A journal abbreviation should come from a checked publication title, not an internal acronym or a database guess. Find the source record, use IEEE's title list for IEEE periodicals, and keep historic titles tied to the paper's publication period.
Find the Reference Abbreviation From a Checked Title
A journal abbreviation belongs to the publication record. Start with the full journal title on the publisher page or DOI record. For an IEEE periodical, find that title in IEEE's title list and copy the value in its Reference Abbreviation column. The list's short internal label, such as TAP, helps IEEE identify the publication. It does not belong in the reference line.
It keeps an acronym, an obsolete title, or a conference name out of the journal field.
Start With the Published Journal Title
Citation exports often arrive with a compact venue label. Keep the original publisher record open before you shorten anything. A DOI landing page, the article's HTML record, or the issue table of contents usually gives you the journal title, publication year, volume, issue, article locator, and DOI in one place.
| What the record names | Where it belongs | What to keep separate |
|---|---|---|
| The serial or journal title | Journal name and, after checking, Journal abbreviation | Paper title and publisher imprint |
| A proceedings title | Conference or proceedings field | A journal name |
| Pages or an article number | Its own locator field | The journal abbreviation |
An Early Access record can still have a journal title before it receives final pages or an article number. Check its publication status separately with the Early Access journal article guide. A conference paper needs its proceedings title, even when the conference is sponsored by IEEE.
Use IEEE's Title List Instead of an Internal Acronym
IEEE's Author Center directs writers to its journal and magazine title list for individual IEEE periodicals. Search with the full title from the source record, then read across the matching row. The sheet separates the short Journal/Magazine label from the Reference Abbreviation you need for the citation.
| Title as listed by IEEE | Internal label | Reference abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| Access, IEEE | ACCESS | IEEE Access |
| Antennas and Propagation, IEEE Transactions on | TAP | IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. |
| Audio, Speech, and Language Processing, IEEE Transactions on | TASLPRO | IEEE Trans. Audio, Speech, Language Process. |
The examples above come directly from the official list. A familiar acronym still needs a title check. TAP is useful in an IEEE workflow. IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. identifies the journal in the reference list.
Match the Abbreviation to the Paper's Publication Period
The IEEE list marks past acronyms and abbreviations with an asterisk. That mark matters when a journal has changed title or publication arrangement. Its entry for the audio, speech, and language processing title includes the earlier IEEE/ACM Trans. Audio, Speech, Language Process. form for papers published from 2014 to 2024.
Read the publication year and title printed on the paper's record, then choose the form that matches that record. A current journal homepage can help you find the publication. Keep the title shown on an older article when that was the title under which it appeared.
Check Non-IEEE Journals on Their Own Evidence
IEEE's title list is the right place to start for IEEE periodicals. A non-IEEE article needs a separate source check. First read the reference instructions for the journal, conference, department, or course receiving your paper. Then compare the publisher's record with any abbreviation you plan to use.
The ISSN International Centre's List of Title Word Abbreviations is an ISO 4 resource for standardized serial-title words. It can help you investigate a non-IEEE title. Submission instructions still govern the final form. IEEE's Reference Guide says to spell a word out when its general guidance does not support an abbreviation.
Correct Imported Abbreviations Before You Copy
Importers can carry a full title, a stale abbreviation, or an empty field into a citation draft. This site's Journal editor keeps Journal name and Journal abbreviation separate. When an abbreviation is present, the formatted reference uses it. When a journal name is present without one, the editor asks you to verify the abbreviation.
- Keep the source titleRetain the full journal title long enough to compare it with the publisher record.
- Check the title listCopy the Reference Abbreviation for a matching IEEE periodical and publication period.
- Review the locatorKeep pages or an article number in its own field, beside the checked journal data.
- Read the finished lineCompare authors, title, journal, volume, issue, locator, year, and DOI with one source record.
The Journal editor can help you keep the fields legible after you have checked them. It cannot decide that a database's short label is current or official. For locator checks, use IEEE Citations With Article Numbers. For DOI lookup and metadata checks, use DOI to IEEE Citation.
Have a checked journal record?
Enter the full title and the verified abbreviation in their own fields, then read the completed IEEE reference before copying it into your manuscript.
Open the Journal citation toolFrequently Asked Questions
Can I use an internal code such as TAP as the journal abbreviation?
No. The IEEE title list gives internal labels and reference abbreviations in separate columns. Use the Reference Abbreviation value for the reference line.
Does an IEEE citation article number replace the journal abbreviation?
No. The article number locates one paper within a journal. The journal abbreviation identifies the serial publication. Keep both facts tied to the publisher's record.
Should an old article use the journal's newest short title?
Use the title and period that match the record for the article you cited. IEEE's list includes historical forms for some periodicals, so check the paper's date before copying a current-looking abbreviation.