The Journal of Research in Reading provides an international forum for researchers into literacy. It is a refereed journal principally devoted to reports of original, empirical or theoretical studies in reading and related fields, and to informed reviews of relevant literature. The Journal welcomes papers researching issues related to the learning, teaching and use of literacy in a variety of contexts; papers on the history and development of literacy; papers about policy and strategy for literacy as related to children and adults. The Journal encourages papers within any research paradigm and from researchers in any relevant field such as anthropology, cultural studies, education, history of education, language and linguistics, philosophy, psychology and sociology.

The Journal also includes brief research notes, notices of conferences (including calls for papers), and reviews of books.

The Journal of Research in Reading is published for the United Kingdom Literacy Association.

An institutional subscription to Journal of Research in Reading includes 3 issues of Literacy also from UKLA.