IEEE · Standard
How to Cite an Article in IEEE Style
IEEE citation format for magazine and conference articles with numbered references.
Quick Answer
To cite a magazine or conference article in IEEE style, use: [#] A. Author, "Article title," Publication, pp. xx-xx, Month Year. Use author initials for first names. Put the article title in quotation marks. Italicize the publication name. Use abbreviated months (Jan., Feb., Mar., etc.) and include page numbers with the "pp." prefix. For conference papers, use a slightly different format: [#] A. Author, "Paper title," in Conf. Name, City, Country, Year, pp. xx-xx. In-text citations use only the numbered reference: [1]. Magazines typically lack volume and issue numbers, which distinguishes them from journal articles. Example: [1] S. Johnson, "The future of quantum computing," IEEE Spectrum, pp. 28-35, Jan. 2024. For online articles, add the URL and access date after the page numbers. Keep reference numbers consistent throughout the paper — each source retains its original number on every subsequent mention. CiteMe identifies article types and applies the correct IEEE format for magazines, conferences, and journals.
Quick answer: To cite a article in IEEE (Standard), use this template: [#] A. Author, "Article title," Publication, pp. xx-xx, Month Year.
Citation template
Full example
Reference / Bibliography
[1] S. Johnson, "The future of quantum computing," IEEE Spectrum, pp. 28-35, Jan. 2024.
In-text citation
[1]
Source breakdown
- author
- S. Johnson
- title
- The future of quantum computing
- site
- IEEE Spectrum
- year
- Jan. 2024
- pages
- 28-35
Tips
- ✓Use abbreviated months
- ✓Include page numbers
- ✓Italicize publication names
- ✓Keep reference numbers consistent
Common mistakes
- ⚠Not abbreviating months
- ⚠Omitting page numbers
- ⚠Using parenthetical citations
- ⚠Full first names instead of initials
Before & after
Using parenthetical citation instead of numbered reference
Wrong
According to Johnson (2024), the future of quantum computing...
Correct
According to [1], the future of quantum computing...
IEEE never uses author-date in-text citations. Always use the numbered reference in square brackets [1] assigned in order of first appearance.
Full first names and wrong author format
Wrong
[1] Sarah Johnson, "The future of quantum computing," IEEE Spectrum, pp. 28-35, January 2024.
Correct
[1] S. Johnson, "The future of quantum computing," IEEE Spectrum, pp. 28-35, Jan. 2024.
IEEE uses first-name initials (S. Johnson, not Sarah Johnson) and abbreviated months with periods (Jan., not January).
Frequently asked questions
How do I cite a conference paper in IEEE?
Use: Author, "Paper title," in Conf. Name, City, Country, Year, pp. xx-xx.
What's the difference between journal and magazine citations?
Magazines typically don't have volume/issue numbers. Both use numbered references.