In this post, we discuss the most commonly used citation styles in computer science. We cover ACM, APA, IEEE, CSE, and Chicago and provide examples of references in each style.
#1 ACM
ACM style uses sequential numbers in square brackets for in-text citations. A reference list at the end of the paper includes full bibliographic information for each source.
ACM style examples
Here is an example of an in-text citation in ACM style:
Is the state still needed when blockchain technology can create decentralized governance? In recent years, much debate has been stirred regarding the power of peer-to-peer systems [1].
Here is a full reference list entry in ACM style:
[1] Simone Porru, Andrea Pinna, Michele Marchesi, and Roberto Tonelli. 2017. Blockchain-Oriented Software Engineering: Challenges and New Directions. In 2017 IEEE/ACM 39th International Conference on Software Engineering Companion (ICSE-C), IEEE.
ACM style resources
#2 APA
APA style is a citation format used in the social sciences, education, and engineering, as well as in computer science. APA consists of two elements: in-text citations and a reference list.
It uses an author-date system, in which the author’s last name and year of publication are put in parentheses (e.g. Smith 2003). These parenthetical citations refer the reader to a list at the end of the paper, which includes information about each source.
APA style examples
Here is an example of an in-text citation in APA style:
Presence of a strong immunization service prior to integration is considered as one of the two characteristics of success (Wallace et al., 2009).
For more than one author, you can use “et al.” in the in-text citation.
Here is a bibliography entry in APA style:
Wallace, A., Dietz, V., & Cairns, K. L. (2009). Integration of immunization services with other health interventions in the developing world: what works and why? Systematic literature review. Tropical Medicine & International Health, 14(1), 11–19.
If you’re citing a website or an online journal article, you will need to include a DOI at the end of your reference.
APA style resources
🌐 Official APA style guidelines
#3 IEEE
IEEE style is used for engineering and computer science papers. This style uses a numeric, in-text citation format, with a number in square brackets. This number corresponds to a reference list entry at the end of the paper.
IEEE style examples
Here is an example of an in-text citation in IEEE style:
Blockchain is an emerging technology holding significant promise [9].
Here is a full bibliographic reference in IEEE style:
[9] I. Bashir, Mastering Blockchain: Distributed ledger technology, decentralization, and smart contracts explained, 2nd Edition, 2nd ed. Birmingham, England: Packt Publishing, 2018.
IEEE style resources
🌐 Official IEEE style guidelines
#4 Chicago
Chicago style is another form of citation used for computer science papers. It has two formats: a notes and bibliography system and an author-date system.
The notes and bibliography system is mostly used for the humanities, whereas the author-date system is used in computer science. The latter uses in-text citations formed by the author's last name and date of publication. A bibliography at the end of the paper lists the full information for all references.
Chicago style examples
Here is an in-text citation Chicago style:
Artificial intelligence will soon be an internal part of our digital lives (Chassignol et al. 2018).
Here is an example of a bibliography entry in Chicago style:
Chassignol, Maud, Aleksandr Khoroshavin, Alexandra Klimova, and Anna Bilyatdinova. 2018. “Artificial Intelligence Trends in Education: A Narrative Overview.” Procedia Computer Science 136: 16–24.
Chicago style resources
🌐 Official Chicago style guidelines
#5 CSE
CSE style features three types of citation systems: citation-sequence, name-year, and citation-name.
• Name-Year: In-text citations of this type feature the author’s last name and the year of publication in brackets. A bibliography at the end lists all references in full.
• Citation-Sequence: Every source is assigned a superscript number that is used as an in-text reference. The bibliography at the end lists all numbers with their references in the order in which they appeared in the text.
• Citation-Name: The reference list is organized alphabetically by authors’ last names; each name is assigned a number which can be placed in superscript as an in-text reference.
Computer science papers typically use the Name-Year system in CSE style.
CSE style examples
Here is an example of an in-text citation in CSE style:
Artificial intelligence is becoming more prominent in health care innovation (Maddox et al. 2019).
Here is a full citation in CSE style:
Maddox TM, Rumsfeld JS, Payne PRO. 2019. Questions for artificial intelligence in health care. JAMA. 321(1):31–32.
CSE style resources
🌐 Official CSE style guidelines
🗂 CSE style guide
📝 CSE citation generator
Frequently Asked Questions about citation styles used in computer science
💾 Does computer science use MLA or APA?
While APA style is used in computer science, styles like ACM and IEEE are more widely accepted.
🔬 What does CSE citation look like?
Here is an example of an in-text citation in CSE style:
Artificial intelligence is becoming more prominent in health care innovation (Maddox et al. 2019).
Here is a full citation in CSE style:
- Maddox TM, Rumsfeld JS, Payne PRO. 2019. Questions for artificial intelligence in health care. JAMA. 321(1):31–32.
📊 What format are computer science papers written in?
Computer science papers are often written in IEEE, CSE, or APA style.
📇 How do you cite a computer program in APA for computer science?
An APA citation for a computer program will list the author's name, the publication year, the name of the software, the version number, and the publisher.
🤓 How do you make a reference list in computer science?
The easiest way to create your reference list in computer science is to use the BibGuru citation generator. It's fast, free, and ad-free.
