| name | jep-proposal-and-symposium |
| description | Use when crafting a proposal to the Journal of Economic Perspectives (JEP) editors — a short article proposal or a symposium pitch — since JEP is largely invited and editor-organized. Builds the pitch and its contents; it does not write the full article or run the final submission preflight. |
Proposal & Symposium Pitch (jep-proposal-and-symposium)
When to trigger
- You have a JEP-fit topic (
jep-topic-selection) and need to approach the editors
- You are tempted to write a full unsolicited manuscript (don't — pitch first)
- You want to propose a symposium (a themed cluster of articles)
- An editor invited "a short proposal" and you need to know what goes in it
Why a proposal, not a manuscript
JEP articles are primarily solicited by the editorial team, and even unsolicited ideas should enter as a 2–5 page proposal, not a finished paper (检索于 2026-06；以官网为准). Historically only about 10–15% of published articles originate as unsolicited proposals, so the proposal is the real competition — it must convince the editors that a broad, accessible, balanced article exists here and that you can write it. Send proposals and papers as Word or PDF email attachments to jep@aeapubs.org (re-confirm the address on the official page).
What a single-article proposal contains
A JEP proposal is a persuasive 2–5 page document, not an abstract. Cover, in plain language:
- The question and why it matters now — one paragraph a non-specialist editor grasps immediately (the
jep-topic-selection "why now").
- The synthesis you will deliver — what body of work you will distill and the through-line (not a chapter list). What will a reader understand after reading that they didn't before?
- Three to five takeaways — the memorable points the article will land. This is the spine; if you can't list them, the article isn't ready.
- Balance plan — the competing views/debates you will treat fairly, and the open questions you will flag (signals you are writing synthesis, not advocacy).
- Accessibility plan — how you will keep it readable by 90% of AEA members (intuition over notation; examples; selective evidence).
- Your standing to write it — why you can synthesize this fairly (often your own work plus command of the broader literature).
- Rough shape — approximate length and 2–4 exhibits you envision (not a full outline).
Symposium pitch (the JEP-distinctive move)
A symposium is 3–5 complementary articles on one theme, often by different authors, that together give a rounded view. To propose one:
- Frame the unifying question and why a multi-angle treatment beats a single article.
- Slate the angles (and, if you can, candidate authors) so the set is balanced — including dissenting or contrasting perspectives, not a like-minded panel.
- Differentiate each piece so they complement rather than overlap.
- Acknowledge the editors own the final lineup, framing, and invitations; you are offering a structure they can shape.
Checklist
Anti-patterns
- Submitting a full manuscript instead of a proposal (against JEP's stated preference)
- A proposal that is really an abstract — no through-line, no takeaways, no balance plan
- "I will survey everything" — JEP wants a curated argument, not exhaustive coverage (that's JEL)
- A symposium of like-minded authors that reads as a coordinated campaign, not a balanced conversation
- Over-promising length/scope the article cannot accessibly deliver
Output format
【Pitch type】single article / symposium
【Question + why now】[...]
【Synthesis through-line】[...]
【Takeaways (3–5)】1) … 2) … 3) …
【Balance plan】competing views to treat + open questions to flag
【Accessibility plan】[...]
【Symposium slate (if any)】angle1 / angle2 / angle3 (+ balance note)
【Send to】jep@aeapubs.org (re-confirm) as Word/PDF
【Next step】jep-narrative-arc (build the essay if invited)
