CALL FOR PAPERS
Open Qualitative L2 Research: From Tensions to Transformative Opportunities
Special Issue of Studies in Second Language Acquisition
Full Manuscript Submission Deadline: August 31, 2025
Guest Editors: Meng Liu (Beijing Foreign Studies University); Ali H. Al-Hoorie (Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu); Phil Hiver (Florida State University)
Despite the growing momentum for open scholarship (also known as “open science” or “open research”) in L2 research, discussions of open scholarship have primarily focused on quantitative methods. Qualitative research, underpinning some of the most influential theories in L2 research, has long offered deep insights into language learning and use. Nonetheless, there remain untapped opportunities for qualitative traditions to build on and shape the field’s growing emphasis on methodological rigor and transparency.
This special issue aims to explore the transformative potential of open scholarship from the lens of qualitative research, including not only purely qualitative studies but also any research that incorporates qualitative elements (e.g., mixed methods and multi-methods research). Positioning open scholarship as an inclusive construct, we highlight both how its principles can be applied to qualitative research and how qualitative traditions can expand and reimagine the notion of openness. We invite researchers across all paradigms to engage with this discussion, reflect on their own practices, and join us in redefining what “openness” means in light of rich, situated meanings and potent ethical implications. Such contributions might include qualitative researchers reflecting on transparency, mixed methods scholars navigating multiple paradigms, or quantitative researchers adapting reflexive concepts from qualitative inquiry to enrich open scholarship.
Below we provide a list of potential topics for this special issue:
- Conceptual frameworks for open qualitative research*
- Secondary analyses or syntheses of open qualitative research
- Impacts of open practices on qualitative research processes and outcomes
- Tensions between qualitative research epistemologies and open scholarship principles
- Ethical considerations in open qualitative research
- Challenges and solutions in sharing qualitative data openly
- Replication and qualitative research
- Inclusion and equity in open qualitative research
- Transparency in qualitative data analysis methods
- Tools and platforms for open qualitative research
- Quality indicators for open qualitative studies
- Researcher perspectives on open qualitative research
- Open qualitative research and its relevance to L2 research
- Citizen science and public participation in qualitative research
- Decolonization of knowledge in the context of open qualitative research
- How tools and frameworks from qualitative traditions can enrich and benefit open scholarship in general
*By open qualitative research, we refer not only to purely qualitative studies but also to any research that incorporates qualitative elements.
Submission Requirements
Proposed abstracts should be submitted to the special issue editors for initial consideration. Articles can belong to any of the article types published in SSLA. These include: Research Article, Critical Commentary, Research Report, Replication Studies, Methods Forum, and State-of-the-Scholarship Review. Please refer to the SSLA official website for more information on the specific requirements for each article type.
The abstract should be 250-350 words (excluding references) and include the following information:
Article Type:
Title:
Author Name(s) and Institution(s):
Keywords:
Abstract:
References (if any):
Expected Timeline
- May 23, 2025 Abstracts due, submitted to Guest Editors via email (mengliu@bfsu.edu.cn)
- May 31, 2025 Short-listed abstracts decided
- August 31, 2025 Submission of first-draft manuscripts to SSLA via ScholarOne
- June 15, 2026 All final manuscripts accepted
