Pattern Recognition (journal)

Pattern Recognition was founded in 1968 by Robert S. Ledley, a pioneer in biomedical computing and pattern recognition.¹ The journal was initially published by Pergamon Press, which later became part of Elsevier. Ledley served as editor-in-chief until 1994, shaping the journal's focus on interdisciplinary applications. The journal was one of the first to bridge engineering and computer science with fields like medicine and biology. Over the decades, it has grown from a quarterly to a monthly publication, reflecting the rapid expansion of pattern recognition research. The founding editor-in-chief is often credited with establishing the journal's reputation for rigorous peer review and broad coverage.²

The journal covers all areas of pattern recognition, from theoretical foundations to practical applications. Core topics include statistical pattern recognition, structural pattern recognition, neural networks, machine learning, deep learning, computer vision, image processing, and speech recognition.³ It also publishes work on biometrics, medical image analysis, remote sensing, and document analysis. The journal encourages submissions that combine pattern recognition with other disciplines, such as computational biology, robotics, and cognitive science. Each issue typically includes a mix of regular papers, review articles, and special issues on emerging topics like generative adversarial networks or explainable AI.

Pattern Recognition is consistently ranked among the top journals in the field. According to the Journal Citation Reports, its 2022 impact factor of 7.5 places it in the first quartile (Q1) of both computer science, artificial intelligence and electrical & electronic engineering categories.⁴ The journal also has a strong Eigenfactor score and a CiteScore of 15.2 (2022). It is widely indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The journal's high visibility is attributed to its rigorous peer-review process and its historical role in publishing seminal papers, such as early work on convolutional neural networks and support vector machines.⁵

Beyond its main content, Pattern Recognition has a history of notable special issues. For example, a 1991 special issue on "Neural Networks in Pattern Recognition" helped popularize neural network research. The journal also published the first description of the Viola–Jones object detection framework in 2001, a landmark in real-time face detection.⁶ Another lesser-known feature is the "Rapid Communication" section, which allows fast-track publication of breakthrough results. The journal has occasionally faced controversies over editorial decisions, such as retracting a paper due to undisclosed conflicts of interest. Additionally, the journal's early issues (1968–1975) are now digitized and freely available as part of Elsevier's archival program.⁷

impact factor

A measure of the average number of citations received per article published in a journal over a two-year period.

peer review

The evaluation of a scholarly work by experts in the same field before publication.

Elsevier

A Dutch publishing company that specializes in scientific, technical, and medical content.