IEEE Citation Format: Square Brackets, Numbers, and Reference Lists

IEEE format is the standard for electrical engineering, computer science, and related technical fields. Unlike APA format or MLA format, IEEE formatting uses numbered citations in square brackets. Here's how IEEE format works when formatting a document for technical publication.

IEEE Format Basics: Square Brackets

According to the IEEE Editorial Style Manual:

• Citations use square brackets [1], never parentheses (1)
• Numbers are assigned in order of first appearance in the text
• The same number is reused every time you cite that source again
• Citations appear before punctuation with a space before the bracket

Example: "...as demonstrated in recent studies [3]."

Citing Multiple Sources

• Non-consecutive: [1], [3], [5]
• Three or more consecutive: [2]–[6] (use en-dash)
• Two consecutive: [1], [2] (use comma, not dash)

What NOT to Include

IEEE in-text citations are minimal. Do not include author names, years, or page numbers in the standard citation. The bracketed number is all you need.

You can mention author names in the text for clarity: "Smith [3] demonstrated..." but the bracketed number is always required.

Common IEEE Format Mistakes

• Using parentheses: IEEE format always uses square brackets [1], not (1)
• Using superscripts: IEEE formatting uses inline brackets, not superscript numbers
• Placing citations after punctuation: In IEEE format, citations go before the period

Automatic IEEE Formatting

SimpleFormat Pro handles IEEE format citations automatically, ensuring your IEEE formatting for brackets, spacing, and punctuation is all correct.