Journal profile · LINGUISTICS
English for Specific Purposes
ISSN 0889-4906 · eISSN 1873-1937 · Elsevier
English for Specific Purposes: CAS Zone 1 · Literature (2025 upgraded edition, Top journal); impact factor 2.91; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,590; review about 154 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); 48 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
English for Specific Purposes is published by Elsevier and is in Zone 1 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, EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning and Second Language Learning and Teaching, together about 46.8% of its articles. Its main subfields are Language and Linguistics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
English For Specific Purposes is an international peer-reviewed journal that welcomes submissions from across the world. Authors are encouraged to submit articles and research/discussion notes on topics relevant to the teaching and learning of discourse for specific communities: academic, occupational, or otherwise specialized. Topics such as the following may be treated from the perspective of English for specific purposes: second language acquisition in specialized contexts, needs assessment, curriculum development and evaluation, materials preparation, discourse analysis, descriptions of specialized varieties of English, teaching and testing techniques, the effectiveness of various approaches to language learning and language teaching, and the training or retraining of teachers for the teaching of ESP. In addition, the journal welcomes articles and discussions that identify aspects of ESP needing development, areas into which the practice of ESP may be expanded, possible means of cooperation between ESP programs and learners' professional or vocational interests, and implications that findings from related disciplines can have for the profession of ESP. The journal also carries reviews of scholarly books on topics of interest to the profession.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): LINGUISTICS
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 1%); most named United States 26, United Kingdom 9, Spain 7, Hong Kong, China 6, Italy 3 (74 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Discourse Analysis in Language StudiesArts and Humanities21.6%
- EFL/ESL Teaching and LearningArts and Humanities13.3%
- Second Language Learning and TeachingArts and Humanities11.9%
- Second Language Acquisition and LearningPsychology8%
- Language, Metaphor, and CognitionPsychology4.8%
- Human auditory perception and evaluationEngineering4.3%
- Language, Discourse, Communication StrategiesArts and Humanities4.1%
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance3.5%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Literature Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Linguistics | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Literature Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Linguistics | Zone 2 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Literature Zone 1
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 1 |
| Minor | Linguistics | Zone 1 |
Top journal: yesReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
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
- 2.91LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 3Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 7.5LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 7.5Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.13LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.83LetPub ·
- h-index
- 146OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 855OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.67OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 16.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 24.17%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 39LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,703 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 52 | 24 | 8 |
| 2025 | 48 | 15 | 167 |
| 2024 | 51 | 12 | 379 |
| 2023 | 65 | 14 | 574 |
| 2022 | 49 | 13 | 793 |
| 2021 | 44 | 6 | 925 |
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
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
154 dayssubmission to acceptance
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Submission to first decision
- 23 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 81 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 154 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 16 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,590 / EUR 3,360 / GBP 2,870 / JPY 445,270 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 3,540 | — | — |
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)
What to prepare7 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Manuscript length
- ≤ 10,000 words
- Reference style
- APA
- Highlights
- Required
- Graphical abstract
- Optional
- Cover letter
- Required
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Double anonymized peer review process Model summary
This journal follows a double anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
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
- Elsevier
- ISSN
- 0889-4906
- Electronic ISSN
- 1873-1937
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗LetPub
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about English for Specific Purposes
What CAS zone is English for Specific Purposes in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, English for Specific Purposes is in Zone 1 of Literature, and in Zone 1 of the minor category Linguistics; 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 English for Specific Purposes?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.91; CiteScore 7.5, h-index 146.
How long does peer review take at English for Specific Purposes?
The publisher reports about 154 days (submission to acceptance). 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 are the manuscript requirements of English for Specific Purposes?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Manuscript length: ≤ 10,000 words; Reference style: APA; Highlights: Required; Graphical abstract: Optional; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of English for Specific Purposes based?
Of the 74 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 1%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (26), United Kingdom (9) and Spain (7). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index English for Specific Purposes?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, English for Specific Purposes is indexed in SSCI and Scopus.
Is English for Specific Purposes open access, and what is the APC?
English for Specific Purposes is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,590.
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: .