This guide will help you understand how to properly cite sources in IEEE format, the standard numbered citation style for engineering, computer science, and technical fields, ensuring that your academic work meets the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' standards.
5 Şub 2026
By
Joe Pacal, MSc
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TL;DR
IEEE style uses numbered citations in brackets [1] with references listed in citation order, not alphabetically. This guide covers in-text numbering, reference formats for journals, conferences, books, and websites, plus standard journal abbreviations. Numbers stay consistent throughout—if you cite [1] again, it remains [1]. Perfect for engineering, computer science, and technical fields.
The Official Source
The IEEE Reference Guide (updated March 2025) is the official citation resource, published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. Access it at journals.ieeeauthorcenter.ieee.org. The IEEE Editorial Style Manual provides additional formatting guidance for authors submitting to IEEE publications.
Quick Overview
IEEE uses a numbered citation system:
In-text citations — Numbers in square brackets [1]
Reference list — Numbered entries in order of first citation (not alphabetical)
This is IEEE's defining feature: references are numbered sequentially as they appear in your paper.
In-Text Citations
Use numbers in square brackets. The same number is used every time you cite that source.
Basic Citation
Recent studies show promising results [1].
Multiple Sources
Separate with commas; use an en dash for consecutive numbers.
Several researchers have explored this topic [1], [3], [7].
This has been widely documented [4]–[6].
Citing Specific Pages
Include page numbers within the brackets.
Smith argues that "efficiency is paramount" [1, p. 23].
Author Named in Text
You can mention the author's name, but still include the bracketed number.
As demonstrated by Chen [5], the algorithm performs well under stress conditions.
Subsequent Citations
If you cite source [1] again later in your paper, it remains [1] throughout.
Reference List Basics
The reference list is titled "References" (centered, often in caps). Entries are numbered in the order they first appear in your text—not alphabetically.
Basic Structure
[#] A. A. Author, "Article title," Journal Name, vol. #, no. #, pp. #–#, Month Year.
Journal Article
[1] J. K. Author, "Name of paper," IEEE Trans. Aerospace Electron. Syst., vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 793–800, Jul. 1992.
Journal Article with DOI
[2] M. Chen and R. Liu, "Neural network optimization," IEEE Access, vol. 8, pp. 217231–217245, Dec. 2020, doi: 10.1109/ACCESS.2020.3041234.
Conference Paper
[3] A. B. Author, "Title of paper," in Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. Commun., New York, NY, USA, 2019, pp. 1–5.
Book
[4] G. O. Young, Synthetic Structure of Industrial Plastics, 2nd ed. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill, 1964.
Chapter in Book
[5] J. Jones, "Networks," in Principles of Communication, 3rd ed., K. Smith, Ed. New York, NY, USA: Wiley, 2015, pp. 15–64.
Website
[6] J. Smith. "Title of webpage." Organization Name. https://www.example.com/page (accessed Jan. 15, 2024).
Thesis/Dissertation
[7] J. O. Williams, "Narrow-band analyzer," Ph.D. dissertation, Dept. Elect. Eng., Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA, USA, 1993.
Key IEEE Conventions
Author names — Use initials for first and middle names: J. K. Smith (not John K. Smith)
Journal abbreviations — IEEE journals use standard abbreviations (e.g., IEEE Trans. Signal Process. for IEEE Transactions on Signal Processing)
Month abbreviations — Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, Jun., Jul., Aug., Sep., Oct., Nov., Dec.
Volume and issue — Format as vol. 28, no. 3 (volume in bold in some implementations)
Page ranges — Use an en dash: pp. 123–145
DOIs — Include when available, formatted as doi: 10.xxxx/xxxxx
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Alphabetizing references — IEEE references are numbered by citation order, not alphabetical. This is the most common error.
Using full author names — Use initials only: J. Smith, not John Smith.
Forgetting journal abbreviations — IEEE journals have standard abbreviations. Check the IEEE Reference Guide.
Wrong bracket style — Use square brackets [1], not parentheses (1) or superscripts.
Renumbering after edits — When you add new citations during revision, they get the next available number. Don't renumber your entire reference list.
Who Uses IEEE Style?
IEEE is the standard for:
Electrical and electronic engineering
Computer science and engineering
Telecommunications
Information technology
Robotics and automation
Biomedical engineering
If you're submitting to an IEEE journal or conference, or studying engineering or computer science, you'll likely need IEEE format.
IEEE vs. Other Numbered Styles
IEEE is one of several numbered citation systems. Key differences:
Style | Bracket Type | Order | Primary Field |
|---|---|---|---|
IEEE | [1] | Citation order | Engineering |
Vancouver | (1) or superscript | Citation order | Medicine |
ACS | Superscript | Citation order | Chemistry |
Further Resources
IEEE Reference Guide — Official comprehensive guide
IEEE Editorial Style Manual — Formatting for IEEE publications
Purdue OWL IEEE Guide — Free tutorial resource
Need help generating IEEE citations? Research tools like Wonders can export your sources in IEEE format automatically.
