IEEE requires a specific notation for online sources: [Online]. Available: URL. [Accessed: Date]. This clearly distinguishes digital sources and provides readers with the URL and the date you accessed it — important because web content can change or disappear.
Standard Website Citation
Format
[#] A. Author, "Title of Page," Website/Organisation Name, Day Mon. Year. [Online]. Available: https://example.com. [Accessed: Day Mon. Year].
Example — with individual author
[1] J. Martinez, "Introduction to 5G networks," IEEE Technology Blog, Mar. 15, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://techblog.ieee.org/5g-intro. [Accessed: Jan. 10, 2025].
Example — organisation as author
[2] IEEE Standards Association, "IEEE 802.11ax — Wi-Fi 6 Standard," IEEE, 2021. [Online]. Available: https://standards.ieee.org/ieee/802.11ax. [Accessed: Feb. 3, 2025].
Webpage with No Named Author
When no individual author is listed, use the organisation or website name as the author:
Example
[3] Wikipedia, "Machine learning," Wikimedia Foundation, last modified Jan. 5, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_learning. [Accessed: Jan. 20, 2025].
Note on Wikipedia: Wikipedia is generally not considered a citable academic source in IEEE papers. However, if you must cite it, use this format and note the "last modified" date rather than an original publication date.
Online News Article or Blog Post
Example — news article
[4] T. Simonite, "How AI is transforming healthcare diagnostics," Wired, Sep. 28, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.wired.com/story/ai-healthcare-diagnostics. [Accessed: Mar. 1, 2025].
Government or Standards Document (Online)
Example
[5] National Institute of Standards and Technology, "Digital Signature Standard (DSS)," U.S. Dept. Commerce, Gaithersburg, MD, FIPS PUB 186-5, Feb. 2023. [Online]. Available: https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.FIPS.186-5. [Accessed: Apr. 4, 2025].
Datasheet or Manufacturer Technical Document
Technical datasheets from manufacturers (commonly cited in electronics/engineering papers):
Format
[#] Manufacturer, "Component/Product Name Datasheet," Manufacturer Name, Part No. XXXX, Rev. X.X, Year. [Online]. Available: URL. [Accessed: Date].
Example
[6] Texas Instruments, "TMS320C6678 Multicore Fixed and Floating-Point Digital Signal Processor Datasheet," Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX, SPRS691D, Nov. 2014. [Online]. Available: https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/sprs691d/sprs691d.pdf. [Accessed: Jan. 8, 2025].
Cite Any Website in IEEE Format — Free
Our free IEEE citation generator handles websites, online articles, and digital sources. Just enter the URL and let it auto-fill the details.
Open IEEE Citation Generator →
The [Online]. Available: Format — Key Rules
| Element | Rule | Example |
|---|
| [Online] tag | Always include before "Available:" | [Online]. |
| Available: | Followed by the full URL | Available: https://example.com |
| URL format | Include full https:// URL; no angle brackets | https://www.example.com/page |
| [Accessed: date] | Required; use Day Mon. Year format | [Accessed: Jan. 10, 2025]. |
| Date published | Use Day Mon. Year if known; Year alone if not | Mar. 15, 2023 or 2023 |
| No date available | Omit date; still include [Accessed:] | [Online]. Available: URL. [Accessed: Date]. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it always required to include [Accessed: Date] for IEEE website citations?▼
Yes — IEEE style requires an access date for all website citations. Web content can change or be removed, and the access date tells readers when you verified the information was available. Use the format [Accessed: Day Mon. Year], e.g., [Accessed: Jan. 15, 2025].
What if the website has no publication date?▼
If no publication or "last updated" date is available, omit the date field entirely — do not write "n.d." (that is Harvard/APA notation). Jump straight to [Online]. Available: URL. [Accessed: Date].
Can I use a DOI instead of a URL for IEEE online sources?▼
Yes. If the source has a DOI, use the format: doi: 10.XXXX/XXXXX. This is more stable than a URL and is actually preferred over a URL in IEEE format. You do not need to include both a DOI and a URL.
How do I cite a YouTube video in IEEE format?▼
Use the same website format: Author/Channel Name, "Video Title," YouTube, Day Mon. Year. [Online]. Available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXX. [Accessed: Day Mon. Year]. If the channel name and uploader are different people, use the uploader's name as the author.