Formats side by side
| Format | Layout | Citation style | Common in |
|---|---|---|---|
| IEEE | Two columns, Times 10 pt | Numbered [1] | Electrical, E&TC, computer engineering |
| Springer LNCS | Single column, 10 pt, small page | Numbered [1] or (Author, year) | Computer science conferences, book series |
| Elsevier | Single column for review (elsarticle) | Numbered or author–year, per journal | Engineering and science journals |
| ACM | Two columns (acmart), Linux Libertine | Numbered or author–year | Computing conferences |
| APA 7 | Single column, double spaced | (Author, year) | Architecture, management, social sciences |
Parts every format has
- Title, authors and affiliations
- Abstract and keywords
- Introduction and related work
- Method, design or study
- Results and discussion
- Conclusion
- References
How to switch a paper between formats
- Download the new venue's template
- Paste text section by section, not the whole document at once
- Redo figure sizes for the new column width
- Convert references with Zotero or Mendeley to the new style
- Check the page limit, abstract length and keyword rules
- Re-read the author guidelines for anonymous review, file type and copyright form
FAQs
Is IEEE format accepted by all engineering journals?
No. Each journal sets its own format. IEEE format is common, but Springer, Elsevier and others have their own templates.
What is the difference between a conference paper and a journal paper?
Conference papers are shorter (4–8 pages), reviewed faster and presented at the event. Journal papers are longer, reviewed in more depth and usually carry more weight for higher studies.
Which format is used for architecture papers?
Architecture and planning journals usually use APA or Harvard author–year style in a single column. Follow the journal's guidelines.
Can you convert my paper to another format?
Yes. We reformat into the target template and check references; see <a href="/research-paper-support">research paper support</a>.
Last reviewed: 2026-11-07. Always follow the format your own department gives you.