One of my younger colleagues recently asked me: "What journals in software engineering are top rank in your opinion?" The last phrase "in your opinion" is very important. Nevertheless, I came up with a list ...

What I list in "level I" is not controversial. My level III list is not complete, but is very much a reflection of my interests. Also, I am fully aware that some journals I put into level IV may be better than I realize, so this list also to some extent reflects my ignorance.

1. Top general software engineering journals.
   • IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering
   • ACM Transactions on Software Engineering Methodology
2. General software engineering journals.
   • IEE Transactions on Software Engineering
   • IEEE Software
3. Top special area journals.
   • Wiley Software Testing, Verification & Reliability
   • Springer Empirical Software Engineering
   • Springer Software and Systems Modeling
   • Wiley Journal of Software Maintenance and Evolution
   • IEEE Transactions on Reliability
4. Next level general software engineering journals.
   • Journal of Systems and Software
   • Software Practice & Experience
   • Software Quality Journal
   • IEE Proceedings Journal
   • Information and Software Technology
   • ACTA International Journal of Computers and Applications
   • Springer Annals of Software Engineering
   • Knowledge Engineering and Software Engineering (SEKE) Journal
   • Springer International Journal on Software Tools for Technology Transfer

February, 2005

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