AEJ: Applied Literature Positioning
Frames and sharpens the marginal contribution of applied economics manuscripts against closely related literature for journal submission.
Designed specifically for applied microeconomics researchers targeting top-tier journals like AEJ: Applied and AER, this skill helps authors rigorously stake their marginal academic contribution against existing literature. It guides researchers through the three-paper test, categorizes the paper's core contribution type (answer, design, setting, mechanism, or measurement), and drafts an unassailable 'honest delta' that closest authors and peer reviewers would accept. By steering authors away from literature tour traps and geographical overclaims, it ensures your paper's introduction directly addresses referee skepticism regarding novelty and identification.