Formatting Issues

How to Compress Numbered References in IEEE Citation Style

Maira Mehtab Sep 22, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to convert a long sequence of consecutive in-text citations into a compressed IEEE-style format range.

Product: Word Processor
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Formatting an academic or technical document to meet IEEE citation style guidelines.
Observed behavior: Consecutive citations are appearing as a long list of individual numbers (e.g., [16, 17, 18, 19]) instead of a compressed range (e.g., [16–19]).

Before you start

Ensure you are using a dedicated reference management tool (like Mendeley, Zotero, or EndNote) or a built-in citation feature that supports automated bibliography formatting.

Solution 1Recommended

Use a Reference Management Plugin to Update the Citation Style

Automatically format and compress consecutive citations by grouping them and applying the official IEEE style through a reference manager plugin.

Modern document editors rely on reference management plugins to automatically handle complex citation rules. Compressing citations requires the references to be inserted as a single grouped block and the active citation style to be explicitly set to IEEE.

Group your citations

When inserting multiple citations at the same location, use your reference manager to select all applicable sources at once before inserting, ensuring they form a single citation block rather than separate adjacent brackets.

Select IEEE formatting

Navigate to the citation plugin tab in your top menu ribbon. Locate the 'Style' dropdown menu and select 'IEEE'. If it is not visible, select 'More Styles' to search for and add it.

Refresh the document

Click the 'Refresh' or 'Update Citations and Bibliography' button in the plugin ribbon. The software will automatically convert grouped consecutive numbers into a compressed range.

Citation grouping requirement: If you insert citations separately so they appear as [5][6][7], most reference managers will not compress them. They must be inserted together to form a single field.

Solution 2

Manually Format Citations (For Static Documents)

If you are not using an automated citation tool, you can manually type the compressed range. This is best for final drafts where citations will no longer change.

Seamless Academic Formatting

Format Academic Papers Efficiently with WPS Writer

WPS Writer offers robust tools for academic writing, including seamless integration with popular reference management plugins. It makes applying complex IEEE citation styles and compressing numbered references quick and hassle-free.

1. Open your academic document: Download and install WPS Office, then open your research paper in WPS Writer.
2. Enable your citation plugin: Install your preferred reference manager's word processor plugin, which will appear as a new tab in the WPS Writer ribbon.
3. Apply IEEE styling: Use the plugin's style dropdown to select 'IEEE', group your in-text citations, and click refresh to automatically compress them into ranges.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Word documents (.docx) to ensure your formatting stays intact.Supports third-party reference management plugins like Mendeley and Zotero for automated bibliographies.Includes a built-in equation editor and specialized academic formatting tools.Lightweight, fast, and free to use for students and researchers.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my grouped citations not compressing automatically?

This usually happens if the selected citation style does not support range compression, or if the citations were inserted as separate adjacent fields (e.g., [1][2][3]) instead of a single grouped field. Ensure your style is explicitly set to IEEE and that you select multiple references simultaneously when inserting them.

How do I group multiple citations together in my document?

Place your cursor where you want the citation, click the 'Insert Citation' button from your reference manager plugin, and select all the sources you want to cite at that location before clicking 'OK'. This groups them into a single block that the software can compress.

Does WPS Writer support IEEE paper formatting templates?

Yes, WPS Writer is highly suitable for technical and academic writing. It natively supports the custom page margins, multi-column layouts, and font specifications required by IEEE guidelines, while seamlessly handling Word-compatible files.

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