About the Journal

Didaktik Deutsch is a theory- and research-oriented journal. The thematic field in which the journal's contributions are situated is defined by German language teaching, linguistic and literary socialization, as well as teacher education in the areas of language, literature, and media, as well as German as a second language. Since the focus is on academic German didactics, teaching concepts and models, as well as linguistic or literary studies that examine their subject matter without considering teaching or acquisition perspectives, are not published.

All research contributions undergo a peer review process (see below). In addition to research contributions (55,000 characters excluding references), research and conference reports (30,000 characters), debate articles (18,000 characters), reviews (6,000 characters per reviewed volume), and announcements of new publications are published (see below for the conceptualization of the individual sections). Didaktik Deutsch serves as a forum for current discussions and research activities in German didactics. To ensure the broadest possible academic public reach, Didaktik Deutsch is an open-access journal (CC-BY-ND-NC).

Didaktik Deutsch is published twice a year, usually in March and September. Additionally, special issues are published irregularly, containing the results of the Symposion Deutschdidaktik conference if they are deemed valuable from a cross-sectional perspective.

The journal is the official academic publication of the association Symposion Deutschdidaktik e. V. It is no longer the association's official newsletter as it was in previous years. This function has been taken over by the SDD newsletter.

Sections

Research Contributions

Research contributions form the core section of the journal. They may be systematic, empirical, or historical in nature. Their length should not exceed 55,000 characters (excluding references).

  • Systematic research contributions develop theoretical perspectives by reviewing theoretical knowledge in a field and extending it through critical reflection or by incorporating additional theoretical frameworks.
  • Empirical research contributions may be qualitative or quantitative, exploratory, or hypothesis-testing. They provide information on research questions, data collection, data analysis, results, and interpretations.
  • Historical research contributions may focus on the history of German language teaching, linguistic-literary socialization, or the academic field of German didactics.

Research contributions can stem from dissertation projects under the following conditions:

  • They have not been previously published elsewhere.
  • If they derive from a dissertation published as a monograph, they either elaborate on a specific aspect of the dissertation or summarize its key findings while providing new perspectives.

Research contributions undergo an external anonymous peer review (see the "Peer Review" section). Once the editorial team decides to review a manuscript, the author(s) will be asked to submit an anonymized version.

Debate

The Debate section (18,000 characters) addresses topics related to German language teaching, linguistic-literary socialization, or teacher education, provided they are controversial within the field of academic German didactics or educational policy discussions. Debates may be initiated by a single contribution and continued in the following issue, or they may be confined to a single issue if opposing viewpoints are presented. The key element in any debate is the explanation and clarification of a problem through academic argumentation. Debates in Didaktik Deutsch aim at generating new insights.

Suggestions for debate topics can be submitted to the editorial team at any time. The editorial team decides which suggestions to pursue and may solicit debate contributions accordingly.

Reports

Reports (30,000 characters) may take various forms:

  • Research reports that summarize the state of research on a topic or methodology.
  • Country reports on education policy issues in the context of German language teaching and teacher education.
  • Conference reports on German didactics conferences and symposia.

Reports may be submitted at any time. However, reports authored by event organizers themselves cannot be considered.

The editorial team decides which reports to publish. Unlike research contributions, authors are encouraged to consult with the editorial team before submitting a report. The editorial team may also commission research reports.

Reviews and New Publications

Reviews (6,000 characters per book) focus on academic publications in German didactics, excluding textbooks or other learning materials. Ideally, a review should cover multiple books within a thematic area. However, individual reviews of particularly significant new publications are also possible.

Reviews are usually commissioned by the editorial team. Proposals for thematic review essays are welcome.

The New Publications section lists newly published books in German didactics as a service to the academic community. Journal articles are not included. Due to editorial policy, textbooks and teacher guides for German language teaching are also excluded. The editorial team is not responsible for the annotations in this section, which are based on publishers' announcements. While the editorial team strives for comprehensive coverage, completeness cannot be guaranteed.

Peer Review

Research contributions undergo an anonymous external review process if at least half of the editorial team members approve the initiation of the review. A decision against initiating the review process must be justified by either the submission not being a research contribution in German didactics (as defined above) or the presence of significant deficiencies that make a successful review outcome unlikely. In the latter case, the contribution may be returned with revision recommendations, and the review process can be initiated after these recommendations have been implemented.

Each contribution is usually reviewed by two external experts who are not active members of the Didaktik Deutscheditorial team. There is no fixed pool of reviewers. Reviewers are selected by a simple majority vote of the editorial team. Didaktik Deutsch values independent, qualified assessments.

Reviewers should be recognized in the relevant field (holding at least a doctoral degree) and have relevant publications. They must not have conflicts of interest, whether positive (e.g., close professional ties) or negative (e.g., academic disputes). A critical yet constructive approach to the theoretical and methodological orientation of the submission is expected.

If the editorial team unanimously deems a review strongly inappropriate and provides detailed justification, an alternative reviewer may be consulted. This reassignment can only occur once per submission. If there is a significant discrepancy between reviews, the editorial team will decide on the next steps and may seek a third review, which can also occur only once per submission.

Members of the Didaktik Deutsch editorial team generally cannot submit research contributions. Exceptions may be made if the entire editorial team unanimously agrees that the submission should not be published elsewhere. In such cases, the author is excluded from all discussions regarding the submission and review process and will not be informed of the reviewers' identities.

Contributions Without Peer Review

Debate articles, reports, and reviews are exempt from the peer review process. Unsolicited debate contributions or reports are accepted based on a simple majority decision by the editorial team. Commissioned contributions also require a majority decision.

Reviews are typically commissioned. In exceptional cases, unsolicited reviews may be accepted if all editorial team members agree and if it is clear that the review is not a favor for the author.

All contributions in these three sections may be returned for revision if the editorial team decides by majority vote that revisions are necessary for content, structure, or style.

Members of the Didaktik Deutsch editorial team may only publish as co-authors after internal editorial approval.