IEEE Formatting

How to Format IEEE Citation Brackets & Numbering in Word

Updated September 2026•6 min read

IEEE style is the universal standard across engineering, computer science, and applied physics. While IEEE references seem deceptively simple—just numbers inside square brackets—manuscript submissions are frequently returned by IEEE editors due to punctuation errors, incorrect multiple-citation grouping, or orphaned bracket wraps.

Whether you are preparing a paper for an IEEE Transactions journal or an IEEE conference proceedings (see our breakdown of IEEE single-column review vs. two-column camera-ready layout), this guide breaks down the official IEEE editorial manual rules for in-text citation brackets and how to enforce them in Microsoft Word.

Direct Answer: IEEE Citation Bracket Rules

Core IEEE In-Text Citation Rules:

  • Punctuation follows brackets: Always place periods and commas outside the bracket (e.g., ...as described in [1], and later expanded in [2].).
  • Individual brackets for multiple sources: Use [1], [2] or [1]–[3]. Never combine numbers into a single bracket like [1, 2, 3].
  • Ranges use en-dashes: Use an en-dash (–), not a hyphen (-), for three or more consecutive citations: [4]–[7].
  • No author names needed: In IEEE, the bracket acts as the noun. Write “as proven in [3]” instead of “as proven by Miller [3]”.
  • Sentence openings: If beginning a sentence with a reference, write “Reference [1] argues...” or “In [1], the authors argue...”.

1. Correct Punctuation Placement with Brackets

One of the most frequent formatting deductions in IEEE submissions is placing periods or commas inside citation brackets or placing commas before the citation.

❌ Common Errors

Incorrect Punctuation & Grouping

  • “...proposed in the literature [1.]” (period inside)
  • “...prior methods, [2] failed...” (comma precedes bracket)
  • “...several authors [1,2,3] verified...” (grouped single bracket)
  • “...shown by Smith et al. [4]...” (unnecessary author attribution)

Flagged by IEEE automated screening tools.

✓ IEEE Compliant

Correct IEEE Style

  • “...proposed in the literature [1].”
  • “...prior methods [2], failed...”
  • “...several authors [1], [2], [3] verified...”
  • “...shown in [4]...” or “Reference [4] shows...”

Fully conforms to IEEE Editorial Style Manual.

For authoritative publishing guidelines, consult the official IEEE Author Center Article Templates & Reference Guide.

2. Preventing Orphaned Brackets with Non-Breaking Spaces

Have you ever had a paragraph where the word sits at the end of a line, but the citation bracket [15] drops down to the beginning of the next line by itself? This is called an orphaned citation, and it degrades typesetting quality.

To lock the preceding word to the citation bracket in Microsoft Word:

  • Windows: Press Ctrl + Shift + Space between the word and the bracket.
  • Mac: Press Option + Space between the word and the bracket.

In OpenXML markup, this generates a <w:noBreakHyphen/> or unicode non-breaking space (U+00A0), guaranteeing that the bracket never wraps alone.

3. Consecutive Ranges: Hyphens vs. En-Dashes

When citing three or more consecutive references, IEEE requires an en-dash (–) rather than a short hyphen (-):

  • Correct: [3]–[6] (En-dash: Option + Hyphen on Mac, or Alt + 0150 on Windows numpad)
  • Incorrect: [3]-[6] (Short keyboard hyphen)
  • Two citations only: Never use a range for just two items. Write [3], [4], never [3]–[4].

4. Sequential Appearance-Order Numbering

IEEE references are numbered strictly in the order they appear in the paper. The very first cited work must be [1], the second distinct work must be [2], and so forth.

Warning: Figure & Table Caption Traps

If a citation appears inside a figure caption on Page 2 (e.g. “Figure 2: Architecture adapted from [7]”), but that figure is placed before the main text mentions reference [7], the citation in the caption must be renumbered according to the figure's physical location in the document flow. If your reference manager does not auto-sort caption citations in document order, your sequence will be broken.

5. Setting IEEE Style in Reference Managers (Zotero & EndNote)

If you are using reference management tools, configure them to avoid manual syntax errors:

  1. Zotero: Go to Document Preferences → Select IEEE (with URL) or standard IEEE. Zotero automatically clusters multiple citations into separate brackets (e.g. [1], [2]).
  2. EndNote: In the Word ribbon, set the style to IEEE. Under Edit & Manage Citations, ensure the formatting does not override brackets.
  3. Mendeley: Select IEEE from the Citation Style dropdown. Mendeley automatically inserts en-dash ranges for three or more consecutive records.

Caution: Never edit in-text citations manually by typing over field codes, as this corrupts your document database (see our dedicated guide to fixing corrupted EndNote & Zotero field codes in Word).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does IEEE put the period before or after the citation bracket?

In IEEE style, the period always goes AFTER the citation bracket (e.g., '...as reported in [1].'). Punctuation should never precede the bracket.

How do you cite multiple references in IEEE style?

Each reference number must have its own brackets separated by a comma and space (e.g., '[1], [3]'). For continuous ranges of three or more sources, use an en-dash within separate brackets or combined brackets depending on the edition: '[1]–[3]' is the official IEEE standard.

Should citation brackets ever wrap to a new line alone?

No. Having a citation bracket like '[12]' wrap alone to the start of a line is an editorial defect. Prevent this by inserting a non-breaking space (Ctrl+Shift+Space on Windows or Option+Space on Mac) between the preceding word and the opening bracket.

What is the difference between [1] and Ref. [1] in IEEE?

Use simple brackets '[1]' as a noun phrase in running sentences (e.g., 'as demonstrated in [1]'). Only use 'Ref. [1]' or 'Reference [1]' when the citation begins a sentence (e.g., 'Reference [1] provides an alternative proof').