Language Policy

LANGUAGE POLICY

Pedagogical Perspective (PedPer)

ISSN: 2822-4841 | DOI Prefix: 10.29329

Quick Summary

Pedagogical Perspective (PedPer) (eISSN: 2822-4841) accepts manuscripts exclusively in English. Authors may use either British English or American English spelling and style conventions; however, they must apply one style consistently throughout the manuscript. The journal website, editorial communications, and all published content are in English.

1) Publication Language

English is the sole publication language of PedPer. The following elements must all be in English:

Full manuscript text (including all sections, headings, tables, figure captions, and appendices);
Title of the manuscript;
Abstract (structured, 150–250 words);
Keywords (3–6);
References — must be presented in Roman (Latin) script. Sources originally published in non-Latin scripts (e.g., Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, Japanese, Korean, Turkish with special characters) must be transliterated or translated into English, following APA 7th Edition guidelines.

This requirement ensures that PedPer content is fully accessible, discoverable, and citable by an international readership and by major indexing databases.

2) Language Standards

Manuscripts submitted to PedPer must:

Use clear, precise, and academically appropriate language;
Follow standard rules of English grammar, usage, and scholarly writing;
Avoid unnecessary jargon and unexplained foreign terms (unless essential to the context and defined upon first use);
Demonstrate fluent, coherent, and professional expression suitable for an international audience;
Apply either British English or American English spelling consistently throughout the manuscript (e.g., “organise” vs. “organize”, “colour” vs. “color”). Mixing spelling conventions within a single manuscript is not acceptable.

3) Language Editing Before Submission

Authors are strongly encouraged to have manuscripts language-edited prior to submission, especially if English is not their first language. This helps ensure that the manuscript can be fairly evaluated during peer review. Language editing may be performed by:

A professional language editing or proofreading service;
A proficient English-speaking colleague;
AI-assisted language tools (e.g., grammar checkers, translation aids), provided that all AI use is disclosed in accordance with the Generative AI Policy. Authors remain fully responsible for the accuracy and quality of the final text.

Language editing does not guarantee acceptance and does not influence editorial or peer review decisions. For guidance on manuscript preparation, see the Author Guidelines and Templates and Forms.

4) Post-Acceptance Language Proofreading (Free of Charge)

As part of the journal’s pre-publication quality assurance process, all manuscripts accepted for publication in PedPer undergo language proofreading. This support is provided free of charge via Paperpal by Editage to improve:

Clarity and consistency in language use;
Spelling and grammar;
Overall academic style and readability.

This step is conducted after acceptance and does not influence peer-review decisions. Authors may alternatively obtain proofreading from another professional service, provided that the final version meets the journal’s language standards.

This service is provided at no cost to authors, in line with PedPer’s commitment to removing barriers for non-native English speakers. See the Article Processing Charges (APCs) / Fees page for details.

5) Editorial Screening for Language

Submissions that do not meet the journal’s language standards may be:

Returned to authors for language revision before peer review. In such cases, the manuscript is not formally rejected — the authors are invited to improve the language and resubmit. The resubmission will be treated as a continuation of the original submission, not as a new submission.
Desk-rejected if language issues are so severe that they prevent a fair and efficient evaluation of the scholarly content. In such cases, authors may be invited to resubmit after professional language editing, provided the manuscript otherwise meets scope and quality thresholds.

Language quality is assessed during initial editorial screening but is not a criterion during peer review. Reviewers evaluate manuscripts on scholarly merit; however, they may note language issues for the authors’ attention.

6) Website and Editorial Communication Language

The PedPer website (including all policy pages, announcements, submission guidelines, and editorial correspondence) is maintained in English. This ensures accessibility for the international research community and compliance with the requirements of international indexing bodies.

Editorial communications with authors, reviewers, and other parties are conducted in English.

7) Non-English Source Material in Manuscripts

When authors cite or discuss source material originally published in a language other than English:

The reference entry must be in Roman (Latin) script, transliterated or translated as needed;
APA 7th Edition recommends including an English translation of the title in square brackets after the original title;
Direct quotations from non-English sources should be presented in English translation, with the original language noted;
If the source is a well-known work with an established English title, the established English title should be used.

8) Commitment to Linguistic Inclusivity

PedPer recognises that English may not be the first language of many authors contributing to international educational research. The journal is committed to supporting linguistic inclusivity through:

Complimentary post-acceptance language proofreading (Paperpal by Editage);
A language screening process that prioritises improvement over rejection, giving authors the opportunity to revise and resubmit;
Permission to use AI-assisted language tools (with disclosure) to support manuscript preparation;
An editorial approach that evaluates scholarly content and methodology first, treating language quality as a remediable concern rather than a barrier to participation.

PedPer’s goal is to ensure that language is never a barrier to the dissemination of high-quality educational research from scholars worldwide.

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