The IEEE referencing style is used in the fields of Engineering and Computer Science. The in-text citations are numbered, and the reference list contains the full details of each source, ordered as they appear in the main text.
IEEE style guides
- IEEE Citation Reference (pdf 20KB)
- Victoria University guide to IEEE referencing
- Murdoch University guide to IEEE referencing
Referencing in IEEE
Let's go through the steps of how to use a style guide to reference in IEEE, using the Murdoch University guide to IEEE referencing.
The reference list entry
Start by doing the reference list entry. If you get this right early on, it will save you a lot of time.
1. Identify what the source is, where it's from, and who it's by.
Is it a book? A journal article? A government report? A podcast? A blog post? Did you access it online? How many authors does it have? The source's characteristics influence how to reference it.
2. Find a matching example in your style guide.
The aim is to find the closest example possible in your chosen IEEE style guide, e.g. the Murdoch University guide to IEEE referencing.
3. Write out the reference following the style guide examples.
Your aim at this point is to make the information you have match the order and formatting of the example in the style guide. This includes details such as punctuation, italicisation, and case (e.g. Title Case).
If you're unsure about how to cite a particular source, remember that the person marking your assignment cares most of all about consistency and having enough information to be able to locate the source themselves. Check over your references to make sure they're following the same principles and formatting.
Numbering your references
Note that in the IEEE style, each source is numbered according to when it first appears in your work. In the reference list, the first source that appeared in your work is labelled [1], the second source [2] and so on.
In-text citations
When you use IEEE, you need to use square brackets with a number in the body of your work to show where the information comes from. As noted above, in the IEEE style each source is numbered according to when they first appear in your work. In the reference list, the first source that appeared in your work is labelled [1], the second source [2] and so on.
Include page numbers in your in-text citations whenever you use quotes, specific data or a paraphrase.
If you are summarising the main idea of the source (e.g. a book or journal article), you don't need a page number.
See the Murdoch University guide on IEEE in-text citations for examples.
Check your guide
Always remember to have your chosen style guide open while you are referencing, even if you use referencing software. It's useful to look out for inconsistencies and to make sure that you have all the right information in the correct order and format. Check out the style guides listed at the top of this page.
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