Journal profile · Multiple
First Language
ISSN 0142-7237 · eISSN 1740-2344 · SAGE
First Language: CAS Zone 3 · Literature (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 2.2; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,650; 70 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI, AHCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
First Language is published by SAGE and is in Zone 3 of Literature in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Language Development and Disorders, Reading and Literacy Development and Child and Animal Learning Development, together about 50% of its articles. Its main subfields are Developmental and Educational Psychology and Language and Linguistics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Language Development and DisordersPsychology25.2%
- Reading and Literacy DevelopmentPsychology15.2%
- Child and Animal Learning DevelopmentPsychology9.6%
- Language, Discourse, Communication StrategiesArts and Humanities7.6%
- Hearing Impairment and CommunicationPsychology4.7%
- Multilingual Education and PolicySocial Sciences4.1%
- Phonetics and Phonology ResearchPsychology4.1%
- Neurobiology of Language and BilingualismNeuroscience4.1%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Literature Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Language & Linguistics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Linguistics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Psychology, Developmental | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Literature Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Psychology, Developmental | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Linguistics | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Language & Linguistics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Literature Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Literature | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Language & Linguistics | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Linguistics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Psychology, Developmental | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIAHCIScopusLetPub
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
- 2.2LetPub ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 4LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.83LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.36LetPub ·
- h-index
- 88OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 621OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.65OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 22.7%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 37.61%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 61LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 1,560 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 32 | 19 | 8 |
| 2025 | 70 | 49 | 85 |
| 2024 | 37 | 22 | 137 |
| 2023 | 34 | 19 | 233 |
| 2022 | 54 | 23 | 516 |
| 2021 | 28 | 14 | 220 |
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.
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 3,650 / GBP 2,676 | — | — |
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.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- SAGE
- ISSN
- 0142-7237
- Electronic ISSN
- 1740-2344
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about First Language
What CAS zone is First Language in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, First Language is in Zone 3 of Literature, and in Zone 4 of the minor category Language & Linguistics / Linguistics / Psychology, Developmental. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Literature. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of First Language?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 2.2; CiteScore 4, h-index 88.
Which databases index First Language?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, First Language is indexed in SSCI, AHCI and Scopus.
Is First Language open access, and what is the APC?
First Language is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,650.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, 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 2026-08-26). Last updated: .