Ectj Topic Selection

---
name: ectj-topic-selection
description: Use when deciding whether an econometrics paper fits The Econometrics Journal's leading-case, applied-value bar rather than Journal of Econometrics, Econometric Theory, Quantitative Economics, Review of Economics and Statistics, or a field journal.
---

# EctJ Topic Selection

Use this before drafting. EctJ is not a generic repository for any econometric technique; it
asks for original econometrics with direct or potential applied value and a leading-case
contribution.

## Fit test

- Prefer EctJ when the paper gives a path-breaking or leading-case method, estimator, test,
  identification result, or applied-econometrics design that can travel beyond one narrow
  dataset.
- Require an empirical application even for theory papers; do not treat Monte Carlo evidence
  as a substitute for applied relevance.
- Route to Econometric Theory if the contribution is almost entirely formal and needs longer
  theorem development.
- Route to Journal of Econometrics if the paper is broader, longer, or more exhaustive than
  EctJ's compact format supports.
- Route to a field journal if the econometric novelty is mainly a tool for a substantive
  economics result.

## Output format

```text
[Fit] strong EctJ / possible EctJ / better elsewhere
[Leading case] <methodological or applied-econometrics advance>
[Applied value] <empirical domain and why it matters>
[Routing risk] <too narrow, too theoretical, too empirical, too long>
[Next action] <theory, application, framing, or venue switch>
```