AMA STYLE

©2014 TEXAS CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY, W.L. ADAMS CENTER FOR WRITING

Acknowledgements
2

All references and guidelines in this brief presentation are paraphrased

from the American Medical Association’s publication guidelines as set
forth in this volume:

Iverson C, Christiansen S, Flanagin A, et al. AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for

Authors and Editors. 10th ed. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.; 2007.

We would like to express grateful acknowledgement of Dr. Monica

Jenschke and faculty members of TCU’s School of Nurse Anesthesia,
graduate studies, for sharing their expertise with us in revising this guide
for TCU students and faculty.
 Table of Contents
3
Acknowledgements……………..……..2 Submitting Manuscripts………………….19
AMA Style Summary…………….….…4 Abbreviations of Periodicals…………....20
AMA Manuscript Form…………….…5 Journal Articles……………………………..21
Supplemental Issues of Journals……...22
The Title Page…………………….……..6
Books…………………………………………….23
Abstracts……………………………..….…7
Chapters in Books………………………..…24
Levels of Headings…………………..…8 Government Bulletins………………….….25
Superscripts in AMA………………..…9 Electronic Sources………………………….26
Direct Quotations……………………..10 E-Books…………………………………………27
Block Quotations……………….……..11 Online Journals………..……………………28
Citing Page Numbers………..………12 Citing Databases…………..………………..29
Use of Numerals…………….…………13 DOIs……………………………………………..30
Units of Measurement……………….14 PMID Numbers……………………………..31
Newspapers…………….……………………32
Proprietary Names………………......15
Web sites…………………………………..…33
Visual Presentation of Data… 16, 17 Package Inserts………………………….…..34
Reference List……………………….....18
 AMA Style Summary
4

“AMA style” refers to the American Medical Association

Manual of Style, 10th edition. Some features that distinguish
it from other documentation styles:
ü  In-text citation of sources with superscript numerals assigned by the order in which you first refer to
them in a document. (AMA 3.5-3.6)
ü  Consistent use within a document of the assigned superscript for all your citations of a single source.
(AMA 3.6)
ü  Inclusion of page numbers in superscripts, for any direct quotations you use. (AMA 3.6)
ü  A reference page that lists each source once in the order in which you first referred to it in the body of
your paper, preceded by the assigned superscript. (AMA 3.2)
ü  Consistent use of abbreviations standardized by the National Library of Medicine for medical journal
titles in references. (AMA 14.10)
 AMA Manuscript Form
5

Many AMA manuscripts follow the the “IMRAD” model for section headings and
structure: Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. Some Journal of the
American Medical Association (JAMA) guidelines:

ü  Use a conventional 10-, 11-, or 12-point font, Courier or Times New Roman.
ü  Double-space entire text, including references. (See also slide 18.)
ü  Do not indent paragraphs.
ü  Use 1-inch margins. Do not justify the right margins; leave them “ragged.”
ü  Use a title page and a running head.
ü  Include an abstract after the title page.

For a complete checklist of manuscript submission tips, see the table on page 37 of the AMA
Manual of Style, 10th edition.

JAMA also recommends the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to

Biomedical Journals, published on the International Committee of Medical Editors website.
 The Title Page:
6
The AMA Manual encourages the use of a title
page, but suggests that writers refer to the
specific guidelines of various publishing venues
before formatting a document for submission.
Many AMA manuscripts follow APA style for title
pages:
ü  Running head appears upper left.

ü  Page number can appear on upper right.

ü  Paper title, author and institutional

affiliation (if required) appear centered
mid-page.

The running head should capture the main point

of the paper in shorter form than the title.

Different journals have different length

standards for length of running heads. JAMA’s
is 45 characters.

(AMA 2.1, 2.2.2-2.4.2)

 Abstracts
7
—  An abstract is a concise summary or overview of your
research paper, presented on a separate page between
the title page and the body. In publications, it often
appears at the beginning of the paper.

—  Do not cite sources in abstracts.

—  Include important key words in your abstract; this

enables electronic retrieval in databases.

—  Structured abstracts accompany reports of original

data and meta-analyses. They are usually 250-300
words in length and in IMRAD order:
ü  Introduction of Research Objectives
ü  Methodology and Research Design
ü  Results
ü  Discussion of Conclusions.

—  Unstructured abstracts are summaries of about 150

words that accompany other types of AMA-formatted
research writing or position papers.

—  Some publishing venues add other requirements for

abstracts.

(AMA 2.5)
 Levels of Headings
8

—  AMA style does not specify any particular APA levels of headings
rules for levels of headings, but does advise a
consistently maintained pattern for Level 1 :
formatting and typeface within a document. Centered, Boldface, Uppercase & Lowercase heading

—  Many authors of AMA papers use APA format Level 2:

Flush Left, Boldface, Uppercase and Lowercase heading
for levels of headings; others adapt it to AMA
use.
Level 3:
Indented, boldface, lowercase paragraph heading
—  Secondary-level headings should be with a period.
formatted in a consistent style or typeface,
visually distinguishable from the primary Level 4:
headings. Indented boldface, italicized, lowercase paragraph
heading with a period.

—  Avoid inclusion of abbreviations, figures, Level 5:

tables, or references in headings. Indented, italicized, lowercase paragraph heading with
period.

(APA 3.03)
(AMA 2.8.1, 2.8.3)
 Superscripts in AMA
9
—  Cite sources in AMA by
assigning consecutive Sample superscripts:
superscript numerals, based on
the order in which you first cite
them in the paper.
PACP was first isolated from bovine hypothalamic extracts
based on its ability to stimulate cyclic AMP production in
—  For all subsequent citations of anterior pituitary cells.1 It is a highly conserved member of
a source after its first mention, the IP/secretin/glucagon peptide family, with pleiotropic
use the same superscript you functions in development, cell signaling, metabolism,
first assigned to it. homeostasis and cell protection.2-5 Thus, PACAP-PAC1
receptor signaling is integrally involved in stress

—  Position superscript numerals mechanisms.6,7 We hypothesized that PACAPergic systems

outside periods and commas may be important mediators of abnormal stress responses

and inside colons and following psychological trauma contributing to PTSD,

which is an extreme maladaptive and debilitating
semicolons. psychiatric disorder affecting up to 40% of individuals
over lifetime exposure to traumatic events.3,8,9,

(AMA 3.5 - 3.6)

 Direct Quotations
10

—  Avoid the use of direct quotations. For

professional writing, paraphrase information in
your own words; this demonstrates that you have
mastered the content and can articulate it
efficiently. Use direct quotations only when they
are appropriate.

—  If you must quote a source directly, use a signal

phrase to provide context for the quotation.

—  To cite sources of direct quotations, use the

appropriately sequenced superscript, plus the
page number.

—  Notice that there is no period or space between

the “p” and the numbers in the example to the
right.
 

(AMA 3.6, 8.6.1)

 Block Quotations
11
—  If a direct quotation extends
beyond 4 lines of your text, set it
off in a block (5 spaces over) in a
smaller font size and omit
quotation marks.

—  Add a space above and below the

block quotation.

—  Do not indent, unless to indicate

the beginning of a paragraph in
the original source.

—  As with all direct quotations in

AMA, include the page number
in the superscript.

(AMA 8.6.14)
 When to Include Page Numbers in AMA
12
As a navigational aid
As a navigational aid for
between various sections
direct quotations:
of a long source:

Ressler concluded, “When we controlled for Ressler concluded that controlling for the usual
common stress-related phenomena (depression and stress-related catalysts for PTSD, depression and
history of substance abuse), the effect of PACAP prior substance abuse, the effect of PAD-CAP level
level on PTSD remained stable (P < .05).”22(p493) on PTSD did not vary (P < .05).22(p493)

(AMA 3.6)
 Use of Numerals
13

—  Always use numerals to express quantities, except in these cases:

ü  beginning of a sentence: Twenty-five patients responded to the medication.

ü  common fractions: Two-thirds of the respondents were male.
ü  ordinals: The second intubation was compromised by a non-sterile environment.

—  Express percentages in numerals; avoid beginning sentences with percentages, but if

you do, express in words.
Sixty-five percent of studies used intention-to-treat analysis, but only 42% had adequate
sequence generation.
—  Decimal fractions below 1.0 must be expressed with a leading zero, except with P, alpha and
beta values:
The standard dosage for the control group was 0.5 mL every four hours.
—  Express consecutively occurring numbers using a combination of words and numerals:
Fourteen 12-year-olds eligible to participate in the study tested positive for staph infections.
The study surveyed 203 five-year maintenance and warranty contracts on first-responder
defibrillators in five boroughs in New York City.

(AMA 19.1, 19.2.1)

 Units of Measurement
14

—  Report measurements of height, length, weight, and volume in

conventional metric units (meters, kilograms, or liters) or
their decimal multiples.
—  Report temperatures in degrees Celsius.
—  Report blood pressure in millimeters of mercury, unless
required otherwise by a particular journal.
—  Many journals use the International System of Units (SI) for
reporting.
—  Consult Section 14.12 of the AMA Manual for a list of
standardized abbreviations of measurements.

(AMA 4.1.4, 14.12, 18.1, 19.1.4)

 Proprietary Drug and Product Names
15

—  Use the generic, non-proprietary name in titles, headings, and the text,
unless comparing various brands or particular formulations of a drug.
—  Avoid using proprietary (brand) names of pharmaceuticals to preclude
any implication of bias or conflict of interest. (AMA 15.4.3, 10.3.5)

Proprietary name Non-proprietary name

Medtronic Paradigm Revel insulin pump
523
Prinivil, Tensopril, Zestril lisinopril

Chem-Ply gloves neoprene exam gloves

Augmentin amoxicillin

Vicodin, Norco acetominophen hydrocodone

tartrate
 Visual Presentation of Data: Tables
16

Tables present data in its relationships and support statements made in a paper without being
redundant. Each table requires a title; number your tables consecutively.

(For guidance, consult AMA Manual, 4.1.)

 Visual Presentation of Data: Figures
17
Figures are graphic displays such as charts, graphs, scatterplots, illustrations, pie charts, maps,
or other visual representations of data. They also require titles and a separate numbering system
from tables in a document.
(For guidance, consult AMA Manual, 4.2.)
 Reference List
18

—  AMA Style does not provide clear guidance for formatting

references in papers for graduate coursework. Many professors
prefer double-spaced text and tables, with single-spaced abstracts
and reference pages. If in doubt, check with your professor.

—  AMA recommends double-spacing for manuscripts submitted for

publication. Follow the guidelines issued by a journal or the
Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to
Biomedical Journals, published on the International Committee
of Medical Editors website.

—  Citations must include “minimum acceptable data” for a reader

to access the source: author or agency, book title & publisher, or
article title and journal title, with standardized publication
information or standardized electronic identification systems
such as URL, DOI, or PubMed(PMID) numbers.

—  List sources only once, in the order they first appear in the
document. Number them consecutively.

—  For research papers submitted for university courses, a common

practice is to single-space reference lists, leaving a line space
between each entry. Some professors require that students
follow submission guidelines for medical journals such as JAMA.
If in doubt, ask your professors.

(AMA 3.4-3.5)
 Submitting Manuscripts for Publication
19

—  The Journal of the American Medication

Association (JAMA) recommends following the
Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted
to Biomedical Journals, which are published on the
International Committee of Medical Editors website,
which advises “double-spacing all portions of the
manuscript— including the title page, abstract, text,
acknowledgments, references, individual tables, and
legends” for both paper and online submissions.

—  To submit manuscripts for publication in a particular

journal, the AMA Manual recommends preparing a
manuscript according to the guidelines issued by that
journal. Preferences may vary from journal to
journal on such matters as spacing and title pages, as
well as accompanying institutional documents.

(AMA 2.0)
 Abbreviations of Periodicals
20

When citing journal articles in the reference list, use the journal abbreviations standardized in the US
National Library of Medicine Catalog list: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/journals

Do not abbreviate single-word titles. No periods are necessary after the abbreviations.

Some example titles:

American Association of Nurse Anesthetists = AANA J
American Journal of Nursing = Am J Nurs
BMJ: British Medical Association = BMJ
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism = J Clin Endocrinol Metab
Journal of Nursing Administration = J Nurs Adm
Medical Letters of Drugs and Therapeutics = Med Lett Drugs Ther
Southern Medical Journal = South Med J

A citation example:
Ebneshahidi A, Mohseni M. Hoarseness after tracheal intubation. Anesth Analg. 2010;111:892-894.

(AMA 14.10)
 Journal Articles
21

—  List authors by surnames and initials

(without periods). Use commas to
separate authors’ names from each
other.
—  If a citation includes more than 6
authors, use only the first 3, along with
the “et al” notation.
—  Use lower-case letters for the article
title, excluding the first word and any
proper nouns included. For titles that
include a colon, use lower case for the
first word after it.
—  Abbreviate the journal title according to
the AMA-endorsed list (see previous
slide).
—  List the year, volume number, issue
number, and inclusive pagination in the
pattern shown to the right.
—  Use full page numbers, i.e. 1025-1029.

(AMA 3.4)
 Supplemental Issues of Journals
22

Cite a supplemental issue of a journal by following the basic

format for a journal article, but insert (suppl) after the colon.
If the supplement is numbered but the original issue is not,
place the number inside the supplement indicator. If the
original issue has a number, be careful to include both that
number and the supplement number:
1.  Strange JK. A multimodal approach to nutrition education in primary grades. Am J Med.
2003;22(suppl):123-125.
2.  Bevington SR. Hyperprolactinemia and post-partum depression. Am J Med.
2012;46(suppl 4):112-115.
3.  MacArthur LO. Mesothelioma in Balkan populations. Am J Med. 2009;34(3)(suppl 2):
112-119.

AMA 3.11.8
 Books
23
—  Cite authors by surname and initials,
without periods. Use commas to
separate author names.
—  When referring to an entire edited
book, use editors’ names in the
author slot. Add “ed.” or “eds.” after
the names in the author position of
the citation.
—  Capitalize and italicize book titles.
—  Include edition numbers, city of
publication, publisher’s name or
imprint, and copyright date.
—  If six or fewer authors, list all. If
more than six, list the first three
followed by “et al.”

(AMA 3.15.2)
 Chapter in a Book
24

—  Cite the authors of the particular chapter

or essay by surname and initials. Separate
author names with commas.
—  Follow the capitalization rules for article
titles: use lower-case letters for all words
of the chapter title except the first word
and proper nouns.
—  Use “In:” followed by the editors’ names.
—  Cite in full the title of the book in which
the chapter appears. Use conventional
capitalizations, and italicize the title.
—  Provide the city of publication, the
publisher, and the year.
—  Provide inclusive page numbers of the
chapter.

(AMA 3.15.2)
 Government or Agency Bulletins
25
—  If no single author is named,
cite the issuing government
agency as the author.

—  Italicize titles of reports; follow

article title rules for sections of
reports.

—  Provide any relevant

information such as series
numbers, or numbers used to
identify the documents within
agency-generated document
identification systems.

(AMA 3.13.2, 3.15.5)

 Electronic Sources
26

—  Electronic sources should be cited in a way as to be accessible to your reader.

Citation format is determined by method of access: e-books, journals, databases,
list-servs, websites, government archives, and others.

—  Some electronic citations require URLs and dates accessed, if website layout is
subject to change. Other citations have permanent locators such as DOIs or PMID
numbers, which will not change and therefore require no URL.

—  Citation formats may vary slightly according to whether the source first appeared in
print; some sources now appear online before they appear in print. Some online
journals have pagination; others do not.

—  Some electronic sources are available in more than one format. For example, a
source may appear in an online journal as well as a database such as PubMed or
Cochrane Library.

—  “Versioning” refers to a means of citation that includes updates and edits to an

electronic source. A good rule of thumb for citing electronic sources in AMA style:
always cite the version you consulted.
(AMA 3.15)
 E-Book
27

Cite an electronic book by providing the

conventional elements of a book citation, then
add the URL and date of access:

ü  Author and/or editor

ü  Title & edition number if applicable
ü  City and state of publication
ü  Publisher
ü  Year of copyright
ü  URL & Date of access.

(AMA 3.4, 3.15)

 Online Journals
28

The basic elements of an online journal citation

are:
ü  Authors(s)
ü  Article title
ü  Journal name, abbreviated
ü  Year
ü  Volume number (if available)
ü  Inclusive pages (if available)
ü  DOI, or PMID number (not both)
ü  If no doi or PMID is available, include URL
and date of access.

Several versions of a source may exist online.

Cite the version you consulted.

Include DOI or PMID (not both) ONLY if the

journal article is available online ahead of print
or the article is available in electronic format
only (no print version).

(AMA 3.15.1)
 Citing Databases
29

In citing databases, include the following

elements in this order:
ü  Author(s), if available
ü  Title of database
ü  Publisher’s location, name, most recent
date
ü  URL
ü  Date accessed.

(AMA 3.15.8)
 DOIs
30

—  “DOI” stands for “digital object identifier.” A

DOI is a permanent online address that is not
subject to any changes of URL.

—  All DOIs begin with “10.”

—  A DOI has 2 elements, a prefix and a suffix,

separated by a forward slash:
doi:10.1038/nature02312

—  DOIs are preferable to URLs; do not cite URLs

with them, and there is no need to provide date
of access, since the content is fixed.

(AMA 3.15)
 PubMed (PMID) Numbers
31

•  PMID numbers denote journal articles that

are indexed in PubMed. Include them in
citations of electronic format journal
articles. They are not required for articles
available in print.

•  If you use a PMID number, there is no need

to cite a URL or date of access.

(AMA 3.15)
 Newspapers
32

—  To cite newspaper sources, include author,

article title, newspaper title (in italics), date
of publication, section and page numbers.

—  To cite newspaper sources retrieved

electronically, follow the same pattern as for
print and include the URL, plus the date of
your access.

(AMA 3.13.1, 3.15.4)

 Web sites
33

When citing a web site in AMA style, provide the

elements crucial for your reader to locate the
precise source you used:

ü  Author or authorial agency (if given)

ü  Title of article or document
ü  Name of the web site
ü  URL
ü  Date of publication (if given)
ü  Date of access or retrieval.

(AMA 3.15.3)
 Package Inserts
34

•  Provide the product brand name,

specifying in brackets that it is an insert.

•  Also provide the manufacturer’s location,

name, and date of copyright for the insert
in a format similar to book or report
citations.

(AMA 3.13.6)
 Index to Slides
35
Abbreviations of journals……………...……20 Numerals…………………………………..………13
Abstracts………………………………………….….7 Online journals…………………..……………..28
Articles in journals…………………………….21 Package inserts……………….………….………34
Books…………………………………………….….23 Page numbers in superscripts………………12
Block quotations………………………………...11 Proprietary names………………………………15
Chapters in books……………………………..24 PubMed (PMID) numbers…………………..31
Databases…………………………………………29 Reference list……………………………………..18
Direct quotations………………………………10 Summary of AMA style…………………………4
Electronic sources………………………….….26 Superscripts…………………………………….….9
E-books………………………………………….…27 Supplemental Issues of Journals………….22
Government bulletins………………………..25 Title page…………………………………………….6
DOIs…………………………………………….….30 Units of measurement……………………..….14
Levels of headings………………………..……..8 Visual data………………………….…………16, 17
Manuscript form………………………….….5,19 Web sites………………..…………………………33
Newspapers……………………………………….32