What the generator does
Choose the kind of source, then search by title, DOI, ISBN or web address, or type the details in. The details come from Crossref, DataCite, OpenAlex, PubMed, Open Library and Google Books, or from the page itself. The form shows what is missing before you copy. You get the reference and its bracketed number.
Add sources to your list in the order you cite them and export the whole list as a .docx, BibTeX or RIS file. The list is stored in your browser, not on our servers.
How IEEE differs from author–date styles
In IEEE style the text carries only a number, like [1]. The reader goes to the numbered list to see who wrote the source. That makes the order of your list part of your citations: sources are numbered as they first appear, not alphabetically, and the number never changes once it is assigned.
IEEE is used in engineering and computing, and many conferences and journals in those fields provide their own template. If you are writing for a publication, use the author guidelines it gives. The generator follows the general IEEE reference guide.
What to check after you generate
- Order. Number the list by first citation in your paper.
- Journal and conference names. IEEE style abbreviates the names of journals and conferences in references, following the word list in the IEEE Reference Guide (for example, Trans. for Transactions). A one-word title such as Science or Nature is spelled out. The generator prints a name as the database gives it, so abbreviate multi-word names by hand using the guide’s list.
- Authors. Names start with initials. Check that a database did not reverse them.
Questions people ask
Why does my in-text citation show [1]?
IEEE numbers sources in the order you first cite them, so the number depends on where the source sits in your paper. The generator shows [1] for a single citation. In “My list” the numbers follow the order of the list. If you add sources in a different order from your first citations, renumber them.
Do I reuse a number when I cite the same source again?
Yes. Once a source has a number, every later citation of it uses the same number. Two sources cited together are written [4], [5].
Where does the number go in a sentence?
On the line, in square brackets, inside the sentence's punctuation: “As shown by Brown [4], [5], the effect holds at higher frequencies.” It is not raised.
Is the reference list alphabetical?
No. It is numbered in the same order as your first citations. Author names in an entry start with initials, as in A. B. Brown.
Does IEEE abbreviate journal names?
Yes. The IEEE Reference Guide asks for abbreviated periodical and conference names in references, using its list of standard word abbreviations. Journals with a one-word title are not abbreviated. The generator doesn't abbreviate names for you, so check them against the guide before you submit.
How is a DOI written?
IEEE references use “doi:” followed by the number, such as doi: 10.1000/182. This differs from APA and MLA, which write the DOI as a link.
Official sources
We paraphrase official guidance and link to it. When in doubt, follow the source and your instructor.