What to Look for When Choosing a Journal
Before submitting your research, evaluate journals on these key criteria:
- Higher education scope — undergraduate, postgraduate, professional, and continuing education
- Policy relevance — journals read by university administrators and education policymakers
- Open access to reach a global academic audience across university contexts
- Acceptance of institutional ethnographies, policy analyses, and large-scale quantitative studies
- Fast review timeline — essential for academics on tenure and promotion timelines
- CrossRef DOI and Google Scholar indexing for broad discoverability
Recommended Journals — Cluster 5: Education & Learning Sciences
All journals below are published by Keith Publications — open access, peer-reviewed, and indexed for global discoverability.
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Columbia Journal of Education and Learning Sciences
(CJELS)
Education research, learning sciences, pedagogy, curriculum design, educational psychology, and evidence-based teaching across all levels of formal education.
Education Research Learning Sciences Pedagogy Curriculum Studies -
Columbia Journal of Education and Social Sciences
(CJESS)
Education policy, social dimensions of learning, sociology of education, inclusive education, equity, and the intersection of education with society and community.
Education Policy Social Sciences Inclusive Education Equity in Education -
Applied Psychology, Sociology, and Social Policy Journal
(APSSPJ)
Applied psychology, social behaviour, community studies, social policy, psychological interventions, and the applied social sciences informing education and wellbeing.
Applied Psychology Social Policy Community Studies Behavioural Science -
Columbia Journal of Social Sciences and Humanities
(CJSSH)
Social sciences, humanities, cultural studies, history, philosophy, linguistics, and interdisciplinary research bridging education and the human sciences.
Social Sciences Humanities Cultural Studies Interdisciplinary Research
Fast Publication: All Keith Publications journals complete initial review within 2–5 business days and full peer review within 2–4 weeks. Articles are published online within 5–10 days of acceptance — making us one of the fastest open access publishers in the education and learning sciences field.
Key Topics in Higher Education Research
Keith Publications higher education journals accept research across all areas of higher education study: scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in universities; student engagement, belonging, and retention; the first-year experience and student transition; academic identity and professional development; assessment and feedback in higher education; online, hybrid, and blended learning in universities; internationalisation of higher education and cross-cultural student experience; equity, access, and widening participation; doctoral education and graduate student experience; academic publishing, research culture, and the future of the university.
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)
The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) has emerged as a major strand of higher education research — systematic investigation by university teachers of their own students' learning. SoTL research applies disciplinary rigour to classroom practice, examining what teaching strategies most effectively promote deep learning, critical thinking, and academic achievement in specific subjects and contexts. Keith Publications journals welcome SoTL research from academics across all disciplines — from STEM subjects to arts, humanities, law, and professional education.
Tips to Maximise Your Acceptance Chances
- Align your topic with the journal's scope — read the aims and scope carefully before submitting.
- Write a compelling abstract — clearly state your research question, methodology, key findings, and implications.
- Ensure methodological rigour — describe your research design, data collection, and analysis procedures transparently.
- Use current and relevant citations — include recent education research publications alongside seminal theoretical works.
- Follow formatting guidelines exactly — non-compliant manuscripts often receive desk rejection without review.
- State practical implications — explain how your findings can inform teaching practice, curriculum design, or education policy.
- Address ethical considerations — include institutional ethics approval, participant consent, and data protection statements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Research Guides
Explore other research journal guides in the Education & Learning Sciences cluster: