brycewang-stanford/aer-submission

AER Submission

Overview

The final submission audit catches the formatting and routing mistakes that produce avoidable desk rejections. AER's editorial office returns submissions for non-compliance with length, format, or policy requirements before the editor sees the paper — a turnaround that can cost weeks.

This skill is the last gate.

When to Use

• Within 48 hours of submission
• After every R&R, before resubmission
• When the user is undecided between AER and AER: Insights as the final target
• After a rejection elsewhere, when routing into the AEA family

Hard Format Constraints

| Item | AER | AER: Insights | |-------------------------------|----------------------------------------|----------------------------------------| | Abstract length | ≤ 100 words | ≤ 100 words | | Main text length | ~40 pages (11-pt, 1.5-spaced, 1" margins) | ≤ 7,000 words minus 200 per exhibit; ≤ 6,000 with five exhibits | | Maximum exhibits | No formal cap | 5; each exhibit reduces budget by 200 words | | Word-count basis | Page guideline includes figures, tables, references, and in-paper appendices | Main body, footnotes, endnotes, and in-paper appendices; excludes references, exhibits, and Supplemental Appendix | | File format | Single PDF for review | Single PDF for review | | Separate title page | None — title and byline on page 1 | Same | | Cover letter | Optional | Optional | | Submission system | ScholarOne (mc.manuscriptcentral.com/aer) | ScholarOne |

Manuscripts exceeding AER: Insights length are returned without review. This is enforced automatically.

Length Audit (AER)

The 40-page guideline counts:

• Main text
• Footnotes
• In-paper tables and figures
• References
• In-paper appendix

The 40-page count does not include: title, abstract, supplemental appendix, online appendix.

If over 40 pages: cut, then cut again, then move material to the online appendix. AER editors explicitly state that excessive online-appendix reliance is itself a desk-rejection signal. The supplemental appendix is for additional material, not for the main result.

Length Audit (AER: Insights)

Count main-body words including footnotes, endnotes, and in-paper appendices; exclude title, byline, abstract, acknowledgement footnote, references, exhibits, and Supplemental Appendix. Word-count discipline:

• One exhibit costs ~200 words
• Five exhibits leave 6,000 words
• Zero exhibits leave 7,000 words

If you cannot fit, the paper is an AER (or AEJ) paper, not an AER: Insights paper.

Manuscript Structure

[Title]
[Authors and affiliations]
[Abstract — ≤ 100 words]
[JEL codes]
[Keywords]

[Introductory paragraphs — NO heading "Introduction"]

\section{Data}             (or whatever the next titled section is)
\section{...}
...
\section{Conclusion}

\bibliography{...}

[Tables in numerical order]
[Figures in numerical order]

\appendix
\section{...}              (in-paper appendix only — short)

Move long appendices to a separate Supplemental Appendix file.

File Package for ScholarOne

Prepare in advance:

1. Manuscript PDF — single file: text + references + tables + figures + in-paper appendix
2. Supplemental Appendix PDF — optional, separate file
3. Cover letter — only if needed (see below); via form field, not separate document
4. JEL classification codes — primary and secondary
5. Disclosure Statement PDFs — one separate PDF per coauthor; if nothing to disclose, say that explicitly
6. Coeditor conflict disclosures — list any coeditor who has a personal or professional conflict
7. Suggested editor — optional, in form field
8. AI usage disclosure — required if AI software was used in drafting or editing; brief description

If the paper has supplementary materials (videos, large datasets), provide URLs to a public repository.

Cover Letter — When and How

AER does not require a cover letter. Use one only to communicate substantive information:

• Conflict of interest with a coeditor (e.g., recent coauthor, advisor, family member). Identify by name.
• Data access limitations that the editor needs to know in advance (e.g., restricted data with specific replication arrangements).
• Previous submission history to another AEA journal if relevant.

If you include one, keep it ≤ 200 words and submit via the ScholarOne form field, not as a separate uploaded document.

Do not use the cover letter to:

• Pitch the paper's contribution (the abstract does that)
• List the seminars where the paper was presented (the title-page footnote does that)
• Argue against potential referees (this is counterproductive)

Routing Decision: AER vs. AER: Insights vs. AEJ

Run this decision tree before submission:

Is the contribution sharp enough to fit the AER: Insights word/exhibit formula?
├── Yes → Is it cross-subfield interest?
│   ├── Yes → AER: Insights
│   └── No → AEJ: Applied / Policy / Macro / Micro (by subfield)
└── No → Does it have broad cross-subfield interest?
    ├── Yes → AER
    └── No → AEJ (most fitting)

Common mistakes:

• Submitting a long-form paper to Insights "in case." Insights requires brevity by design, not by truncation.
• Submitting to AER when the contribution is solidly within one subfield. AEJ acceptance is faster, cheaper, and similar in audience for many topics.
• Treating the AEJ family as a fallback after AER rejection. The clock resets; conditional probability of acceptance is unchanged. Submit where the paper actually fits.

Submission Fees

AER charges a submission fee that scales with AEA membership status and country income group. Authors from low- and middle-income countries pay reduced or waived fees. Verify current fee schedule on the AEA submissions page before the corresponding author finalizes the form.

Final Preflight Checklist

• [ ] Abstract ≤ 100 words (run a word count, not a glance)
• [ ] Main text within length limit (≤ 40 pages for AER; word-count for Insights)
• [ ] No "Introduction" heading; introductory material starts on page 1 after title
• [ ] All tables use booktabs rules; captions positioned correctly
• [ ] All figures are vector (PDF / EPS); each has a notes block
• [ ] References complete; in-text citations match bibliography
• [ ] JEL codes selected (primary + secondary)
• [ ] Disclosure Statement PDF prepared for each coauthor
• [ ] Coeditor conflicts disclosed
• [ ] AI usage disclosed if applicable
• [ ] Replication package deposit started (not required at submission but plan it now)
• [ ] If field experiment: AEA RCT Registry entry exists and is referenced
• [ ] Author contributions and acknowledgements present in the title-page footnote
• [ ] No tracked changes, no comments, no draft watermarks in the PDF
• [ ] Single self-contained PDF; supplemental appendix as separate file
• [ ] Corresponding author email and ORCID up to date

After Submission

• Expect 8-12 weeks to first decision for AER (median); shorter for Insights
• Desk rejection: typically within 2-4 weeks
• A "reject and resubmit" (rare) signals interest but requires substantial restructuring
• Track via ScholarOne; do not email the editorial office for status before 12 weeks

Handoff

TARGET VENUE: <AER | AER:Insights | AEJ:...>
LENGTH AUDIT: <pass / fail with details>
FORMAT AUDIT: <pass / fail with details>
COVER LETTER: <none / drafted, <n> words>
DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS: <complete / missing>
CONFLICTS DISCLOSED: <list / none>
REPLICATION DEPOSIT STATUS: <planned / drafted / complete>
READY TO SUBMIT: <yes / no — with blockers>
NEXT SKILL: <none — submit | aer-rebuttal once decision arrives>

Anti-Patterns

• Submitting a manuscript whose abstract is 108 words "but should be fine"
• Including a 600-word cover letter that pitches the paper
• Uploading the LaTeX source as the review PDF
• Listing JEL codes that do not match the paper's content
• Submitting an Insights paper at 7,800 words because it has only two exhibits — the formula gives ≤ 6,600
• Holding the replication deposit until "after acceptance" — the Data Editor delay is now part of the publication timeline