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AMA Citation Style Guide

AMA In-Text Citation Examples

You must credit any information you get from another source, including paraphrased text, direct quotations, and original ideas. 

Unlike APA or MLA, you will not use the author's last name for the in-text citations. Instead, you will number each instance in Arabic superscript when you are referencing an article. The order of numbering will be contingent on the order in which you use that reference within your paper. Each reference is to be assigned its own individual number. 

When mentioned in the text, only surnames of authors are used.

  • For a 2-author reference, list both surnames;
  • For references with more than 2 authors or authors and a group, include the first author's surname followed by "et al," "and associates," or "and colleagues". 

For example: 

Smith1 reported on the survey.

Smith and Watson2 reported on the survey.

Smith et al3 reported on the survey. 

In material that is less clinical (e.g., book reviews, historical features, letters to the editor), the author's first name or honorific may be used at first mention. 

For example:

We agree with Dr. Smith that the prevalence of domestic violence is difficult to determine. 

Multiple references can be cited by listing each in order in the superscript citation, separated by a comma. An inclusive range of references can be cited by separating the range with a hyphen.

For example:

As reported previously,1,3-8,19…

The derived data were as follows3-4: …

When a multiple citation involves sufficient suprescript characters to create the appearance of a "hole" in the print copy (20-25 characters, use an asterisk in the text and give the citation in a footnote at the bottom of the page.

For example:

 

Image from AMA Style Guide 3.6 p. 43. 

If the author wishes, specific page numbers from a single source can be cited at different places in the text. Include the page numbers in the superscript citation.

For example: 

The patients were shown to be responsive to the medication.9(p18),15

Billiby27,32(pp9,12),34 reported 12 cases in which vomiting occurred.

In the text, a superscript citation number should appear after a comma or period, but before a colon or semicolon. While citations may be placed within a sentence, it is preferable to place them at the end of a sentence unless accuracy and clarity demand otherwise.

For example:

Procedures frequently targeted by the provider prompt/reminder trials included cancer screening (stool occult blood,5 sigmoidoscopy,8 mammography,9) and vaccinations (influenza,12,14,15 pneumococcal,25-32 and infant16,18-25 immunizations).

Avoid placing a superscript reference citation immediately after a number or an abbreviated unit of measure to avoid any confusion between the superscript reference citation and an exponent.

For example:

Avoid: The 3 largest studies to date included 322, 263, and 284 patients.

Better: The 3 largest studies to date included 32 patients2, 26 patients3, and 28 patients4.

Avoid: The largest lesion found in the study was 15 cm.8

Better: The largest lesion found in the study8 was 15 cm.