IEEE Format Checklist
IEEE is mostly about how you cite. The big one students miss: references are numbered in the order you cite them, not alphabetized. Run down the list before you submit.
Page formatting
- Margins: 1 inch on all sides.
- Font: Times New Roman (10 pt in the IEEE template; 12 pt is common for coursework).
- Indent: first line of every body paragraph indented 0.5 inch.
- Page numbers: included.
- In-text citations: bracketed numbers like
[1],[2]that match the reference list.
References
- A section titled References.
- Numbered
[1], [2], [3]in the order they're first cited — not alphabetical. - 0.5-inch hanging indent so wrapped lines line up.
- Author initials before the surname, the title in "quotes," and the journal in italics — see IEEE reference examples.
Want to know which of these your paper gets wrong?
Check my IEEE paper — free →FAQ
Are IEEE references alphabetical?
No. They're numbered in the order you first cite them in the text.
How do I write author names?
Initials first, then the surname — for example, "J. K. Author," not "Author, J. K."