Cathy A.
Cathy A.

What is AMA Style Guide Used For? Get Answer Here

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Published on: Jan 6, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 19, 2023

AMA Style

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The AMA (American Medical Association) style is a world-renowned organization for physicians, hospitals, and other healthcare organizations. Its official name is the "American Medical Association", which contains the full text of the original's abbreviation.

Moreover, this style is the most frequently used citation style for journal publications and reprints. Aside from this, various disciplines and fields of study employ a variety of other citation styles.

The format is distinct from APA and MLA, as it follows the numerical referencing and citation style. The number is superscript, and the full reference appears in the list of references after it.

Although this isn't as strict as some other citation styles, the majority of medical journals and books follow the AMA citation style.

Due to the many citation styles available, particularly those related to medical and technical fields and themes, it is difficult to tell them apart. This blog will assist you in distinguishing between AMA and other citation formats.

AMA Style - What is the AMA Citation Style?

The AMA manual of style used by the American Medical Association is one of several referencing systems that are most commonly found in health sciences.

The American Medical Association created the AMA style guide in 1962 to help students write essays and research papers. The guide has a simple and standard structure.

The AMA method for references follows the author-date format, where the author's name and the date of publication are included in parentheses after the cited reference.

The superscripted number is followed by a citation using the numerical system in which a superscripted number is added to the direct quote or the paraphrased material in the paper. The reader is sent to the full list of references at the end after hitting the superscripted number.

Unlike other citation styles, including APA, MLA, and Chicago, the list of references is also arranged in numerical order.

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AMA Style Format

Health science programs will often use this citation style. If you're in a course or program that uses this, make sure to get familiar with it for both classroom work and research papers.

AMA-style citations are based on a number system of citation, similar to APA. When citing and formatting your paper in AMA style, keep the following AMA style paper standards in mind:

  • Margins: Keep a one-inch margin on all sides of the document. Except, keep the justified right margin.
  • Double Spacing: The paper's main content, including the title, headings, abstract, references, blockquotes and graphs, and tables created for it, will be double spaced.
  • Font Type and Size: The font is Times New Romans, and the font size is 12 points.
  • Paragraph Spacing: Every new paragraph is indented by a half-inch.
  • Title: The paper may or may not include a title page. If you include it, place your paper's title at the top left of the page's header.
  • Superscript Number: The superscripted number that extends into a complete reference identifies the citation.
  • Reference List: The reference list is placed in numerical order at the end of the paper.

How to Cite in AMA Format?

You may be familiar with other citation styles of writing used in academic papers and might find it difficult to write your paper in AMA format. However, some guidelines will help you format a paper in AMA citation style.

AMA Style Title Page

Title pages are often used to introduce papers and essays. It includes the following information;

  • Full name of the student
  • Subject, and paper title
  • Paper deadline

Rather than creating a distinct title page, the instructor may sometimes instruct students not to do so. If this is the case, rather than creating an entirely new title page, include the header with information such as the student's name, the instructor's name, and the course name.

AMA Style Abstract

The abstract is a short summary of your research paper, usually about 150-250 words long. You should include the following sections in your abstract;

  • Study objective
  • Background or context of research
  • Main ideas explored
  • Methodology used throughout the entire project (including how it was conducted).
  • Conclusions drawn from these results are also important, so highlight them.

To create an abstract, list 3-10 keywords at the end. These are important elements that will help people understand what your paper is about and why they should read it.

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AMA Style In-Text Citation

Citations are placed in the text itself. The paper's major sections, claims, explanations, and supporting claims are all included in the main parts of the paper.

It's also critical to properly credit and acknowledge these resources when discussing them or utilizing them in your research. How should you credit them? By including the in-text citations, of course.

After you've added and discussed the material in your paper, add a superscript number in front of everything quoted, proved, or suggested. What should you do if more than one superscripted number is required? Use a comma to separate them and add it as usual.

AMA Style of Referencing

The AMA citation style, like the IEEE style, uses a numerical or numbering system for all sources in the bibliography.

On the other hand, the citation style has various formats and designs for each type of source, such as books, internet sites, and journals.

According to the AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors, 10th Edition, here is how to create the references in the AMA style.

For a Print Book: Author AA. Title of Work. Location: Publisher; Year: Page-Page.

Goldberg L, Elliot DL. Exercise for Prevention and Treatment of Illness. Philadelphia, PA: FA Davis Co; 1994.

For a Book’s Chapter: Chapter Author AA. Title of chapter. In: Editor AA, ed. Title of Work. Location: Publisher; Year: Page-Page.

Gamble VN. On becoming a physician: a dream not deferred. In: White EC, ed. The Black Women's Health Book: Speaking for Ourselves. Seattle, Wash: Seal Press; 1990:52-64.

For an eBook: Author AA. Title of Work. Location: Publisher; Year: Page-Page. URL. Accessed date.

Bowden F. Gone Viral: The Germs that Share Our Lives. Sydney, Australia: NewSouth; 2011.

https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/stkate-ebooks/reader.action?docID=731512&ppg=1. Accessed May 23, 2017.

For a Chapter in an eBook: Dwyer J. Nutrient requirements and dietary assessment. In: Kasper DL, Fauci AS, Hauser SL, Longo DL, Jameson JL Loscalzo, eds. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. 19th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2015. http://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/bookid=1130. Accessed August 23, 2017.

For a Website with the Writer: Author AA. Webpage title. Name of Website. URL. Published or Updated date. Accessed date.

Carlson SJ. Step up your activity to help lower the risk of diabetes. Mayo Clinic website.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/expert-blog/lower-diabetes-risk-withactivity/bgp-20142203. Published June 4, 2015. Accessed August 20, 2017.

For a Website without a Writer: Webpage title. Name of Website. URL. Published or Updated date. Accessed date.

Protect against the respiratory syncytial virus. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. https://www.cdc.gov/features/rsv/index.html. Updated October 16, 2017. Accessed October 28, 2017.

For an Organization: Webpage title. Name of Website or Organization. URL. Published or Updated date. Accessed date.

What nurses do. College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia. https://www.crnbc.ca/ WhatNursesDo/Pages/Default.aspx. Published in 2012. Accessed September 23, 2012.

For a Government Report: Author AA. Title of Report. Location: Publisher; Date: Page-Page.

Local Government Elections Task Force. Report of the Local Government Elections Task Force. Victoria, BC: Local Government Elections Task Force; 2010:21.

For Two to Six Writers: Author AA, Author BB. Title of Work. Location: Publisher; Year: Page - Page.

Doane GH, Varcoe C. Family Nursing as Relational Inquiry: Developing Health– Promoting Practice. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; c2005:25-28.

For Seven and More Writers: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC, et al. Title of Work. Location: Publisher; Year: Page - Page.

London ML, Ladewig PW, Ball JW, et al. Maternal & Child Nursing Care. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education; c2011:101-103.

For a Book with an Editor: Editor AA, ed. Title of Work. Location: Publisher; Year: Page-Page.

Gusek JJ, Figueroa LA, eds. Mitigation of Metal Mining Influenced Water. Littleton, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration; c2009:100-105.

For a Book with Both Writer and Editor: Author AA. Title of Work. Editor AA, Editor BB, eds. Location: Publisher; Year: Page - Page.

Goodman LS, Brunton LL, Chabner B, Knollmann BC. Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. Brunton LL, ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2011:99.

For a Group as an Author: Group (Acronym if applicable). Title of Work. Location: Publisher; Year.: Page-Page

WorldatWork. The WorldatWork Handbook of Compensation, Benefits & Total Rewards: A Comprehensive Guide for HR Professionals. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons; 2007:72.

For Multiple Editions: Author AA. Title of Work. Nth Ed. Location: Publisher; Year: Page-Page.

Nie?wiadomy RM. Foundation of Nursing Research. 6th ed. Boston, MA: Pearson; c2012:31-33.

For Encyclopedia and Dictionary: Entry Author AA. Title of entry. In: Editor AA, ed. Title of Work. Location: Publisher; Year: Page-Page.

Pesut DJ. Change Agents and Change Agent Strategies. In: Feldman HR, ed. Nursing Leadership: A Concise Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Springer; c2008:103-105.

For Online Dictionary and Encyclopedia: Entry Author AA. Title of entry. In: Editor AA, ed. Title of Work. Name of the website. URL. Accessed date.

Maceration. In: Koren H. Illustrated Dictionary and Resource Dictionary of Environmental & Occupational Health. CRCnetBASE Website. http://0-www.crcnetbase.com.innopac.lib.bcit.ca/ ISBN/9781420032239. Accessed September 18, 2012.

For Article in an Electronic Journal: Author AA. Title of the article. Abbreviated Journal Title. Year; Volume(Issue): Page-Page. URL. Published or Last updated date. Accessed date.

Davidson Baer E. Key ideas in nursing’s first century. Am J Nursing. 2012;112(5):48- 55. http:// journals.lww.com/ajnonline/Abstract/2012/05000/Key_Ideas_in_ Nursing_s_First_Century.27.aspx Published May 2012. Accessed September 23, 2012.

For an Electronic Journal Article with DOI: Author AA, Author BB. Title of the article. Abbreviated Journal Title. Year; Volume(Issue): Page-Page. doi:xx.xxxx/xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Watts T. Initiating end-of-life care pathways: A discussion paper. J Adv Nursing. 2012;68(10):2359-2370. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2011.05924.x.

For Magazine or Newspaper Article: Author AA. Title of the article. Title of Magazine or Newspaper. Month Day, Year: Page - Page.

Masoud T. The tyrant’s brutal legacy. Newsweek. July 2, 2012:34-39

Online Magazine or Newspaper Article: Author AA. Title of Article. Title of Magazine or Newspaper. Month Day, Year: Page - Page. URL. Published date or Last updated date. Accessed date

Galloway G. Liberals go on the attack after )Harper says they stand for nothing. The Globe and Mail. September 19, 2012. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ liberals-go-on-the-attack-after-harper-says-they-stand-for-nothing/article4554914/. Updated September 19, 2012. Accessed September 19, 2012.

Magazine Article with a Single Writer: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC. Title of the article. Abbreviated Journal Title. Year; Volume(Issue): Page-Page.

Wolf ZR. Nursing practice breakdowns: Good and bad nursing. Medsurg Nursing. 2012;21(1):16-36.

The format will be the same if the authors are up to six in number.

For Seven or more than Seven Writers: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC, et al. Title of article. Abbreviated Journal Title. Year; Volume (Issue): Page-Page.

Bond AE, Eshah NF, Bani-Khalid M, et al. Who uses nursing theory? A univariate descriptive analysis of five years’ research articles. Scand J Caring Sci. 2011;25(2):404-409.

For an Online Report: Author AA. Title of Report. URL. Published/Updated/Revised date. Accessed date

International Monetary Fund. World economic outlook update. http://www.imf.org/ external/pubs/ft/weo/2012/update/02/. Published July 16, 2012. Accessed September 19, 2012.

For Proceedings and Conference Papers: Presenter AA. Title of paper or presentation. Paper or Poster presented at: Conference Title; Month Day, Year; Location. URL. Accessed date.

Cronin C. Memoing: An active tool in research. Poster presented at: RCN Annual International Nursing Research Conference; April 23, 2012. London, UK. http://www.rcn.org.uk/_data/assets/pdf_file/0005/445802/Research2012Mo01.pdf. Accessed September 23, 2012.

For Thesis and Dissertation: Author AA. Title of Work. [dissertation or master’s thesis]. Location: Institution; Year: Page-Page.

Taylor RL. Downsizing the Dial: The Reinvention of Private Radio in Canada. [PhD thesis]. Burnaby, BC: British Columbia Institute of Technology; 2008.

AMA Style Endnote

It is recommended that you use Arabic numerals for endnotes, and these should be placed outside of commas or periods but inside colons.

Here is a sample AMA paper to help you know more.

AMA Style Examples

To simplify your writing process, we've provided a sample that will help you site sources in AMA Manual of Style, 10th Edition.

AMA is a different kind of citation style that the students of health sciences use. It is specially formulated for such students, and it follows the numerical system of referencing. This blog has all you need to know before referencing your paper in this style.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is AMA the same as Vancouver?

AMA is a variation of the Vancouver style. However, there are some differences between these two citation styles.

Cathy A.

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Cathy has been been working as an author on our platform for over five years now. She has a Masters degree in mass communication and is well-versed in the art of writing. Cathy is a professional who takes her work seriously and is widely appreciated by clients for her excellent writing skills.

Cathy has been been working as an author on our platform for over five years now. She has a Masters degree in mass communication and is well-versed in the art of writing. Cathy is a professional who takes her work seriously and is widely appreciated by clients for her excellent writing skills.

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