Applied Linguistics publishes research into language with relevance to real-world issues. The journal is keen to help make connections between scholarly discourses, theories, and research methods from a broad range of linguistic and other relevant areas of study. The journal welcomes contributions which critically reflect on current, cutting edge theory and practice in applied linguistics.

The journal's Forum section is intended to stimulate debate between authors and the wider community of applied linguists and to afford a quicker turnaround time for short pieces. Forum pieces are typically a commentary on research issues or professional practices or responses to a published article. Forum pieces are required to exhibit originality, timeliness and a contribution to, or stimulation of, a current debate. The journal also contains a Reviews section.