How to Cite a Book in IEEE

This guide explains how to format a book citation in IEEE. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a book in IEEE:

Template

[1] A. A. Author, Title of Book, Edition. Place: Publisher, Year.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

[1]

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

[1] R. M. Sapolsky, Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst. New York, NY, USA: Penguin Books, 2017.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
Assign a reference number
Use the next sequential number in square brackets.
2
List the author(s)
Write authors as initials followed by surname. Use 'and' before the last author.
3
Write the book title
Italicise the book title using title case. Include the edition (e.g., '2nd ed.') after the title if it is not the first edition.
4
Add the place of publication and publisher
Write the city, state abbreviation (if US), country, followed by a colon and the publisher name.
5
Add the year
Write the year of publication. End with a full stop.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not italicising the book title.
Using sentence case for the book title (IEEE uses title case for book titles).
Omitting the place of publication.
Forgetting to include 'USA' or the country for clarity in the location.
Not including the edition for editions after the first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does IEEE require the place of publication for books?

Yes. IEEE includes the city, and optionally the state and country, before the publisher name. Example: New York, NY, USA: Penguin Books.

How do I cite an edited book in IEEE?

List the editor(s) with 'Ed.' or 'Eds.' after their names: A. B. Smith, Ed., Title of Book. Place: Publisher, Year.

How do I cite an e-book in IEEE?

Cite it as a regular book. If accessed online, add the URL or DOI at the end: [Online]. Available: URL

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your book:

Author(s) or Editor(s)
Year of publication
Title
Edition (if not the first)
Publisher
DOI or URL (if electronic)

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Step-by-Step Guide

Assign a reference number

Use the next sequential number in square brackets.

List the author(s)

Write authors as initials followed by surname. Use 'and' before the last author.

Write the book title

Italicise the book title using title case. Include the edition (e.g., '2nd ed.') after the title if it is not the first edition.

Add the place of publication and publisher

Write the city, state abbreviation (if US), country, followed by a colon and the publisher name.

Add the year

Write the year of publication. End with a full stop.