《第二語言研究》是一份國際同行評審的季刊，發表有關第二語言習得和第二語言表現的原創理論研究。這包括實驗性研究和旨在探索概念問題的貢獻。除了為非母語學習領域的研究者提供一個論壇，它還尋求促進跨學科研究，將習得研究與相關的非應用領域聯系起來，如神經語言學、心理語言學、理論語言學、雙語和第一語言發展心理語言學。請注意，外語教與學的研究不屬于第二語言研究的范圍，除非它們對理解第二語言習得的過程和性質有實質性的貢獻。各類出版物包括全文研究論文(約9000字)、研究筆記(約4000字)、近期書籍或時點評論文章(約5000字)、討論與評論(約5000字)、特邀主題文章(約11000字)和客座編輯的專題文章。

Second Language Research is an international peer-reviewed, quarterly journal, publishing original theory-driven research concerned with second (and additional) language acquisition and second language performance. This includes both experimental studies and contributions aimed at exploring conceptual issues. In addition to providing a forum for investigators in the field of non-native language learning, it seeks to promote interdisciplinary research which links acquisition studies to related non-applied fields such as neurolinguistics, psycholinguistics, theoretical linguistics, bilingualism, and first language developmental psycholinguistics.Note that studies of foreign language teaching and learning are outside the scope of Second Language Research, unless they make a substantial contribution to understanding the process and nature of second language acquisition. Types of publications include full-length research articles (about 9,000 words), research notes (about 4,000 words), review articles of recent books or timely topics (about 5,000 words), discussion and commentary (about 5,000 words), invited keynote articles (about 11,000 words) and guest-edited, thematic issues.