This website uses cookies.

By clicking the "Accept" button or continuing to browse our site, you agree to first-party and session-only cookies being stored on your device to enhance site navigation and analyze site performance and traffic. For more information on our use of cookies, please see our Privacy Policy.

American Economic Association

  1. Home
  2. Resources
  3. JEL Guide
jelCodeGuide

JEL Classification Codes Guide

The guide provides JEL Code application guidelines, keywords, and examples of items within each classification.

The "JEL" classification system originated with the Journal of Economic Literature and is a standard method of classifying scholarly literature in the field of economics. It is used in many of the AEA's published research materials.

Use the guide to gain insight on how JEL Codes are used to classify articles, dissertations, books, book reviews, and working papers. You will also find it is helpful when adding classification codes to your own work.

Click here for printer-friendly formats of the JEL Classification System.

A General Economics and Teaching
B History of Economic Thought, Methodology, and Heterodox Approaches
C Mathematical and Quantitative Methods
D Microeconomics
E Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics
F International Economics
G Financial Economics
H Public Economics
I Health, Education, and Welfare
J Labor and Demographic Economics
K Law and Economics
L Industrial Organization
M Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics
N Economic History
O Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth
P Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems
Q Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics
R Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics
Y Miscellaneous Categories
Z Other Special Topics
Q Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics
Guideline:Covers studies about economic issues pertaining to three closely related fields-agriculture (Q1), natural resources including energy (Q2, Q3, and Q4), and environment and ecology (Q5). Natural resources are divided into three categories, renewable (Q2), nonrenewable (Q3) and energy (Q4). Studies about these topics in the context of economic development should be cross-classified here and under O13. Studies in the context of socialist, transitional, and other economic systems should be cross-classified similarly here and under P32 (if related to agriculture) or P28 (if related to natural resources, energy, or the environment). Studies about these topics in the context of economic systems other than capitalist, socialist, and transitional economies should be classified under P42.
Keywords:
Q00 General
Q000 Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics: General
Guideline: Covers studies about general issues related to agriculture, natural resources, the environment and ecology, including survey articles and textbooks.