About the Journal

Károli English Studies: A Central European Journal is an annual, open-access scholarly journal published by the Institute of English Studies, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary.

The journal publishes original research across the broad field of English Studies, including literary and cultural studies, media studies, linguistics, applied linguistics, translation studies, and English-language teaching. It particularly seeks to strengthen scholarly exchange among researchers working at institutions in Hungary, the V4 countries, and the wider Central European region, while welcoming contributions from authors internationally.

The journal is closely connected to the annual Károli English Studies Conference. Conference participants are invited to develop their presentations into complete scholarly articles for consideration by the journal. Participation in the conference does not guarantee publication, and conference-derived submissions undergo the same editorial assessment as other manuscripts.

The journal particularly encourages submissions from graduate students, doctoral researchers, and early-career scholars.

All research articles undergo double-anonymous editorial review by at least two qualified editors. External specialist evaluation may be sought where appropriate.

Károli English Studies is published annually in English and is freely available online.

Aims and Scope

Károli English Studies provides a forum for original research in English Studies and its constituent disciplines. The journal welcomes scholarship in literary and cultural studies, media studies, linguistics, applied linguistics, translation studies, and English-language teaching.

The journal has a particular interest in emerging scholarship and in facilitating exchange between scholars working in Central European academic contexts and the wider international community of English Studies.

Its primary readership consists of researchers, teachers, graduate students, and other scholars working in English Studies and related fields.

Editorial Review

All research articles submitted to Károli English Studies undergo initial editorial screening to determine whether they fall within the journal's scope and meet its basic scholarly and formal requirements.

Manuscripts that pass initial screening undergo double-anonymous editorial review by at least two qualified editors. The reviewing editors evaluate anonymized manuscripts and their identities are not disclosed to authors.

Editors assess submissions on the basis of the quality and originality of the research, the strength and coherence of the argument, engagement with relevant scholarship, methodological soundness where applicable, and clarity of presentation.

Where the subject matter or methodology of a submission requires specialist expertise, the editors may seek additional evaluation from an external reviewer.

Following review, the editorial decision may be acceptance, acceptance subject to revision, invitation to revise and resubmit, or rejection. The final publication decision rests with the Editor-in-Chief or an editor designated to handle the submission.

Editors do not participate in the assessment of manuscripts where they have a significant conflict of interest. Such submissions are assigned to other qualified editors.

Participation in the Károli English Studies Conference does not imply or guarantee publication. Conference-derived manuscripts are assessed according to the same scholarly and editorial standards as other submissions.

Open Access Policy

Károli English Studies is a fully open-access journal. All published scholarly content is freely and immediately available online without subscription, payment, registration, or embargo.

The journal supports the unrestricted circulation and reuse of scholarly research in accordance with the licence attached to each publication.

Copyright and Licensing

Authors retain copyright in their published work.

Articles in Károli English Studies are published under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0). This permits users to share and adapt published material provided that appropriate attribution is given to the author and the original publication.

Authors grant Károli English Studies the non-exclusive right of first publication.

Authors may deposit and distribute the published version of their article in institutional or disciplinary repositories, on personal academic websites, and through other scholarly channels, provided that the original publication is properly acknowledged.

Publication Frequency

Károli English Studies is published once a year.

Publication Fees

Károli English Studies does not charge submission fees, article processing charges, page charges, or publication fees.

Editorial decisions are independent of financial considerations.

Publication Ethics

Károli English Studies is committed to maintaining the integrity of scholarly publication. The journal expects original, accurately documented, and responsibly conducted research and does not tolerate plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, inappropriate attribution, or other forms of research misconduct.

Authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose conflicts of interest that could reasonably affect the evaluation or publication of a manuscript. Concerns about suspected misconduct will be considered by the editorial team in accordance with the journal's policies and relevant guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).

Original Scholarship, Author Responsibility, and the Use of Artificial Intelligence

Károli English Studies is committed to publishing original and honest scholarly work. We expect authors to present their own arguments, interpretations, and intellectual contributions clearly, and to describe their evidence and methods in a way that allows editors, reviewers, and readers to understand how the research was conducted.

Authors are responsible for the accuracy and integrity of everything they submit. Quotations, references, translations, and factual claims should be checked carefully against the original sources. The work of other scholars must be acknowledged fully and accurately. Plagiarism, including the unattributed use of another person’s words, ideas, arguments, research, or translations, is prohibited and will be handled in accordance with the journal’s publication-ethics procedures and the guidance of the Committee on Publication Ethics.

The journal encourages authors to treat careful verification, clear attribution, and coherent argumentation as essential parts of scholarly writing. Manuscripts that contain serious scholarly defects may be rejected by the editors. These defects include fabricated references, inaccurate or misrepresented quotations, unsupported claims, defective translations, inappropriate attribution, or analysis that cannot be followed or assessed. Where such problems substantially undermine the reliability of the submission, the manuscript may be rejected without external peer review and without an invitation to revise or resubmit. The journal is not required to determine how the problems arose.

The journal expects manuscripts to represent the authors’ own scholarly work and therefore discourages reliance on generative artificial intelligence beyond minor assistance with spelling, grammar, formatting, or similar technical matters. The development of the argument, interpretation, analysis, and prose should remain the work of the authors. Artificial intelligence tools cannot be listed as authors or co-authors.

Any responsible use of such tools remains the responsibility of the authors. They must ensure that the submitted manuscript remains accurate, original, intellectually coherent, and fully their own. For this reason, the journal does not require a separate declaration concerning the use of generative AI in manuscript preparation.

Where artificial intelligence forms part of the research process itself, its use must be described in the methodology. This applies when an AI system is used to produce, classify, analyse, interpret, or transform research material, or when its outputs are treated as data or evidence. Authors should provide enough information for readers, editors and reviewers to understand the role of the system and to assess the reliability of the method.

Conflicts of Interest

Editorial decisions are based on the scholarly merits of the submitted work and its relevance to the journal.

Editors must not participate in the assessment or decision-making process for manuscripts where they have a significant personal, professional, institutional, or scholarly conflict of interest. Such submissions will be assigned to another qualified editor.

Corrections and Retractions

Károli English Studies will correct substantive errors discovered after publication when they affect the accuracy, interpretation, or scholarly record of an article.

Where serious problems concerning the reliability or integrity of a publication are established, the journal may retract the article or take other appropriate corrective action. Corrections and retractions will remain linked to the original publication record.

Complaints and Appeals

Authors may appeal an editorial decision when they believe that a significant factual or procedural error affected the assessment of their manuscript. Appeals should clearly explain the grounds for reconsideration.

Complaints concerning editorial conduct, review, or publication procedures may be submitted to the editorial board. Where practicable, complaints and appeals will be considered by an editor who was not directly involved in the original decision.