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IEEE In-Text Citation | Guidelines & Examples

Published on 3 September 2022 by Jack Caulfield .

An IEEE in-text citation consists of a number in brackets included in your sentence. This number corresponds to an entry on your IEEE reference page providing full information about the source.

Sources are numbered in the order they’re cited, so the first source you cite is [1], the second is [2], and so on. If you cite the same source again, it has the same number each time (don’t use ‘ ibid.’ ) and only one entry on the reference page.

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Table of contents

Where to place ieee in-text citations, page numbers in in-text citations, citing multiple sources in one place, frequently asked questions about ieee in-text citation.

You need an in-text citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarise a source.

In-text citations are usually just placed at a relevant point in the sentence—for example after the author’s name or the quote you’re citing, or just at the end of the sentence. It’s not required to mention the author’s name, but you can.

In-text citations can alternatively be treated as nouns in your sentence. In this case, you essentially use them in place of the author’s name (and therefore don’t mention the author’s name in your sentence). This is a more concise way of using in-text citations.

In both cases, the bracketed number alone indicates a citation. You should never label the number with a word like “reference” or “citation.”

• Reference [1]
• [citation 4]

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When you’re quoting or paraphrasing a specific part of a source with pages (e.g., an IEEE journal article citation or IEEE book citation ), you should include a page number to point the reader to that passage. Use ‘p.’ for a single page, ‘pp.’ for a range of pages (separating the two numbers with an en dash ).

If page numbers are not available in the source you’re citing, there may be other locators you can use to point the reader to the right part. These can also be used in combination with page numbers when necessary (e.g., ‘[1, Ch. 5, p. 10]’).

Sometimes, you may need to cite more than one source at the same point in the text—for example, when you’re summarising several related sources.

To do so, write the source numbers in separate sets of brackets, separated by commas.

If you need to cite a range of three or more sources, you can do so using an en dash (which also appears outside the brackets, not inside them). For example, the sentence below cites sources [8], [9], [10], and [11].

An IEEE in-text citation consists of a number in brackets at the relevant point in the text, which points the reader to the right entry in the numbered reference list at the end of the paper. For example, ‘Smith [1] states that …’

A location marker such as a page number is also included within the brackets when needed: ‘Smith [1, p. 13] argues …’

You should include an IEEE in-text citation whenever you integrate a source into your text by quoting , paraphrasing , or summarizing it. The citation appears in the sentence where the source is integrated, often after the author name or after any quoted text:

Narayana [15, p. 22] describes the trend as “ambiguous.”

In IEEE citation format , you should list the names of up to six authors in a reference on your IEEE reference page . If the source has seven or more authors, just list the first author’s name followed by ‘ et al.’ (in italics): ‘F. Gupta et al. , …’

In the main text, if you mention a source with three or more authors, you should use ‘et al.’: ‘Fowler et al. [11] argue that …’

Note that you’re not required to mention author names at all in the text though – just the IEEE in-text citation number is enough, in which case ‘et al.’ isn’t needed: ‘[11] argues that …’

If you cite the same source more than once in your writing, use the same number for all of the IEEE in-text citations for that source, and only include it on the IEEE reference page once. The source is numbered based on the first time you cite it.

For example, the fourth source you cite in your paper is numbered [4]. If you cite it again later, you still cite it as [4]. You can cite different parts of the source each time by adding page numbers [4, p. 15].

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2022, September 03). IEEE In-Text Citation | Guidelines & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 12 March 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/ieee-referencing/ieee-in-text-citations/

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Indicating the relevant reference in the text

• A number enclosed in square brackets, eg. [1] or [26], placed in the text of the essay, indicates the relevant reference.

• Each reference number should be enclosed in square brackets on the same line as the text, before any punctuation, with a space before the bracket.

• Citations are numbered in the order in which they appear in the text and each citation corresponds to a numbered reference containing publication information about the source cited in the reference list at the end of the publication, essay or assignment.

• Once a source has been cited, the same number is used in all subsequent references.

• No distinction is made between print and electronic references when citing within the text.

Here are some examples of this kind of referencing :

"...end of the line for my research [13]." "The theory was first put forward in 1987 [1]." "Scholtz [2] has argued that......." "Several recent studies [3, 4, 15, 16] have suggested that..." "For example, see [7]."

• It is not necessary to mention either the author(s) or the the date of the reference unless it is relevant to your text.

• It is not necessary to say " in reference [26] ..." "In [26] ..." is sufficient.

Citing more than one reference at a time

• When citing more than one source at a time, the preferred method is to list each reference number separately with a comma or dash between each reference:

Preferred [1], [3], [5] [1] - [5]

• Although the following method is also acceptable:

Acceptable [1, 3, 5] [1-5]

Citing a reference multiple times

• When citing a source for a second or subsequent time, do not use ibid or op. cit.

• In the text, repeat the earlier reference number.

• If referring to a different page number, or other reference, within the source, use the following forms:

[3, pp. 5-10], [3, Ch.  2, pp. 6-21], [3, Fig. 1], [3, Sec. 4.5]

Page numbers included

•   Include page, chapter, paragraph or section numbers in the citation if you need to be specific, such as when material is directly quoted or when a specific part of the source is referred to, or when a detail difficult to find.

•   Give page numbers within the square brackets:

[2, Fig. 3]

[3, Sec. 4.5]

See the  All Examples  page for examples of in-text and reference list entries for specific resources such as articles, books, and web pages.

In text citation.

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IEEE Citation Guide

Ieee referencing - the basics, ieee referencing, citing sources in the text, the reference list, single citation in the text, multiple citations in the text, how to use quotes in ieee, paraphrasing in ieee, secondary sources, abbreviated month, page numbers, citing the same source multiple times, place of publication, doi in ieee, resources used in the creation of this guide, the transcript for the 'ieee referencing: the basics' video.

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• View the transcript for the 'IEEE Referencing: the basics' video

All sources of information, such as quotes or borrowed ideas, must be acknowledged in your writing.

In the IEEE referencing style, a number [X] is inserted at the point in your writing where you cite another author's work. At the end of your work, the full reference [X] of the work is provided. Citations and their corresponding references are provided in the order they appear throughout your writing.

IEEE in-text citations consist of numbers provided in square brackets, which correspond to the appropriate sources in the reference list at the end of the paper.

The in-text citations numbers start at [1], and continue in ascending order throughout the paper – unless you are referring to a source you have already cited in your text, in which case you can use the previously assigned number.  

Each in-text citation number should be enclosed by square brackets and appear on the text line, inside sentence punctuation, with a space before the bracket, e.g.

 “Thevenin’s and Norton’s theorems are widely used for circuit analysis simplification [13].”

Citations of references may be given simply as “in [1]...”, rather than as “in reference [1] ...”.

Furthermore, citations may be grammatically treated either as if they were:

• footnote numbers, e.g.

As shown by Jones [4] …

For more details, see [1], [3], [7].

as mentioned earlier [3], [4]­–[6], [8] …

Taylor et al. [5] have noted …

As seen in [2] …

According to [4] and [6]–[8] …

In contrast to [5, p. 7], it is evident that…

As demonstrated in [4] …

When authors are mentioned, they may be treated in the following way:

Rickard [5] has shown …

Jones [6], and Zheng and Rogers [7] have stated …

Azzarello et al. [3] stated that they were unable to determine why …

If there are more than three authors, provide et al. (meaning ‘and others’) after the first author in the text of the paper. Note that et al. is not italicised in the in-text citations. In the reference list, however, list all the authors for up to six authors– use et al. only if the names are not given. Also use et al. in the reference list for more than 6 authors, e.g.:

[8]    J. D. Bellamy et al. , Computer Telephony Integration , New York: Wiley, 2010.

Do not mention authors of a source or provide date of publication within the text (e.g. “in Jones [1]” should be changed to “in [1]”) except in such cases where the author’s name is integral to the understanding of the sentence (e.g. “Jones [1] proposed a new approach for sensor and actuator selection problems).

Editing the in-text citation numbers may require renumbering the whole reference list. Please check that the in-text citation numbers match the reference list numbers.

A numbered list of references must be provided at the end of the paper. The reference list contains full details of all sources cited in-text. Reference list entries should appear in the order the sources are cited in the text of the paper, beginning with [1], and continuing in consecutive numerical order, from the lowest number to the highest. Reference list entries do not follow an alphabetical order by author or title of sources.

Refer to the information on the Sample Reference List tab of this guide.

Various approaches have been followed in the design of microwave circuits [7].

According to [5], there is a little evidence that …

In [3], the resulting composite video signal was presented …

… as previously shown [7].

… as shown by Jones [6].

The preferred method of citing more than one source at a time is listing each citation number separately with a comma or dash between each citation:

[1], [3], [7]

[6]–[8]

It is noted that multiple sources can also be provided in the following way as seen in some literature:

Considerable body of work on electrical circuits  [ 1, 3, 7],  [6–8],  [10, 1 4–16] defines  .. .

Direct quotes are used to support an argument showing the exact words and phrases of an author according to the original source. Enclose quotes in single quotation marks and provide the citation in square brackets after the quotation or after the author’s name along with the page number(s).

An example of a short direct quote:

Baez et al. have noted that ‘full 3D stacking can potentially offer additional advantages for memory and processor applications’ [7, p. 14].

An example of a longer direct quote:

If you use longer quotations (of three lines and more), use a block quotation by setting the block of quoted text as a paragraph. Use smaller font size for block quotations, and also indent them from both margins, for example:

As Abad notes:

It is also desirable to minimize the parasitic capacitance of electronic packages because it is another source of signal delay. Consequently, a very low relative dielectric constant insulating material should be used whenever possible, since the relative dielectric constant is a measure of a material's total polarizability and determines its charge storage capacity with respect to a vacuum [7, p. 63]. 

Provide the in-text citation in square brackets after the quotation, along with the page number(s) of the source where the quoted words or phrases are taken from.

Reference list

In the Reference list, provide page numbers if you are referencing a section or chapter of the source:

[7]     W. Brown, "Electrical Design Considerations," in Advanced Electronic Packaging: With Emphasis on Multichip Modules : Wiley-IEEE Press, 2013, pp. 51-74.

When you are paraphrasing, that is, expressing an idea or a fact found in a source using different words, a reference citing the source should always be given. Provide your citation number directly after the reference - this is not necessarily at the end of the sentence, unless it is where the reference occurs:

In contrast to ‘data partitioning’ structures [13], the ‘space partitioning’ structures show better performance for dynamic memory resident data [14]–[15].

Page numbers are generally not given for paraphrases, but can still be given along with the citation number within the main text of the paper if you are referring to a specific theory or idea in a source, or alternatively in the reference list. This enables the reader to locate the specific information you are referring to. Longer sections of an article, book or another source, do not require a page number. For example:

These media have been used in many communication system applications, such as linearising high power amplifiers [8, p. 18], phased array antennas [9, pp. 15–17], and phase shifters [10].

The IEEE style does not allow for the use of secondary sources.

If you want to refer to the ideas or words of an author found in a source that you have not read yourself, but have read about it in another source (for example if you want to refer to William’s work found in Taylor’s), then you must locate the original source of this information (William’s) and cite the original source. If the original source cannot be located, it should not be cited.

Use the following formats for month abbreviations:

Formats for Month abbreviations is Jan., Feb., Mar., Apr., May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., and Dec.

Note that some months are not abbreviated.

Use a slash for a bimonthly issue (June/July 2014) or an en dash for a quarterly (Oct.–Dec. 2013).

Always provide page number(s) in the in-text citation when quoting directly (refer to How to use quotes in IEEE section). It is not necessary to provide page number(s): (1) if you are referring to an entire work, (2) if you are paraphrasing or summarising a longer section, or (3) if the work is only one page long. However, if you are paraphrasing, summarising or referring to a specific theory or idea in a text, you may still provide a page number, a page range or the paragraph number along with the in-text citation, as this helps the reader locate the relevant passage, especially if it is in a long or complex text, or if you need to refer to the same source on a number of occasions.   If not already provided along with the in-text citation, the page number, or a range of page numbers may alternatively be provided in the reference list to help identify the relevant place in a source where the information is found.   Also keep in mind that pagination may not be present for many electronic sources.

Pagination is cited as p. for a single page or pp. for multiple pages.

Single page         … as demonstrated in [5, p. 17]

Page range          … as seen in [5, pp. 6-12]

Paragraph           … as noted in [4, para. 4.2]

Chapter               … as argued in [6, Ch. 2, pp. 7-13]

Example              … as shown [13, Example 3]

Section                … as suggested in [5, Sec. 2.3]

For referring to tables, figures, and equations, refer to more examples in Figures, tables and equations from another source .

If you want to refer to a previous reference, do not provide a new citation number, nor use ‘ibid.’ (meaning ‘the same’) or ‘op. cit.’ (meaning ‘the work cited’) terms. If you want to refer to the same source twice or multiple times, simply repeat the earlier citation number and then use that same number in all subsequent citations throughout the body of the paper.

The separate instances of referring to the same source should be made in text, for example, when referring to another fact, idea or an opinion found within the same source at different page numbers, use the following forms: [2, pp. 3-5], [5, eq. (2)] for referring to an equation, [5, Sec. IV] a section, [5, Tab. 3] a table, [1, Ch. 2] a chapter, etc.

The IEEE referencing style is U.S. based and as such has particular rules regarding the structure for the place of publication element in the reference list. Observe the following guidelines when referring to place of publication . 

A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a unique identifier assigned to a journal article or an electronic book. It is a unique alphanumeric string indicating persistent link to its location on the Internet. It is preferable to provide DOI if available, in doi:xxxxx format.  If a DOI of the e-book or journal article is not available, you may provide a database provider subscribed to by Victoria University through which the resource is accessed. It is acceptable to shorten e-book’s full URL to its abbreviated version to simply indicate the main database provider of the e-book. For example:

• the full URL: http://0- site.ebrary.com.library.vu.edu.au/lib/victoriauni/detail.action?docID=XXXXXXX) can be abridged to just ebrary.com so that the URL statement will be: Available: http://ebrary.com
• the full URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S_XXXXXXXXXXX can be abridged to just sciencedirect.com so that the URL statement will be: Available: http://sciencedirect.com

However, include the full URL if the electronic resource has been found on the Internet, along with the access date.

Sources used:

•   IEEE Editorial Style Manual ( PDF, 433 KB), published in 2016 (v9 7-22-2016). (Chapter 5, Editing references, pp. 34-48). 
•   IEEE Digital Tools
• Chicago Manual of Style

University guides accessed:

• IEEE Style, Monash University
• IEEE Style, Murdoch University

In this presentation, you will learn the basics of how to create an in-text reference and a reference list in IEEE style.

So, what is an IEEE style of referencing? “IEEE” stands for The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. IEEE style is a numbered referencing style that uses citation numbers in the text of the paper, provided in square brackets. A full corresponding reference is listed at the end of the paper, next to the respective citation number. The IEEE Style draws on the IEEE Editorial Style Manual, version 9 published in 2016.

All sources of information, such as quotes or borrowed ideas, must be acknowledged in your writing. In the IEEE referencing style, a citation number is inserted in square brackets on the same line as the text at the point in your writing where you cite another author's work. This is known as an in-text citation. At the end of your work, the full reference details of the work are provided. 

The in-text citations numbers start at the number [1], and continue in the ascending order they appear throughout your writing, as in the example here. If you wish to refer to the same source several times, simply repeat the earlier citation number and then use the same number in all subsequent citations throughout the body of the paper.

So, how do I format an In-text citation? When formatting your in-text reference you need to consider the following: •  Are you paraphrasing or summarising the words or ideas of others in your own words? •  Or, are you quoting directly or copying “word-for-word” from a source?

If paraphrasing or summarising the ideas or opinions of others in your own words, include the citation number in square brackets within the text of your writing. Alternatively, a numerical citation may grammatically be treated as part of a sentence as if it were a noun.

If you wish to emphasise an author, your numerical citation may become author prominent. In this example, you can see that the numerical citation has been placed directly after the author’s surname.

Directly quoting from a source is similar to paraphrasing or summarising except you also need to include the page number or numbers directly after the quote and place single quotation marks around the direct quote. 

 When citing more than one source at a time, the preferable way is to list each citation number separately with a comma or a dash between each citation. Although, as seen in some literature, multiple sources can also be provided this way.

It is important to note that IEEE style does not allow for the use of secondary sources. If you want to use the ideas of an author referred to in another source, then you must locate the original source of this information and cite the original source.

The next component of IEEE Referencing is to compile a Reference List. A Reference list includes full details of all your in-text citations and is listed on a separate page at the end of your assignment. At the top of this page you must use the heading “References”. 

The reference list is arranged in the order the in-text citations appear in your assignment, beginning with the number [1], and continuing in consecutive numerical order, from the lowest number to the highest. The text of the reference entry is indented two or three spaces, as in this example here.

For further assistance, follow the link to the IEEE referencing guide or contact us through ‘Ask a Librarian’.

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IEEE Citation Style: In-Text Citations

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Introduction

Use citations within the paper to indicate where certain ideas or words were derived. References should be used for both direct quotations and paraphrased information.   Citations are identified by numbers enclosed in square brackets.  A citation should include the citation number and should include a page number or range if needed.

[Citation number, page] [1: 161]

• Citations are numbered in the order in which they appear in the text. Each citation corresponds to a numbered reference at the end of your report.
• Once a source has been cited, the same number is used in all subsequent references.
• Include a page number when directly quoting. Y ou can also consider including a page number when specific information is referred to in a paraphrase. It is better to have a page number than to not have one. Your instructor may have specific expectations about what to include.

How to Cite a Direct Quotation

Short Quotations

When you incorporate a direct quotation into a sentence, you must cite the source. Fit quotations within your sentences, enclosed in quotation marks, making sure the sentences are grammatically correct.

Examples: [4: 79] indicates that, “Quotations are effective in research papers when used selectively.”

Remember that “[q]uotations are effective in research papers when used selectively” [4: 79].

In 2003, Gibaldi wrote that, “Quotations are effective in research papers when used selectively” [4: 79].

In 2003, Gibaldi wrote that, "Quotations are effective..when used selectively" [4: 79].

Longer Quotations

If a quotation is 40 words or more , omit quotation marks and use a block format in which the quotation is indented about ½ inch (or 5 spaces) from both margins. Cite the source at the end of the block quote, after the final punctuation mark.

Example: Co-presence does not ensure intimate interaction among all group members. Consider large-scale social gatherings in which hundreds or thousands of people gather in a location to perform a ritual or celebrate an event. In these instances, participants are able to see the visible manifestation of the group, the physical gathering, yet their ability to make direct, intimate connections with those around them is limited by the sheer magnitude of the assembly. [5: 324]

How to Cite When Altering a Direct Quotation

When you need to leave out part of a quotation to make it fit grammatically or because it contains irrelevant/unnecessary information, insert ellipses (three dots).

In 2003, Gibaldi wrote that, “Quotations are effective...when used selectively” [4: 79].

If you must add or slightly change words within a quotation for reasons of grammar or clarity, indicate the change with square brackets.

In 2003, Gibaldi wrote that, “Quotations are effective in [academic writing] when used selectively” [4: 79].

How to Paraphrase

Even if you put information in your own words by summarizing or paraphrasing, you must still cite the source. You are also encouraged to provide a page number when applicable (check with your instructor to see when page numbers are required).

Within the research paper, quotations will have more impact when used judiciously [4].

Several different studies [1, 2, 4] suggest that smokers are more likely to have a higher risk of getting cancer.

How to Cite Information for Tables, Charts, and Images

The in-text citation for images appears as a caption underneath the image that you copied or adapted for your paper. Begin the caption with the word "Figure", a number, and a title. Follow this with "Source:" and the reference list entry number in brackets. 

If you adapted the figure, begin the citation with "Adapted from" followed by the citation number in brackets.

• Number figures and tables separately.
• Looking for images that have an appropriate licence for use in your project? Check out the Finding Images guide.

How to Cite Secondary Sources

A secondary source is one that is discussed by the author you are reading. You do not read the original report but instead get the information second-hand from the author.  IEEE guidelines do not allow the use of secondary sources. Because you did not read the original report, you cannot include it in your research. Contact a librarian to assist you with locating the original source.

How to Cite Private Communications

According to IEEE guidelines, private communications (e.g., emails, phone calls, and interviews) are a type of unpublished resource that should be cited by providing the author, the words private communication, and the month and year. Note that these typically do not appear in your reference list. Consult your instructor to confirm whether you are required to list interviews, emails, phone calls, and lectures in your reference list.  

SAIT students often get to collaborate with industry on their capstone projects (A. Khalid, private communication, August 2023)

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Sample text with in-text references.

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In IEEE citations, the references should be numbered and appear in the order of appearance in the text. For example, provided is a sample text as shown below:

Some vibration and noise sources give rise to annoyance to people and every so often damage to property. Vibration in either digital or analogue panel meters can cause their malfunction or difficulty in reading the meters [1]. Hence one of the significant goals of vibration study is to monitor, analyse and reduce vibrations through proper design of machines and their mountings [2], [3].

According to [4], the complexity of mechanical and electrical systems and applications of vibratory equipment in them have increased markedly in recent years. For example, vibration is put to work in vibrating power tools like jackhammers and chainsaws, vibratory feeders and conveyors, hoppers, sieves, electric toothbrushes, dentist’s drills, mobile phones, including the fitness machines in recent times [5].  It has been emphasised in [6] that an important consideration in designing of electronic equipment is that it must work with a high degree of reliability in severe vibration and shock environments. Ozansoy [7] has further argued that the process of designing the electronic equipment also needs to account for the severe thermal environments in which the equipment will be operating.

[1]     M. C. Potter and R. Mackiewicz,   Mechanical Vibration and Sho ck Analysis , 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2015, pp. 17–19.

[2]     J. D. Bellamy,  Introduction to Machine Vibration . New York: Wiley, 2010.

[3]     C. Jacks,  Machinery Vibration and Rotordynamics.  New York: Penguin Random House, 2013, pp. 175–225.

[4]     A. Brandon,   “Vibration analysis resolves vibration equipment problems,” in Fundamental and Advanced Vibration Analysis . New York: Wiley, 2014, ch. 7, pp. 129–134.

[5]     Engineers Australia (2014, June).  Vibration Analysis: Design and Troubleshooting , Engineers Australia, Canberra. Accessed on: Feb. 1, 2017. [Online]. Available: www.engineersaustralia.org.au/vibration-analysis-design-troubleshooting

[6]     H Jingsong, G. S. Kino, and Q. H. Zhang,  " Vibration analysis for electronic equipment,"  Journal of Electronics and Electrical Engineering , vol. 65, no. 5, pp. 179-199, Feb. 2014. Accessed on: Feb, 2, 2017. [Online]. Available: Academic Search Premier

[7]     C. R. Ozansoy,  " Vibration and Fatigue Analysis of Electronic Assemblies.", Ph.D. dissertation, College of Eng. and Sc., Victoria Univ., Melb., Vic., 2012.

Technical Writing

For advice on writing the technical documentation, refer to the IEEE Editorial Style Manual itself . Also useful could be the Writing for Science and Engineering: Papers, Presentations and Reports book by Heather Silyn-Roberts, 2nd ed. as it explains in plain English the steps to writing abstracts, theses, journal papers, funding bids, literature reviews, and more. Another useful source aimed at scientists is Writing for Science by Robert Goldbort, who discusses how best to approach various writing tasks as well as how to deal with the everyday complexities that may get in the way of ideal practice. Goldbort underscores the importance of an ethical approach to science and scientific communication.

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IEEE Style Guide

In-text citations.

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In-Text Citations

Reference in the text.

• A number enclosed in square brackets, eg. [1] or [26], placed in the text of the essay, indicates the relevant reference.

• Each reference number should be enclosed in square brackets on the same line as the text, before any punctuation, with a space before the bracket.

• Citations are numbered in the order in which they appear in the text and each citation corresponds to a numbered reference containing publication information about the source cited in the reference list at the end of the publication, essay or assignment.

• Once a source has been cited, the same number is used in all subsequent references.

• No distinction is made between print and electronic references when citing within the text.

Examples of in-text referencing:

"...end of the line for my research [13]." "The suggestion was first put noted in [1]." "Jones [2] has stated that......." "Recent studies [5], [7], [9], [11] have also described..." "For example, see [7]."

• The author(s) or the date are not mentioned as part of the in-text reference unless it is relevant to your text.

• You do not need to refer to the reference as "in reference [3] ..." "In [3] ..." is sufficient.

NB: If you use a direct quote in-text, you must include a page number.

e.g.: In Pan et al.'s study, incongruent patch-word combinations lead to "significantly slower" performance [3, p. 8].

Citing more than one reference at a time

• When citing more than one source at a time, the preferred method is to list each reference number separately with a comma or dash between each reference:

Preferred [1], [3], [5]

• Although the following method is also acceptable:

Acceptable [1, 3, 5]

Citing a reference multiple times

• When citing a source for a second or subsequent time, do not use ibid or op. cit.

• Use the same reference number previously used for that citation (for example, if the work by Smith was [3] the first time you cited it, it will be [3] everytime you cite it from then on).

• If referring to a different page number, or other reference, within the source, use the following forms:

[3, pp. 5-10], [3, Ch.  2, pp. 6-21], [3, Fig. 1], [3, Sec. 4.5]

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IEEE Citation Guide

• IEEE Citation Resources

In-Text Citations

• Creating a Reference List
• Citation Management Applications

In text citations are the citations that happen in the body of your paper. Within IEEE they are numbers within brackets which will correspond too the appropriate citation within the reference section at the end of your research paper.

In-text citations start at [1] and ascend in order of citations listed. Occasionally, you will reference a source multiple times in your paper, you can use the same bracketed number for each citation.

Here are some examples of in-text IEEE citations:

Single author

There has been at least 532 volcanic eruptions in recorded history [1].

Ramos [1] found 532 volcanic eruptions in recorded history.

Two different authors cited

There has been at least 532 volcanic eruptions in recorded history [1], [2].

Ramos [1] and Wilson [4] each found 532 volcanic eruptions in recorded history.

More than three authors on one single study

Ramos et al. [1] found 532 volcanic eruptions in recorded history.

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How to Format In-Text Citations in IEEE Referencing

4-minute read

• 11th February 2020

IEEE referencing is common in engineering and other technical subject areas. But how do you format in-text citations in IEEE? In this post, we look at a few of the things you need to know to use this system correctly:

• The basic citation format used in IEEE referencing.
• How to cite multiple sources in one place in a document.
• How to quote sources directly using the IEEE style.

Read on to find out how to use IEEE citations in your written work .

In-Text Citations in IEEE Referencing

IEEE, as set out by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers , is a number–note system. This means you reference sources via numbered citations in the text. The basic rules are:

• Each numbered citation points to an entry in a reference list .
• Number sources sequentially in the order you first cite them: i.e., the first source you cite will be the first entry in the reference list, the second source will be the second entry, the third source will be the third, etc.
• Use the same number each time you cite a source: e.g., if you cite the first source in your document more than once, you would use [1] each time.
• Place citations in square brackets in the main text of the document.
• Where relevant, place citations inside commas and periods.

So, for example, the first source we cite in a document would look like this:

The disco fire was caused by faulty wiring [1].

The [1] at the end of this sentence shows the reader we’re citing the first source in the reference list. If they then wanted to check our citation, they’d simply need to look up the source details.

You can also use citations in place of a noun in IEEE referencing, such as an author or study name. For example:

As shown by Prof. Valentine [2], there is risk of a high voltage shock.

As shown by [2], there is risk of a high voltage shock.

This is simply a matter of preference. The key factor, always, is that each citation points to the correct entry in your reference list.

Citing Multiple Sources in IEEE

You can also cite more than one source at once in IEEE referencing. The rules for this are similar, but the details depend on the sources you’re citing.

For consecutive sources (i.e., sources that follow one another in the reference list), you will need to use an en dash to link the numbers of the first and last sources you are citing. For example:

Many studies have examined why we keep starting fires [3]–[6].

Here, for example, we’re citing sources 3, 4, 5, and 6 from the reference list.

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For non-consecutive sources, add a comma between each citation:

Some theorists suggest that desire is to blame [1], [3], [7].

In the sentence above, then, we are citing sources 1, 3, and 7.

You can also combine these approaches as required for a single citation:

A similar fire began in a Taco Bell at the Gates of Hell [1]–[3], [5], [7]–[9].

Note, too, that the dashes and commas in these citations go between the bracketed numbers, not within the brackets themselves.

Quoting Sources in IEEE Referencing

Finally, let’s look at how to quote sources in IEEE citations. To do this:

• Place the quoted text within quotation marks .
• Add a page number or numbers after the citation number and a comma.

So, for example, we could quote a source using IEEE referencing as follows:

One onlooker was seen shouting “Danger! Danger!” [1, p. 33].

To cite more than one page, meanwhile, use “pp.” instead of “p.”:

The report said that “the accident would not have occurred if modern wiring had been installed in the discotheque” [2, pp. 102–103].

Hopefully, this has clarified all the basics of how to format in-text citations in IEEE referencing. If you have any issues with this system, though, you can either leave a question in the comments below or submit a document for proofreading by one of our expert academic editors.

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Citation styles: apa, mla, chicago, turabian, ieee.

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Resources from Pitt's Writing Center

• How to Reference Sources Provides specific examples of how to cite different material types in IEEE style.
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IEEE Publications

• IEEE Citation Guidelines IEEE's publication on citation standards covers books, conference technical articles, online sources, periodicals, theses, and more.
• IEEE Editorial Style Manual This style manual provides editorial guidance for IEEE Transactions, Journals, and Letters. It outlines how to divide the parts of a paper, cite figures and tables, and it gives guidelines for specific grammar rules.
• IEEE Article Templates This site gives the nitty-gritty details on how to edit, format, and submit a paper for IEEE review and publication.

Online IEEE Citation Resources

• Murdoch University This is an excellent guide that covers all aspects of citing in IEEE style. Check out the Reference List Entries page for details about citing a variety of material types.

What is IEEE Style?

The Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is a professional organization supporting many branches of engineering, computer science, and information technology. In addition to publishing journals, magazines, and conference proceedings, IEEE also makes many standards for a wide variety of industries.

IEEE citation style includes in-text citations, numbered in square brackets, which refer to the full citation listed in the reference list at the end of the paper. The reference list is organized numerically, not alphabetically. For examples, see the IEEE Editorial Style Manual . 

The Basics:

In-text Citing   It is not necessary to mention an author's name, pages used, or date of publication in the in-text citation. Instead, refer to the source with a number in a square bracket, e.g. [1], that will then correspond to the full citation in your reference list.

• Place bracketed citations within the line of text, before any punctuation, with a space before the first bracket.
• Number your sources as you cite them in the paper. Once you have referred to a source and given it a number, continue to use that number as you cite that source throughout the paper.
• When citing multiple sources at once, the preferred method is to list each number separately, in its own brackets, using a comma or dash between numbers, as such: [1], [3], [5] or [1] - [5].

The below examples are from Murdoch University's IEEE Style LibGuide .

Examples of in-text citations:

"...end of the line for my research [13]."

"This theory was first put forward in 1987 [1]."

"Scholtz [2] has argued that..."

"Several recent studies [3], [4], [15], [16] have suggested that...."

"For example, see [7]."

Creating a Reference List    The Reference List appears at the end of your paper and provides the full citations for all the references you have used.  List all references numerically in the order they've been cited within the paper, and include the bracketed number at the beginning of each reference.

• Title your list as References either centered or aligned left at the top of the page.
• Create a hanging indent for each reference with the bracketed numbers flush with the left side of the page. The hanging indent highlights the numerical sequence of your references.
• The author's name is listed as first initial, last name. Example: Adel Al Muhairy would be cited as A. Al Muhairy (NOT Al Muhairy, Adel).
• The title of an article is listed in quotation marks.
• The title of a journal or book is listed in italics.

The below examples are from the IEEE Citation Reference Guide , IEEE Reference Guide , and Murdoch University's IEEE Style LibGuide .

Examples of citations for different materials:

Books on Technical Writing

• Chicago Manual of Style Online This link opens in a new window The IEEE Editorial Style Manual refers authors to the Chicago Manual of Style for further grammar and usage guidance.
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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

IEEE Overview

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This page will introduce you to the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) style for formatting research papers and citing sources. IEEE – pronounced “I-triple-E” – is a style widely used among all branches of engineering, computer science, and other technological fields.

Though the OWL’s section on IEEE is sufficient for quick reference, if you are writing a lengthy manuscript or dissertation, or if you have detailed questions, you should consult the IEEE Editorial Style Manual, available as a PDF through the organization’s website . Alternately, if you are formatting a paper for submission to a specific organization, publication, or event, refer to the formatting guidelines provided by said organization / publication / event and privilege those guidelines over any found here.

The IEEE section contains the following pages:

General Format

• Basic formatting and page layout
• Abstracts, index terms, and other front matter
• Section headings, appendix headings, and similar
• Appendices, acknowledgements and other back matter

In-Text Citation

• Formatting in-text citations
• Citing within a reference
• Citing multiple references at once

Reference List

• Formatting reference page entries
• General principles for formatting references
• Specific instructions for formatting references to various media

Tables, Figures, and Equations

• Distinguishing between tables, figures, and equations
• Formatting tables appropriately
• Formatting labels, titles, captions, etc. appropriately
• Referring to tables, figures, and equations in text.

IEEE Citation: In-text, Tables & Figures, & AI

• In-text, Tables & Figures, & AI
• Reference List
• Reference List Examples
• Getting Help

Generative AI Citation

Currently, IEEE has not provided guidance on citing generative AI. For now, practice is that generative AI content absolutely should be cited and can be considered 'private communication' as it is difficult to recreate. Private communication is not added to the reference list but it is cited in-text.

Please see the University of Victoria's excellent general information on A I and citation information and examples specific to IEEE .

Please also see McMaster University's latest IEEE recommendations for citing generative AI .

In-text Citations

For in-text citations in IEEE, provide the number, in square brackets, that refers to the reference list/bibliography at the end of the paper. The detailed citations in the reference list/bibliography at the end of the paper are in numerical sequence corresponding to the order that they appear in the paper. Once a source has been cited, use the same number in all subsequent in-text references.

Page numbers are added, if your source has page numbers, to the reference in the reference list when quoting or when referring to a specific detail. Square brackets are placed after the quotation marks and before the punctuation.

If you are referring to several references, include each numbered reference, separated by commas, when not sequential [3,6,7] and ranges, separated by a dash, where applicable [12-14].

Quotations and Paraphrases

IEEE guidance is not entirely clear about adding page numbers, sections, etc. to an in-text citation. Some guides suggest adding the page numbers to the citation in the reference list,; however, the alternative is to add this information to the in-text citation as shown below in the examples.

Short quotations

For quotes (exact word for word copy) that are less than three lines, enclose the quotation in double quotation marks (" ").

Ashby believes that, “The typical person understands the physical world more intuitively than he understands the electrical one” [1, sec. 12].

Paraphrasing

According to Ashby [9, p.3], the physical world is easier to understand intuitively than the electrical world.

Long quotations

For quotations that are three lines or longer, use an indented block quotation without the quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, indented five to seven spaces from the left margin.

Hunter notes that:

The Convention on Registration of Objects Launched into Outer Space (UNOOSA) is an international agreement brokered by the United Nations that came into force in 1976. It provides that the launching state should furnish to the United Nations, as soon as practicable, detailed information on certain launches into outer space [2, pp. 132-133].

Adding pages/sections to the  Reference List Citation

[7]  British Columbia Land Surveyors, “Survey and Plan Rules,” version 1.2, sec. 2-4, Nov. 14, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://abcls.ca/land-surveying-in-bc/survey-rules/

Tables and Figures

Tables provide data and/or information in a grid with rows and columns. Figures are any illustrations that are not tables such as graphs, charts and photographs.

TABLES: Tables are labeled above the table in capital letters. The first line, centred over the table, will be TABLE plus the sequential number of the table as it appears in your paper in roman numerals. The second line, also centred and in capital letters, is the descriptive caption for the table. Use additional lines if required to keep the title over the table and indented on both sides.

TABLE VI DATA FOR ELECTRICITY GRIDS IN EUROPE

FIGURES: Figures are labeled below the figure, mostly in lower case letters, also centred. The figure number and the descriptive caption for the figure is on the same line. Use additional lines if required to keep the title under the figure and indented on both sides. Figure is abbreviated to Fig. and is followed by the sequential number of the figure as it appears in your paper.

Fig. 4.  Interconnection between various components.

Place a citation number in square brackets directly after you mention the table or figure in your text. The corresponding entry in your reference list will follow the format for the type of source that the table or figure is from (a book, a journal article, a website etc.)

FULL EXAMPLE, TABLE:

In-text citation:

Many factors must be considered in order to avoid fracturing, including the properties of the materials shown in Table I [11].

Citation in reference list:

[11] O. K. Oyewole et al ., "Lamination of organic solar cells and organic light emitting devices: models and experiments," Journal of Applied Physics , vol. 118, no. 7, Aug. 2015. [Online]. Available: Applied Science and Technology Source, doi: 10.1063/1.4928729

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• Referencing guides

In-text citations in IEEE Style

Create a spot-on reference in ieee, general rules of in-text citations.

IEEE Style uses the numerical system of references. It is based on a numbered list of bibliographic references ordered by the chronology of in-text citations (see more here ). At the same time, the in-text citations are represented by the corresponding numbers of the works in the bibliography and, whenever applicable, the appropriate pages containing the cited information.

The in-text citations are given in brackets as follows:

[ source number in bibliography , p(p).   page(s) ]

If needed, give the author’s last name in the text together with the citation.

Compare these examples:

Bibliographic reference:

• A.   Caton, An Introduction to Thermodynamic Cycle Simulations for Internal Combustion Engines . Chichester, U.K.: Wiley, 2015.

In-text citation (without the author credited):

Thermodynamic cycles of internal combustion engines are <…> [2, p.   15].

In-text citation (with the author credited):

As Caton notes, thermodynamic cycles of internal combustion engines are <…> [2, p.   15].

N.B.  In contrast to bibliographic references, the in-text citations should contain the names of only one or two authors (joined by the conjunction ‘and’). For sources having more than two authors, only the first author’s name should be given followed by ‘ et al. ’ in italic, e.g.:

• Y.   Yamada, T.   Sakamoto, T.   Matsui, and N.   Araki, "Standardization activities for optical fiber and cable technology in International Electrotechnical Commission," NTT Tech. Rev. , vol.   20, no.   10, pp.   82–86, Oct.   2022, doi: 10.53829/ntr202210gls. Accessed: Feb.   21, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://ntt-review.jp/archive/ntttechnical.php?contents=ntr202210gls.html

In-text citation:

As Yamada et al.  suggest, the optical fiber technology is <…> [3, p.   83].

See this article  for the rules of giving authors’ names in bibliographic references.

Citing multiple works in an in-text citation

When citing multiple sources in a single sentence or fragment of text, put the brackets around the number of every individual source and separate the sources by commas:

The application of mechatronics is predefined by <…> [1,   p. 154], [4], [5], [6], [9].

Grafiati allows generating not only bibliographic references but also combined in-text citations of multiple sources  in IEEE Style and other citation styles.

Other citation styles:

• What is APA Style (7th ed.)?
• Examples of bibliographic references in APA (7th ed.)
• APA 7 vs APA 6: key differences
• How to cite authors?
• How to format the references page with APA (7th ed.)?
• In-text citations
• Archival document
• Book chapter
• Conference paper
• Dictionary/encyclopedia/dictionary entry/encyclopedia article
• Dissertation (thesis)
• Journal article
• Newspaper article
• Press release
• Religious text
• Social media post
• Software / mobile app
• Video (online)
• Video game / computer game
• What is MLA Style (8th ed.)?
• Examples of references in works cited in MLA (8th ed.)
• How to format the works cited page in MLA (8th ed.)?
• What is Chicago Style?
• Examples of bibliographic references in Chicago Style – notes and bibliography (17th ed.)
• How to format the bibliography page?
• Notes and in-text citations
• Examples of bibliographic references in Chicago Style – author-date (17th ed.)
• What is Harvard referencing style?
• Examples of bibliographic references in Harvard style
• Online video
• What is IEEE Style?
• Examples of bibliographic references in IEEE Style
• How to format the references pages in IEEE Style?
• What is Vancouver Style?
• Examples of bibliographic references in Vancouver Style

APA Citation Style 7th Edition: In-Text Citation

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On This Page

• About In-Text Citations
• Video: APA 7th Edition: In-Text Citations
• How do I cite two or more works by the same author with the same year of publication?
• Do I need to cite after each sentence in a paragraph?
• How do I cite a work quoted in another source?
• How do I cite more than one source in one in-text citation?
• Quoting and Paraphrasing: What's the Difference?
• In-text citations for two or more authors

APA 7th Edition: In-Text Citations

About In-Text Citation

In APA, in-text citations are inserted in the body of your research paper to briefly document the source of your information. Brief in-text citations point the reader to more complete information in the reference list at the end of the paper.

• In-text citations include the last name of the author followed by a comma and the publication year enclosed in parentheses: (Smith, 2007).
• If you are quoting directly the page number should be included, if given. If you are paraphrasing the page number is not required.
• If the author's name is not given, then use the first word or words of the title. Follow the same formatting that was used in the title, such as italics: ( Naturopathic , 2007).

Signal Phrase

If you refer to the author's name in a sentence you do not have to include the name again as part of your in-text citation. Instead include the date after the name and the page number (if there is one) at the end of the quotation or paraphrased section. For example:

Hunt (2011) explains that mother-infant attachment has been a leading topic of developmental research since John Bowlby found that "children raised in institutions were deficient in emotional and personality development" (p. 358).

FAQ - How do I cite two or more works by the same author with the same year of publication?

When you are citing two different sources that share the same author and year of publication, assign lowercase letters after the year of publication (a, b, c, etc.). Assign these letters according to which title comes first alphabetically. Use these letters in both in-text citations and the Reference list.

Example In-Text :

Paraphrasing content from first source by this author (Daristotle, 2015a). "Now I am quoting from the second source by the same author" (Daristotle, 2015b, p. 50).

Example Reference List entries:

Daristotle, J. (2015a). Name of book used as first source . Toronto, ON: Fancy Publisher.

Daristotle, J. (2015b). Title of book used as second source . Toronto, ON: Very Fancy Publisher.

FAQ - Do I need to cite after each sentence in a paragraph?

Unfortunately citing only once at the end of the paragraph isn't enough, as it doesn't clearly show where you started using information from another person's work or ideas. The good news is you can avoid having to write full in-text citations each and every time by using a lead-in to your paragraph. For a detailed example of how to use lead-in sentences, please see  Rasmussen College's FAQ page .

FAQ - How do I cite a work quoted in another source?

Sometimes an author of a book, article or website will mention another person’s work by using a quotation or paraphrased idea from that source. The work that is mentioned in the article you are reading is called the primary source. The article you are reading is called the secondary source.

For example, suppose you are reading an article by Brown (2014) that cites information from an article by Snow (1982) that you would like to include in your essay. For the reference list, you will only make a citation for the secondary source (Brown). You do not put in a citation for the primary source (Snow) in the reference list. For the in-text citation, you identify the primary source (Snow) and then write "as cited in" the secondary source (Brown). If you know the year of the publication of the primary source, include it in the in-text citation. Otherwise, you can omit it. See below for examples.

Examples of in-text citations:

According to a study by Snow (1982, as cited in Brown, 2014), 75% of students believe that teachers should not assign nightly homework.

Note: If you don't have the publication date of Snow's article, you just omit it like this: According to a study by Snow (as cited in Brown, 2014), 75% of students believe that teachers should not assign nightly homework.

In fact, 75% of students believe that teachers should not assign nightly homework (Snow, 1982, as cited in Brown, 2014).

Snow (1982, as cited in Brown, 2014) concluded that "nightly homework is a great stressor for many students" (p.34).

Example of Reference list citation:

Brown, S. (2014). Trends in homework assignments.  Journal of Secondary Studies ,  12(3) , 29-38. http://doi.org/fsfsbit

FAQ: How do I cite more than one source in one in-text citation

If you would like to cite more than one source within the same in-text citation, simply record the in-text citations as normal and separate them with a semi-colon. List the sources alphabetically by author's last name or first word used from the title if no author is given, in the same order they would appear on the References List.

(Bennett, 2015; Smith, 2014). 

( Brock, 2016;  "It Takes Two,"  2015).

Quoting and Paraphrasing: What's the Difference?

There are two ways to integrate others' research into your assignment: you can paraphrase or you can quote.

Paraphrasing  is used to show that you understand what the author wrote. You must reword the passage, expressing the ideas in your own words, and not just change a few words here and there. Make sure to also include an in-text citation.

Quoting  is copying a selection from someone else's work, phrasing it exactly it was originally written. When quoting place quotation marks (" ") around the selected passage to show where the quote begins and where it ends. Make sure to include an in-text citation.

In-Text Citation For Two or More Authors/Editors

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Citation guide

Getting to grips with citation is simple with the help of our highly rated IEEE citation guides .

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How to cite in IEEE style

IEEE style is a way of citing your sources by listing them all in a numbered reference list at the end of your paper and referring to them with the corresponding number in the text.

IEEE stands for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the organization responsible for the guidelines. The style is widely used in engineering, computer science, and other technical disciplines, and it’s followed in IEEE’s publications.

Scribbr’s free citation generator can create accurate IEEE style citations for a wide variety of sources.

IEEE references

The numbered reference page appears at the end of your text, listing full information on all the sources you’ve cited. Sources are numbered in the order in which they were cited.

A reference tends to list the author , title , publisher or publication that contains the source, publication date , and URL and DOI if relevant.

Reference examples

The exact information included in a reference varies based on the source type you’re citing. Different details are relevant and available for different sources.

Explore the tabs to see formats and examples for common source types.

When some of the information you need for the reference is missing, you can work around this in various ways, depending on what information is not available.

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IEEE in-text citations

In-text citations in IEEE style consist of the number of the relevant reference, presented in square brackets [1]. You should stick to one of these styles, not a mix of the two. Include a citation whenever you quote or paraphrase a source.

Each source has one number. If you cite the same source repeatedly, use the same number each time.

Incorporating citations into sentences

Citations in IEEE can either just be placed at the relevant point in the sentence (e.g., after the author name or after a quote), or they can be incorporated into the sentence structure by treating them like nouns (essentially replacing the name of the author or study).

In either case, multiple sources cited at the same point are separated by commas or by an en dash (for a range of consecutively numbered sources). This punctuation appears outside the brackets.

Page numbers and other locators

When you quote or paraphrase a specific part of a source, include a page number or range within the brackets to point the reader to the relevant passage.

For sources without page numbers where it’s still important to indicate a specific part, use an alternate locator like a paragraph number. For a short source with no locators, it’s fine to just leave this part out.

Scribbr offers a variety of tools and resources to help with citation and other aspects of academic writing:

• Citation generator : Scribbr’s free citation generator can create accurate citations in a number of other styles, such as APA, MLA, Harvard, and Chicago.
• Free plagiarism checker : Detect and fix plagiarism issues with the most accurate plagiarism checker available, powered by Turnitin.
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• Paraphrasing tool: Avoid accidental plagiarism and make your text sound better.
• Summarizer: Read more in less time. Distill lengthy and complex texts down to their key points.
• AI detector: Find out if your text was written with ChatGPT or any other AI writing tool. ChatGPT 2 & ChatGPT 3 supported.
• Proofreading services : Make sure your writing is clear and professional with the help of an expert editor.
• Citation Checker : Check your work for citation errors and missing citations.
• Guide to IEEE style : Understand the rules of IEEE style, and learn how to cite a variety of sources.
• Guides and videos : Explore our Knowledge Base, our YouTube channel, and a wide variety of other educational resources covering topics ranging from language to statistics.