Applied Economics Teaching Resources

an AAEA Journal

Agricultural and Applied Economics Association

Submission Guidelines

Applied Economics Teaching Resources (AETR) is an online, open access, and peer-reviewed journal. The aim of the journal is to provide an inclusive outlet for research, teaching and Extension education scholarship encompassing but not limited to research articles, case studies, classroom games, commentaries, experiential learning, and pedagogy.  The goal is to support and advance teaching and Extension education within the scholarly areas of agricultural and applied economics, and agribusiness economics and management. AETR seeks to publish articles that are diverse in both scope and authorship. It serves as a platform for addressing and contributing to our understanding of important societal issues, including inequality and discrimination, as well as how shifts in pedagogy (e.g., growing reliance on remote and hybrid learning modalities) may impact accessibility and inclusion.

The journal is online and open access through Agecon Search. All submissions are double-blind peer-reviewed and held to the high standards exhibited in the agricultural and applied economics profession. The scope of the journal extends to teaching and education contributions and materials for undergraduate and graduate education, as well as Extension and adult education. AETR seeks the following types of contributions:

  1. Case Studies in all areas of applied and agricultural economics, and agribusiness economics and management for use in the classroom and for Extension education.
  2. Teaching and Extension education scholarship and research
  3. Classroom and field educational innovation(s) (e.g. classroom games, online teaching tools, Extension applications, decision aides, experiential learning activities, and other interactive learning innovations)
  4. Teaching and education commentaries (e.g. notes on pedagogy, evaluations of teaching effectiveness, curriculum development, and educational methodology).

The journal has a managing editor and an editorial board consisting of six AAEA members from the AAEA sections in Agribusiness Economics and Management (AEM); Teaching, Learning, and Communications (TLC); Extension Section (EXT); and at large. The journal, as well as any supplementary material are distributed through AgEcon Search. Authors will be able to track impacts through both anonymous, open-access downloads on AgEconSearch and controlled access to instructor downloads of teaching notes and supplementary materials that are reported to authors at the end of each calendar year.

1.0 Submissions to AETR

Thank-you for choosing to submit your manuscript to AETR. Following the instructions below will ensure that we have everything required for consideration, so your manuscript can move through the peer review in a timely process. Please take the time to read through the instructions before submitting your manuscript. For the initial submission of a manuscript, we are more relaxed on the formatting of the manuscript, but a submission should include at least a cover letter, title page, and manuscript. Subsequent submission will require that the manuscript be formatted per the additional guidelines outlined below.

1.1 Guidelines and Review Process

All submissions receive a double-blind peer review assigned by the Editor. The Editor will review the submission, obtain external peer reviews, evaluate the external reviews, make a decision on the suitability of the manuscript, and work with the author(s) during the submission process. Each submission will be evaluated by at least two peer reviewers.

Reviewers are asked to be specific about their evaluations of manuscripts and to provide comments and suggestions for improving manuscripts.  We ask that reviewers provide an overview of the article, answers to the questions asked below, as well as general and specific comments they have about the manuscript. Reviewers will submit their reviews through the journal submission system, which can be found at: https://aetr.expressacademic.org/login.php or using the links in the review request email sent to them from AETR.  If a reviewer is unable to access or submit through the submission system, then can instead directly email their review to the editor at aetr.editor@gmail.com.

Reviewers will address the following questions in addition to a thorough critique of the manuscript:

  1. Is the problem, issue, or question clearly stated?
  2. Is the problem of interest to AETR readers?
  3. Are the objectives clearly stated?
  4. Are the methodologies or practices appropriate and adequately described?
  5. Is the manuscript well structured?
  6. Is the manuscript well written from a technical editing perspective?

Reviewers are asked to provide one of the following recommendations:

  1. Accept with no revision
  2. Conditionally accept with minor revision
  3. Resubmit with minor revision
  4. Resubmit with major revision
  5. Unacceptable for AETR readers.

Author(s) are required to respond to reviewers’ and the Editor’s evaluations and their concerns or inquiries, noting where changes were made in the manuscript (with pages and line numbers). A tracked version of edits and changes should be submitted, as well. If no change is made, a rationale for not changing the text or analysis needs to be provided to the reviewers and Editor. When resubmitting a manuscript, authors should submit through the online submission system at: https://aetr.expressacademic.org/login.php or https://www.aetrjournal.org/contribute/submit-a-manuscript.

1.2 Submission Types

Types of articles pertaining to agricultural and applied economics, agribusiness economics and management, and Extension education that will be accepted include:

1.2.1 Research Article

AETR accepts submissions that are research-based and advance our scholarly knowledge of best practices and learning in an education or Extension setting.  Manuscripts must be original theoretical, empirical, or case study efforts. Submissions should be logically structured and have robust methodology containing references, figures, tables, and/or graphs. Any research involving human subjects will require appropriate documentation of IRB or similar approval as outlined in section 2.0. Additional approvals or verifications may be requested based on the manuscript submitted, including details about informed consent and compliance with FERPA.

1.2.2 Teaching and Educational Methods

AETR accepts submissions for teaching and educational methods that enhance or improve the educational experience of participants. Methods should be related to classroom teaching and educational innovations in one or more teaching modalities (i.e., in-person, remote, synchronous, asynchronous). Examples of methods include new classroom games, online teaching tools, new hardware, remote learning approaches, hybrid learning tools and methods, experiential learning activities, and curriculum development. Prior to submission of a teaching or educational method, it should be classroom trialed. The author(s) needs to provide documentation and comment on trial experiences. The manuscript should have a discussion section on practical application of the method. For methods submissions the following may be required: pertinent materials (e.g. worksheets, computer programs, and in-class directions) and teaching notes (please see section 1.3 on teaching notes), which pertain to implementation and assessment of the methods being examined. In addition, any other supplementary material the author(s) want to include with the submission is highly encouraged. All teaching notes and supplementary material will be made available through AgEcon Search. However, author(s) will have the option to make these materials available by request only and accessible only by instructors and related professionals. In this case, materials will be made available directly through the AETR web page. Any research involving human subjects will require appropriate documentation of IRB or similar approval as outlined in section 2.0. Additional approvals or verifications may be requested based on the manuscript submitted, including details about informed consent and compliance with FERPA.

1.2.3 Extension Education

AETR accepts submissions for Extension educational methods. Methods should be related to information dissemination, presentation and educational innovations in the field that enhance or improve the Extension educational experience of participants. Examples of methods include Extension applications, decision aides, online teaching tools, new software applications (e.g. learning games), and programmatic development opportunities. Prior to submission of an Extension educational method, it should be field and/or classroom trialed. The authors need to provide documentation and comment on trial experiences. The manuscript should have a discussion section on practical application of the method. For methods submissions the following may be required: pertinent materials (e.g., worksheets, computer programs, and in-class directions) and teaching notes (please see section 1.3 on teaching notes), which pertain to implementation and assessment of the methods being examined. All teaching notes and supplementary material will be made available through AgEcon Search. However, author(s) will have the option to make these materials available by request only and accessible only by instructors and related professionals. In this case, materials will be made available directly through the AETR web page. Any research involving human subjects will require appropriate documentation of IRB or similar approval as outlined in section 2.0. Additional approvals or verifications may be requested based on the manuscript submitted, including details about informed consent and compliance with FERPA.

1.2.4 Case Studies

AETR accepts case study submissions. The case study should be written for educational purposes, which addresses a decision-making problem, as well as include specific learning objectives and discussion questions. Teaching notes (please see section 1.3 on teaching notes) are required at the time of submission. In addition, an accompanying teaching video (i.e. highlighting the importance of the case study by the authors) is encouraged. All teaching notes, videos, and supplementary material will be available through AgEcon Search. Author(s) will have the option to make these materials by request only and accessible only by instructors and related professionals. In this case, materials will be made available directly through the AETR web page. All case studies are reviewed by scholars experienced in either writing and/or using case studies. We highly encourage the testing of the case study in an educational setting prior to submission. Additional comments and documentation of the trial implementation may be incorporated into the teaching note. If actual names of individuals or organizations are used in a case study, the individuals or organizations should consider obtaining permission for use of names and any identifying information about individuals or organizations, making them also aware of the publication’s copyright agreement. The editor may ask for documentation about this based on the nature of the cases study and public availability of information.  Authors are also responsible for assuring that any needed human subjects’ approvals are obtained.

1.2.5 Teaching and Education Commentaries

ATER accepts submissions for teaching and educational commentaries, which can include notes or short commentaries on pedagogy, practices in teaching, academics, evaluations of teaching effectiveness, educational methodology, curriculum development, Extension programming efforts and reviews of methods. In addition, we will accept submissions of commentaries on reviews and evaluations of agricultural and applied economics textbooks for use in the classroom. We encourage the submission of commentaries on open-access textbooks and similar materials. Commentaries are limited to 2000 words (excluding references). Commentaries will be primarily reviewed by Editorial Board Members, but external reviewers may be asked to review a submission when it is deemed appropriate by the Editor. Submissions that provide reviews and content overviews on substantive issues, new ideas, and meta-analyses will also be considered and not restricted to the 2000-word count.

1.2.6 Themed Sections or Feature Articles

AETR will accept and invite authors to submit feature articles and themed sections that contain multiple articles on a featured topic. Authors may propose a featured article or themed section for an issue by emailing a proposal to the managing editor at aetr.editor@gmail.com. Proposals for feature articles should include up to a one-page extended abstract motivating the article, stating the purpose of the article, and indicating the significance of potential findings or discussion for the profession. Proposals for a themed section or special issue should submit a two-page proposal indicating the theme of the proposed section or central issue of the special issue; motivation; and significance for the profession, as well as indicate the titles and authors for the proposed manuscripts. All manuscripts for feature articles, themed sections, and special issues will go through the regular review process.    

1.2.7 Online Teaching Database

AETR welcomes submissions of teaching notes, instructional materials, active learning exercises, classroom games, and case studies to be posted online for open access. Author(s) may feel that such materials are too interactive or may not be conducive to a traditional article type submission. The online teaching database provides a place for open access of these materials. Author(s) will have the option to make these materials password protected and accessible only by instructors and related professionals.

Materials submitted for the online teaching database will be peered reviewed. All submissions must include a statement discussing the teaching, educational material, or innovation being submitted. The statement must describe the submitted material and its significance for advancing teaching and educational methods. The note must not be longer than 500 words in length. If a website is linked to the material being submitted, be sure to include this within the note.

Author(s) submitting materials for the online teaching database agree to ensure that material remains relevant and is updated. The Editor will notify author(s) if material is linked to other websites and/or has not been updated. In the case that the website is no longer accessible or the material is out-of-date, the Editor will remove the material from the online database. 

1.3 Teaching Notes

When teaching notes are required or submitted with other submissions, the notes should include the following:

Statement of Purpose and Objectives: Identify the specific purpose and learning outcomes for the activity, tool, or case. What are the specific learning objectives and main topics to be considered?

Intended Audience: Identify the target audience for the activity, tool, or case (e.g. undergraduate, and/or professional).

Teaching Strategy Statement: Provide details about the key concepts or processes examined by the activity, tool, or case; suggested strategies for presentation and use; discussion questions and strategies; assessment tools; and use of any possible audiovisual/online/computer resources. In this section, identify any references or support material, which could be used to further maximizing the benefit and use of the activity, tool, or case.

Activity Statement: If applicable, provide a detailed outline of how the activity, tool, or case should be used in an instructional setting. Create a list of questions and assignments, which could be presented along with the activity, tool, or case; along with an outline of the key answer points.

Research Statement: If appropriate, provide a description of the research process followed for collecting the presented material along with a clear indication of research results.

Other Supplementary Material: Provide any other pertinent information for users of the activity, tool, or case.

1.4 Submission Conditions

AETR will not consider submissions and online resources in the teaching database that have been published previously or submitted elsewhere simultaneously. Author(s) are responsible for obtaining permissions from the copyright owner for any quotations, illustrations, or tables.

For ensuring academic and research integrity, all submissions will undergo an originality check for content using Turnitin (https://www.turnitin.com/). If a submitted manuscript is determined to involve plagiarism, it will not be considered for publication or author(s) will be required to remove plagiarism. The Editor may document and report these allegations to the appropriate officials of the author(s)’s home institution.

1.5 Submissions by the Editor or Editorial Board Members

To ensure the absolute integrity of the AETR review process, AETR implements the following two measures to handle submissions listing either the Editor or Editorial Board Member as author(s):

  1. A past Editor or an Editorial Board Member will serve as the Guest Editor of any research manuscript submitted, which lists the Editor as an author.
  2. Editorial Board Member(s) listed as author(s) on a submission will not participate in any deliberations concerning the submission.

2.0 Manuscript Submission

Submissions are managed by the AETR FastTrack Submission System: https://aetr.expressacademic.org/login.php or https://www.aetrjournal.org/contribute/submit-a-manuscript. Please follow the online instructions for your submission.

Submissions should include a (1) cover letter, (2) separate title page, and an (3) anonymized copy of the submission for peer review. When submitting these documents during the initial submission you are only provided a link for one combined document file. You can either submit a zipped document or folder that contains all needed documents or only submit the anonymized manuscript. After the initial submission is complete, you can then upload the additional documents. If you do run into issues uploading any needed documents, please reference your submission number and directly email these documents to aetr.editor@gmail.com.

The cover letter should indicate (i) objective and significance of the submission; (ii) a statement that the material in the submission is original, not published elsewhere, and not submitted simultaneously for publication elsewhere; and (iii) disclosures of any conflicts of interest.

Human Subjects Research: Please indicate in your cover letter that your research, if applicable, adheres to pertinent policies and regulations at the federal, state, and university level for data involving human subjects, youth, and at-risk groups. Human subjects data include survey data, interview data, academic data, grades, and student comments. Author(s) must indicate they have received approval from all appropriate Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) or equivalent institutional oversight authorities.  In addition, authors must provide an IRB or similar approval number and letter if applicable. The AETR will not publish results involving deception of human subjects. The Editor may grant an exception if a well-documented justification is provided.

FERPA: Research involving student data (e.g. grades) that are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) must abide by federal, state and university policies regarding such data.  Authors must indicate in their cover letter if data is protected under FERPA and that they have received proper authorizations and/or informed consent for use of these data. Any documentation that supports such authorization or informed consent (e.g. approval letter or informed consent document) should be included with the submission.

Statement of Inclusivity: AETR highly encourages the use of inclusive language to acknowledge diversity, convey respect to all people, to be aware of differences, and promote equal opportunities. Content of submissions should make no assumptions about the beliefs or commitments of any reader; contain nothing which might imply that one individual is superior to another on the grounds of age, gender, race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, disability or health condition; and try to use inclusive language throughout the manuscript. Authors should ensure that writing is free from bias, stereotypes, slang, reference to dominant culture and/or cultural assumptions. We advise authors to use neutral plural nouns ("faculty, instructors, professionals, students," etc.) as default/wherever possible instead of using "he, she," or "he/she."

2.1. Formatting Instructions

For first submissions please include line and page numbers on the manuscript, otherwise formatting is do-it-your-way, with the following formatting instructions serving as a suggestion. If accepted, the final version must follow the formatting instructions.

2.1.1 File Format

New submissions are accepted as a PDF or a Microsoft WORD file. Please submit manuscripts that are resubmissions as a WORD file.

2.1.2 Title Page

In the online submission process, a separate title page must be attached. The title page should include: (1) full title; (2) author(s) full names, positions and affiliations; (3) corresponding author’s name, address, phone number, and email address; (4) any acknowledgements. Acknowledgements should include information about human subjects’ approval, conflicts of interests, and financial support for the research conducted. A Human Subjects approval statement should indicate the entity (e.g. Office, IRB) providing review and approval; university name; and application/project number. Financial support should explicitly indicate the funding agency, grant (or proposal) title, and award number.

2.1.3 Submission Preparation

First Page: On the first page include: (1) the full title, (2) an abstract not exceeding 200 words; (3) a keyword list, maximum of six; and (4) JEL codes. The keywords should be placed after the abstract, listed alphabetically, and be separated by commas.

For a blind review, author(s) are not to be identified on the first page or in any footers and headers.

Formatting: Submissions are to be double spaced (including footnotes and references). Use 1-inch margins and 12-point Times Roman or a similar font on 8.5” by 11” letter-sizing. Use appendices for supplementary text, tables, figures, or materials to keep the manuscript concise. Supplementary material of an accepted submission will be posted online.

Headings: Please assure that at least one sentence of text occurs between any two headings (in particular, a section heading should be followed by at least some text preceding any subsection heading). Align left all headings and subheadings. Do not indent the first paragraph after a heading. Provide short headings for each section and subsection. Primary Headings should be bolded. Number headings in the following manner: Use whole numbers for main headings (e.g. 1 Introduction, 2 Background, and 3 Data); use one decimal for second-level sub-headings (e.g. 3.1 Survey Methods); use a second decimal for third-level sub-headings (e.g. 3.1.1 Choice Experiment). Do not go beyond third-level sub-headings.

General Style: Follow the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition, by the University of Chicago Press, 2010. Spell out the word “percent” in the text instead of using the “%” sign.

Mathematical Notation: Use only essential mathematical notation. Equations are numbered and appear in the correct location in the submission. All equations should be centered, and the equation number should be placed in parentheses and right-justified. Please use a standard formula editor or the formula editor in WORD (preferred). Do not use text boxes containing equations formatted in a different program. Leave a single blank line before and after an equation. Please simplify notation to aid in readers’ understanding.

Tables and Figures: All tables and figures should contain sufficient information enabling self-explanation. Place all tables and figures as they are to appear in the submission. They can be single spaced but must have a minimum font size of 12. Large tables can be presented as supplementary material. Each table/figure must be referred in the text and have a title. Align Tables/Figures left with no text wrapping. Color fonts that contrast well against a white background are acceptable. Tables are to contain no vertical lines, shading, or patterns; and hide gridlines. Author(s) are encouraged to create colored figures. Vertical alignment of cells in tables should be centered and if containing decimals, decimal aligned. Leave at least one blank line before and after a table. Use lowercase English letters to attach footnotes to specific items within a table and place the footnotes below the bottom line of the table in (un-indented) paragraph form. For general explanatory notes, use the heading “Note: … .” The “Note:” paragraph may define the use of asterisks (e.g., * or **) to denote statistical significance levels.

Data and Documentation: Data sources should be clearly indicated in the submission and made available for replication purposes if so desired by the Editor, reviewers, and/or readers.

References and Citations: Place references, alphabetized by author, in a list at the end of the submission. Single-space references with a blank line between references. Provide issue number whenever possible and always for journals that do not number pages sequentially through complete volumes. Format references with no indentations. Only cited works may be included in the reference list. All citations should appear in the text and contain the authors name(s) and year. Text citations should omit any comma or other punctuation between the author(s)’s name(s) and year of publication, e.g. (Davis 1999); but include a comma if a page number is used, e.g. (Davis 1999, p. 8). If the author(s)’s name is used as part of a sentence, include the year parenthetically; e.g. Davis and Smith (2010). Use et al. only with three or more authors. For text citations listing more than one source, separate sources by a semicolon: (Davis 1999; Davis and Smith 2010; Doe et al. 2017) and order them chronologically. Do not use et al. in the reference section.

For reference style, please follow the style format for the American Journal of Agricultural Economics. A style guide can be found at: https://academic.oup.com/DocumentLibrary/ajae/AJAE%20Citation%20Guide.pdf.

3.0 Publication

AETR is published online by AgEcon Search. An e-mail will be sent to confirm the completion of the review process and acceptance of the submission. The final accepted version of the manuscript should be submitted as a Microsoft WORD document. Once accepted for publication, the manuscript cannot be substantially modified. Minor corrections are allowed, but cannot replace any original text. Changes and revisions of a more substantial nature will result in a new submission and peer review process. Upon acceptance, changes in authorship will also not be allowed. Once a manuscript is accepted, author(s) will sign the AETR publication license form and provide the AETR with the final version of the manuscript. The corresponding author will receive page proofs for final inspection before publication and is responsible for the accuracy of the proofs.

3.1 Publication Costs

Staring January 1, 2023, all manuscripts submitted on or after this date to AETR will be charged an article processing charge (APC) if accepted. The APC for an accepted manuscript will be:

  • $500 for AAEA members,
  • $750 for authors who are not members of AAEA; and
  • $250 for authors from lower income and lower-middle income countries; early career and young professionals; graduate students; and faculty and instructors at primary teaching institutions (e.g. community colleges, small 4-year primary teaching institutions, etc.).

Waivers of the APC for authors from lower income and lower-middle income countries, graduate students, and authors at institutions with limited funding will be considered on a case-by-case basis. To request a waiver, please include a justification for the waiver in your cover letter for the waiver and indicate you are requesting a waiver in the “Comments to the Editor” when submitting your manuscript.

3.2 Copyright

Authors of accepted manuscripts will agree to the following copyright conditions prior to publication.

In submitting a work for publication in AETR, the author(s) certify:

  • The article or work is an original work and does not infringe on any existing copyright or any other third-party rights. The author(s) warrants that no part of the article or work is copied from any other work and the author(s) has obtained all the permissions required (for print or electronic use) for any material in the article used from other copyrighted publications.
  • The article or work contains no previously published material (in print or electronic format) except in working paper series and is not currently under consideration by another publication. The author(s) will immediately withdraw any publication consideration of the article elsewhere.
  • The author(s) has exercised reasonable care to ensure the article or work is accurate and does not contain anything libelous, obscene, copyright infringement, right of privacy, or other rights. The article or work contains nothing, which would, if published, constitute a breach of contract, confidence or commitment given to secrecy.
  • The author(s) will not submit the article or work for publication to any other publication following acceptance in AETR.
  • The author(s) of the article or work has the full authority to enter into this agreement and granting rights to the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) and Applied Economics Teaching Resources to publish the article. In addition, the authors are not in breach of any other obligation.

The author(s) agree to the following license agreement: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ (Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-Share Alike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.)).

This license agreement in summary permits the author(s):

  • To allow readers to copy or redistribute the material or article in any medium or format, as well as adapt (remix, transform, and build upon) the material in the article, under the following conditions:
    • The author(s) and AETR must receive appropriate credit.
    • No commercial use of the material or article.
    • The same licensing agreement as the original work holds for derivatives of the material and/or article.
    • Statutory fair use and other rights are not affected by these conditions.

The author(s) authorizes AAEA to act on their behalf to defend the copyright in the article if anyone should infringe it.

All accepted research articles or work involving human subjects requires formal approval by an authorized Institutional Review Board (IRB) or similar entity. If the research article or work involved human subject research, please provide the primary institution IRB approval and the official IRB approval number or similar identification.

All accepted article or work will be published online. The primary articles and supplementary material will be housed on Ag Econ Search, while materials requiring password protection will be housed by AAEA. The author(s) agree to the following license conditions for Ag Econ Search:

  • By depositing the article (“Content”) in AgEcon Search, the author(s) agree that they are solely responsible for any consequences of uploading this Content to AgEcon Search and making it publicly available, and they represent and warrant that:
    • They are the sole creator and the owner of the copyrights and all other rights in the Content and have the right to deposit the Content in an archive such as AgEcon Search.
    • To the extent that any portions of the Content are not their own creation, they are used with the copyright holder’s express permission or as permitted by law. Additionally, the Content does not infringe the copyrights or other intellectual property rights of another, nor does the Content violate any laws or another’s rights of privacy or publicity.
    • The Content contains no restricted, private, confidential, or otherwise protected data or information that should not be publicly shared.
    • They understand that AgEcon Search will do its best to provide perpetual access to their Content. In order to support these efforts, they grant the Regents of the University of Minnesota ("University"), through AgEcon Search, the following non-exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free, world-wide rights and licenses: to access, reproduce, distribute and publicly display the Content, in whole or in part, in order to secure, preserve and make it publicly available, and to make derivative works based upon the Content in order to migrate the Content to other media or formats, or to preserve its public access.
    • These terms do not transfer ownership of the copyright(s) in the Content. These terms only grant to the University the limited license outlined above.

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