Journal profile · COMMUNICATION
Critical Discourse Studies
ISSN 1740-5904 · eISSN 1740-5912 · Taylor & Francis
Critical Discourse Studies: CAS Zone 2 · Literature (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 2.76; JCR Q1 (journal website); hybrid open access; APC charged, amount not published; median 212 days to acceptance (49 articles, last 24 months); acceptance rate 4% (journal website); 36 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Critical Discourse Studies is published by Taylor & Francis and is in Zone 2 of Literature in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Discourse Analysis in Language Studies, Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies and Social Media and Politics, together about 35.1% of its articles. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Critical Discourse Studies is an interdisciplinary journal for the social sciences. Its primary aim is to publish critical research that advances our understanding of how discourse figures in social processes, social structures, and social change. Critical Discourse Studies has been established in response to the proliferation of critical discourse studies across the social sciences and humanities. We will consider for publication papers that meet the needs of scholars in diverse disciplines and areas of study which develop critical perspectives on the relationship between discourse and social dynamics. Relevant areas and disciplines include: anthropology, communication, linguistics, sociology, politics, political economy, education, psychology, media studies, geography, urban studies, cultural studies, management studies, literary studies, history, technology studies, legal studies, philosophy, gender studies, migration studies, ethnic studies and others. We also welcome papers which connect critical academic research with practical concerns and agendas, including those of activist and grassroots political movements. The scope of critical discourse studies is not limited to linguistic studies, or articles that are primarily empirical or analytical. Critical examination of non-linguistic phenomena that take a significant discourse orientation, as well as theoretical and methodological papers that advance critical understandings of discursive phenomena, are welcomed. Recognising the diversity, depth, and history of scholarship in the growth of critical discourse studies, no particular theoretical, disciplinary, or methodological "schools" or paradigms will be privileged over others in the selection of papers for publication. The primary criteria for publication are originality, scholarly rigor, coherence of argument, relevance and timeliness of research. Critical Discourse Studies is an international and interdisciplinary journal. The membership of its advisory board reflects the cultural, geographical, theoretical, and disciplinary diversity of the journal and its readership. Critical Discourse Studies encourages contributions from both new and established scholars. The journal recognises that the new and rapidly changing social relations of the current age call for new approaches to understanding the waves of change that continue to impact upon social, political, economic, and cultural formations. Therefore the editors strongly encourage the submission of
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): COMMUNICATION
Editor-in-chief John E. RichardsonPublisher website
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Discourse Analysis in Language StudiesArts and Humanities18.2%
- Language, Discourse, Communication StrategiesArts and Humanities8.9%
- Social Media and PoliticsSocial Sciences8%
- Language, Metaphor, and CognitionPsychology7.1%
- Multilingual Education and PolicySocial Sciences7%
- Rhetoric and Communication StudiesArts and Humanities7%
- Populism, Right-Wing MovementsSocial Sciences5.4%
- Media Studies and CommunicationSocial Sciences4.7%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Literature Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Communication | Zone 3 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Literature Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Communication | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Literature Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Communication | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
JCR / CiteScore quartiles on the journal's website
- JCR Q1 · best quartile · 2025
- CiteScore Q1 · 2025
Publisher-reported: JCR figures are Clarivate's and CiteScore figures Scopus's to confirm; both are a different system from the CAS zones.Publisher website
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
OCLC, Communication and Mass Media Complete, Humanities International Index, International Bibliography of the Social Sciences, Linguistics Abstracts, Linguistics Abstracts Online, Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts, Sociological AbstractsPublisher website
As the journal's website lists them, not checked against each database; for Web of Science editions the records above apply.
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 2.76LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.9Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 2.8Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 6.1LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher) 2025
- 6.1Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.79LetPub ·
- SJR (publisher) 2025
- 0.79Publisher website ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 2.19LetPub ·
- SNIP (publisher) 2025
- 2.19Publisher website ·
- h-index
- 68OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 387OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 2.14OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 3.4%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 19.42%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 27LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher)
- 264,000Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 809 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 18 | 10 | 1 |
| 2025 | 36 | 10 | 62 |
| 2024 | 53 | 25 | 166 |
| 2023 | 49 | 21 | 433 |
| 2022 | 55 | 26 | 568 |
| 2021 | 41 | 13 | 539 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
212 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 128 days – 278 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 11 days (49 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 224 days
- Sample
- 49 articles with submission and acceptance dates (66 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Acceptance rate (publisher)
- 4%Publisher website ·
- Submission to first decision
- 5 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 59 daysPublisher website ·
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Publisher website | Yes, amount not published | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteOpen access, Peer review
- Open access Open access
Critical Discourse Studies is a hybrid open access journal that is part of the Taylor & Francis Open Select publishing program, giving you the option to publish open access. Publishing open access means that your article will be free to access online immediately on publication, increasing the visibility, readership, and impact of your research. Why choose open access? Increase the discoverability …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review
All articles in this journal have undergone editorial screening and have been peer reviewed by at least two referees. Model summary
All articles in this journal have undergone editorial screening and have been peer reviewed by at least two referees.
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- ISSN
- 1740-5904
- Electronic ISSN
- 1740-5912
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 23, Issue 5 (2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Critical Discourse Studies
What CAS zone is Critical Discourse Studies in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Critical Discourse Studies is in Zone 2 of Literature, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Communication; it is a Top journal. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 1 of Literature. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Critical Discourse Studies?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.76; CiteScore 6.1, h-index 68.
How long does peer review take at Critical Discourse Studies?
Based on the dates recorded on 49 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 212 days (interquartile range 128–278 days); the journal's website gives an acceptance rate of 4%. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What JCR quartile is Critical Discourse Studies in?
The journal's website gives JCR Q1 (best quartile). JCR quartiles are Clarivate's to confirm and a different system from the CAS zones; in the CAS ranking the journal is in Zone 2 of Literature.
Which databases index Critical Discourse Studies?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Critical Discourse Studies is indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Is Critical Discourse Studies open access, and what is the APC?
Critical Discourse Studies is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC charged, amount not published.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-25). Last updated: .