CHI · LaTeX Setup

CHI LaTeX Style File

CHI uses ACM's acmart class with sigchi-a format. Pass anonymous,review for double-blind submission.

Open CHI template

Quick usage

\documentclass[sigchi-a,anonymous,review]{acmart}

% Required ACM metadata
\begin{CCSXML}
... your CCS XML here ...
\end{CCSXML}
\ccsdesc[500]{Human-centered computing~User studies}

\title{Your CHI 2026 Paper Title}
\author{Anonymous Author(s)}
\affiliation{\institution{Submission \#1234}}

\begin{document}

\begin{abstract}
Your abstract.
\end{abstract}

\maketitle

\section{Introduction}
% ... your paper ...

\bibliographystyle{ACM-Reference-Format}
\bibliography{references}

\end{document}

Key class options for CHI

  • sigchi-a — single-column body with side margin (CHI/TOCHI default)
  • sigconf — two-column standard (some CHI tracks use this)
  • anonymous — hide authors for double-blind review
  • review — add line numbers for reviewers
  • nonacm — suppress ACM copyright (for arXiv preprints)

Side notes and margin figures

% Margin note (sigchi-a only)
\marginpar{Side comment or small figure caption.}

% Margin figure (sigchi-a)
\marginpar{
  \includegraphics[width=\marginparwidth]{small.png}
  \captionof{figure}{A small marginal figure.}
}

Common CHI tracks and their formats

TrackFormatPages
CHI Paperssigchi-a12 + refs
CHI Notessigchi-a4 + refs
Case Studiessigchi-a8 + refs
Late-Breaking Worksigchi-a6 + refs

Related ACM/CHI resources

Frequently Asked Questions

What style file does CHI use?

CHI uses ACM's acmart class with the sigchi-a format option (or sigconf for some tracks). \documentclass[sigchi-a,anonymous,review]{acmart}. There's no separate chi.sty — it's all configured via acmart options. The sigchi-a format gives you HCI's distinctive single-column body with side margin notes.

What's the difference between sigchi-a and sigconf?

sigchi-a is the HCI/CHI format: single-column body, wide right margin for figures and notes, distinctive title block. sigconf is the standard two-column conference format. CHI uses sigchi-a; KDD/WWW use sigconf. Always check the specific CHI track's call for papers — some sub-events use sigconf instead.

How do I configure acmart for CHI?

\documentclass[sigchi-a,anonymous,review]{acmart} sets sigchi-a layout with double-blind anonymous review and reviewer line numbers. For camera-ready, remove anonymous and review: \documentclass[sigchi-a]{acmart}. The single layout choice handles most formatting decisions.

Where do I download the CHI template?

The acmart class is in TeX Live and MiKTeX (no separate download). For CHI-specific examples, the conference page links to a starter .tex file. TypeTeX bundles a CHI 2026 template with acmart pre-configured for sigchi-a + anonymous + review.

What's the page limit?

CHI Papers: 12 pages plus references (no cap on refs). Note Papers: 4 pages plus refs. Late-Breaking Work: 6 pages. Always check the specific CHI track — limits differ between Papers, Notes, Case Studies, alt.chi, and Late-Breaking Work.

How do I cite at CHI?

ACM Reference Format with numbered citations [1], [2]. \cite{key} produces [1]. The acmart class auto-loads the bibliography style. Pair with the bundled ACM-Reference-Format.bst for matching format.

Do I need to include CCS Concepts?

Yes. Generate at https://dl.acm.org/ccs and paste into your preamble. Required for ACM submission. Format: \begin{CCSXML}...\end{CCSXML} \ccsdesc[500]{Human-centered computing~User studies}. The [500] is the relevance number (100-500).

How does CHI's single-column layout differ from typical papers?

sigchi-a uses a wider main column with a narrow right margin reserved for figures, callouts, and notes. Some authors place small figures in the margin (using \marginpar). The body is single-column for readability — HCI papers tend to be more narrative than data-heavy. Distinctive look that says 'CHI paper' immediately.