Cogent Education
Read our interview with Editor-in-Chief Professor John Chi-Kin Lee
Cogent Education is a leading multidisciplinary open access journal, publishing high-quality, peer-reviewed articles across the breadth of educational research. The journal is led by Editor-in-Chief Professor John C.K. Lee (The Education University of Hong Kong), supported by an expert international Editorial Board. Our academic editors take an objective and constructive approach to peer review, ensuring each manuscript is evaluated on its own scholarly merits and research integrity. Article-level metrics let the research speak for itself.

We sat down with Professor John Chi-Kin Lee, Editor of Cogent Education, to better understand the journal. We wanted to get a better idea of the kind of research the journal publishes, how the journal helps authors to make an impact with their research and where
Professor John Chi-Kin Lee see the journal in the coming years. Here is what they had to say.
Read on for our interview with John…
What is your background and how did you become part of the journal?
My research background primarily focuses on curriculum and teaching but through collaboration with colleagues and friends, I have broadened my research portfolio and publication venues in journals of the fields ranging from teacher education, educational leadership and management, assessment and educational psychology to comparative education and student learning. I still remember that I have received an email invitation from Taylor & Francis followed by phone communication about eight years ago which mentioned about the intention to launch a new open-access journal and inquired whether I might be interested to be the Founding Editor – I was invited probably because of my collaborative experiences with Routledge and Taylor & Francis. Looking back and Cogent Education now in its Eighth volume, I am honoured and pleased to be the Founding Editor of this large and leading multidisciplinary open access journal.
Have there been any exciting developments with the journal over the past few years? How did you achieve this?
After several years of concerted efforts and valuable contributions of both editors, editorial board members, contributing authors and readers, Cogent Education was indexed in several major database and now becomes a Web of Science Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus and Google Scholar indexed journal, to name a few. According to the journal metrics, it has on average around 1 million downloads and hundreds of submissions per year.
What kind of research does the journal publish?
Cogent Education could be considered as a mega journal as it comprises 10 sections: Curriculum & Teaching Studies, Education Policy, Educational Assessment & Evaluation, Educational Leadership & Management, Educational Psychology & Counselling, Information & Communications Technology in Education, International & Comparative Education, Professional Education & Training, Student Learning, Childhood & Voices, and Teacher Education & Development.
How do you advise authors who are looking to make an impact in policy documents or news reports?
There are some preliminary thoughts. At the beginning stage and conceptualization of research, the author may consider the policy and practical significances of his/her research. This might be done by consulting some practitioners or even public officers working in related areas. If the findings arising from the research could inform policy direction and implementation, the author could publicise the community beyond the academia in form of news, blogs and other forms of social media.
Finally, how can authors contribute their own research to Cogent Education?
Manuscripts should be submitted directly on-line via our submission system. For information on all types of contributions please go to the journal Aims & Scope, for details on how to submit a manuscript, please see the Instructions for Authors.
Why publish your research in Cogent Education?
Immediate access to your article on publication, accessible by anyone, anywhere
Rigorous peer review
Retention of the full copyright of your work
Rapid online publication
Innovative article-level performance metrics
Global marketing and high production values
A straightforward and friendly publishing service