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Anatomy of an AMA Journal Citation
Published about 10 hours ago • 2 min read
This month’s issue includes pointers on AMA reference lists, a handy Halloween style sheet, and a great tour rec.
Anatomy of an AMA Journal Citation
I proofread a lot of reference lists that include journal publications formatted as per the American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style, 11th edition. Because of the many details and the need for consistency in these lists, there’s a lot of room for error.
A lot of people don’t enjoy getting down to these nitty gritty details. But they matter; reference lists serve to create a foundation for the work being discussed in the article, acknowledge the work of others, and direct readers to more information.
Next time you’re working with one of these reference lists, pay attention to the following. These are common errors I see in the lists I review.
Credit: AMA Manual of Style, 11th edition
1-Author.
Last name followed by first initial (and middle, if used). Do not include credentials such as MD or PhD.
No periods.
Separate by commas.
When more than six authors, list the first three, followed by “et al.”
2-Title and subtitle.
Use sentence case, except for proper nouns/names and acronyms. Note the lowercase letter after the colon.
Not in italics.
3-Journal.
In italics.
OK to use journal’s formal abbreviation, such as Am J Cardiol for American College of Cardiology.
4-Year/Volume/Issue.
Year;volume#(issue#):page numbers.
Be consistent whether you use an en dash or a hyphen to separate multiple page numbers: 247–253.
Semicolon after the year; colon after the issue number; no spaces in between anything!
5-DOI.
Start number immediately after “doi:” — no space after the colon.
No period at the end, like this
I used a scholarly journal article in my example above, because that’s what I review most often. The AMA style guide provides a massive list of other examples — books, book chapters, websites, unpublished sources, reports, patents, and more.
Maintaining consistency in these lists means the reader will be able to easily see what the source is, where it’s from, and how to find it.
Word of warning: Sometimes the journal’s website will provide the citation for you — BUT, those handy auto-created citations are not always accurate!
If getting into these details makes you go cross-eyed, give me a ring. I’ve enjoyed editing lists like this for years.
Check It Out: Halloween Style Sheet
Is “goose bumps” one word or two? Where do the apostrophe and hyphens go in “jack-o’-lantern”? Find your answers here in this Halloween style sheet that I am loving.
Happy Halloween!
Something You Might Not Know About Me...
I went on a Cincinnati Hidden Caverns Tour recently. I learned all about the city’s rich brewing history dating back to when we had lots of German immigrants carving out space in the city, and we got to go visit some of the underground caves they built for storing their beer.
It was fantastic! Highly recommend!
My Schedule
Upcoming out of office dates:
November 18
November 25–27
Now booking assignments for the first quarter of 2027.
What's Been on My Plate
Recently I’ve been writing about:
Speech and language delays in infants and toddlers
A three-generation family of physicians
What’s up? I'd love to hear from you! Here are some things to consider sharing:
Do you proofread reference lists?
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