IEEE Reference Guide

IEEE reference overview

There are two components of IEEE referencing: in-text citations, which appear as numerical references in square brackets within the main body of the text, and reference lists, which provide complete bibliographic information for all cited sources at the end of the document.

While minor stylistic variations may exist, IEEE referencing generally adheres to the guidelines outlined in this guide.

Quick menu:

1. Books
2. Journals
3. Technical reports and papers
4. Standards
5. Web pages
6. Images
7. Videos
8. Social media

IEEE in-text citations

Whenever your work includes an idea, argument, or theory originating from another author, you must provide an in-text citation by inserting a numerical reference within square brackets, e.g., [1], [2].

General rules for IEEE in-text citations:

Reference numbers should be assigned sequentially as sources first appear in your text.

Place the citation number immediately after the referenced information, inside the sentence punctuation.

If you refer to the same source multiple times, it retains the original reference number throughout your document. For instance, Johnson [4] will consistently remain [4]. If additional information like a specific page number is necessary, include it within the brackets following the original reference number, e.g., [4, p. 102].

When citing a source authored by three or more individuals, use "et al." (with italics) in your text citation. For example, research by Carter et al. [7] highlights...

Quotes

A quote or quotation involves using the exact wording or phrases from the original author's text. The IEEE Reference Guide does not specifically address how such quotes should be formatted or referenced.

Generally speaking, communicating ideas in your own words by paraphrasing, then giving a reference as above, is preferable to a direct quote. You should certainly avoid excessive use of direct quotations. However, if you do decide to include a direct quote, make sure the words are contained in quotation marks and the source/page number is acknowledged.

Paraphrasing

Paraphrasing involves expressing ideas and concepts from your reading in your own words, demonstrating your understanding of the material. It is important to note that paraphrasing is more than merely altering a few words or sentences. Effective paraphrasing means thoroughly rephrasing the original text so that the original wording is not easily recognisable, while accurately maintaining its meaning.

Even when paraphrasing, you must clearly cite the original source, including page numbers where relevant, to properly acknowledge the author's contribution.

Secondary referencing

The official IEEE Reference Guide does not provide explicit instructions on citing secondary sources (i.e. where you reference one author who is making reference to the work of another). Generally secondary referencing should be avoided in any case - you should find the original source and reference it directly. If this is not possible, most institutions advise you to mention the original author, followed by the phrase "as cited in" and then the secondary source. Then, in the reference list, only include details of the secondary source you actually consulted.

This is not official IEEE guidance and you may wish to consult your institution's specific guidelines or your tutor to confirm the preferred method for handling secondary sources. The main point is acknowledging that the information is taken from a secondary source.

Images

When including images within the body of your assignment, you would again use a numerical reference.

IEEE reference list

A reference list is presented at the end of your assignment and includes complete details of all sources cited in your work. This should not be confused with a bibliography, which would also include all the material you read while writing your work, even if not cited.

General guidelines for creating your IEEE reference list:

• References are numbered sequentially based on the appearance within your text (e.g., [1], [2], [3]), rather than alphabetically.
• Each reference number is enclosed in square brackets and aligned in a distinct column at the left margin.
• Author names should appear as initials followed by surnames, with initials preceding surnames.
• If listing two authors, join their names using "and". For more than two authors, use "and" before the final author's name.
• Include up to six author names fully. For sources with more than six authors, list the first author followed by et al. in italics.
• If the author is unknown, begin the reference with the work's title.
• Each reference concludes with a full stop, except when ending with a URL.
• The IEEE guide (from page 22 onwards) includes a list of useful abbreviations that can optionally be utilised (such as for journal titles, common words, publishers and periodicals with non-English titles).

1. Books

The general format is:

J. K. Author, "Title of chapter in the book," in Title of Published Book, xth ed. City of Publisher, (only U.S. State), Country: Abbrev. of Publisher, year, ch. x, sec. x, pp. xxx–xxx.

Citations for books with multiple authors:

When referencing a book with multiple authors, follow this format:

INITIAL(S). Surname, INITIAL(S). [followed by]Surname, and INITIAL(S). Surname, Title of Book, ed. (if not first edition) City, U.S. State (if required), Country: Publisher, Year.

Quick reference tips for books:

• Author names must appear as initials first, followed by the surname.
• Use "and" between two authors’ names, or before the last author's name if there are more than two authors.
• Include all authors' names if there are up to six authors. If there are more than six authors, list only the first author's name, followed by et al. (in italics).
• The book title should be in italics, capitalising all significant words.
• Follow the book title with a full stop, unless specifying an edition number.
• When required, include the abbreviated U.S. state after the city without full stops (e.g., NY for New York, CA for California).
• Publishers' names can be abbreviated according to common standards (see IEEE guide from p.22 onwards).

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2. Journals

Journals in print

The format is:

[#] INITIAL(S). Surname, "Article title," Abbreviated Journal Title, vol. #, no. #, pp. page numbers, Abbrev. Month Year.

Journals online (electronic)

The format is:

INITIAL(S). Surname, "Article title," Abbreviated Journal Title, vol. #, no. #, pp. page numbers, Abbrev. Month Year. [Online]. Available: URL or doi:

Quick reference tips for journals:

• Authors' names must be abbreviated with initials preceding surnames.
• Use "and" between two authors, or before the final author when more than two authors are listed.
• Include all authors' names if there are six or fewer; for articles with more than six authors, list only the first author's name followed by et al. (in italics).
• The article title is placed within quotation marks, and only the first word begins with a capital letter.
• The journal title should be in italics with all significant words capitalised. Standard IEEE abbreviations should be used for journal titles (available in the IEEE official guide).
• Use "p." when citing a single page, and "pp." when citing a range of pages.
• If the month of publication is unavailable, include only the year.
• End references with a full stop unless the final element is a URL or DOI.

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3. Technical reports and papers

Technical reports in print

Use the following format for printed technical reports and papers in your reference list:

INITIAL(S). Surname, "Title of report or paper," Abbrev. Name of Company or Institution, City, U.S. State (if applicable), Country, Report or Paper number, Abbrev. Month Year.

Technical reports online (electronic)

The format is:

INITIAL(S). Surname, "Title of report or paper," Abbrev. Name of Company or Institution, City, U.S. State (if applicable), Country, Report or Paper number, Abbrev. Month Year. [Online]. Available: URL or doi:

Quick reference tips for technical reports:

• For author names, use initials followed by surnames.
• For multiple authors, use "and" between two authors' names or before the last if listing more than two.
• List all authors up to six. If there are more than six authors, list the first author followed by et al. (in italics).
• Enclose the report or paper title in quotation marks, capitalising only the first word. No italics are used.
• Include the city and, if applicable, the abbreviated U.S. state (without full stops).
• Use abbreviated month and full year. If the month is unknown, include only the year.
• For online sources, add "[Online]. Available:" followed by the URL or DOI. Do not place a full stop at the end of the URL.

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4. Standards

Standards in print

The format is:

Title of Standard, Standard Number, Year.

Standards online

The format is:

Title of Standard, Standard Number, Year. [Online]. Available: URL

Quick reference tips for standards:

• Italicise the title of the standard, capitalising all significant words.
• Place the standard number immediately after the title.
• Include the year of publication.
• For online standards, add "[Online]. Available:" followed by the direct URL. Do not place a full stop at the end of the URL.
• For printed standards, conclude the reference with a full stop.

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5. Web pages

For web pages, IEEE uses the following format:

INITIAL(S). Surname, "Title of web page," Website Title. URL (Accessed: Abbrev. Month Day, Year).

Quick reference tips for web pages:

• If there is no individual author name for the web page, use the name of the organisation, company, or institution as the author.
• Place the web page title in quotation marks, capitalising only the first letter of the first word.
• The title of the website itself is italicised.
• Include the exact date the webpage was accessed, using abbreviated month, numeric day, and full year.

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6. Images

The format generally is:

Artist/Creator INITIAL(S). Surname or Screen Name, "Title of image/figure," Year [description]. Website Name. URL (Accessed: Abbrev. Month Day, Year).

Quick reference tips for images:

• If the creator's real name is unknown, use their screen name instead.
• If no artist or creator is identified, begin the reference with the image title.
• If no title is available, create a descriptive title enclosed in square brackets, e.g., [Solar panel layout].
• If contained in a book or journal, remember to italicise the title.
• Clearly specify if you're referring to a single figure within an article that includes multiple images.
• Include a clear description of the image or figure, e.g., [chart], [illustration], [graph], [table], etc.
• Images or figures you created do not require citations unless explicitly referencing external sources.

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7. Videos

IEEE referencing uses the following format for videos:

INITIAL(S). Surname and/or [Screen Name], Video Title, Abbrev. Month Day, Year. [Video]. Accessed: Abbrev. Month Day, Year. Available: URL

Quick reference tips for videos:

• Include both the creator's real name and screen name if available, as this assists readers in locating the video.
• Italicise the video title and capitalise all significant words.

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8. Social media

IEEE referencing doesn't cover social media posts. An appropriate format for citing social media posts is:

INITIAL(S). Surname (Username if available), "Title of post," Platform, Abbrev. Month Day, Year (of post). Accessed: Abbrev. Month Day, Year. Available: URL

Quick reference tips for social media: (X.com, Facebook, etc)

• If the post lacks a formal title, use up to the first 160 characters of the content as the title.
• Include both the author's real name and username if available, as this aids in locating the original post.
• Italicise the platform name (e.g., X.com, Facebook, LinkedIn, TikTok).
• Ensure to provide the exact date of the post and the date you accessed it.
• No italics are necessary for social media references.

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