Citation Guides

  AMA Manual of Style by The Jama Network Editors
Publication Date: 2020-03-02

The AMA Manual of Style is a must-have resource for anyone involved in medical, health, and scientific publishing. Written by an expert committee of JAMA Network editors, this latest edition addresses issues that face authors, editors, and publishers in the digital age. Extensive updates are included in the References chapter, with examples of how to cite digital publications, preprints, databases, data repositories, podcasts, apps and interactive games, and social media. The manual thoroughly covers ethical and legal issues such as authorship, conflicts of interest, scientific misconduct, intellectual property, open access and public access, and corrections. In sum, the answer to nearly any issue facing a writer or editor in medicine, health care, and related disciplines can be found in the 11th edition of the AMA Manual of Style. 

This quick guide provides examples of common citation format in AMA (American Medical Association) Style. For complete citation information, please check the book, AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors/JAMA Network editors, 11th ed., 2020.

Examples of Citing Journal Articles 

Articles from journals with volume numbers

Sloan JA, Cella D, Hays RD. Clinical significance of patient-reported questionnaire data: another step toward consensus. J Clin Epidemiol. 2005;58:1217-1219.

Articles from journals without volume numbers

Timmerman MG. Medical problems of adolescent female athletes. Wis Med J. June 1996:351-354. 

Articles from journals with supplements

National Kidney Foundation. Clinical practice guidelines for nutrition in chronic renal failure. Am J Kidney Dis. 2000;35(6 Suppl 2):S1-140.

Articles from online journals with volume and page information

Land SR, Wickerham DL, Costantino JP, et al. Patient-reported symptoms and quality of life during treatment with tamoxifen or raloxifene for breast cancer prevention. JAMA [serial online]. 2006;295:2742-2751. Available from: American Medical Association, Chicago, Ill. Accessed July 27, 2006.

Articles from online journals without volume and page information

Weber JT, Courvalin P. An emptying quiver: antimicrobial drugs and resistance. Emerg Infect Dis [serial online]. June 2005. 

Examples of Citing Books and Book Chapters

Single author

Seidel HM. Mosby's Guide to Physical Examination. 5th ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2003.

Multiple authors

Ehrlich PR, Ehrlich AH. Betrayal of Science and Reason: How Anti-environmental Rhetoric Threatens Our Future. Washington, D.C.: Island Press; 1996.
(If there are more than six authors, only give the names of the first three authors; use et al after the third author.) 

Book with editors

Rizzo SR, Trudeau MD, eds. Clinical Administration in Audiology and Speech-language Pathology. San Diego, Calif: Singular Publishing Group; 1994. 

Chapter in a book  

Sherbourne CD. Social functioning: sexual problems measures. In: Stewart AL, Ware JE, eds. Measuring Functioning and Well-being: The Medical Outcomes Study Approach. Durham, NC: Duke University Press; 1992:194-204.

Chapter in a volume in a series

Fitzpatrick JM, Sonka M, eds. Medical Image Processing and Analysis. Bellingham, Wash: SPIE Press; 2000. Jacob B, ed. Handbook of Medical Imaging; Vol 2.

(If the volumes have no separate titles, the volume number should be given after the general title: Sussman M, ed. Molecular Medical Microbiology. Vol 3. San Diego, Calif: Academic Press; 2002.)

Examples of Citing Special Materials 

Articles from newspapers

Lee JS. Colleges make way for internships. The New York Times. July 19, 2006:B7.

Articles from theses and dissertations

1. Bachelor MA. Identification of Molecular Targets for the Chemoprevention of Non-melanoma Skin Cancer [dissertation]. Tucson, AZ: The University of Arizona; 2004.
2. Akin A. Molecular Detection of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus [master’s thesis]. Mississippi State, MS: Mississippi State University; 1992. 

Articles from online databases

CANCERNET-PDQ [database online]. Bethesda, Md: National Cancer Institute; 1996. Updated March 29, 1996.

Articles from Web sites (with or without authors)

1. Wood, M. Walnuts' potential new link to heart health reported [United States Department of Agriculture Web site]. July 31, 2006. Available at: http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/2006/060731.htm. Accessed October 7, 2024.
2. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare current beneficiary survey overview.  Available at: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MCBS/. Accessed October 7, 2024.
3. Compound summary for Escitalopram. PubChem Compound Database.
   https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Escitalopram. Accessed October 7, 2024.

Articles from ERIC documents

Kosakowski J. The Benefits of Information Technology. Syracuse, NY: ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology; 1998. ERIC Document Reproduction Service ED420302.

YouTube Video

Berry D. Molecular visualizations of DNA [Video]. YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UoKYGKxxMI. Published May 3, 2007. Accessed April 16, 2022.       

[This guide was updated on October 9, 2024.]