Guides: IEEE Citation Style: More Sources

Online Reports

	Template	Example
Reference list entry	[#] First Initial. Surname, "Title of document," Organization Name, City, Abbreviated State., Country, Report Number, Abbreviated Month Day, Year. Accessed: Abbreviated Month Day, Year. [Format]. Available: doi OR internet address	[1] G. Glass, "Electrical safety program: Nonelectrical crafts at LANL, Live #12175," Los Alamos National Lab, Los Alamos, NM, USA, LA-UR--16-29637, 2016. Accessed: Sept. 29, 2019. [Online]. Available: doi:10.2172/1338684.

Standards & Codes

	Template	Example
Reference list entry	[#] Title of Standard, Standard number, Corporate Author, City, Abbreviated State, Country, Abbreviated Month. Year. [Online]. Available: internet address	[1] Canadian Electrical Code, Part I Safety Standard for Electrical Installations, CSA C22.1:21, Canadian Standards Association, Toronto, Canada, Jan. 2021. [Online]. Available: https://view.csagroup.org/x6K4ke

Note: Omit the date if it is part of the title of the Standard or Code.

Patents

	Template	Example
Reference list entry	[#] Name of the invention, by inventor First Initial. Last name. (Year, Abbreviated Month. Day). Patent Number [Format]. Available: internet address	[1] Screwless clip mounted computer drive, by D. Williams. (2005, Apr. 26). U.S. Patent 6,885,550 B1 [Online]. Available: https://patents.google.com/patent/US6885550B1/en

Data Sheets

Data Sheets
	Template	Example
Reference list entry	[#] Company Name, “Title of data sheet,” Data Sheet number, Date of Publication.	Texas Instruments, “High speed CMOS logic analog multiplexers/demultiplexers,” 74HC4051 datasheet, Nov. 1997 [Revised Sept. 2002].

Material Safety Data Sheets
	Template	Example
Reference list entry	[#] Title of MSDS/SDS; Number of MSDS/SDS [Print or Online]; Name of Manufacturing Company: Location of Company, Abbreviated Month. Day, Year. Internet address (date accessed).	Ammonium Chloride; SDS No. 000001616 [Online]; Avantor: Center Valley, PA, Feb. 23, 2015. https://www.avantorinc.com/ Documents/MSDS/USA/SAP/00038387.PDF (accessed Apr. 27, 2018).

Maps

Google Maps*
	Template	Example
Reference list entry	[#] Corporation Name. “Map title.” Accessed: Abbreviated Month Day, Year. [Online]. Available: URL.	[1] Google. "Google Maps directions for driving from Calgary, AB to Edmonton, AB." Accessed: July 10, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://goo.gl/maps/S6KVrFnSa6C2

Maps Generated from Software
	Template	Example
Reference list entry	[#] Corporation Name, "Map title." Scale. Site or Software Name. Abbreviated Month Day, Year. Accessed: Abbreviated Month Day, Year. [Format]. Available: URL	[22] City of Calgary, "Pathway and bikeway map." Scale not given. Arcgis.com. Oct. 15, 2020. Accessed: July 2, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=edf0a6c3c04d40aaa3c8262388042dc0

*Note: IEEE does not provide guidance on citing maps or other cartographic material. The above example is provided as it is a common scenario at SAIT, but should not be taken as guidance according to the IEEE guidelines.

For more information about citing maps, see the advice of the ACMLA Recommended Best Practices in Citation of Cartographic Materials document produced by the Association of Canadian Map Libraries and Archives. This document provides general advice for components and is not in IEEE format.

How to Cite Private Communications

According to the current IEEE guidelines, private communications (e.g., emails, phone calls, and interviews) are a type of unpublished source but must still be cited in your reference list. It is recommended that you make the medium of communication clear in your writing.

	Template	Example
Reference list entry	First Initial. Surname, private communication, Abbreviated Month Year of communication.	G. Kaur, private communication, Aug. 2024.

Note that previous versions of IEEE did not include private communications in the reference list. Ask your instructor whether you are required to list emails, phone calls, and interviews, or other private communications in your reference list.

Generative AI

PLEASE NOTE

The use of generative AI (e.g. ChatGPT) in courses at SAIT is permitted only at the discretion of your course instructor. Permission in one course does not guarantee permission in another. Failure to obtain permission before using generative AI for any purpose in your coursework may result in a charge of academic misconduct.
Generative AI might not always be accurate and may lack the most up-to-date information. It is essential to cross-check its outputs against credible sources.
The citation format presented below is SAIT specific and is subject to change as SAIT's policies evolve. This format may differ from any guidance from IEEE or specific IEEE publications.

If you are citing information from generative AI, it is recommended to treat it like a private communication since the output is not consistently reproducible.

	Template	Example
In-text citation	(Name of generative AI program, private communication, Month Year).	Our group asked ChatGPT for its top study tips, and the number one recommendation it gave was to "set clear goals" (ChatGPT, private communication, August 2023).
Reference list entry	Not required for private communications	Not required for private communications

Always check with your instructor before using generative AI in your coursework.

View SAIT's Policy on AI use - AC.3.4.3. Schedule F - Use of Artificial Intelligence Tools in Teaching and Learning

Secondary Sources

A secondary source is one that is discussed by the author you are reading. You do not read the original report but instead get the information second-hand from the author. IEEE guidelines do not allow the use of secondary sources. Because you did not read the original report, you cannot include it in your research. Contact your liaison librarian to assist you with locating the original source.

What if. . .

Scenario	Solution	Example
Two to six uathors	Two authors: List both authors separated by the word "and" (as seen in the example). More than two: List each author in the order they are listed separated by a comma, with the word "and" preceding the last author's name (as seen in other examples on this guide).	[2] T. Gray and D. Tracy, "Implementing a trauma informed framework in a disability non-government organization," Western Sydney University, Penrith, Australia, 2016. Accessed: July 12, 2020. Available: https://researchdirect.westernsydney.edu.au/islandora/object/uws:38121
More than six authors	List the first author and the words et al.	[17] P. Goering et al., "National at home/chez soi final report," Mental Health Commission of Canada, Calgary, Canada, 2014. Accessed: Aug. 19, 2018. [Online]. Available: https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/sites/default/files/ mhcc_at_home_report_ national_ cross-site_eng_2_0.pdf
An organization, government agency, or company is the author	List the full name of the organization, government agency, or company as the author.	[4] Status of Women Canada, "Women in Canada: A gender based statistical report," Government of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, 2018. Accessed: Oct. 19, 2020. [Online]. Available: https://cfc-swc.gc.ca/abu-ans/wwad-cqnf/stat/wic-fac-2015/index-en.html
No month, day, and/or year	Exclude the month, day, and/or year from your reference list entry.	Follow the format for your source type
I'm not sure if an accessed date is needed	An accessed date is generally required for any source that is published online. If you aren't sure whether to include one, it's better to have one than to omit.	N/A
I'm not sure if I should end the citation with a period	You should only exclude the period if your citation ends with an internet address (URL). Otherwise, include a period at the end for doi, page range, or year of publication.	See examples throughout guide

Is your scenario not covered in this table? Check the official IEEE reference guide or connect with your librarian for assistance.