Effective field theories in elementary particle physics

Effective field theories represent one of the main tools to make predictions in elementary particle physics. They are particularly important for the Large Hadron Collider to achieve accurate descriptions of the effects of the strong interactions and are therefore an important ingredient in the search for new physics. In this review article the basic principles of effective field theories are described, and the most important effective field theories used in research are presented. Members of the MPI for Physics have made many contributions in the development and the application of effective field theories.