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Official GuideUpdated: October 2023

Medical Rigor in Documentation: AMA 11th Edition Manual

The American Medical Association (AMA) style is the standard for medical and scientific publishing. This guide provides a rigorous framework for documenting research with clinical precision.

Table of Contents
Complexity
Advanced / Expert
Primary Use
Medical Journals & Research
In-text Style
Superscript Numbering

01.Basic Formatting Rules

Author Names

List up to 6 authors. If 7 or more, list the first 3 followed by "et al."

Example: Smith JA, Doe JB, White KL, et al.
Title Standards

Journal titles are abbreviated according to PubMed (NLM) style.

Example: JAMA (not Journal of the American Medical Association)
Digital Identifiers

Electronic literature must provide a DOI. Format as a direct link.

Example: doi:10.1001/jama.2023.1234
Punctuation

No periods after initials. Use a semicolon after the publication date.

Format: Year;Volume(Issue):Pages.

02.In-Text Citations

AMA uses a numerical system in order of appearance.

  • Superscript numbers appear outside periods and commas.
  • Numbers appear inside colons and semicolons.
  • Use hyphens for ranges (e.g., 2-5).
Sample Text
Recent studies indicate a significant correlation between high-intensity training and cardiac health.¹′² While some have questioned these findings,³⁻⁵ the consensus remains solid.¹′⁶

03.Reference List

01

Sequential Order

References must be listed in the order they appear in the text, not alphabetically.

02

Author Names

Surname first, then initials without periods. Example: Smith AB, Jones CD.

03

Journal Titles

Journal titles must be italicized. Use official PubMed abbreviations.

04.Source Type Examples

Journal ArticleTry this citation
Structure:
Author(s). Article title. Abbreviated Journal Name. Year;Volume(Issue):Pages. doi:xx.xxxx
1. Rainier S, Thomas D, Tokuo K, et al. Myofibrillogenesis regulator 1 gene mutations cause paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis. Arch Neurol. 2004;61(7):1025-1029. doi:10.1001/archneur.61.7.1025
BookTry this citation
Structure:
Author(s). Title of Book. Edition number. Publisher; Year.
2. Modlin J, Jenkins P. Decision Making in Mammography. 2nd ed. Mosby; 2018.
WebsiteTry this citation
Structure:
Author(s). Title of item. Website name. Published date. Accessed date. URL
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 vaccination. Accessed July 14, 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html

05.Common Mistakes

Incorrect Example
Smith, J. A. (2023). Title of journal. JAMA. 12(3): 100-105.

Adding parentheses around the date and periods after initials (APA style) is incorrect in AMA format.

Correct Example
Smith JA. Title of journal. JAMA. 2023;12(3):100-105.

Seamless layout with no unnecessary punctuation. Correct use of semicolon after the year.

06.Precision Chart: Format Comparisons

FeatureAMA 11th EdAPA 7th EdMLA 9th Ed
In-text StyleSuperscript (1)Author, Year (2020)Author, Page (24)
OrderingOrder of appearanceAlphabeticalAlphabetical
Journal TitleAbbreviated (JAMA)Full TitleFull Title
Max Authors6 (then et al.)20 (then ...)2 (then et al.)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I cite multiple authors in AMA format?

List the first 6 authors' names separated by commas. If there are more than 6, list the first 3 followed by "et al."

Should superscript citations go before or after punctuation?

AMA style dictates that superscript numbers should be placed outside periods and commas, but inside colons and semicolons.

What if the source I am citing does not have a DOI?

If an online source does not have a DOI, provide the URL where the document is located along with the date you accessed it.

07.Citation Generators by Source Type

AMA Journal Article Citation Generator

Free online tool

Generate →
AMA Book Citation Generator

Free online tool

Generate →
AMA Website Citation Generator

Free online tool

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