Policies for AEA Journals

Copyright and Permissions

Learn about copyright and reprint permissions for AEA publications.

Data and Code Availability Policy

It is the policy of the American Economic Association to publish papers only if the data and code used in the analysis are clearly and precisely documented and access to the data and code is nonexclusive to the authors. View the full Data and Code Availability Policy.

Data Legality Policy

All data used in papers published in journals of the American Economic Association should be legally acquired. View the full Data Legality Policy (effective July 2023).

Disclosure Policy

When submitting papers for peer review, all authors must provide disclosure statements identifying potential conflicts of interest. If authors have nothing to disclose, they are obligated to submit a statement explicitly stating this. View the full Disclosure Policy.

Guidelines for New Editorial Appointments

The Editorial Appointments Committee documents the procedures governing the appointment of coeditors, associate editors, and editorial board members of AEA journals. View the full Guidelines for New Editorial Appointments.

RCT Registry

The American Economic Association maintains a registry for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). It is the policy of the AEA journals that all work involving field experiments must be registered with the AEA RCT Registry prior to submission for publication.

Journal-Specific Editorial Policies

For more specific information on the policies of an individual AEA journal, see the journal's Editorial Policy page.