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RFS FAQ

How do I contact RFS?

Please see the Contact page.

I just received a rejection letter that was based on what I believe to be an inaccurate or misleading referee report. Should I call the Editor?

No. You should read the journal’s Appeals Policy.

 How are the winners of the Michael J. Brennan Best Paper Award selected?

The prize winners are chosen by the entire editorial board (which includes our Associate Editors, as well as the Editors and the Executive Editor). Virtually everyone votes in the election, which involves first a nomination stage and then an election amongst the top nominated papers. All votes go through and are only seen by the journal’s Managing Editor. Those voting for the awards cannot see any of the submitted ballots or receive information regarding who votes or for what paper.

How is the winner of the Rising Scholar Award selected?

Similar to the Best Paper Award, the entire editorial board votes on the list of eligible papers. All votes go through and are only seen by the journal’s Managing Editor. For more details about the award, please see the Rising Scholar page.

How is the winner of the Referee of the Year Award selected?

The journal’s Managing Editor produces a report that includes the number of papers reviewed by each referee in the prior year along with the average grade the reviews received. Using this as a starting point, the Editors and Executive Editor hold a joint discussion regarding whom to award the prize to. This discussion continues through several rounds until a consensus emerges. There may or may not be a formal vote depending on the degree of disagreement among the Editors. Ultimately the Executive Editor can, if he wishes, unilaterally select the award winner. This authority, however, has not been exercised in the recent past.

Who won awards this year? What about prior years?

Please see our Awards page.

What is RFS’s relationship to the Society for Financial Studies?

The Society for Financial Studies is a California non-profit that owns RFS. Among other things, its officers select the journal’s Executive Editor, vote on proposed changes to the by-laws, and manage the funds related to the journal’s operations. However, all editorial decisions are made by the journal’s Editors with the ultimate responsibility lying with its Executive Editor.