Understanding the AMA Reference Page Format

The American Medical Association (AMA) style is widely used in the medical and scientific fields. Properly formatting your reference page is essential for academic integrity and clarity. Below are three diverse examples that highlight how to construct your AMA reference page, ensuring you effectively cite various types of sources.

Example 1: Journal Article Citation

Context

This example illustrates how to cite a journal article, which is a common source in research papers. Journals provide peer-reviewed studies that are crucial for evidence-based references.

Smith J, Doe A. The impact of lifestyle on health outcomes: A comprehensive study. Journal of Health Sciences. 2021; 35(2):123-130.

In this citation:

• Authors: List the last name followed by the initials.
• Article Title: Use sentence case, meaning only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized.
• Journal Title: Italicized and in title case.
• Year: The year of publication is included after the title.
• Volume and Issue: Presented as Volume(Issue).
• Page Range: Indicates the span of pages for the article.

Example 2: Book Citation

Context

This example demonstrates how to reference a book, which is often used for foundational theories or comprehensive overviews in research papers.

Johnson L. Understanding Medical Statistics. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Medical Publishing; 2020.

In this citation:

• Author: Last name followed by initials.
• Book Title: Italicized and in title case.
• Edition: If applicable, state the edition after the title.
• Location: City of publication followed by the state abbreviation.
• Publisher: Name of the publishing company.
• Year: The year of publication.

Example 3: Online Resource Citation

Context

This example explains how to cite an online resource, which has become increasingly important due to the rise of digital information sources.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COVID-19 vaccine information. 2023. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html. Accessed December 1, 2023.

In this citation:

• Organization as Author: If no individual author is available, use the organization’s name.
• Title of the Webpage: Italicized and in title case.
• Year: The year the content was published or last updated.
• URL: Direct link to the resource.
• Access Date: The date you accessed the website, which is especially important for non-static content.

Note

When creating your AMA reference page, ensure consistency in formatting and pay attention to punctuation and italicization. Each reference should align with AMA guidelines to maintain professionalism and accuracy in your research paper.