Journal profile · Multiple
JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY
ISSN 0022-5363 · eISSN 1573-0492 · Springer Nature · 4 issues per year
JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY: CAS Zone 3 · Philosophy (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 0.53; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,190; median 143 days to acceptance (48 articles, last 24 months); 54 articles in 2025; indexed in SSCI, AHCI and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY is published by Springer Nature and is in Zone 3 of Philosophy in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Philosophical Ethics and Theory, Political Philosophy and Ethics and Ethics in medical practice, together about 37.1% of its articles. Its main subfields are Philosophy. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Journal of Value Inquiry is an international, peer-reviewed, philosophical quarterly, founded in 1967 by James Wilbur, devoted to stimulating and communicating research in the study of value. The essays published in the journal chiefly concern moral philosophy, political philosophy, and aesthetics. We also feature articles considering issues in social and legal theory or practice and the history of ethics. The Journal of Value Inquiry is a forum for presentation of the rich diversity of approaches available within these areas. It is committed to openness, cosmopolitanism, and the sharing of insights about humanity.Current priority areas include: feminist ethics, history of ethics, moral psychology, non-Western approaches to ethics, and virtue ethics.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Multiple
Editor-in-chief John Hacker-WrightPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 1 in mainland China (about 5%); most named United States 9, Canada 5, Spain 2, Mainland China 1, United Kingdom 1 (21 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Philosophical Ethics and TheoryArts and Humanities16.3%
- Political Philosophy and EthicsSocial Sciences13%
- Ethics in medical practiceHealth Professions7.8%
- Epistemology, Ethics, and MetaphysicsArts and Humanities7.1%
- Free Will and AgencyNeuroscience5.3%
- Psychology of Moral and Emotional JudgmentNeuroscience4.9%
- Theology and Philosophy of EvilArts and Humanities4.7%
- War, Ethics, and JustificationArts and Humanities4.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Philosophy Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Philosophy | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Philosophy | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Ethics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Philosophy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Philosophy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Ethics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Philosophy | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Philosophy Zone 4
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Philosophy | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Ethics | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Philosophy | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SSCIAHCIScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Indexing the journal's website claims
SCIEERIH PLUSCurrent ContentsPublisher website
Other: Google Scholar, EBSCO, ProQuest, Dimensions, CNKI, Baidu, Naver, OCLC, Portico, CLOCKSS
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
- 0.53LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 0.5Publisher website ·
- 5-year impact factor (publisher) 2025
- 0.7Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 1.7LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.28LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.81LetPub ·
- h-index
- 48OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 363OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 0.7OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 0%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 49.15%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 42LetPub ·
- Downloads per year (publisher) 2025
- 185,700Publisher website ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 2,827 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 44 | 24 | 3 |
| 2025 | 54 | 32 | 30 |
| 2024 | 47 | 27 | 68 |
| 2023 | 50 | 28 | 78 |
| 2022 | 57 | 31 | 245 |
| 2021 | 79 | 38 | 326 |
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
143 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 69 days – 243 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 31 days (85 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 180 days
- Sample
- 48 articles with submission and acceptance dates (111 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
- Submission to first decision
- 21 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 3,190 / EUR 2,590 / GBP 2,290 | — | — |
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 prepare4 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
Article types accepted4
- book reviewBook Review: review about published book. Please contact the book review editor to discuss your ideas before submitting.Length not stated
- paper for forumPaper for Forum: original research for a designated topic. Submissions only upon invitation. Please contact the EiC to discuss your idea for a forum. All submis…Length not stated
- regular paperRegular Paper: original research within area of remit of journal. Submissions accepted for review will undergo a double blind peer review process.Length not stated
- review articleReview article: state of the art overview about a topic. Submissions only upon invitation of journal editor. All submissions will undergo a double blind peer re…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review
- AI use Generative AI Images
LLMs do not satisfy authorship criteria Model summary
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship
Originality and exclusivity implied by submission Model summary
Submission of a manuscript implies: that the work described has not been published before; that it is not under consideration for publication anywhere else; that its publication has been approved by all co-authors, if any, as well as by the responsible authorities – tacitly or explicitly – at the institute where the work has been carried out.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Competing Interests
Authors are requested to disclose interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication. Interests within the last 3 years of beginning the work (conducting the research and preparing the work for submission) should be reported. Interests outside the 3-year time frame must be disclosed if they could reasonably be perceived as influencing the submitted work. Disclo…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Data availability statement required for original research Model summary
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Permissions required for previously published material Model summary
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in The Journal of Value Inquiry, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review COVID-19 and impact on peer review
Double blind peer review Model summary
As a result of the significant disruption that is being caused by the COVID-19 pandemic we are very aware that many researchers will have difficulty in meeting the timelines associated with our peer review process during normal times. Please do let us know if you need additional time. Our systems will continue to remind you of the original timelines but we intend to be highly flexible at this time…
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
- Springer Nature
- Frequency
- 4 issues per year
- ISSN
- 0022-5363
- Electronic ISSN
- 1573-0492
- Latest issue on the website
- Volume 60, Issue 3 (September 2026)
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY
What CAS zone is JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY is in Zone 3 of Philosophy, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Philosophy / Ethics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 4 of Philosophy. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 0.53; CiteScore 1.7, h-index 48.
How long does peer review take at JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY?
Based on the dates recorded on 48 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 143 days (interquartile range 69–243 days). 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 JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional. 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 JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY based?
Of the 21 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 1 (about 5%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are United States (9), Canada (5) and Spain (2). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY is indexed in SSCI, AHCI and Scopus. The journal's website also lists SCIE, ERIH PLUS and Current Contents; that list has not been checked against each database.
Is JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY open access, and what is the APC?
JOURNAL OF VALUE INQUIRY is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,190.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; 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: .