AMA References and Citations: AMA Style Guide, Format and Examples

Table of Contents

The American Medical Association (AMA) developed the AMA Manual of Style, a widely recognized format for writing and citing sources in the fields of medicine and health sciences. The AMA format provides guidelines for the presentation of research, from manuscript organization and reference lists to punctuation and abbreviations. The purpose of the AMA Manual of Style is to ensure clarity, uniformity, and accuracy in scholarly communication.

If you are a researcher, student, or professional in the health sciences, a thorough understanding of AMA style is essential. By grasping and mastering these conventions, you can communicate your research findings efficiently, making your work widely readable and amenable to integration with the existing body of knowledge, collaboration, peer review, and the advancement of health care practices. Moreover, many journals, conferences, and institutions in medical and allied health fields require adherence to AMA style.

In this article, you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the AMA format and AMA in-text citation, along with practical AMA citation examples.

What is the AMA Style Guide?

The AMA Style Guide, formally known as the AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors, is an authoritative set of guidelines developed by the AMA for writing and citing in the medicine, health, and life sciences fields.

Overview of the AMA Manual of Style

First published in 1962, the AMA Manual of Style has evolved through multiple editions and is currently in its 11th edition. It remains a cornerstone reference for anyone involved in scientific publishing or academic work in health-related disciplines. The guide covers the essential elements of scholarly communication, from punctuation and grammar to research reporting standards (e.g., correct and preferred usage for age and sex referents, laboratory values, clock referents) and citation practices.

The manual provides guidance not only on technical aspects of manuscript preparation but also on ethical and legal considerations, data presentation, and statistical analysis. Its online version features regular updates, interactive quizzes, and tools such as SI unit conversion calculators, helping users stay up to date with changes in reporting guidelines and conventions.

The latest edition addresses both print and online formats, providing ongoing updates to reflect new terminology, research practices, and aspects such as inclusive language and reporting race and ethnicity.

Purpose and Scope of AMA Citation Style

The AMA citation style aims to ensure uniformity, clarity, and transparency in medical and scientific writing. This promotes accurate attribution of ideas and research, helps prevent plagiarism, and makes it easier for readers to verify sources. AMA style is distinctive for its use of superscripted, consecutive numbers in the text, which correspond to a numbered AMA reference list.

The AMA format is widely adopted in medical journals, textbooks, and conferences in the health sciences. Its comprehensive approach ensures that all aspects of scientific communication adhere to established standards. This makes learning the AMA format important for researchers, healthcare professionals, and students to ensure that their work meets the expectations of leading journals and academic institutions.

AMA Format: General Guidelines

The AMA format governs not just citations but the overall structure and presentation of academic work in the medical and health sciences. Following these general guidelines ensures consistency and professionalism. Following AMA formatting conventions demonstrates attention to detail and respect for scholarly communication standards. Let’s take a look at some general guidelines for the AMA format, including AMA references and citations.

Paper Formatting

The AMA style guide does not explicitly state specifications regarding title page format, page numbers, headings, font, and margins. In general, it is a good practice to follow consistency in paper formatting. The following might serve as a useful template:

Font: Use a clear, readable font such as Times New Roman, size 12 pt.
Spacing: Double-space all main text, including the title page, abstract, body, and references.
Margins: Maintain 1-inch (2.54 cm) margins on all sides.
Page numbers: Number pages consecutively in the top right corner, starting with the title page.
Paragraphs: Indent the first line of each paragraph by half an inch (1.27 cm).
Sections: Clearly label all sections (e.g., Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, References) using bold or all-caps headers, left-aligned.

Note that for paper formatting, you should adhere to the target journal’s instructions.

Title Page and Abstract

Again, there are no specifications for title page and abstract in the AMA format. Title and abstract formatting must adhere to the target journal’s specifications.

Typically, information that should be included on the title page are as follows:

Title of paper (clearly summarizing the paper’s main ideas; placed at the top of all the text; centered; and not in bold, underlined, or italicized)
Running head (if required; a shortened version of the title (≤40 characters) at the top left)
Author names
Highest academic degree of author
E-mail addresses
Institutional affiliation

The abstract should summarize the main ideas and include the objectives and background, design and methods, results, and conclusions. Abstracts are usually 150–250 words long and contain no citations.

AMA References

The reference page, which appears at the end of your manuscript text, provides a comprehensive listing with complete bibliographic details for every source you have incorporated into your paper. The organizational structure of the AMA references follows a specific numerical system based on the chronological order in which sources first appear within the main text of your paper. This means that the first source you cite receives the number 1, the second source receives number 2, and so on, regardless of alphabetical order or publication date. This sequential numbering system corresponds with the AMA in-text citations.

Each source appears only once on your reference page, even when you need to reference the same source multiple times throughout different sections of your paper.

Let’s examine the format for AMA references in detail now.

Structure of the list of AMA References

The AMA references appear on a separate page at the end of your text, with the heading “References” at the top of the page. As mentioned above, the references are formatted as a numbered list. In the AMA reference list, no special hanging indent should be applied to a reference extending to a second line.

Abbreviated Journal Titles

In AMA references, journal titles should be abbreviated according to PubMed abbreviations. Remember, however, that one-word titles are not abbreviated, and journal titles should have major words capitalized.

Here is an example of abbreviating a journal title for AMA references: The American Journal of Surgical Pathology is abbreviated to Am J Surg Pathol.

Author names in AMA references

Author names are listed with the last name first, followed by the initials without periods (e.g., Singh SS). Up to six author names should be listed. If the number of authors is more than six, only the first three are listed, followed by “et al.”

Common Reference Types

Common entries in a typical AMA reference list are shown in Table 1.

Table 1. Common reference types and their AMA format

Books
Type	AMA reference format
Single author	Author. Title of Book. Edition. Publisher; year.
Multiple authors	Author(s). Title of Book. Edition. Publisher; year.
Book with editor(s)	Author(s), eds. Title of Book. Publisher; year.
Book chapter	Chapter Author(s). Chapter Title. In: Author(s), eds. Title of Book. Year: page number(s).
Journal articles
Type	AMA reference format
Single author (print)	Author. Article title. Journal Abbreviation. Year;Vol(Issue):page numbers.
Multiple authors (print)	Author(s)…et al. Article title. Journal Abbreviation. Year:Vol(Issue):page numbers.
Online	Author(s). Article title. Journal Abbreviation. Year;Vol(Issue):page numbers. doi: doi number.
Websites
Type	AMA reference format
With author	Author(s). Page Title. URL. Published date. Accessed date.
No author	Page Title. Website Title. URL. Accessed date.
Online video
	Video Title . Year. URL. Accessed date.

AMA In-Text Citations

AMA references are numbered in consecutive order of their citation in the text, tables, or figures.

Superscript Numbering

Superscript Arabic numerals are used for AMA in-text citations, e.g.:

The question of how the tissue attains this abnormal placement is controversial, although the predominant theory is that retrograde menstruation is the cause.¹

Placement Rules

In AMA format, superscript numbers are inserted:

Immediately next to the relevant text
Outside periods and commas
Inside colons and semi-colons.

Figure 1 depicts the different ways superscript numbers may be placed.

Figure 1. Placement of superscript numbers in AMA in-text citations

Citing Multiple Sources

When more than two references appear at one given place, hyphens are used for ranges, while commas, without space, separate multiple non-continuous citations (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Citing multiple sources in AMA format

AMA Citation Format and Examples

AMA citations differ based on reference type; some common AMA format examples can be seen in Table 2.

Table 2. AMA Citation Format and Examples

*Type of reference*	*AMA reference format example*
Book	Dosanjh A. Catalog of Cathepsins. 2^nd ed. Johns Hopkins University Press; 2002.
Journal article (print)	Wheeler A, Butler D, Morgan D et al. Blood spatter analysis at crime scenes. Forensic Sci Int. 1999;1(3):111–114.
Journal article (online)	Cho PP, Xu M. The impact of AI-based tools on diagnostics. Health Educ Res. 2024;13(1):50–61. doi:10.1003/her/jjk053.
Website	Canine World. Veterinary Challenges Today. www.canineworld.com. Published August 26, 2022. Accessed April 25, 2023.
Video	The COVID Melodrama – Part 1/4 . 2020. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxx. Accessed October 22, 2021.
Podcast	Mason J, Bavolek R. Placenta Previa. Emergency Medicine Reviews and Perspectives. October 1, 2018. https://www.emrap.org/episode/emrap20181/placentaprevia. Accessed November 21, 2018.

Tips for Using AMA Style Effectively

Tips for Accurate AMA Formatting

Use a consistent, legible font and double-space all main text.
Spell out acronyms and abbreviations at first mention.
Organize references numerically in the order they are cited; list each source only once, even if cited multiple times.
Use superscript numbers for in-text citations, placing them after punctuation marks.
Style section headings consistently
Check institutional- or journal-specific requirements, as small formatting details may vary.

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Common Mistakes to Avoid in AMA format

Mixing citation styles (e.g., using APA or MLA citation format alongside AMA citation format).
Omitting the first-use explanation for acronyms, abbreviations, or initialisms.
Incorrectly ordering or formatting references—remember AMA uses numeric order, not alphabetical.
Inconsistent formatting of headings, margins, page numbers, or font size.
Failing to update reference numbers when adding or removing sources during drafting.
Placing in-text citation numbers incorrectly (e.g., before punctuation or as bracketed numbers instead of superscripts).
Forgetting to check for the most up-to-date guidance in the AMA Manual of Style or failing to review journal- or instructor-specific requirements.

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Tools for Citation Management

Many academic databases allow direct export of citations in AMA format for quick integration into manuscripts.

Reference management software such as EndNote, RefWorks, Zotero, and Mendeley can automate AMA citation formatting, insert superscript citations, and generate reference lists. AI academic writing tools like Paperpal also offers free online citation generators that let you find, format, and insert AMA 11^th edition citations as you write with a few clicks. It’s a hassle-free way to ensure accurate citations and build a perfectly styled AMA reference list, with the option to switch between 10,000+ citation styles whenever needed!

While these tools are available at your disposal, being well-versed with AMA references and AMA citation style is essential for anyone writing in the medical and scientific fields. While the numbered reference system and specific formatting requirements may seem complex at first, consistent practice with these guidelines will help you create professional, credible academic work that meets the standards of medical journals and institutions. Remember that proper citation not only demonstrates your scholarly credibility but also allows readers to verify your sources and build upon your research. When in doubt, consult the latest edition of the AMA Manual of Style (currently, the 11th edition) or your institution’s specific requirements to ensure accuracy and compliance with current standards.

Learn how to use Paperpal’s AI Citation Tool to find credible sources and cite them as you write, without breaking your flow.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to cite sources with no author in AMA format?

When citing sources without an author, begin the reference with the title of the work. For journal articles, use the article title followed by the journal name. For websites or reports, use the organization name if available, or begin with the title if no organization is identified. Example:

Compound summary for CID 146571: Escitalopram Oxalate. PubChem Compound Database. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/146571. Accessed April 29, 2021.

How to cite books with multiple authors in AMA style?

In AMA in-text citation style, for books with up to six authors, list all authors’ names separated by commas. For books with seven or more authors, list the first three authors, followed by “et al.”

Format: Author1 Last Name, First Initial, Author2 Last Name, First Initial, Author3 Last Name, First Initial. Book Title. Edition (if not first). Publisher; Year.

Example: Smith J, Johnson M, Brown K. Medical Textbook. 3rd ed. Academic Press; 2023.

What is the difference between AMA citation style and APA citation style?

The main differences are as follows:

AMA format uses numbered superscript citations in-text while APA uses author-date format in parentheses

AMA reference lists are numbered and ordered by appearance in text, while APA references are alphabetical by author

AMA format is primarily used in medical and scientific journals, while APA is used in psychology, social sciences, and education

AMA style follows Vancouver style conventions, while APA has its own distinct formatting rules.

How do you cite conference presentations and abstracts in AMA format?

In AMA format, a conference presentation or abstract can be cited as follows:

Author. Title of presentation. Paper presented at: Name of Conference; Date; Location.

Example: Johnson M. Novel treatment approaches in cardiology. Paper presented at: American Heart Association Scientific Sessions; November 11-13, 2023; Philadelphia, PA.

For abstracts published in journals, treat as journal articles but indicate that it is an abstract.

Example: Johnson M. Novel treatment approaches in cardiology. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2023;81(7 Suppl):A123. Abstract.

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