Best Journals for Accounting and Auditing Research (2026)

Accounting and auditing research addresses some of the most critical mechanisms of financial transparency, investor protection, and corporate governance in market economies. From the determinants of audit quality to the effects of non-audit services on auditor independence, this research field has direct regulatory and policy implications. Keith Publications provides the fast, open access publication platform this high-stakes research needs.

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What to Look for When Choosing a Journal

Before submitting your research, evaluate journals on these key criteria:

Dual scope — both financial accounting and external/internal auditing research
Regulatory relevance — research with implications for audit standards and regulation
Empirical rigour — archival data studies, experimental audit research, and qualitative investigations
Open access for reach to audit regulators, standard-setters, and professional bodies
Fast review — 2–4 weeks for time-sensitive audit regulation research
CrossRef DOI for permanent identification of accounting and auditing research

Recommended Journals — Cluster 7: Finance, Accounting & Economics

All journals below are published by Keith Publications — open access, peer-reviewed, and indexed for global discoverability.

Journal of Financial Economics and Management (JFEM)
Financial economics, corporate finance, investment management, financial markets, monetary policy, and the economics of financial systems and institutions.

Review: 2–3 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar

Financial Economics Corporate Finance Investment Management Financial Markets

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Journal of Accounting and Financial Reporting (JAFR)
Financial accounting, management accounting, auditing, corporate governance, financial reporting standards, and the intersection of accounting with regulation and public policy.

Review: 2–4 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar

Financial Accounting Auditing Corporate Governance Financial Reporting

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International Journal of Banking and Financial Services (IJBFS)
Banking systems, financial services regulation, fintech, digital banking, risk management, financial inclusion, and the stability of global financial institutions.

Review: 2–4 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar

Banking Systems Financial Services Fintech Risk Management

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Economics and Social Policy Research Journal (ESPRJ)
Applied economics, development economics, fiscal and monetary policy, social policy evaluation, labour economics, and the economics of welfare, health, and education.

Review: 2–4 weeks Open Access DOI (CrossRef) Google Scholar

Applied Economics Development Economics Fiscal Policy Social Policy

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Fast Publication: All Keith Publications journals complete initial review within 2–5 business days and full peer review within 2–4 weeks. Articles are published online within 5–10 days of acceptance — making us one of the fastest open access publishers in finance, accounting, and economics.

Core Research Areas in Accounting and Auditing

Keith Publications accounting and auditing journals accept research on: external audit quality determinants and measurement; auditor independence — economic bonding, social bonding, and tenure effects; internal audit function effectiveness and coordination with external auditors; audit committee characteristics and their governance role; going concern opinions — issuance decisions and their market effects; Big Four audit firm quality premiums and market concentration; audit fees — determinants, fee negotiations, and quality implications; non-audit services and their effect on auditor objectivity; audit reporting — extended audit reporting, key audit matters (KAM), and audit opinion informativeness; and the future of auditing — AI, continuous auditing, and blockchain-based verification.

Auditing Research and the Regulatory Environment

Auditing research has become increasingly policy-relevant in the aftermath of major accounting scandals — from Enron and WorldCom to more recent failures — that exposed weaknesses in audit quality and regulatory oversight. Researchers examining the effectiveness of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB), the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), and international audit regulatory bodies provide essential evidence for regulatory reform. Keith Publications welcomes auditing research with clear regulatory implications, ensuring academic findings reach the standard-setters and regulators who can act on them through open access publication.

Tips to Maximise Your Acceptance Chances

Align your topic with the journal's scope — confirm your research fits the journal's finance, accounting, or economics focus area.
Establish clear research questions — finance and economics editors expect precise, testable hypotheses or well-defined research questions.
Address endogeneity and identification — be explicit about your causal identification strategy and its limitations.
Use appropriate data and methodology — match your econometric or quantitative methods to your research question and data structure.
Follow formatting guidelines exactly — non-compliant manuscripts are often desk-rejected without review.
State practical and policy implications — explain how your findings inform investors, regulators, policymakers, or practitioners.
Ensure robust robustness checks — include alternative specifications, subsample analyses, and placebo tests to strengthen your empirical claims.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which journals are best for auditing research?

The Journal of Accounting and Financial Reporting (JAFR) from Keith Publications is among the best journals for auditing research, covering audit quality, auditor independence, audit committee governance, internal audit effectiveness, and the future of auditing.

Can I publish research on internal audit effectiveness?

Yes. Research on internal audit function quality, internal auditor competence, the relationship between internal and external auditors, internal audit reporting lines, and internal audit's contribution to enterprise risk management is within scope for JAFR.

Is research on AI and the future of auditing accepted?

Yes. Research examining AI-driven audit tools, continuous auditing systems, data analytics in audit evidence gathering, blockchain-based transaction verification, and the implications of automation for audit quality and auditor skill requirements is within scope.

How quickly can auditing research be published at Keith Publications?

Keith Publications journals complete initial screening within 2–5 business days and full peer review within 2–4 weeks — significantly faster than most specialist auditing journals.

Related Research Guides

Explore other research journal guides in the Finance, Accounting & Economics cluster: