Post-Publication Discussion

Publication is not the end of scholarly scrutiny. Journal of Economics and Management welcomes substantive comment on what it publishes and provides formal routes for readers to raise questions, disagree with an interpretation, or point out an error.

Routes open to readers

Route What it is for How it works
Letter to the Editor A short, focused comment on a published article: a question of method, an alternative interpretation, or additional evidence. Up to 1,000 words with at most 10 references. Sent to [email protected] with the subject "Letter to the Editor - [DOI]".
Author response The authors' reply to a letter. The authors are given the letter and 30 days to reply. Letter and reply are normally published together.
Commentary A longer, invited piece that develops a debate opened by one or more articles. By invitation of the editors, or by proposal to the Editor-in-Chief.
Correction request A factual error in a published article. Handled under the Correction and Retraction policy.
Ethical concern A suspicion of misconduct. Handled under the Research Misconduct policy, confidentially.

How letters are handled

  1. Receipt is acknowledged within 7 working days.
  2. The editors assess whether the letter is substantive, specific, and civil. Letters that restate the article, pursue a personal dispute, or make allegations without evidence are declined, with reasons.
  3. A letter that raises a point of substance is sent to the authors of the original article, who have 30 days to respond.
  4. Letter and response are published together, each with its own DOI, linked to the original article and to each other.
  5. Where the exchange reveals an error, the matter moves to the correction procedure.

Letters and responses are part of the published record. They are peer reviewed at the editors' discretion and are always read by at least two editors before publication.

Standards for discussion

Comment should address the work and not the person; be specific about the passage, table, or analysis at issue; provide evidence or references for any claim; and be written in a manner the authors could reasonably be expected to answer. The journal does not publish anonymous criticism of named researchers, though concerns raised anonymously about possible misconduct are assessed on their evidence.

Signalling on the article page

Where an article attracts a published letter, correction, expression of concern, or retraction, a label appears on the article page with a link to the notice, together with the article's publication history, so that readers always see the current status of the version of record.

Beyond the journal

The journal monitors discussion of its articles on post-publication platforms such as PubPeer and acts on credible, evidence-based concerns raised there in the same way as concerns received directly. An author who disagrees with the journal's handling of a post-publication matter may appeal under the Peer Review Process, and thereafter refer the case to COPE.