How to Format an IEEE Reference List

You’re in an engineering or computer science class, and your professor asks for your paper in “IEEE style.” You see citations in brackets [1], a two-column format, and a numbered reference list that isn’t alphabetical. It looks nothing like APA or MLA.

IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) style is the standard for technical writing. It is designed to be compact and efficient.

This guide is your foundational resource for IEEE style. We will cover what it is, why it’s used, and how to format your in-text citations and reference list.

What is IEEE Style?

IEEE Style is a citation system used in technical fields, primarily engineering, computer science, and information technology. It is a “numbered” system, meaning citations are numbered in the order they appear in the text, and this number corresponds to a full citation in the “References” list at the end.

IEEE vs. APA/MLA (Numbered vs. Author-Date)

This is the most important difference to understand.

The IEEE system is efficient for technical papers that may cite many sources in a single sentence (e.g., [1]–[5]).

General Paper Formatting (IEEE Style)

IEEE formatting is very specific. While some instructors allow standard, one-column papers, the official format for conference papers is two-column. Always check your assignment. The official IEEE author center provides templates for this.

• Font: Times New Roman 10pt is the standard.
• Columns: Most IEEE papers are formatted in two columns.
• Title & Byline: The paper title, author name(s), and affiliations (e.g., university, email) are centered at the top of the first page, spanning both columns.
• Abstract: The abstract is a single, bolded paragraph at the beginning.
• Section Headings: Headings are in “small caps” and numbered with Roman numerals (e.g., I. INTRODUCTION).

Note: Most word processors have an “IEEE Template” for conference papers. Using this is the easiest way to get the format correct.

How to Format IEEE In-Text Citations

IEEE in-text citations are simple and clean. They are always bracketed numbers.

The Basic Rule: [1]

The citation is a number in square brackets that appears in the text. It should be placed *before* punctuation, with a space before the first bracket.

• Correct: The results were confirmed in a previous study [1].
• Incorrect: The results were confirmed in a previous study. [1]
• Incorrect: The results were confirmed in a previous study[1].

Numbering: In Order of Appearance

The first source you cite is [1]. The second source you cite is [2]. The third is [3]. This continues for the whole paper. The list is not alphabetical.

Citing the Same Source Multiple Times

If you cite the first source again later, you re-use the same number.

• Example: The initial theory was proposed by Smith [1]. Later, this theory was expanded [2]. We based our method on the original work [1].

Citing Multiple Sources at Once

If one sentence is supported by several sources, group the numbers in one set of brackets, separated by commas. Use an en-dash (–) for a range.

• Example (multiple): [1], [3], [5]
• Example (range): [1]–[5]

Referring to an Author by Name

If you use the author’s name in your sentence, the bracketed number still appears after the name.

• Example: The method developed by Johnson [3]…
• Example: As noted by Lee [4], the algorithm…

How to Format the “References” List

The “References” list is the numbered list at the end of your paper that provides the full citation for each in-text number.

Core Formatting Rules

1. Title: Start the section with the centered heading “References.” (Or flush-left, depending on the template).
2. Numbered List: The list is numbered, not alphabetical. The number `[1]` in your text must match entry `[1]` in your list.
3. Hanging Indent: Each entry has a hanging indent. The bracketed number [1] is flush-left, and all subsequent lines are indented.
4. Author Format: Use author initials, not full names (e.g., “A. B. Smith,” not “Adam B. Smith”).
5. Title Format:
   • Article/Chapter Titles: In “quotation marks.”
   • Journal/Book Titles: In *italics*.

Common IEEE Reference Examples

IEEE style is very compact. Note the use of abbreviations for journal and conference names.

Journal Article (with DOI)

Conference Paper

This is extremely common in computer science and engineering.

Book

Website

Technical Report