Formatting the IEEE Reference Page: A Guide

IEEE is a common citation format for academic writing in engineering and other technical fields. Referencing in the IEEE style is composed of two parts:

• The in-text citations in IEEE style, aim to indicate which parts of the paper are taken or inspired by an external source
• The reference list aims to provide complete information about each source, such as its name, type of source, publication information, etc. 

In this guide, you will learn how to format and make your reference list in the IEEE format.  According to the IEEE format, there are certain formatting rules about making the reference list.

Let’s dive in!

Reference Page Format

The reference list (also known as the bibliography) is a separate section at the end of a paper that lists out all the sources used. Here are some basic rules for formatting the reference section:

• Start on a New Page: Always begin the references section from a new page.
• Title: Begin with the title "References" centered at the top of the page.
• Order of References: List your references in numerical order, corresponding to the order in which they are cited in the text. Each reference entry should be assigned a unique number.
• Reference Numbers: Each entry should begin with the reference number written within square brackets. Add reference numbers along the left margin.
• Indentation: Add a 0.5-inch indent after the reference to maintain a consistent distance between reference numbers and the entries. 
• Line Spacing & Margins: Use single spacing within the reference, and add double spacing between references. Use the same margins as the rest of the paper.
• Font and Size: Use the same font style and size that you used throughout the paper (typically Times New Roman and 12-pt size).

Here’s an IEEE reference page example that demonstrates the rules we’ve stated above:

IEEE Reference Entry Format for Common Types of Sources

In the IEEE style, the reference list entry format depends on the type of source. In other words, different types of sources have different formats. 

The  reference entry format determines what information is required for each source and how it is arranged. For instance, reference entries for journal articles require page numbers, while online sources require a URL instead of page numbers. Whereas, information such as author, publication date information, and source title are common for all kinds of sources.

Here are the format and examples of some of the most common types of sources that writers often cite.

Journal Articles

Books

Book Section or Book Chapter

Websites

Conference Papers

General Rules About Authors in the Reference Entries

Although the formats presented above may apply exactly to specific sources, there are some cases where the format changes a little bit. The most common case is the presence of more than one author.

Whether you’re citing a book, journal, or any other source, remember these rules if there is more than one author:

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