PLoS Computational Biology
Impact Factor Trend (2018–2026)
Clarivate IF trend for PLoS Computational Biology
SCImago Journal Rank citation prestige weighting
237 papers with at least that number of citations each
Aims & Scope
PLOS Computational Biology features works of exceptional significance that further our understanding of living systems at all scales—from molecules and cells, to patient populations and ecosystems—through the application of computational methods. Readers include life and computational scientists, who can take the important findings presented here to the next level of discovery. Research articles must be declared as belonging to a relevant section. More information about the sections can be found in the submission guidelines. Research articles should model aspects of biological systems, demonstrate both methodological and scientific novelty, and provide profound new biological insights. Generally, reliability and significance of biological discovery through computation should be validated and enriched by experimental studies. Inclusion of experimental validation is not required for publication, but should be referenced where possible. Inclusion of experimental validation of a modest biological discovery through computation does not render a manuscript suitable for PLOS Computational Biology. Research articles specifically designated as Methods papers should describe outstanding methods of exceptional importance that have been shown, or have the promise to provide new biological insights. The method must already be widely adopted, or have the promise of wide adoption by a broad community of users. Enhancements to existing published methods will only be considered if those enhancements bring exceptional new capabilities.
Special Issues
Calls for PapersNo active Calls for Papers found for this journal.
WoS Categories & Quartiles
Detailed JCR / JCI category rankings and quartile breakdown from Clarivate
BIOCHEMICAL RESEARCH METHODS
MATHEMATICAL & COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
BIOCHEMICAL RESEARCH METHODS
MATHEMATICAL & COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
Annual Historical Statistics & Publications
Track annual publication volume, total citations, and Impact Factor evolution
SCImago & Scopus Journal Intelligence
Global SCImago ranking, SJR prestige index, Scopus coverage, and societal policy impact
Weighted prestige citation metric per document indexed in the Scopus database.
Average citations received per document published in the 2-year window.
Estimated Article Processing Charge for Open Access publication.
Scopus 3-Year Publication & Citation Window
Aggregated from Scopus database across the 3-year SJR evaluation window.
Societal Impact & Inclusivity (SCImago)
Citations in government and international policy documents
Percentage of female authors published in the journal
Real-world societal policy reach and author gender diversity tracked by SCImago.
Scopus Subject Categories
Journal Metrics & Citation Visualizations
Total Cites vs Self-Cites
Evaluation of scholarly independence and citation reach
Citations per Document
Citation metric windows across 2, 3, and 4 years
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Classification
Major / minor zone classification and CAS Early Warning List history
Academic Intelligence Overview & Context
ImpaQ AnalysisPLoS Computational Biology (acronym: pcompbiol, abbr: PLOS COMPUT. BIOL, ISSN: 1553-734X) is a peer-reviewed international scholarly journal in the field of Biology, published by Public Library of Science in United States since 2005. The periodical holds a Journal Impact Factor (JIF) of 3.70, ranking in quartile Q2 of Web of Science (SCIE), a Scopus SJR indicator of 1.466 (Q1), an H-index of 237.
The journal enforces rigorous peer evaluation with a publication frequency of Monthly, an annual output of approximately 925 scientific articles. In terms of accessibility and author fees, it operates under the Hybrid model with an estimated APC of $3,668 USD. It serves as a benchmark publication platform for academics, researchers, and doctoral candidates seeking global research visibility.
Publishing & Editorial Information
Detailed publisher, peer-review turnaround, and publication cycle specifications
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