World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!
Journal of the ACM
H-index 23

Journal of the ACM

0004-5411

Published by: ACM

https://dl.acm.org/journal/jacm

Ranking & Metrics

Discipline name Position Best Scientists Publications D-Index
Computer Science 242 84 91 23

Additional Metrics

Number of Best Scientists*: 93
Documents by Best Scientists*: 94
Top 100 Ranked Scientists*: 3
SCIMAGO H-index: 146
SCIMAGO SJR: 2.246
Impact Factor: 2.5

Overview

Top Research Topics at Journal of the ACM?

The journal mainly deals with areas of study such as Discrete mathematics, Combinatorics, Algorithm, Theoretical computer science and Mathematical optimization. While Discrete mathematics is the focus of it, it also provided insights into the studies of Polynomial, Algebra and Bounded function. The studies in Combinatorics featured incorporate elements of Upper and lower bounds and Set (abstract data type).

It features Theoretical computer science research that overlaps with concepts in Programming language.

  • Discrete mathematics (28.11%)
  • Combinatorics (24.68%)
  • Algorithm (16.29%)

What are the most cited papers published in the journal?

  • Authoritative sources in a hyperlinked environment (7594 citations)
  • Scheduling Algorithms for Multiprogramming in a Hard-Real-Time Environment (5133 citations)
  • Robust principal component analysis (4926 citations)

Research areas of the most cited articles at Journal of the ACM:

The most cited publications primarily focus on research topics in Discrete mathematics, Combinatorics, Algorithm, Theoretical computer science and Mathematical optimization. While Discrete mathematics is the focus of the journal papers, it also provides insights into the studies of Polynomial, Algebra and Approximation algorithm. The studies tackled in the most cited publications, which mainly focus on Combinatorics, apply to Set (abstract data type) as well.

What topics the last edition of the journal is best known for?

  • Programming language
  • Algorithm
  • Artificial intelligence

The previous edition focused in particular on these issues:

The aim of the journal is to expand the discussion of research in Discrete mathematics, Combinatorics, Time complexity, Theoretical computer science and Topology. While work presented in the journal provided substantial information on Discrete mathematics, it also covered topics in Distributed algorithm, Lattice problem and Universality (philosophy). Upper and lower bounds, Competitive analysis and Surface (mathematics) are some topics wherein Combinatorics research discussed in the journal have an impact.

The journal explores issues in Time complexity which can be linked to other research areas like Ring (mathematics), Numerical stability, Bounded function, Grammar and String (computer science). Topics in Theoretical computer science were tackled in line with various other fields like Encryption, Pseudorandom number generator, Pseudorandom function family, Identity (philosophy) and Diffie–Hellman key exchange. The journal focuses on Topology but the discussions also offer insight into other areas such as Test (assessment), Quantum devices, Synchronization (computer science), Singleton bound and Randomness.

The most cited articles from the last journal are:

  • On Nonconvex Optimization for Machine Learning: Gradients, Stochasticity, and Saddle Points (16 citations)
  • Solving Linear Programs in the Current Matrix Multiplication Time (8 citations)
  • Balancing Straight-line Programs (3 citations)

Papers citation over time

A key indicator for each journal is its effectiveness in reaching other researchers with the papers published at that venue.

The chart below presents the interquartile range (first quartile 25%, median 50% and third quartile 75%) of the number of citations of articles over time.

The top authors publishing in Journal of the ACM (based on the number of publications) are:

  • Joseph Y. Halpern (23 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Christos H. Papadimitriou (23 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Seymour Ginsburg (22 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Robert E. Tarjan (19 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Georg Gottlob (18 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition.

The overall trend for top authors publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top authors.

Only papers with recognized affiliations are considered

The top affiliations publishing in Journal of the ACM (based on the number of publications) are:

  • IBM (207 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (153 papers) published 1 paper at the last edition, 1 less than at the previous edition,
  • Bell Labs (115 papers) absent at the last edition,
  • Stanford University (108 papers) published 2 papers at the last edition, 1 more than at the previous edition,
  • University of California, Berkeley (105 papers) published 4 papers at the last edition.

The overall trend for top affiliations publishing in this journal is outlined below. The chart shows the number of publications at each edition of the journal for top affiliations.

Publication chance based on affiliation

The publication chance index shows the ratio of articles published by the best research institutions in the journal edition to all articles published within that journal. The best research institutions were selected based on the largest number of articles published during all editions of the journal.

The chart below presents the percentage ratio of articles from top institutions (based on their ranking of total papers).Top affiliations were grouped by their rank into the following tiers: top 1-10, top 11-20, top 21-50, and top 51+. Only articles with a recognized affiliation are considered.

During the most recent 2021 edition, 21.62% of publications had an unrecognized affiliation. Out of the publications with recognized affiliations, 34.48% were posted by at least one author from the top 10 institutions publishing in the journal. Another 13.79% included authors affiliated with research institutions from the top 11-20 affiliations. Institutions from the 21-50 range included 17.24% of all publications and 34.48% were from other institutions.

Returning Authors Index

A very common phenomenon observed among researchers publishing scientific articles is the intentional selection of journals they have already attended in the past. In particular, it is worth analyzing the case when the authors participate in the same journal from year to year.

The Returning Authors Index presented below illustrates the ratio of authors who participated in both a given as well as the previous edition of the journal in relation to all participants in a given year.

Returning Institution Index

The graph below shows the Returning Institution Index, illustrating the ratio of institutions that participated in both a given and the previous edition of the conference in relation to all affiliations present in a given year.

The experience to innovation index

Our experience to innovation index was created to show a cross-section of the experience level of authors publishing in a journal. The index includes the authors publishing at the last edition of a journal, grouped by total number of publications throughout their academic career (P) and the total number of citations of these publications ever received (C).

The group intervals were selected empirically to best show the diversity of the authors' experiences, their labels were selected as a convenience, not as judgment. The authors were divided into the following groups:

  • Novice - P < 5 or C < 25 (the number of publications less than 5 or the number of citations less than 25),
  • Competent - P < 10 or C < 100 (the number of publications less than 10 or the number of citations less than 100),
  • Experienced - P < 25 or C < 625 (the number of publications less than 25 or the number of citations less than 625),
  • Master - P < 50 or C < 2500 (the number of publications less than 50 or the number of citations less than 2500),
  • Star - P ≥ 50 and C ≥ 2500 (both the number of publications greater than 50 and the number of citations greater than 2500).

The chart below illustrates experience levels of first authors in cases of publications with multiple authors.

Career Progression of Contributing Authors in the Field of ACM Research

One section that appears to be missing in this article is the career progression of participating authors. Since the article discusses in great detail the research topics and most cited papers in the Journal of the ACM, it would be insightful to also highlight the career paths that these authors took to get to where they are. Most likely, these authors also started as students, working their way up through a rigorous academic journey to become respected professionals in their fields. For example, if the readers of this article aspire to contribute to the Journal of the ACM as these authors have, they may find it encouraging and helpful to learn the steps they took in order to achieve their professional goals. It might be particularly interesting to those aspiring to contribute to the field of Theoretical Computer Science (which seems to have significant representation in the journal), to learn more about the path towards becoming an academic or researcher in that area. In Oklahoma, for example, a person interested in the intersection of theoretical computer science and education might consider pursuing a career as an elementary art teacher with a focus on incorporating computational thinking into art education. If you're interested in that career path, read more about [how to become an elementary art teacher in Oklahoma](https://research.com/careers/how-to-become-an-art-teacher-in-oklahoma) and the kind of academic and professional background it requires. Sharing the career progression of these contributing authors and the career pathways relevant to the readers enhances the depth of the article and further showcases the potential impact and scope of research conducted in fields covered by the Journal of the ACM.

Top Publications

  • Solving Linear Programs in the Current Matrix Multiplication Time

    Michael B. Cohen;Yin Tat Lee;Zhao Song

    (2021)
    296 Citations
  • Fully Functional Suffix Trees and Optimal Text Searching in BWT-Runs Bounded Space

    Travis Gagie;Gonzalo Navarro;Nicola Prezza

    (2020)
    242 Citations
  • A Simple and Approximately Optimal Mechanism for an Additive Buyer

    Moshe Babaioff;Nicole Immorlica;Brendan Lucier;S. Matthew Weinberg

    (2020)
    233 Citations
  • Planar Graphs Have Bounded Queue-Number

    Vida Dujmović;Gwenaël Joret;Piotr Micek;Pat Morin

    (2020)
    180 Citations
  • Distribution-Free, Risk-Controlling Prediction Sets

    Stephen Bates;Anastasios Angelopoulos;Lihua Lei;Jitendra Malik

    (2021)
    167 Citations
  • Identity-based Encryption from the Diffie-Hellman Assumption

    Nico Döttling;Sanjam Garg

    (2021)
    146 Citations
  • On Nonconvex Optimization for Machine Learning: Gradients, Stochasticity, and Saddle Points

    Chi Jin;Praneeth Netrapalli;Rong Ge;Sham M. Kakade

    (2021)
    130 Citations
  • Approximating Edit Distance Within Constant Factor in Truly Sub-quadratic Time

    Diptarka Chakraborty;Debarati Das;Elazar Goldenberg;Michal Koucký

    (2020)
    86 Citations
  • Polynomiality for Bin Packing with a Constant Number of Item Types

    Michel X. Goemans;Thomas Rothvoss

    (2020)
    85 Citations
  • Universally Composable Security

    Ran Canetti

    (2020)
    80 Citations

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

For those interested in advancing their education in Computer Science, exploring various online degree options can open doors to multiple career pathways. Many students benefit from pursuing an online doctorate, which offers flexible scheduling and the opportunity to deepen expertise in specialized areas like artificial intelligence or cybersecurity.

Alternatively, a 1 year masters degree online provides an accelerated path for professionals looking to boost their qualifications without committing to long-term study. These programs often combine rigorous curricula with practical skills that are immediately applicable in the tech industry.

For those seeking faster entry into the workforce, considering fast degrees online can be an effective strategy. These degrees emphasize time efficiency while still offering strong earning potential in fields related to Computer Science.

Choosing the right field starts with understanding the best fit among the majors in college that align with personal interests and market demand. This guidance can help students tailor their educational journey to achieve rewarding and sustainable career growth.

Best Scientists Contributing to This Journal

Recently Published Articles