Frequently Asked Questions

If AI tools are used in any capacity—for instance, to assist in content creation, coding, or data analysis—it must be disclosed in the cover letter to the editor and mentioned either in the Methods or Acknowledgements section of the manuscript. Please review the section of our Editorial Policy on Authorship for further information: https://revfin.org/editorial-policy/.

Papers previously rejected by the RF cannot be resubmitted. If a previously rejected paper is resubmitted with no cover letter acknowledging this, it will be immediately desk-rejected (with no refund) and a 2-year ban imposed on the authors. If authors submit a paper which is related to a previously rejected paper (but is otherwise a very different paper), they should acknowledge this in the cover letter. If the Editor considers it a sufficiently different paper then it will be reviewed as standard; if not it will be desk rejected with the standard refund.

Authors cannot submit a paper to the RF that is currently under review at another journal, nor submit to another journal a paper that is currently reviewed at the RF (without writing to the Editor to explicitly withdraw the paper). Violations of this policy would be met with a 2-year ban.

To submit using the accelerated review process, please refer to the guidelines provided at https://revfin.org/accelerated-review-process/.

If submitting to a Special Issue, follow the standard submission process and select the relevant special issue option when prompted.

Submission fees are vital to enable the journal to uphold high standards and ensure a smooth process for authors and referees. Free submissions are offered to members of the Editorial Board and to solicited papers. We are unable to waive submission fees in any other circumstances.

You will be able to choose this form of payment during Step 6 of the submission process. If you have technical difficulties, please contact the Editorial Office.

Although we encourage data sharing whenever possible, we understand that it is not always possible. Accepted papers need to contain a data availability statement describing and providing means of access, where possible, by linking to the data or providing the required unique identifier. Where you cannot provide the original data and your analysis contains code, you will need to submit pseudo data to allow your code to be verified. For more information, please refer to the information on this page: https://revfin.org/code-sharing-policy/.

Authors of accepted papers that contain empirical analysis, simulations, numerical computations, or experimental work must provide the programs needed for replication to the Review of Finance. The code should include details needed for other researchers to run it, such as the software packages, programming languages and data formats used, and comments explaining the purpose of each section of the code. For more information, please check the Code Sharing policy at https://revfin.org/code-sharing-policy/.

The journal’s policy is to reach an accept/reject decision at the second round in the majority of cases. If your paper receives an R&R, revising your paper promptly and being responsive to editor and referee feedback can expedite the process.

If you accidentally submitted the wrong version of your paper, notify the Editorial Office immediately, cc’ing the Editor if one has already been assigned. Please note that submissions are considered final and it may not be possible to update your submission.

You can check the status of your submission using the link in the automated email you receive after it is assigned a manuscript number (e.g., MS 0000). If you encounter any issues, contact the Editorial Office for assistance.

To withdraw your paper from the review process, inform the Editorial Office promptly. Withdrawal before an external report has been requested is treated as a desk rejection, while withdrawal after a report has been requested doesn’t qualify for a refund.

If you’ve been waiting over 120 days for a decision, contact the Editorial Office for an update. We’ll aim to respond within two business days.

If you’re dissatisfied with the review outcome, you must wait two weeks before taking any action. If you are still unhappy after this period of time, then review the steps outlined in the Dispute Policy at https://revfin.org/dispute-policy/.

The RF takes editor requests into account but is not always able to accommodate them due to factors such as workload, fit, and conflicts. The actual assignment is at the journal’s discretion.

The Editorial Office aims to process all refunds during the calendar month following the month in which the editorial decision is given. For instance, if the editorial decision is made in January, the refund will usually be processed in February. Please note that this time frame is not guaranteed, and payments may occasionally be delayed.

The Editorial Office aims to process refunds for manuscripts receiving late decisions as soon as possible after the deadline is missed. Please note that this time frame is not guaranteed, and payments may occasionally be delayed.

Please follow the instructions provided at https://revfin.org/accepted-papers/.

The pseudo dataset should mimic the structure of the original dataset, with actual data replaced by random numbers. It’s crucial to maintain identical variable names and formats to facilitate code testing and replication. This ensures that any reader can verify the code’s accuracy and reproducibility.

Pseudo datasets are required only for the main dataset used in primary analyses. Authors need not create them for every raw dataset used in the project, streamlining the process and avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort.

While the number of observations in the pseudo dataset does not need to match exactly, it should be sufficiently large to ensure smooth code execution. Authors should aim for representative sample sizes to make it possible to validate their analyses effectively.

Authors should ensure that their code runs smoothly with the pseudo dataset. This ensures that readers can verify the code’s accuracy and reproduce the reported results without encountering errors. Remember, the pseudo dataset should mirror the structure of the original dataset precisely.

Our conflict of interest policy can be found here: https://revfin.org/conflict-of-interest-policy/ If you have reviewed the policy and are unsure of the right course of action, please contact the Editorial Office.

If you are experiencing technical difficulties submitting your report, contact the Editorial Office promptly for assistance

While generative AI technologies offer interesting possibilities, they should not replace your expert opinion or override your personal judgement. We count on reviewers to uphold the journal’s rigorous standards through their own expertise.

Unfortunately, late reports are not eligible for payment.

For regular submissions and resubmissions, the Editorial Office aims to process all payments during the calendar month following the month in which the editorial decision is given. For instance, if the editorial decision is made in January, the referee will usually be paid in February. Please note that this time frame is not guaranteed, and payments may occasionally be delayed.

Payment can be made via bank transfer, PayPal, or EE credits. The Editorial Office will contact you to ask your preferred payment method.

To update your payment method or bank account details, please contact the Editorial Office.

Individuals who have previously served the RF as a referee are welcome to submit papers.

While there’s no set length, we recommend keeping your report as concise as possible.