Get your Economic Theory paper right the first time: a ready-made structure with the right abstract and citations, so editors see your science, not formatting slips.
4.6
Authored by Sumalatha Gangadhar | Published on 10 August, 2026
Submitting to Economic Theory goes smoothly when your draft already matches the journal's own rules. Editors screen new manuscripts against the Economic Theory guide for authors before peer review, so formatting, structure, and required statements should be right on the first draft rather than repaired during upload. This template sets that structure up for you.
It is a manuscript shell aligned to Economic Theory. It covers front matter, the abstract the journal expects, a body organized to the journal's article types, and a reference list in the journal's required style. Confirm current scope and article types on the Economic Theory journal page before you draft.
Prepare the title, authors, affiliations, and ORCID iDs. Write the abstract to the journal's rule and word limit, organize the body to the article type, and apply the required reference style from the first citation. Complete every declaration (ethics, competing interests, funding, data availability) the Economic Theory guide for authors lists, and cite figures and tables in order.
The common failure modes are formatting or reference style that does not match the guide for authors, missing required statements, and an incomplete portal checklist. Clear all three against the Economic Theory guide for authors before you submit.
The shell mirrors what editorial staff check first: article-type fit, the abstract rules, required declarations, and the journal's reference style. For more detail see the author resources. When your draft is ready, upload it through Editorial Manager.
| Element | Econ Theory requirement |
|---|---|
| Abstract | Unstructured abstract of 150 to 250 words required. The abstract should not contain any undefined abbreviations or unspecified references. No specific headings or structured format required |
| Main text | Organize sections for the chosen article type; no single overall word limit is stated in the accessible guide |
| Declarations | Ethics approval/consent as applicable; competing interests; funding; data availability |
| Figures/tables | Publication-ready; cited in order |
| Supplemental | Upload separately when used |
| Keywords | 4 to 6 keywords required for indexing purposes. An appropriate number of JEL (Journal of Economic Literature) classification codes should also be provided |
| References | Name-year citation style (Harvard-style variant). Cite references in text by name and year in parentheses (e.g., Thompson 1990). Reference list entries should be alphabetized by last names of first author. Journal abbreviations should follow ISSN List of Title Word Abbreviations. DOIs should be included as full DOI links when available |
| Peer review | Single-blind peer review. The journal states: 'Under no circumstances will the identity of the reviewer(s) and referee(s) be disclosed to the author(s) or to any other third party not involved in the editorial process.' Author names and affiliations are included on the title page, indicating reviewers know author identities (single-blind) rather than double-anonymous peer review |
| Submission | www.editorialmanager.com/ECTH |
Read the Economic Theory guide for authors once before drafting and once before upload. Draft the abstract after results are stable. Set the reference style before adding citations. Keep a cover letter that states your contribution and fit to Economic Theory in under a page.
Skim two or three recent Econ Theory papers to calibrate depth and figure style. Make the novelty clear in the first two pages. Deposit data and code when the policy on the Economic Theory journal page requires it. Disclose any preprint or conference version with identifiers in the cover letter.
Do one focused pass against the Economic Theory guide for authors: scope, length, reference style, required declarations, and figure quality. Then submit through Editorial Manager.