How to Add IEEE In-Text Citations

The IEEE editorial style manual is used for writing academic papers in technical disciplines, primarily engineering.

Developed by the Institute of electrical and electronics engineering, this citation style uses numbers to indicate sources within the text. Each number then corresponds to a detailed reference list entry in IEEE style at the end of the page.

So, how to format in-text citations in the IEEE format? Read this guide to get the complete answer.

Numbered In-Text Citations

In IEEE style, in-text citations are numbered consecutively in square brackets throughout the text. That is, the first in-text citation in the paper will be labeled “[1]”, and the subsequent citations will be numbered in increasing order. 

For example:

• According to recent studies [1], the implementation of renewable energy sources is crucial for sustainable development. Moreover, some newer studies [2] suggest that the rise in efficient technologies will make these energy sources more cost-effective.

Note: However, remember that if you’re citing the same source again later in the text, you need to use the same number for it that was used the first time. 

• Previous research [2] suggests that artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms have the potential to revolutionize healthcare………………… In other words, the previous conclusions [2] also show that AI can make health-care less costly.

Where to Add the In-text Citations

In-text citations should be placed immediately after the information being referenced in the sentence. The relevant point could be after the name of the author, or at the end of a sentence or a clause. 

The citation number should appear before any punctuation marks, such as periods, commas, or semicolons.

Providing Page Numbers in In-Text Citations

In IEEE style, you only need to provide specific page numbers when you are directly quoting a source. If you directly quote a source, include the page number(s) after the citation number within the square brackets.

For example:

• The authors concluded that 'the experimental results validate our hypothesis' [5, p. 23].

If source spans more than one-page, use “pp. N–N”. The range of page numbers is shown by the en dash. Here’s an example:

• The study highlighted the significance of data encryption in cybersecurity [10, pp. 45-47].

Moreover, it’s not just the page numbers that you can add within the citations. You can add other markers such as chapters, sections, or paragraphs. Here are some common markers of location you can use:

How to Cite Multiple Sources at One Place?

When citing multiple sources within the same sentence, you should list the citation numbers in ascending order, separated by commas. 

Example:

• Several recent studies have investigated the impact of climate change [6], [8], [11].

If the sources are consecutive, use a hyphen to indicate a range of numbers:

• The findings from different researchers support this hypothesis [12]-[15].

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