The 2012 ACM Computing Classification System

The 2012 ACM Computing Classification System has been developed as a poly-hierarchical ontology that can be utilized in semantic web applications. It replaces the traditional 1998 version of the ACM Computing Classification System (CCS), which has served as the de facto standard classification system for the computing field. It is being integrated into the search capabilities and visual topic displays of the ACM Digital Library. It relies on a semantic vocabulary as the single source of categories and concepts that reflect the state of the art of the computing discipline and is receptive to structural change as it evolves in the future. ACM provides a tool within the visual display format to facilitate the application of 2012 CCS categories to forthcoming papers and a process to ensure that the CCS stays current and relevant. The new classification system will play a key role in the development of a people search interface in the ACM Digital Library to supplement its current traditional bibliographic search.

The full CCS classification tree is freely available for educational and research purposes in HTML format. In the ACM Digital Library, the CCS is presented in a visual display format that facilitates navigation and feedback. The full CCS classification tree is also viewable as a flat file in the Digital Library.

Authors, an important aspect of preparing your paper for publication by ACM Press is to provide the proper indexing and retrieval information from the ACM Computing Classification System (CCS). This is beneficial to you because accurate categorization provides the reader with quick content reference, facilitating the search for related literature, as well as searches for your work in ACM's Digital Library and on other online resources. 

Please read the HOW TO CLASSIFY WORKS USING ACM'S COMPUTING CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (Word .docx file) for instructions on how to classify your document using the 2012 ACM Computing Classification System and insert the index terms into your LaTeX or Microsoft Word source file. For a PDF version of this document, please click HERE.