Submission Guidelines
Now Accepting Submissions Vol. 17, Issue 2 — April 2026 The Criterion: An International Journal in English • ISSN 0976-8165 |
Submission Deadline 31 March 2026 Submissions after deadline considered for next issue | Publication Date 30 April 2026 Decision within 15–20 days of deadline |
| Double-Blind Peer Review | 3 Independent Reviewers | Crossref DOI Every Article | Open Access CC BY 4.0 |
Scope of the Journal
The Criterion: An International Journal in English invites original scholarship across the breadth of English Studies, including English Literature (all periods, genres, and authors), Literary Theory & Criticism, World & Comparative Literature, Indian Writing in English, Postcolonial Studies, Linguistics, English Language Teaching (ELT), Cultural Studies, and Digital Humanities. Interdisciplinary submissions that illuminate questions in English Studies are warmly welcomed.
Effective Vol. 17, Issue 1 (February 2026), The Criterion exclusively publishes peer-reviewed research articles. Creative submissions (poetry, fiction, book reviews, and author interviews) are no longer accepted. Every accepted article receives a Crossref DOI, a Grammarly report, and an official PDF publication certificate.
Before You Submit
- File: Upload a single anonymised .doc/.docx — no author names or affiliations inside the document. Provide author details in the Form fields only.
- Title: Times New Roman 14 pt Bold, no ALL CAPS. Body: Times New Roman 12 pt, justified, single-line spacing.
- Length: Minimum 3,000 words (typical 3,000–10,000). Abstract: 100–150 words + 4–6 keywords.
- Notes: Endnotes only (placed before “Works Cited”). Style: MLA 9th Edition.
- Clean file: Remove tracked changes, comments, and personal metadata before uploading.
- AI disclosure: If any AI tool assisted in writing or research, disclose this in the Form (tool name, extent of use, limitations).
- Filename: PaperTitle_Anonymized.docx
How to Submit
Research Articles — via Google Form
Prepare a single anonymised .doc/.docx file named PaperTitle_Anonymized.docx. Remove all author names, affiliations, and personal metadata from the document and its properties.
The file must contain: Title → Abstract (100–150 words + 4–6 keywords) → Body Text → Endnotes (if any) → Works Cited. All in MLA 9th Edition.
Provide author name(s), affiliation(s), email(s), ORCID (optional), and AI-use disclosure in the Form fields only — not in the document.
Submit via the Google Form below. For any submission queries email criterionejournal@gmail.com with subject: Submission Query: [Your Paper Title]
Submit Your ResearchResearch articles are submitted via Google Form. All submissions undergo rigorous double-blind peer review by three independent reviewers. |
Manuscript Format
| Element | Requirement | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Times New Roman, 14 pt, Bold — no ALL CAPS | ||
| Body Text | Times New Roman, 12 pt, justified, single-line spacing | ||
| Word Count | Minimum 3,000 words; typical range 3,000–10,000 | ||
| Abstract | 100–150 words + 4–6 keywords | ||
| Notes | Endnotes only — placed before Works Cited | ||
| Citation Style | MLA 9th Edition throughout | ||
| Language | English only; translate all non-English quotations inline | ||
| Avoid | Footnotes, page borders, coloured or decorative text, tracked changes | ||
| Quality | Proofread carefully — formatting or typographical issues may result in rejection without review | ||
Review Process
The Criterion follows a rigorous double-blind peer review process with three independent reviewers per article. Authors typically receive a decision within 15–20 days after the submission deadline for the relevant issue.
From Submission to Publication
An automatic email confirms receipt with your manuscript ID. Add criterionejournal@gmail.com to your contacts to avoid missed notifications.
Editors verify scope, MLA 9 formatting, ethical disclosures (including AI-use declarations), and run plagiarism checks. Submissions with issues may be returned for corrections before entering review.
Three expert reviewers evaluate originality, argumentation, methodology, evidence, and clarity — independently and anonymously.
Outcome will be one of: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject. Revision timelines and instructions are clearly communicated.
You receive an acceptance confirmation with APC payment instructions (payable only after acceptance — never before), along with a Grammarly report to help you bring the manuscript to a polished, publication-ready standard.
A final proof is requested prior to publication. A permanent Crossref DOI is assigned and displayed on the article page.
On publication you receive the live article link. An official digitally signed PDF publication certificate is issued alongside the publication announcement — a credentialing asset for academic portfolios, CVs, and promotion files.
Copyright & Licensing
- Authors retain full copyright. The Criterion receives non-exclusive rights to publish and reproduce accepted works online and in any issue compilation.
- Authors may republish their work after notifying the Editor-in-Chief and crediting The Criterion with a link to the original published article.
- All published research articles are released under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license — free to share and adapt with attribution.
Plagiarism & AI Content Policy
- All submissions must be original, properly cited, and not under consideration elsewhere. Authors bear full responsibility for their content.
- AI-Generated Text: Use of generative AI tools must be transparently disclosed in the submission form. Fully or substantially AI-written manuscripts will not be accepted.
- In cases of confirmed plagiarism or undisclosed AI use, The Criterion may retract the publication, notify the author’s institution, and blacklist offending authors.
Important
All accepted manuscripts are processed through Grammarly before final publication. Undisclosed quality issues identified at this stage may delay or void acceptance.
Article Processing Charges (APC)
As an official Crossref member journal, The Criterion assigns a permanent DOI to every published article — a commitment that carries real infrastructure costs. Our APC is a single transparent charge that covers Crossref membership, per-article DOI registration, three-reviewer peer review, editorial processing, and permanent open-access hosting. No single-author / multi-author distinction — one flat rate regardless of co-author count.
Indian Authors Research Article₹2,595 Includes Crossref DOI + peer review + hosting | International Authors Research Article$125 Includes Crossref DOI + peer review + hosting |
Every APC Includes
- Crossref DOI Registration — permanent, citable identifier registered with the world’s leading scholarly DOI agency
- Crossref Membership & Infrastructure — automatic metadata propagation across the entire Crossref ecosystem on DOI activation
- Three-Reviewer Double-Blind Peer Review
- Professional Copyediting & Formatting to journal standards
- Grammarly Report — detailed readability and grammar analysis delivered with your acceptance confirmation
- Official PDF Publication Certificate — digitally signed, suitable for CVs, promotion files, and academic portfolios
- Permanent Open-Access Hosting — no paywalls, ever
Do Not Pay Before Acceptance
Official APC payment instructions are sent only after peer review and formal acceptance. Any payment solicited before acceptance is not from The Criterion.
Publication Schedule
| Issue | Submission Deadline | Decision By | Publication |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 31 January | 15–20 February | 28 February |
| April | 31 March | 15–20 April | 30 April |
| June | 31 May | 15–20 June | 30 June |
| August | 31 July | 15–20 August | 31 August |
| October | 30 September | 15–20 October | 31 October |
| December | 30 November | 15–20 December | 31 December |
Submissions received after a deadline are automatically considered for the next issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you still accept poetry, fiction, or book reviews?
No. From Vol. 17 (February 2026) onwards, The Criterion exclusively publishes peer-reviewed research articles.
When do I pay the APC?
Only after acceptance. Never pay before you receive the official acceptance email with payment instructions.
Is the APC the same for single and multi-author papers?
Yes. One flat rate regardless of the number of co-authors.
What is the Grammarly report?
All accepted articles receive a detailed Grammarly readability and grammar report to assist in final polishing before publication.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. Every published author receives an official digitally signed PDF publication certificate issued alongside the publication announcement.
Will my article get a DOI?
Yes. Every published research article receives a permanent Crossref DOI from Vol. 17 onwards.
I missed the deadline. What happens?
Your submission is automatically considered for the next issue.
Can I withdraw my paper?
Yes — email the editorial office with your manuscript ID before publication is finalised.
Indexing & Discoverability
The Criterion is indexed in MLA International Directory, Google Scholar, IndexCopernicus International, Indian Citation Index (ICI), WorldCat, Library of Congress, ResearchGate, ROAD, and 20+ additional databases. As a Crossref member, article metadata is automatically propagated across the entire Crossref ecosystem — including hundreds of academic discovery platforms — the moment a DOI is activated.
Contact
Ready to Submit?Have questions about your submission? We are here to help. |