic contribution.
Below are examples that may be used in the acknowledgment section. Each reflects a different tool and confirms that responsibility for the manuscript lies with the authors.
- – ChatGPT was consulted during drafting. All content was reviewed and approved by the authors.
- – Claude supported the revision of selected expressions. The authors made all editorial decisions and take full responsibility for the work.
- – Gemini was used to explore alternative sentence formulations. The authors ensured accuracy and clarity in the final version.
- – Microsoft Copilot assisted with phrasing suggestions. The authors revised and approved all material in the submitted manuscript.
- – A generative AI tool was used to support coherence. The final content represents the authors’ own voice and responsibility.
Focus on ELT encourages authors to remain reflective and transparent about the role of any tool used during writing. Acknowledging such use demonstrates academic integrity and strengthens trust within the scholarly community.
Manuscripts submitted to Focus on ELT Journal are confidential documents. Reviewers and editors must not upload unpublished manuscripts, reviewer reports, or confidential editorial correspondence to generative AI services unless appropriate confidentiality and data protection safeguards have been established and such use is authorized by the journal.
Generative AI tools must not replace independent scholarly judgment in evaluating a manuscript's originality, methodological quality, interpretation of findings, or suitability for publication.
Reviewers and editors remain responsible for the accuracy, fairness, confidentiality, and integrity of their evaluations and decisions.
Authors who use generative AI tools during the research process, including instrument development, data collection, coding, analysis, or translation, must describe their use in the relevant sections of the manuscript.
Such descriptions should identify the tools used, their role in the research process, and the procedures followed to verify AI-assisted outputs.
Authors remain responsible for the integrity of their research, the protection of participant data, and compliance with applicable ethical requirements.
Focus on ELT Journal is committed to ethical scholarly publishing and follows relevant guidance from the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
Authors are responsible for the originality, accuracy, and integrity of their submitted work. All listed authors must have made a substantial scholarly contribution, approved the submitted manuscript, and accepted responsibility for their contributions.
Guest, gift, and ghost authorship are unacceptable. Changes to authorship after submission require an explanation and the agreement of all affected authors.
Research involving human participants must comply with applicable institutional and national ethical requirements. Authors must provide information about ethics committee approval or exemption, where applicable.
Authors must explain how informed consent, participant confidentiality, and data protection were addressed. Research involving children or vulnerable participants must include appropriate ethical safeguards.
Fabrication or falsification of data, plagiarism, duplicate publication, inappropriate manipulation of research findings, and undisclosed conflicts of interest are unacceptable.
Authors must not submit the same manuscript to more than one journal simultaneously.
Suspected misconduct may be investigated by the editorial team, and authors may be asked to provide explanations or supporting materials.
Authors must disclose relevant financial and non-financial conflicts of interest and identify sources of research funding.
Editors and reviewers must disclose any relationships that could compromise their impartiality and withdraw from the evaluation process when necessary.
Authors are expected to report their methods and findings accurately and transparently. Where ethically and legally permissible, authors are encouraged to make supporting research data and materials available.
When data cannot be shared because of participant confidentiality, informed consent restrictions, or other legitimate concerns, authors should explain these limitations.
The journal examines concerns about published articles and may request explanations, corrections, or supporting documentation from the authors.
Corrections may be issued when errors affect part of a publication without invalidating its principal findings.
Expressions of concern may be published when serious questions about a publication remain unresolved.
Retractions may be issued when findings are unreliable because of major error or misconduct, when substantial plagiarism or duplicate publication is established, or when serious ethical violations undermine the reliability of the work.
Retraction notices will state the reasons for the action and remain linked to the original publication. Retracted articles will ordinarily remain accessible and clearly marked as retracted.
Concerns regarding publication ethics may be submitted to the editorial office. Allegations are evaluated fairly and confidentially, and the parties concerned are given an opportunity to respond.
Where appropriate, the journal may consult the relevant institutions or other responsible bodies.
The journal follows relevant COPE guidance when handling allegations of publication misconduct.
Focus on ELT Journal is committed to preventing plagiarism, inappropriate text reuse, and other forms of research misconduct.
All submitted manuscripts are screened using iThenticate before external peer review and, when accepted, before publication.
Similarity reports are examined by the editorial team. A similarity percentage alone does not establish plagiarism. Editorial assessments consider the nature, extent, and context of similarities, including whether sources have been appropriately acknowledged.
Plagiarism includes presenting another person's words, ideas, or findings as one's own without appropriate attribution. Substantial unattributed copying, misleading reuse of previously published material, and duplicate publication may also constitute violations of publication ethics.
Authors are expected to disclose substantial overlap with their own previously published work.
When potential plagiarism is identified, the editorial team examines the available evidence and may request an explanation from the authors. Depending on the nature and severity of the concern, the journal may request corrections, reject the manuscript, or initiate further investigation.
Concerns identified after publication are evaluated under the journal's Publication Ethics and Research Integrity policy. Where appropriate, the journal may publish a correction, an expression of concern, or a retraction.
The journal follows relevant COPE guidance when investigating suspected plagiarism and publication misconduct.
Focus on ELT Journal is a fully open-access journal. All published articles are freely available to readers without subscription fees or access charges.
Authors retain the copyright to their work and grant Focus on ELT Journal the right of first publication.
Articles are published under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0) License, unless a different license is explicitly stated on the individual article.
Under this license, readers may copy and redistribute the published material in any medium or format for non-commercial purposes, provided that appropriate credit is given and a link to the license is included. Adapted material may not be distributed without additional permission from the copyright holder.
Authors may share their published articles in accordance with the applicable Creative Commons license and any relevant third-party rights.
Focus on ELT Journal does not charge submission fees, article processing charges, publication fees, or page charges.
Focus on ELT Journal is committed to the long-term preservation, accessibility, and discoverability of its published content.
All articles published since the journal's first issue (Volume 1, Issue 1, December 23, 2019) are permanently accessible through the journal's official website, which operates on Open Journal Systems (OJS). The complete archive is freely available at https://focusonelt.com/index.php/foe/issue/archive. The journal uses Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to ensure persistent identification and reliable access to its publications. From its inaugural issue in 2019 through Volume 7, Issue 2 (December 30, 2025), articles were assigned DOIs registered through Crossref. For Volume 8, Issue 1 (June 30, 2026), DOIs were assigned through Zenodo, a research repository operated by CERN. The journal has submitted an application to establish its own Crossref DOI registration arrangement, and the process is currently ongoing. Once the application is approved, DOI registration for future issues will be carried out through Crossref. The journal also plans to register the articles published in Volume 8, Issue 1 (2026), which currently have Zenodo DOIs, through Crossref, subject to the relevant technical requirements and registration policies.
Focus on ELT Journal participates in the PKP Preservation Network (PKP PN), a digital preservation service that uses LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe) technology to maintain distributed archival copies of scholarly content. Through its participation in PKP PN, the journal supports the long-term preservation of its published articles beyond the journal's own website. In the event of any changes to the journal's publishing platform or operations, efforts will be made to maintain continued access to published content and preserve the integrity of its bibliographic records. Focus on ELT Journal will maintain accurate metadata, persistent identifiers, and publicly accessible publication records to support the long-term availability of its scholarly content.