Overview
Submission Instructions
Recent Publications
Frequently Asked Questions
Research Topics
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npj Science of Learning is part of the npj Series and publishes open access research on the science of learning.
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Subject
Neurosciences
Impact Factor
3
Quartile
Q2
Open Access Type
Open
eISSN
2056-7936
Invitation Only
No
Cost Range
Authors pay an article processing charge (APC); waiver information is available via the journal's APC page.
Submission Instructions
npj Science of Learning accepts the following article types. Click on an article type to view submission instructions.
Article
Cover Letter
A cover letter is required. Cover letter should include the corresponding author's affiliation and contact information, briefly explain the context and importance of the work and its suitability for the journal, and include complete competing interests disclosure for double-anonymized submissions.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must be no longer than 150 words. Abstract must be unstructured with no subheadings.
Manuscript
Manuscript must include an Introduction without subheadings, a Results section with subheadings, a Discussion without subheadings and without limitations or conclusions sections, and a Methods section with subheadings, with all Methods reported in the main manuscript file. Manuscript must include mandatory Author contributions, Competing Interests, and Data availability sections, a Code availability section where applicable, and any use of a Large Language Model must be disclosed in the Methods section or another suitable part of the manuscript if no Methods section is available.
References
References are limited to 60. References must follow standard Nature referencing style. References must be numbered sequentially in order of appearance, include only one publication per reference number, and list all authors unless there are more than five authors, in which case the first author should be followed by 'et al.'.
Figures & Tables
Figure legends are limited to 350 words per figure. Figures should be inserted within the text at appropriate positions for initial submission, while tables must be submitted at the end of the text document. Multi-panel figures must be presented on a single page with each panel labeled using an a), b), c) convention, and Supplementary Information files must be provided as a PDF with tracked changes removed.
Review
Cover Letter
A cover letter is required. Cover letter should include the corresponding author's affiliation and contact information, briefly explain the context and importance of the work and its suitability for the journal, and include complete competing interests disclosure if double-anonymized peer review is chosen.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must be no more than 70 words. Abstract must be unstructured with no subheadings.
Manuscript
Main text is typically 3,000-4,000 words in length. Main text may use subheadings. The manuscript must include an Author contributions statement naming all authors by initials, a Competing Interests statement declaring financial and non-financial interests for each author or stating none, and documentation of any Large Language Model use in the Methods section or another suitable section if no Methods section is available.
References
References are limited to 60. References must use standard Nature referencing style. References must be numbered sequentially as they appear, list all authors unless there are more than five authors in which case the first author is followed by 'et al.', and include only one publication per reference number.
Figures & Tables
At initial submission, figures should be incorporated into the main article file, with legends added in the main manuscript file after the references, and tables submitted at the end of the text document. Figure legends are limited to 350 words per figure, multi-panel figures must be presented on a single page and labeled using an a), b), c) convention, and Supplementary Information files must be provided as a PDF with tracked changes removed.
Brief Communication
Cover Letter
A cover letter is required. Cover letter should include the corresponding author's affiliation and contact information, briefly explain the context and importance of the work and its suitability for the journal, and provide confidential competing interest information.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must be no more than 70 words. Abstract must be unstructured with no subheadings.
Manuscript
Main text must be 1,000–1,500 words, excluding the abstract, methods, references, and figure legends. Main text must have no subheadings, while the Methods section must use subheadings and all Methods descriptions must appear in the main manuscript file rather than the Supplementary Information. Manuscript must include mandatory Data availability, Code availability where applicable, Author contributions using each author's initials, and Competing Interests statements, and any use of a Large Language Model must be disclosed in the Methods section or another suitable part of the manuscript if no Methods section is available.
References
Brief Communications should include around 20 references as a guide. References must use standard Nature referencing style. References must be numbered sequentially in order of appearance, include only one publication per reference number, and list all authors unless there are more than five, in which case only the first author should be given followed by 'et al.'.
Figures & Tables
At initial submission, figures should be incorporated into the main article file, figure legends must be included in the main manuscript file after the references, tables must be placed at the end of the text document, and figure files must also be provided individually. Figure legends must not exceed 350 words per figure, and multi-panel figures must be presented on a single page with panels labeled a), b), c).
Matters Arising
Cover Letter
A cover letter is required. Cover letter should include the corresponding author's affiliation and contact information, briefly explain the context and importance of the work and its suitability for the journal, include confidential competing interest and related-work information, and indicate if an attempt to contact the original authors has been unsuccessful.
Abstract
An abstract is required. Abstract must be no longer than 70 words. Abstract must be unstructured with no subheadings.
Manuscript
Main text must not exceed 1,200 words. Contributions must begin with a brief non-specialist summary paragraph, the main text may use subheadings, and reply article titles must be formatted as 'Reply to: [Matters Arising title]'. Manuscript must include an author contributions statement naming all authors by initials, a competing interests statement declaring financial and non-financial interests for each author or stating none, and any use of a Large Language Model must be disclosed in the manuscript.
References
References do not typically exceed 15. References must use the Nature style used for Articles. References must be numbered sequentially in order of appearance, the original research article under discussion must be the first citation, only one publication may be given per reference number, and all authors should be listed unless there are more than five, in which case the first author should be followed by 'et al.'.
Figures & Tables
Contributions should ideally require only one or two small figures or tables. At submission, figures should be incorporated into the main article file, but if they cannot be incorporated they may be submitted separately, and tables must be placed at the end of the text document. Figure legends must be limited to 350 words per figure, multi-panel figures must appear on a single page labeled a), b), c), figures must be sufficient for referee assessment at submission, ideally as JPEGs, and Supplementary Information files must be provided as a PDF with tracked changes removed.
Recent Publications
Uncovering subgroup heterogeneity in dyslexia intervention outcomes using explainable machine learning
Amanda Swee-Ching Tan, Farhan Ali
10.1038/s41539-026-00429-3
View Publication
Lab perceptual training and robot-assisted training in improving speech prosody of autistic children
Si Chen, Bruce Xiao Wang, James Chung-Wai Cheung, Fang Zhou, Yitian Hong, Bei Li, Angel Chan, Tempo Po Yi Tang, Bin Li, Zhuoming Chen, Chunyi Wen
10.1038/s41539-026-00425-7
View Publication
Hypothesis testing governs strategic motor learning
Wei Ding, Anjuli Niyogi, Jordan A. Taylor, Jonathan S. Tsay
10.1038/s41539-026-00428-4
View Publication
Benefits of classroom remote microphone technology for inattentive children
Lucy Shiels, Dani Tomlin, Jonathan M. Payne, Gary Rance
10.1038/s41539-026-00427-5
View Publication
Recover or discover: How outcome feedback shapes response patterns within game spaces
Yajing Zhang, Benjamin James Dyson
10.1038/s41539-026-00414-w
View Publication
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to publish?
Median time from submission to first editorial decision is 15 days. Median time from submission to acceptance is 187 days.
Reformat to npj Science of Learning using Livewrite PremiumIs a cover letter required?
Authors should provide a cover letter including the affiliation and contact information for the corresponding author. The cover letter should briefly explain the context and importance of the work, why it is appropriate for the journal, may include confidential information such as conflicts of interest and related work, and may include suggested or excluded referees.
Reformat to npj Science of Learning using Livewrite PremiumWhat are the publication costs?
Authors pay an article processing charge (APC); waiver information is available via the journal's APC page.
Reformat to npj Science of Learning using Livewrite PremiumResearch Topics
Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Reading and Literacy Development
Early Childhood Education and Development
Memory and Neural Mechanisms
Child and Animal Learning Development
Neural dynamics and brain function
Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
Neuroscience, Education and Cognitive Function
Education, Achievement, and Giftedness
Memory Processes and Influences
Innovative Teaching and Learning Methods
Motor Control and Adaptation
Action Observation and Synchronization
Cognitive Abilities and Testing
EEG and Brain-Computer Interfaces
School Choice and Performance
Grit, Self-Efficacy, and Motivation
Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
Neuroscience and Music Perception
Child Development and Digital Technology
Sleep and Wakefulness Research
Online Learning and Analytics
Intelligent Tutoring Systems and Adaptive Learning
Educational Strategies and Epistemologies
Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes