Journal profile · Mathematics
Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A
ISSN 0097-3165 · eISSN 1096-0899 · Academic Press Inc. · UNITED STATES · Bimonthly
Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A: CAS Zone 3 · Mathematics (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 1.67; hybrid open access; APC about USD 4,210; review about 289 days (submission to acceptance, publisher); community-reported acceptance: easy; 92 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A is published by Academic Press Inc. and is in Zone 3 of Mathematics in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are graph theory and CDMA systems, Advanced Combinatorial Mathematics and Coding theory and cryptography, together about 34% of its articles. Its main subfields are Discrete Mathematics and Combinatorics. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
The Journal of Combinatorial Theory, Series A publishes original mathematical research concerned with theoretical and practical aspects of combinatorics in all branches of science. The journal is primarily concerned with finite and discrete structures, designs, finite geometries, codes, combinatorics with number theory, combinatorial games, extremal combinatorics, combinatorics of storage, algebraic geometry over finite fields and other important theory/applications of combinatorics. It is a valuable tool for mathematicians and computer scientists, and for scientists working in information theory.As one of the premier journals in these areas, the journal sets very high standards for publication. Manuscripts accepted by the journal are generally expected to solve or make a significant step towards a solution of an important open problem, to develop a new proof technique, or to substantially advance our knowledge in some other way. The journal imposes even higher standards for accepting very long papers. Survey papers are in general not considered, unless they are of exceptionally high quality, dealing with a fundamentally important and trending topic in combinatorics. Only papers which are well-written and appear to be within these high standards will proceed to a phase of review which involves a detailed refereeing process.
From the journal's Aims & Scope
Research area (LetPub): Mathematics
Editor-in-chief Michel LavrauwPublisher website
Editorial board by country: 5 in mainland China (about 17%); most named Mainland China 5, Italy 4, Slovenia 4, United States 2, United Kingdom 2 (30 members with a country) Editorial board ↗Publisher website ·
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- graph theory and CDMA systemsEngineering14.4%
- Advanced Combinatorial MathematicsMathematics11.4%
- Coding theory and cryptographyComputer Science8.2%
- Finite Group Theory ResearchMathematics8%
- Limits and Structures in Graph TheoryMathematics7.3%
- Advanced Mathematical IdentitiesMathematics4.9%
- Advanced Graph Theory ResearchComputer Science4.6%
- Diverse Scientific and Economic StudiesEconomics, Econometrics and Finance4.2%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Mathematics Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Mathematics | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Mathematics | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Mathematics Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Mathematics | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Mathematics | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Mathematics Zone 2
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Mathematics | Zone 2 |
| Minor | Mathematics | Zone 2 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 1.67LetPub ·
- Impact factor (publisher)
- 1.7Publisher website ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 2.8LetPub ·
- CiteScore (publisher)
- 2.8Publisher website ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 1.39LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 1.74LetPub ·
- h-index
- 42LetPub ·
- h-index
- 119OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 2,582OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 1.46OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 5.9%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 23.33%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 82LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 5,866 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 71 | 43 | 11 |
| 2025 | 92 | 36 | 74 |
| 2024 | 93 | 47 | 290 |
| 2023 | 81 | 33 | 251 |
| 2022 | 86 | 62 | 450 |
| 2021 | 138 | 134 | 768 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Publisher-reported review time from the journal's website
289 dayssubmission to acceptance · community reports 4–8 weeks
The publisher's own definition applies; dates from this journal's articles in the last 24 months are not available yet, so the publisher's figure is used.
Figures by source
- Average review time (community reports)
- 4–8 weeksLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- EasyLetPub ·
- Submission to first decision
- 12 daysPublisher website ·
- First decision after review
- 152 daysPublisher website ·
- Submission to acceptance
- 289 daysPublisher website ·
- Acceptance to publication
- 11 daysPublisher website ·
- Peer review
- Single anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 4,210 / EUR 3,940 / GBP 3,370 / JPY 522,170 | — | — | |
| Publisher website | USD 4,150 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- ≤ 250 words
- Keywords
- 1–7
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Templates
- LaTeX
- Highlights
- Optional
- Not considered
- Survey papers
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, License & copyright, Open access, Peer review, Preprints
- AI use Declaration of generative AI use
Authors must declare the use of generative AI tools in the manuscript preparation process upon submission of the paper.Generative AI and AI-assisted technologies (“AI tools”) have been rapidly adopted in research and scholarly publishing, offering significant benefits while requiring clear standards for responsible and transparent use.Authors preparing a manuscript for this journal may use AI tool…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Group authorship
Group authorship refers to the attribution of an article to a defined and named group of authors whose members have contributed to the work. Examples include research consortia, clinical trial groups, collaborative networks, task forces or working groups, expert panels or consensus groups, and participatory research groups. Group authorship must be declared on the title page at submission. When av…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Declaration of competing interests
All authors must disclose any financial and personal relationships with other people or organizations that could inappropriately influence or bias their work. Examples of potential competing interests include:EmploymentConsultanciesStock ownershipHonorariaPaid expert testimonyPatent applications or registrationsGrants or any other fundingAffiliation with the journal as an Editor or Advisory Board …
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright License options
Authors will be offered open access user license options which will determine how you, and third parties, can reuse your open access article. We advise that you review these options and any funding body license requirements before selecting a license option.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access
Open Archive: all published items free to read and download 48 months after publication Model summary
We refer you to our open access information page to learn about open access options for this journal.
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Peer review Peer review
Peer review type: single anonymized review process Model summary
This journal follows a single anonymized review process. Your submission will initially be assessed by our editors. If your submission is deemed suitable, it will typically be sent to be reviewed by a minimum of two reviewers for an independent expert assessment of the scientific quality. The decision as to whether your article is accepted or rejected for publication will be made by our editors.Re…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Preprints Preprints
Preprint sharingAuthors may share preprints in line with Elsevier's article sharing policy. Sharing preprints, such as on a preprint server, will not count as prior publication.We advise you to read our policy on multiple, redundant or concurrent publication. In support of Open Science, this journal offers its authors a free preprint posting service on SSRN, Elsevier’s preprint and early research …
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Academic Press Inc.
- Country or region
- UNITED STATES
- Language
- Multi-Language
- Frequency
- Bimonthly
- ISSN
- 0097-3165
- Electronic ISSN
- 1096-0899
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A
What CAS zone is Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A is in Zone 3 of Mathematics, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Mathematics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 2 of Mathematics. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 1.67; CiteScore 2.8, h-index 119.
How long does peer review take at Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A?
The publisher reports about 289 days (submission to acceptance); authors report an average review time of 4–8 weeks; the community-reported acceptance is “Easy”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: ≤ 250 words; Keywords: 1–7; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Templates: LaTeX; Highlights: Optional. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Where are the editorial board members of Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A based?
Of the 30 board members whose country the journal's board page names, 5 (about 17%) are in mainland China; the countries named most often are Mainland China (5), Italy (4) and Slovenia (4). Counted from the institutions listed on the board page; for reference only.
Which databases index Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A open access, and what is the APC?
Journal of Combinatorial Theory Series A is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 4,210.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, Publisher website, OpenAlex; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-24). Last updated: .