ama research paper example

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AMA Format Quick Guide

Additional Navigation

Attention all Liberty University students and faculty: The university officially switched to AMA 11th edition for Spring 2021. All resources below are AMA-11 compliant. 

Papers With Non-Structured Abstract

• Use of a non-structured abstract is appropriate for all papers not falling under the categories for a structured abstract
• Sample AMA-11 paper for non- structured abstract paper
• AMA-11 template for non-structured abstract paper

Papers Using Structured Abstract

• Use of a structured abstract is appropriate for original research, systematic reviews, and clinical reviews. For example, students completing original research or systematic reviews for their Practicum would use a structured abstract.
• Sample AMA-11 paper using a structured abstract
• AMA-11 template for structured abstract

Helpful Resources

AMA-11 Reference List

Sample AMA-11 Annotated Bibliography

Kaltura video tutorial on endnote numbering “fix” in reference list

Note about the templates provided by Liberty University. Please read the hot-pink and green highlighted text in each template and follow those instructions before removing that content or those placeholders from your final paper. Also, be sure to use end notes rather than footnotes. Otherwise, the templates will not function properly.

• AMA-11 does not specify which font or size to use but  Liberty University requires all course assignments to be completed using 12-point Times New Romans font for the body and all elements other than the title of the paper and headings. Heading levels and the title of the paper will be in Arial (14-point font for the title and primary headings, 12-point font for second-, third-, and fourth-level headings).
• Include a digital object identifier (DOI) when available. If a DOI is not available but a URL is, use it instead. Do not add a period after the DOI or URL in your reference list.  The AMA Manual of Style recommends presenting DOIs as metadata (p. 97): doi:10.1001/jama.2017.13737
• Use sentence-style capitalization in tables and figures except their titles.
• Hyphens are not used for health care system .
• Omit fellowship designations and honorary degrees; include undergraduate degrees only if they are the highest degree earned.
• Titles and subtitles (section 2.1) = Should be concise, specific, and information and should contain key points of the work. Population type should be specified in the title, when possible (eg, Men with Atrial Fibrillation).  For scientific manuscripts (eg, reports or research), neither overly general titles nor “cute” titles are desirable.
• Use lowercase letters for subtitles in the references except for proper nouns and the first word of a complete sentence, even after a title that ends in a question mark (p. 70, example #2 under section 3.10).
• If quotation marks are required in the title or subtitle, they should be double, not single (section 2.1.1).
• Abbreviations in titles (section 2.1.5) = Avoid the use of abbreviations in the title and subtitle, unless space considerations require an exception or unless the title or subtitle includes the name of an entity or a group that is best known by its acronym. In both cases, the abbreviation should be expanded in the abstract and at the first appearance in the text.
• Capitalize the first letter of each major word in titles and subtitles. Do not capitalize subsequent articles (e.g., a , an , the ), prepositions of 3 or fewer letters, coordinating conjunctions ( and , or , for , nor , but , per ), or the to in infinitives.  Do capitalize a 2-letter verb, such as Is or Be (section 2.1.6).
• In order to best prepare its students for publication, Liberty University adopts and follows JAMA journals’ rule to include the shortened version of the article title in the running head.
• Appendixes: For LUO assignments (not being published) the Appendix would come after the References.
• Punctuation in AMA-11 is notably concise. For example, abbreviations including et al and eg do not have periods in the AMA manual. References are also consolidated with only punctuation as necessary to divide the elements.

AMA-11 does not specify any requirements for this so the sample papers and templates provided for LUO students are unique to Liberty University coursework.

Papers that include original research, synthesized reviews, clinical reviews, or other forms of research presentations should be presented with a structured abstract. Otherwise, an unstructured abstract is an appropriate form of abstract to use. If a student is ever in doubt about the type of abstract needed for a specific assignment, he or she should consult the assignment’s instructions, grading rubric, and professor of the course for clarification on that assignment. Separate sample papers and templates are provided in links above for both formats.

General guidelines for abstracts in AMA-11 include:

• Do not begin by repeating the title.
• Do not cite references or URLs in the body of the abstract.
• Do not cite figures or tables in the abstract.
• Include the hypothesis or study question, if applicable.
• Ensure that all concepts and data mentioned in the abstract are also included in the text.
• Spell out abbreviations at first mention and avoid use of abbreviations unless they appear numerous times.
• Verify the numbers provided in the abstract against those provided in the text, tables, and figures to ensure internal consistency.
• You may include a short list (3-10) of keywords.

Students using structured abstracts should include the following headings as their section titles : Importance Objective Design, Setting, Participants Main Outcome and Measures Results Conclusion

• See the respective sample paper linked above for more details on what content to include based on your assignment.
• AMA-11 papers use headings to separate paper sections and establish a hierarchy of information.  Short papers (usually five pages or less in the body of the paper) may not have any headings unless required, but longer papers benefit from the organizational aspects of headings.
• Always begin with Level 1 headings and apply the appropriate heading and subheading levels from there.  If you use subheadings, you must have at least two under that larger heading. Do not simply progress from Level 1 to Level 2 to Level 3 .
• A paper may only have Level 1 headings if it is not divided into smaller subsections — or the content under some Level 1 headings may include two or more Level 2 headings (and some content under Level 2 headings may include two or more Level 3 headings).
• All heading levels in AMA-11 are left-justified. There should be more space before a Level 1 heading than the other heading levels (see our sample AMA papers for a visual of this).
• A citation is used whenever another author’s work is directly quoted or paraphrased.
• Citations in AMA-11 are ordered consecutively in the order they appear in the body of the text.  They are presented as superscripted numbers inserted at the end of the sentence, with a corresponding numbered reference entry in the reference list at the end of the paper.
• Every time you refer to a resource, you would use the same number for that resource, no matter how many times you cite that resource in your paper.
• Use Arabic superscript numerals outside periods and commas, inside colons and semicolons.
• Unfortunately, webpages do not reflect superscripted numbers well. Please see the sample papers for more discussion and visual examples of how to cite sources using AMA’s superscripted endnotes.
• The Bible is considered a classical work according to AMA 11 th ed and references to the Bible are included in text only, with the names of the book spelled out. The version of the Bible can also be provided in parenthesis. While the Bible text can be listed as a reference at the end, this is unnecessary.
• Use a colon to separate the chapter and verse numbers of a biblical reference.

Numbers & Percentages ( Chapter 18 )

Use numerals to express numbers except :

• Numbers that begin a sentence, title, subtitle, or heading

Common fractions

• Accepted usage, such as idiomatic expressions and numbers used as pronouns
• Other uses of one in running text (text that is not part of an equation or otherwise separated from the main body of text)
• Ordinals first through ninth
• Numbers spelled out in quotes or article titles

Numbers of 4 or more digits to either side of the decimal point :

• In 4-digit numbers, the digits are set closed up: 2455
• For numbers of 10 000 or greater, a thin space is used to separate every 3 digits starting from the right-most integer.
• For numbers with 5 or more digits to the right of the decimal point, a thin space is used between every 3 digits starting from the right of the decimal: 8.453 98 g
• Mixed fractions are typically expressed in numerals
• Spell out fractions that are used as an adjective or noun in a hyphenated word: three-fourths; half-second; two-thirds.

Mixed fractions

• The surgery lasted 3¼ hours
• The patient was hospitalized for 5½ days

Measures of temperature

• Use the degree symbol with Celsius and Fahrenheit measures of temperature but not for Kelvin.
• A space should appear between the number and the degree symbol
• Changes in temperature expressed as higher or lower (not warmer or colder)
• The plates were cultured at 17 °C.
• The patient was febrile (temperature, 38.8 °C).
• The thermodynamic temperature equivalent to -25 °C is 298.15 K.

Miscellaneous rules involving numbers

• Rounded large numbers, such as those starting with million, should be expressed with numerals and words: 5 million to 6 million people.
• The word one should be spelled out when used as a pronoun or noun (as opposed to a number).
• When 2 numbers appear consecutively in a sentence, either reword the sentence or spell out 1 of the numbers for clarity: Twenty 5-mL syringes.
• Use a hyphen to connect a span of years: 2011-2015
• Use roman numerals with proper names (Henry Ford III); note that no comma is used before the numeral.

Italics ( Section 21.9.4 )

• Used for Level 4 heads (second-level sideheads)
• The page number is called the folio .
• In his handwriting, the n ’s look like u ’s.
• JAMA Psychiatry
• USS Constitution
• Verdi’s Requiem
• Spirit of St. Louis (plane)
• Microbe Invader (video game)
• For legal cases, eg, Roe v Wade
• For epigraphs set at the beginning of a work
• For search terms (keywords)
• For some non-English words and phrases that are not shown among English terms in the current edition of Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary or in accepted medical dictionaries (eg, de Qi sensation)
• For lowercase letters used in alphabetic enumerations of items or topics (the parentheses are set roman): ( a ), ( b ), ( c ), etc.
• Bacillaceae
• Staphylococcus
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Staphylococci
• Staphylococcal
• Streptococcis
• For gene symbols but not gene names
• For chemical prefixes
• For mathematical expressions
• For some statistical terms: P value, R 2 , t test
• For the abbreviation for acceleration due to gravity, g , to distinguish it from g for gram
• For the term sic
• In formal resolutions, for Resolved
• Sparingly, for emphasis

Small Caps ( Section 21.9.5 )

• AM and PM in time
• BC, BCE, CE, and AD
• Some prefixes in chemical formulas (L for levo-, D for dextro-)

Appendix/Appendices

For manuscripts submitted for publication, any appendix would be submitted as a separate file; not as part of the paper itself.  For Liberty University assignments, however (not being published), the Appendix should be placed after the References.  Tables and figures are attached in the section following the appendix, if any.

Tables or Figures

Any tables or figures would be attached to a student’s paper after any appendices.

• Are numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals in the order in which they are cited in the text
• In reference lists, use the author’s surname followed by initials without periods. In listed references, the names of all authors should be given unless there are more than 6, in which case the names of the first 3 are used followed by “et al.”
• Do not use the possessive form of et al (et al’s); rephrase the sentence. Instead of “Doe et al’s data support our findings,” restructure the sentence to “The data in the study by Doe et al support our findings.” [ Note : Be sure to include endnote reference numbers anytime you refer to another’s work.  The web formatting on this webpage does not permit superscripted numbers so the endnote numbers were omitted here, where they would otherwise be required .]
• Note spacing and punctuation in the examples in the table above. Do not use and between names in the reference list.
• Roman numerals and abbreviations for Junior (Jr) and Senior (Sr) follow authors’ initials: Loe JT Sr.
• If a first name is hyphenated, include both initials (ie, Ka-Wai Tam – Tam KW). If the second part of a hyphenated name is lowercased, both initials would be capitalized in the reference list (ie, Hyun-seok Kim = Kim HS).
• Subtitle style follows that for titles, except that the subtitle of journal articles begins with a lowercase letter. (Capitalization is retained if the first word of the subtitle is a proper noun.)
• If the title or subtitle ends with a closing quotation mark, the ending period should appear after the quotation mark because the ending punctuation is not part of the original content.
• For journal articles, abbreviate and italicize names of journals in the reference list according to the listing in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) NLM Catalog database ( https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/journals ). Journal names for journals not cited in PubMed may be expanded to avoid possible confusion. Include the year, followed by a semicolon; the volume number and the issue number (in parentheses), followed by a colon; the initial page number, a hyphen, and the final page number, followed by a period, are set without spaces.  Do not omit digits from inclusive page numbers.  The DOI should be included if provided.  The DOI should be the final element and is not followed by a period (present it as metadata format).
• If no DOI, a URL and accessed date may be used. If including a URL in a reference citation, use the URL that will take the reader directly to the article; do not include a long search string, and also avoid a short, more general URL (eg, one to the publisher’s homepage).  Always include http:// or https:// before the URL to help ensure proper linking.  The URL is not followed by a period.

Liberty University Class Lectures

In keeping with section 3.11.4.2.1, references to Liberty University class lectures will be cited as (please note that the content on the second line should be indented to fall under the content above it (not the number); limitations of Liberty’s website programming prevent it from appearing correctly below):

• COUC 815 – week 1: comparison of diagnostic criteria of PTSD and attachment disorders [PDF class handout]. Liberty University. Updated March 18, 2020. Accessed October 30, 2020. https://canvas.liberty.edu
• Owen C. COUC 815: PTSD from early childhood trauma as a precursor to attachment issues [Class lecture]. Liberty University. Updated March 13, 2020. Accessed October 28, 2020. https://canvas.liberty.edu

Student’s Prior Class Paper

In keeping with section 3.11.4.2.1, references to a student’s prior class paper will be cited as (please note that the content on the second line should be indented to fall under the content above it (not he number); limitations of Liberty’s website programming prevent it from appearing correctly below):

• Owen C. Effect of reduced Cluster-B personality traits in adopted children on their parents’ levels of family satisfaction. Liberty University, COUC 815; 2020. Accessed August 30, 2020.

Annotated Bibliographies

• Sample Annotation

Note  that in a stand-alone Annotated Bibliography assignment, students would include Liberty University’s standard AMA-11 title page.

Material on this page taken or adapted from the 11th Edition of the AMA Manual of Style.

AMA Style Quick Guide

• Citation Type
• In-Text Citations & Headings
• General Guidelines
• Journal Articles
• Books & eBooks
• Presentations
• Grey Literature
• Tertiary Sources & Additional Publication Types
• RefWorks & Zotero This link opens in a new window

Format Standards

Because AMA formatting is dependent on the publisher where you may be submitting research, it is helpful to pick a source for guidelines and be consistent with those guidelines. A few starting points are suggested below:

• National Library of Medicine | Formatting Requirements The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) offers guidance to authors in its publication Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals (ICMJE Recommendations), which was formerly the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts. The recommended style for references is based on the National Information Standards Organization NISO Z39.29-2005 (R2010) Bibliographic References as adapted by the National Library of Medicine for its databases.
• Citing Medicine: The NLM Style Guide for Authors, Editors, and Publishers (2nd Ed.) Citing Medicine provides assistance to authors in compiling lists of references for their publications, to editors in revising such lists, to publishers in setting reference standards for their authors and editors, and to librarians and others in formatting bibliographic citations.

Sample Papers

• AMA Non-Structured Abstract Paper Sample
• AMA Structured Abstract Paper Sample
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• Next: In-Text Citations & Headings >>
• Last Updated: Oct 12, 2023 1:11 PM
• URL: https://libguides.cedarville.edu/amaquickguide

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Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

These resources provide guidance on how to cite sources in the text and on a reference list using American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style, 11th Ed., including examples for print and electronic sources. AMA was developed by the American Medical Association for the purpose of writing medical research.

References are found at the end of a manuscript and are titled “References,” and each item should be listed in numerical order (two references should not be combined under a single reference number) as opposed to alphabetically. Additionally, each item should be single-spaced.

Sample Reference

AuthorLastname FirstInitialMiddleInitial. Title in sentence case.  Abbreviated Journal Title in Title Case . Year;volume(Issue#):PP-PP. doi: ##

If you are citing an online article, you should include the day and month of publication as well in the format of Month Day, Year.

Use sentence case for all titles (capitalize only the first word of the title). Abbreviate and italicize names of journals according to the listing in the  National Library of Medicine database .

Author Names

When writing up your references list, be sure to always include the last name and the first and middle initial of the authors  without  punctuation. However, do use a comma to separate more than one author in a single bibliographic group (e.g., Wheeler T, Watkins PJ).

If the author's middle initial isn't available, omit it. The abbreviations "Jr" and "Sr" ("Junior" and "Senior") may follow authors' names when applicable (e.g., Jameson JJ Jr). Use Roman numerals to signify "2nd," "3rd," "4th," and so on (e.g., Doe JF III).

Use all authors’ names unless there are more than 6 authors. In that case, list the names of the initial 3 authors, followed by “et al” in place of the others.

Bibliographic Elements

Each reference is divided with periods into bibliographic groups; each bibliographic group contains bibliographic  elements , which may be separated using the following punctuation marks:

• A comma : if the items are sub-elements of a bibliographic element or a set of closely related elements (e.g., the authors’ names).
• A semicolon:  if the elements in the bibliographic group are different (e.g., between the publisher’s name and the copyright year) or if there are multiple occurrences of logically related elements within a group; also, before volume identification data.
• A colon:  before the publisher’s name, between the title and the subtitle, and after a connective phrase (e.g., “In,” “Presented at”).

See the following examples:

In-Text Citations

Each reference should be cited in the text using superscript arabic numerals. These superscript numbers should be outside periods and commas but inside colons and semicolons . Multiple references may be cited in the same instance. If you are citing sequential references, these should be indicated with a hyphen. Nonsequential references should be separated with commas. There should not be a space between numbers. For example: 

As Smith et al have reported, 1-3,5

Smith et al reported 1-3,5 :

AMA recommends that you do not place a superscript reference citation immediately following a number, and advises that you revise the sentence to prevent any possible confusion with an exponent.

Parenthetical citations should ONLY be used for items that do not occur in the references list, such as unpublished material, personal communications, and news articles. These citations may or may not include a title or author, but should include page numbers and, if possible, a DOI or URL.

AMA Citation Style: Format Paper

• Format Paper
• Government Publications
• Email/Personal Communication
• Social Media
• Audiovisual Media
• RefWorks vs Mendeley
• Avoiding Plagiarism
• Writing Support

General Formatting Rules

• Abstract: 2.5.3 Always consult the journal’s instructions for authors; do not begin the abstract by repeating the title; do not cite references; include hypothesis... (see Abstract: general guidelines for full description)
• Acknowledgement: 2.10 “Acknowledgments” is the term used to cover the information that follows the body of the article and precedes the references. NOTE: Placement may vary among journals.
• Appendixes: 2.11 Appendixes are material that might be considered ancillary to the content of the article (i.e. survey).
• Bylines and End-of-Text Signatures: 2.2 In general major articles, authors are listed in a byline, which appears immediately below the title or subtitle. The authors' names and academic degrees are used, as in the byline.
• Capitalization 10.1 First word of every complete sentence should be capitalized, as well as the first word of a title.
• Figures: 4.2 Graphs, line art, diagrams, charts, and other black-and-white figures should be submitted as a high quality resolution electronic file. NOTE: Preferred format for submitting figures varies among scientific journals.
• ePub Ahead of Print 2.10.15 For manuscripts and articles that have been previously posted to a preprint server, the following formats may be used... (see page for full details).
• Quotation Marks in Titles: 2.1.1 If quotation marks are part of the title or subtitle, then use double, not single quotation marks. more... less... Example: "Count Me In": Advocacy in Public Health
• Running Foot: 2.4 Pages customarily have the journal name or journal abbreviation, volume number, date of issue, and page number. You may also include a shortened version of the article title.
• Subtitles: 3.10 Follow the same rules for titles for spelling, abbreviations, numbers, capitalization, and use of italics. NOTE: Only exception is for journal articles the subtitle begins with a lowercase letter. more... less... Example: Hallier J, Baralou E. Other voices, other rooms: differentiating social identity development in organisational and pro-am virtual teams. New Technology, Work & Employment. 2010;25(2):154-166. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-005X.2010.00245.x.
• Tables: 4.1 Information in the table must be accurate and consistent with that in the text in content and style. It should be able to stand independently, without requiring explanation from the text.
• Titles & Subtitles: 2.1 At the top of the page, use a short title header that is concise and informative. The subtitle may expand on the title as supplementary information but should not contain key elements of the study.

AMA Style Citation Tips

Tips: References List 3.2

• Cited works are numbered in order of initial appearance in the text and appear in the Reference List in numerical order.
• Use Arabic superscript numerals outside periods and commas, and inside colons and semicolons.
• Authors’ names are inverted and use only initials for first and middle names. No periods between initials.  ( Example - Antosh, MA)
• In article titles, only capitalize the first word, proper nouns, and abbreviations that are ordinarily capitalized.
• Use accepted Index Medicus abbreviations of journal names (see the List of Journals Indexed in Index Medicus ).
• For journals, use issue numbers in parentheses after the volume number. If there is no issue number specify the month before the year.

Tips: Titles 3.9

• In titles of articles, books, parts of books, and other material, retain the spelling, abbreviations, and style for numbers used in the original. 
• Numbers that begin a title are spelled out (although exceptions are made for years; see 2.1.2 , Manuscript Preparation, Titles and Subtitles, Numbers).

Tips: Numbering 3.5

• References should be numbered consecutively with Arabic numerals in the order in which they are cited in the text. 
• Two references should not be combined under a single reference number.

Tips: Reference Given In text 3.3

• In the text, the author(s) may not be named,
• The title may not be given,
• The name of the journal is abbreviated only when enclosed in parentheses,
• Inclusive page numbers are given.
• Some resources, such as Web URLs, may be listed in the text when it is the Web site itself that is referred to rather than content on the site.

Subject Guide

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AMA Citation Guide: Format Your Paper

• Format Your Paper
• In-text Citations
• Audio/Visual
• Gray Literature
• For Authors

Setting Up Your Paper

Margins : Use one inch margins on all pages.

Line Spacing :

• All sections of the paper are single-spaced.
• Double-space between paragraphs and sections.
• A serif (e.g., Times New Roman ) 10pt - 12pt font is used for all sections of the paper.
• In diagrams and charts, a sans serif font is used (e.g., Arial ).

Indents : Use a 1/2 inch indent.

Page Numbering :

• Each page, beginning with the title page, should be numbered consecutively.
• Page numbers are usually placed in the upper, right corner.

Page Headers : Short title headers are placed at the top of the page, aligned with the page number.

Reference List :

• Number the references in the order that they were cited in the text .
• Single-space within the citation and double-space between citations .
• There are no hanging indents as seen in other citation styles.

Be sure to ask your instructor or the publisher to whom you're submitting the paper for more specific formatting rules.

Structured Abstracts

Some publishers require a structured abstract depending on the type of research paper submitted. Be sure to check what the publisher's requirements are.

Basic format for structured abstracts can be seen in PubMed: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/policy/structured_abstracts.html .

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AMA Citation Guide: Getting Started

• Getting Started
• How do I Cite?
• In-Text Citations
• Reference List and Sample Paper
• Additional Resources

Header Image

AMA Style Basics

AMA style is widely used in medicine and the health sciences :

• It uses superscript arabic numerals  for in-text references.
• All cited references  should also be listed at the end of the document.
• Only use the last name and first initial of authors' names, without punctuation , in the reference list (example: Smith A).
• References are divided by specific punctuation into bibliographic groups .
• You must use the standard National Library of Medicine  abbreviations for all journal titles .

Digital Object Identifiers (DOI)

Also known as a permalink, a DOI, or  digital object identifier , is an article's permanent online location. DOIs are used for a variety of academic and non-academic sources that are located online.

Include a DOI for all works that have a DOI. If an online work has both a DOI and a URL, include only the DOI; if the source only has a URL, include the URL.

What is AMA?

AMA stands for  American Medical Association . The  AMA Manual of Style  is the official style guide defining the  citation rules of AMA .  It is a set of rules for research papers and publications.

In AMA, you must cite sources that you have paraphrased, quoted, or consulted to write your research paper. Cite your sources in two places:

• In the body of your paper (in-text citation).
• In the Reference list at the end of your paper (full bibliographic reference).
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• Last Updated: May 17, 2022 12:24 PM
• URL: https://paperpile.libguides.com/ama

AMA Guide - 11th Edition: Paper Formatting

• Paper Formatting
• In-Text Citations
• Database Specific Formatting

Explicit instructions for paper format are not given in the AMA manual because publishers provide specific requirements for submitted manuscripts.  These research paper format guidelines have been chosen by faculty for South College students, and can be found in the official South College AMA Style Guide. 

Note:  Your instructor may have specific or additional requirements not listed in this guide.

AMA Paper Formatting Checklist

General format.

• Margins are 1 inch on all sides throughout. 
• Paper is double spaced throughout, including the title page, block quotes, and references.
• Use the serif typeface Times New Roman or Arial. 
• Use a 12pt font size throughout. 
• Pages are numbered consecutively, right aligned in the header, starting on the first page of text. Exclude the title page and, if required, the abstract page.
• All text is center aligned and double spaced.
• Full title of the paper begins a quarter down the page. 
• Authors' full name(s) including middle initials.
• Couse Number - Course Name
• Assignment: Assignment Name if required
• Affiliated institution

Abstract (If Required by Instructor)

• Separate page after the title page.
• Abstract is the section title, it is left aligned and not indented.
• Text is in a block under the section title, it is not indented. 
• Maximum 500 words.
• Does not include quotations or reference citations. 
• Keywords: 
• Introduction
• Body Paragraphs
• Section headings are bold and left aligned. 
• Subsection headings are italicized and left aligned. 
• The first line of each paragraph is indented 1/2 inch.
• There is no extra line space between paragraphs or headings. 
• Block quotes are double spaced, are not indented, and are 1/2 inch from the left margin. 
• Avoid starting a sentence with a number.  If unavoidable, write out the number instead of using Arabic numerals.

Reference List

• References  heading is bold and left aligned at the top of the page.
• References are left aligned. 
• References are numbered in the order they are first cited in the body of the paper. 
• A tab space separates the number and the first name or word of the reference. 

Tables & Figures

Each table is assigned a number based on the order it is used in the article. Following the table number (and just above the table itself) should be a clear but concise title in title case.  All elements in the table are in sentence case.

Footnotes are listed at the bottom of the table, each on its own line. However, to save space, tables with more than a few footnotes can use 2 columns for the footnotes.

For more information on formatting and when to use tables, see the Tables Components section of the AMA Manual online. 

• AMA Manual of Style - Ebook This link opens in a new window 11th edition ebook. May need to refresh page after logging in.

Similar to tables, each figure is assigned a number based on the order it is used in the article. Types of figures include, but are not limited to, graphs, charts, maps, drawings, and photographs. Some figures use symbols to represent data, and those figures use legends embedded in the graphic to explain those symbols. 

Following the figure number (and just above the figure itself) should be a clear but concise title.  All elements in the table are in sentence case.

For more examples and guidelines for how and when to use figures in a paper, see the Figures section of the AMA Manual online.

Do I use an appendix in AMA?

• What is an appendix?
• How do I use an appendix?
• How do I make an appendix?

Appendices are not regularly used in AMA. AMA formatting prefers that the information, if relevant to the article, be included in the body of the article as a table or figure.  If the appendix is important, AMA favors publishing them online as online only, supplemental materials.  

The AMA Manual of Style does note that an appendix may be used "on rare occasions...for data that cannot easily be represented as a table or figure and are too central to the article to be deposited elsewhere".  The appendix is included at the end of the paper but  before  the references. Sources for any materials in an appendix are then included in the reference list. 

When an appendix is included in an article, it is cited in the text like a table or figure.  

Example:  This kitchen is rated a 5 on the Hazard Scale (Appendix 1). 

Format an appendix the same way you would start a reference list, with "Appendix" at the top left of a new page. If there is more than one appendix, start each on a new page. Appendices are numbered and organized by the order they are referred to in the body of the article.

Example: 

Hazard Scale

• 1 - The room is completely safe and the likelihood of being injured is very low.
• 2 - The room is relatively safe, but injury is likely if one is inattentive to the environment.
• 3 - The room is completely unsafe and injury or illness is very likely.
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AMA Journal Citation | Guide with Examples

Published on September 16, 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on June 1, 2023.

To cite a journal article in AMA citation format , you need an AMA reference listing the author’s name, article title (in sentence case), journal name (title case, italicized, and abbreviated ), publication year, volume, issue, page range of the article, and DOI if available.

An AMA in-text citation for a journal article consists of the number of the relevant reference, written in superscript. You can also add page numbers in parentheses if you need to refer to a specific part of the article.

Table of contents

Citing an article with a doi, citing an online article with no doi, citing a print article with no doi, journal name abbreviations, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions.

AMA states that when an article lists a DOI (digital object identifier), you should always include it in your reference. This applies whether you read the article online or in print. The DOI may be shown in the text of the article itself or on the webpage hosting it.

The DOI appears at the end of the reference, preceded by “doi:” This text is not capitalized , and there’s no space between it and the DOI number itself. The DOI ends with a period. Don’t present the DOI in the form of a link, and don’t include an access date.

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If you accessed the article online and you don’t see a DOI, you should include the URL instead. The page will often list a “stable link” that shouldn’t change over time; it’s best to use this whenever available, instead of copy-pasting the URL from your browser.

Whenever you include a URL for any source type in AMA style, you should also add an access date. Write the access date right before the URL, as its own sentence starting with “Accessed.”

When a DOI is available, include it instead, and don’t add an access date.

When you cite an article that you accessed in print, you should still list a DOI if one is indicated. If not, though, you can simply omit this part, ending the reference with the article page range.

AMA citation format requires you to always use standard abbreviations for the names of journals in your references. The abbreviated journal name is presented in italics, with a period at the end (but no periods at the end of each abbreviated word).

The standard abbreviations are the ones used in the National Library of Medicine database . To check the correct abbreviation for a journal, you can search for it (or for the name of the particular article you’re trying to cite) in the database.

For example, in the screenshot below you can see the correct abbreviation for the journal searched for: “ Int J Qual Health Care .”

If you want to know more about ChatGPT , AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?

 Working with sources

• Paraphrasing
• Critical thinking
• Boolean operators
• Synthesizing sources

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

A DOI (digital object identifier) is preceded by the text “doi:” (no capitalization and no space) in an AMA reference . Don’t present it in the form of a link; only include the DOI number itself. For example: “doi:10.1177/2373379916644449.”

AMA style states that you should include the DOI of a source whenever one is available. They mainly appear in AMA journal citations and can also appear in AMA book citations . When you include a DOI, don’t add a URL or access date.

The names of up to six authors should be listed for each source on your AMA reference page , separated by commas . For a source with seven or more authors, you should list the first three followed by “ et al ” : “Isidore, Gilbert, Gunvor, et al.”

In the text, mentioning author names is optional (as they aren’t an official part of AMA in-text citations ). If you do mention them, though, you should use the first author’s name followed by “et al” when there are three or more : “Isidore et al argue that …”

Note that according to AMA’s rather minimalistic punctuation guidelines, there’s no period after “et al” unless it appears at the end of a sentence. This is different from most other styles, where there is normally a period.

Yes, you should normally include an access date in an AMA website citation (or when citing any source with a URL). This is because webpages can change their content over time, so it’s useful for the reader to know when you accessed the page.

When a publication or update date is provided on the page, you should include it in addition to the access date. The access date appears second in this case, e.g., “Published June 19, 2021. Accessed August 29, 2022.”

Don’t include an access date when citing a source with a DOI (such as in an AMA journal article citation ).

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If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, June 01). AMA Journal Citation | Guide with Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved March 25, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/ama/ama-journal-citation/

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AMA Style Guide

Paper format.

• Reference Works
• Miscellaneous
• Mechanics of Style
• Citation Ethics

AMA does not have a specific style for formatting papers, so check with your instructor or assignment guidelines when it comes to margins, line spacing, fonts, indents, title papers, etc.

Recommended Formatting Guidelines

Always refer to the assignment guidelines when it comes formatting your writing. If your assignment does not specify any formatting, follow these general AMA guidelines:

• Margins:  One inch margins are required around the text. Leave the right margin unjustified (ragged). No columns!
• Line Spacing:  Double-space the main text (single space only within the abstract, notes, titles and headings, block quotes, tables and figures, and references—everything but the main text)
• Font:  Use Times New Roman, 12-point font
• Indents:  Half-inch indents are standard (use the “tab” button) for new paragraphs
• Page Numbers:  Place page numbers in the top right-hand corner throughout (starting with the title page)
• Page Headers:  Put the title of your document in the top left-hand corner of the page
• Title of document
• Your Instructor’s name
• Course title
• Your instructor’s name

References Page

• This is a separate page at the end of your paper. Each citation in the text must be listed on the References page; each listing on the References page must appear in the text. 
• Left-justify the word References.  Then double space and start your list with 1.
• References are listed numerically in the order they are cited in the text of the paper.  Put a period after each number.
• Single space each reference.  Double space between references.
• If the citation extends to a second line, do NOT indent.
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AMA Style Guide

• Citing Print Resources
• Citing Electronic Resources
• In-Text Citations

How to Format the Paper using AMA Style

NOTE:   Unfortunately the AMA Manual of Style is not very specific on formats to use, including a format for the Title Page. Be sure and check with your instructor or the publisher to whom you are submitting a paper for more specific formatting rules.

Formatting a paper means using proper references within the text and bibliography, but also using the stylistic matters laid out in the AMA Manual of Style to format the text. This includes such factors as using headings and capitalizing them appropriately, line spacing, margins, text style issues (such as using "one" or "1", using AM or a.m. or A.M.), placement of page numbers, preferred font and spacing for graphs, preferred size and shape for tables, etc. This guide includes some basic help on manuscript style, but it is not extensive.

Consult the AMA Manual of Style for detailed information on manuscript style.

Acronyms, abbreviations, initialisms:

Acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms are discouraged from use, except for well-known and accepted units of measurement and some well-recognized terms. 

• If used, spell out at the first use, even if the acronym or initialism is well-known. Do not place periods between the letters of an acronym, abbreviation or initialism.
• State names should always appear as full names in the text of a manuscript. If included in references, use the two-letter abbreviation.

Numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) should be used in all writing, except when:

• The number begins the sentence or title
• Common fractions
• Ordinals: first through ninth
• Number spelled out in quotations or titles of works cited.
• One number may be spelled out, if the sentence requires multiple numbers to be placed next to each other. e.g., "If 12 16-year-olds had this reaction..." should be changed to "If twelve 16-year-olds..."
• To indicate a time of day, use AM or PM in small capitals. (18.5.3)
• Conventional 12-hour clock time is preferred. However, 24 hour or military time convention can also be used to convey precise timing when needed, such as when describing drug dosage regimens.
• When dates are provided in the text, use numerals for day and year, and write out the month, e.g., April 2, 2010.
• If using dates in a table, you may use numerals for the month (e.g., 4/2/2010).

Measurements:

• Use SI (Le Système International d'Unités) standards for writing measurements. Numbers are always written in plain text, there is a space after the number and prior to the unit, and never a period after the unit (unless it ends a sentence).
• Do not include commas in longer numbers (e.g., 1600 km, not 1,600 km).

Adapted from USC Norris Medical Library AMA:Citing Your Sources

Sample AMA Format for DNP Nursing Papers

NOTE: This is a sample ONLY. Please check with your assignment instructions for current guidelines on formatting your paper.

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AMA Style Guide : Paper Formatting

• Paraphrasing/Summary
• Direct Quote
• Block Quote
• Journal Article
• Book/E-book
• Website/Webpage
• Video/Movie/TV
• Music/Sound

Sample AMA paper

  This sample paper is formatted in AMA Style.

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• A Research Guide
• Research Paper Guide

How to Write a Research Paper in AMA format

• Basic rules of AMA style
• Basic structure
• Margins, font, and spacing
• Title page and abstract
• Body of AMA research paper
• AMA references page
• Citing different sources

Basic rules of AMA style format

Working with an AMA-style format is simple if you have used MLA or APA formatting in the past. The basic citation rules go as follows:

• Your content must be double-spaced within the text of your assignment.
• Using single-spaced text within the abstract section of your research paper, notes, titles, and headings is necessary.
• Use single-spacing for the block quotes, tables, figures, and references page.
• Page number always starts at the title page of your research paper and must be placed in the upper right corner.
• One-inch margins with the 0.5 inches paragraph indents must be provided for each new paragraph that you have.
• It is recommended to keep your main content aligned to the left.
• Avoid formatting your text in columns. While the latest manual has been allowed in the previous AMA format editions, it speaks against it.

It is also required that all AMA references must be cited numerically with the use of consecutive order. It is recommended to use superscript Arabic numerals when using citations. Remember to use numerals outside periods and commas as you cite.

Note: The rules and examples in this AMA guide use the latest 11th edition, available since Spring 2021. Before you start to write AMA research paper, consult your academic advisor and/or your grading rubric to ensure that you follow the required style in formatting and AMA citations.

The basic structure of the AMA research paper

Turning to the AMA style manual, one cannot find specific tips or recommendations regarding how to structure a medical research paper. What it includes, however, is the presence of specific research paper sections that must be included. It means that when the AMA format is used, most colleges and universities in the United States and other English-speaking countries require:

• A title paper with complete information about the course, department, and academic advisors.
• An abstract is formatted according to the rules, depending on whether an author uses a structured or a non-structured abstract.
• An ethical guidelines paragraph that showcases the manuscript preparation and a list of relevant permissions.
• The use of tables and figures.
• Presence of supplementary materials and medical manuals.

Without a doubt, all of it will depend on the format of your research paper and the general requirements provided by the college professor. Other than that, most medical and healthcare papers formatted in AMA style follow the basic structure of an introduction with a thesis statement , three to five body paragraphs , and a conclusion .

As a rule, you may include methodology , samples, annotated bibliography, and other vital elements of research work per necessity. Since most of these rules are specific to the paper type and university, this AMA style guide won’t get too deep into this aspect of research writing and will focus on formatting instead.

How to format an AMA research paper: margins, font, and spacing

Speaking of the formatting of the page layout, the AMA style research paper differs from similar citation styles used by college students in other disciplines. Here is the general set of rules that you must remember and use when working on the page layout:

• AMA 11th style manual does not provide specific information regarding fonts that are allowed, yet it would be safe to use Times New Roman, point 12 or Arial, point 11.
• The page layout must have 1-inch margins for each side of the page.
• Use 0.5 inches indents for each new paragraph.
• All the text content except for the research paper itself must be single-spaced.
• Heading levels of the AMA-style paper can be done in Arial by highlighting them as necessary.
• AMA manual recommends using DOI data or direct URL links instead. To make things work as you format your page layout, do not place a period at the end of the link!
• Sentence-style capitalization must be used for the tables and figures. This rule does not apply to the titles of the tables.
• Using hyphens for a sequence of words like health care system is unnecessary.
• It is recommended to avoid fellowship designation and honorary degrees.
• Using titles and subtitles in AMA style format must always be to the point and reflect the main keywords and/or arguments.
• Lowercase letters must be used for subtitles in the References. This rule does not apply to proper nouns and the first word when you have a complete sentence.
• Quotation marks used must always be double.
• Avoid the use of abbreviations in AMA-style research paper titles.
• The first letter of each major word in titles and subtitles must be capitalized.

Note: Abbreviations like “et al” and “eg” do not use periods, as stated in the AMA manual. Make sure you take a closer look at the AMA citation examples we provide in this guide’s final section.

How to create a title page and abstract according to AMA style?

Speaking of the title page formatting and style, the AMA manual of style does not provide any specific information or strict requirements. It means you must use templates or guidelines offered by your college or university. If you have not been provided with it, remember that:

• A title page in AMA should include the title of your research paper, followed by the name of the author and the institution name.
• The title page elements must be placed in the upper half of the page and centered.
• Do not make this content bold, and do not use any odd fonts or italics for your title.

The title page can be both double-spaced and single-spaced. It will depend on your university.

As you have noticed, we have mentioned the paper with non-structured abstract and those research works that use a structured abstract. A structured abstract format is necessary to present original research or compose a systematic or clinical review. Using a structured abstract is necessary if you are dealing with practical or lab research work. A non-structured abstract must be used when you do not present original work and participate in debates or other types of work. If you are in doubt regarding what type of abstract is appropriate, always consult your academic advisor and/or the grading rubric.

The general AMA guidelines related to abstract writing:

• Do not start an abstract by citing your title.
• No references or citations must be used in the AMA-style abstract.
• No citations of figures and tables are allowed.
• Include your study question and hypothesis (if necessary).
• Do not mention any data that is not included in your text.
• Provide complete spelling of abbreviations when using them for the first time.
• A list of keywords may range from 3 to 10 words.

Working with a structured abstract, it’s necessary to include the following headings in your research paper:

• Importance of Research
• Research Objectives
• Design, Setting, and Participants
• Main Research Outcomes and Measures
• Research Results
• Conclusion and Recommendations

Following these elements in your research will help you narrow things down and understand what to include in each relevant section.

How to format a research paper’s body in AMA style?

The only rule made clear by the AMA style guide is double-spacing for the content of the paper’s body and ½ indents when starting with a new paragraph. Before we continue with the use of headings, the following elements must be included in your AMA research paper:

• An Introduction. You must introduce your main subject in this section and present the main objectives and arguments you wish to deliver. As a rule, using one citation is recommended, especially if you use statistical data or need a citation to support a scientific fact or an assumption.
• Methods. It is where you discuss the methods used to perform your research. It can be a qualitative or quantitative method or a mixture of both.
• Samples. You can also provide a separate section by specifying elements like gender, age, population group, and socio-cultural peculiarities.
• Discussion. This section of an AMA style paper is where you must discuss your research work and provide analytical information. It is also where you have to outline your research outcomes and discuss limitations or specifics necessary to replicate your actions.
• Conclusion. Do not introduce any new ideas in this section, and avoid using citations, as you only have to sum up the main thesis once again. Keep things concise and clear!

The use of headings in AMA:

• AMA style format uses relevant headings to separate research paper sections and specify a hierarchy. It also simplifies information for readers and university professors.
• If your paper is a lengthy one, the use of headings is obligatory!
• All AMA papers must start with Level 1 headings. The general rule is to use at least two other headings if you start with the main heading.
• If you do not plan to divide your writing into smaller subsections, you can use Level 1 headings only.
• All headings in AMA format must be justified to the left.

Here is how AMA sections for subheadings look in practice:

Creating AMA References page and using citations

Working with citations might seem overly complex, but do not let it frighten you! Before we continue with the actual practical examples, have a look at the general References page and citations rules:

• You must use a citation each time when you provide a direct quote or paraphrase an author.
• Citations in AMA 11th style format must be provided in a consecutive order exactly how they appear in your research paper.
• Your citations must be presented with the help of superscript numbers that you place at the end of a sentence. It is exactly how you create and use corresponding numbers on your References page.
• No matter how often you turn to a particular resource, you must use the same number even if it’s cited in your paper more than once.
• Remember to use Arabic superscript numerals outside periods and commas yet inside colons and semicolons.

The word “References” must be placed on the new page and centered. Do not use bold fonts. In most medical papers encountered these days, the References page in AMA research paper format is either double or single-spaced with a 50/50 ratio.

How to cite from different sources in AMA style with examples?

After all, nothing beats seeing a practical example and an MLA-style citation template when you are a confused student trying to make sense of things. Remember that author’s name(s) in AMA formatting go without periods between the last name and the initials.

Citing a website in MLA:

Author or organization’s name. Title of your research paper . Website’s name. URL, Published date, Date of Access.

Jones K. Management of antibiotics among infants in Congo’s rural hospitals. Rural Nursing Ethics Online Archive. http://www.yourwebsite.edu Published May 28, 2019. Accessed June 1, 2023.

In-text citation AMA format template (the same style and rules apply to all citation types):

Jones¹ stated in cultural research that most infants in Congo…

Citing Medical Journals in AMA:

When working on journal articles, you must abbreviate and use italics for the names of journals that you mention in your references by starting with a lowercase letter. If you are unsure what abbreviations to use, consider listings available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and their database. If you are citing something available in PubMed, you may provide a complete journal name to clarify things. As the AMA writing format example below shows, you must include a year with a semicolon, the volume number, and the issue (in parentheses). Add a colon with the initial page number(s) separated by a hyphen. If there is a DOI, provide it as well. There should be no period after the DOI!

Author’s Last Name Initial(s). Article title. Journal Name abbreviated. Year; Volume (issue): starting page-final page.

Carey BC, Nordstrom, LR, Windsor N. et al. Impact of linguistic challenges in Scandinavian countries and work with the ADHD patients. Am. J. Physiol. 2021; 7(11): 134-139. https://doi.org/10.1182/xxx

Citing a book in print in AMA:

When you have information that is available in a printed source, follow this AMA-style book citation template:

Author’s Last Name Initial(s). Title of research paper: Subtitle. City of Publication, State: Publisher.

Hayes W. Offering Help to Autistic Children: What Medical Scholars Must Know. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 2004.

This is the basic information you must know to create an excellent paper in AMA-style format. Remember to use the AMA style templates, check the rules as you work on your medical research paper, and consult your grading rubric. It will help you to avoid plagiarism and provide an excellent research assignment that earns the best grade!

• Writing a Research Paper
• Research Paper Title
• Research Paper Sources
• Research Paper Problem Statement
• Research Paper Thesis Statement
• Hypothesis for a Research Paper
• Research Question
• Research Paper Outline
• Research Paper Summary
• Research Paper Prospectus
• Research Paper Proposal
• Research Paper Format
• Research Paper Styles
• AMA Style Research Paper
• MLA Style Research Paper
• Chicago Style Research Paper
• APA Style Research Paper
• Research Paper Structure
• Research Paper Cover Page
• Research Paper Abstract
• Research Paper Introduction
• Research Paper Body Paragraph
• Research Paper Literature Review
• Research Paper Background
• Research Paper Methods Section
• Research Paper Results Section
• Research Paper Discussion Section
• Research Paper Conclusion
• Research Paper Appendix
• Research Paper Bibliography
• APA Reference Page
• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography vs Works Cited vs References Page
• Research Paper Types
• What is Qualitative Research

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Citing Sources Guide

• Citation Basics
• Example MLA Works Cited
• Example APA References
• Example AMA References
• Citation Tools

Quoting vs. Paraphrasing

Quoting is when you use the author's exact words. Use quotation marks (" ") to denote a direct quote.

Paraphrasing is when you use the author's idea, but put it in your own words. You do not need to use quotation marks when paraphrasing.

Both quoting and paraphrasing require a citation.

More Help with AMA Style

AMA Manual of Style: A Guide for Authors and Editors Online style guide by the editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

AMA Style Stat! For Research Papers Includes a full AMA research paper example.

Using the AMA Format A guide from Texas A&M University with examples of AMA citation.

Introduction to AMA

What is ama style.

AMA Style is the official style of the American Medical Association . It is used for writing and formatting research papers. Subjects that use AMA Style are most medicine fields, including Physical Therapy. Check with your instructor to find out which style you should use for your research paper.

Paper Formatting

How to format your paper.

AMA Style is not as strict or specific as other citation types. However, it does provide some guidelines for how your paper should look and how to cite all of the resources you used. If you are unsure about something, check with your professor for clarification.

Generally, when setting up your document, make sure you follow these guidelines:

• Margins should be set to one inch on all sides.
• Use a standard, readable font like Times New Roman or Arial, size 12.
• All text lines should be double-spaced including your heading, quotations, and references page.

Make sure your paper is formatted correctly using this AMA Sample Paper .

In Text Citation

In-text citation basics.

Every citation style uses two types of citation:  in-text  and  bibliographic .

In-text citation gives credit to someone else's work, right in your paper when you use it. 

In AMA style, in-text citations are noted with small numbers called superscript. The first source that you cite will be number 1, the second source you cite will be number 2, and so on. Any time you refer to that particular source, it will keep the same number. The assigned number will correspond with the order of your references page.

The superscript number will come at the end of the sentence, after the period and quotation marks (if any).

"Social medial is harmful to teens." 1

Video games cause dyslexia. 3

If you use more than one source in a sentence, note all numbers at the end.

Example :  Multiple studies have found that bullying is now more prevalent online. 2-4, 6

How you create superscript numbers will depend on which word processing software you use.

• To create superscript numbers in Google Docs, click on "Format" in the menu at the top of the page, then "Text," then "Superscript." Repeat these steps to go back to regular text. Or you can use a keyboard shortcut . 
• See the guide below for how to create superscript numbers in Microsoft Word:
• How to Create Superscript Numbers in MS Word

Bibliographic Citation: References Page

Bibliographic citation: references.

Bibliographic citation is when you list the sources you've used in your paper.  On the very last page of your paper, you need to provide a list of all the outside sources you quoted or paraphrased in the text. In AMA format, this list is called a "References" page.

Just like the rest of your paper, your References page should be in a readable font with 1-inch page margins. Your sources should be listed in the same order they were referred to in your paper. Each citation should be numbered and that number should match the superscript number you used in the text of your paper. See the References Example Page below to get a better idea of what your page should look like.

• Example AMA References Page

How to Cite Your Sources

You will need to gather some information from each of your sources, so it's best to have them in front of you. Remember, one of the reasons for citing is so that your reader can find the sources that you refer to. You need to provide as much information as possible so that they can find your sources easily. For most AMA citations, the following rules apply:

• Smith JK, Jones RR, Thomas A.
• Smith JK. Title of Work .
• The New York Times
• Time Magazine
• Journal of the American Medical Association = JAMA
• Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation = J Exerc Rehabil
• Journal of Orthopedic Sports and Physical Therapy = J Orthop Sports Phys Ther
• Utilization of physical therapy intervention among patients with plantar fasciitis in the United States

Take a look at our AMA Citation Guide for specific examples:

• AMA Citation Guide 2019

When citing books, you must include the author(s)'s name(s), the title of the book, the publishing location, the name of the publisher and the year it was published. Sometimes you will need to include the names of editors or the edition number.  

Example : Collins S.  The Hunger Games . New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc; 2010.

When citing articles, you must include the author(s)'s name(s), the title of the article, the title of the journal, magazine, or newspaper, the date of publication, the volume and issue numbers,  and the page number(s). 

Example :  Boyne P, Billinger S, MacKay-Lyons M, Barney B, Khoury J, Dunning K. Aerobic exercise prescription in stroke rehabilitation: A  web-based survey of US physical therapists. J Nuerol Phys Ther. 2017; 100(3): 1-20.

When citing a website, or a page from a website, you need to provide the author(s)'s name(s), the title of the page you are using, the title of the website, the date the information was published, the date you last accessed the site and the URL or web address of the site. Use "Published" before the date of publication and "Accessed" before the date of last access.

Example :  Berger FK. Managing your depression.  Medline Plus . https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions. Published 2014. Accessed May 7, 2017.

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AMA Style Guide

• Introduction to AMA Style
• Advanced Book Citations
• Advanced Journal CItations
• Special Citations
• Multimedia Citations
• Electronic Citations
• In-Text Citations
• Elements of AMA Style
• AMA Sample Paper

The AMA Manual of Style does not have specific font type or size requirements for publications.  They do recommend including authors’ complete names on the title page, following the title.  They also recommend putting author information in footnotes on the title page.  Individual journals or assignments may have their own requirements.

Titles should be concise, specific, and informative.  Publishers or assignments may have specific title requirements.  Avoid cute or overly generic titles.  A good rule of thumb is to include these key terms in order:

• Exposure/Intervention

Example: Effect of Behavioral Interventions (1) on Inappropriate Antibiotic Prescribing (2) Among Primary Care Practices (3): A Randomized Clinical Trial (4)

Subtitles should be useful in expanding on the title.  The title should be able to stand on its own and the subtitle is meant to complement it without including too much detail.  Subtitles may also contain the type of study performed or the name of the group responsible for the study.

Complete names of all authors should be included on the title page following the title or as the publisher or assignment specifies.  Authors' names should be consistent in all forms of the text.  The order of the authors should be determined by the following criteria:

• Substantial contributions to the conception or design
• Drafting the work or revising it critically for important intellectual content
• Final approval of the version to be published
• Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to accuracy or integrity are appropriately investigated and resolved

Author Footnotes

Author footnotes should be included on the title page or as specified by your publisher/assignment.  Include these in order:

• Author Affiliations
• Information about members of a group (if there is a group author)
• Corresponding author contact information

If there is a group author, you may separately identify and tag members of the group who were authors, non-author collaborators, and other members of the group.

An abstract summarizes the main points of an article and it is meant to stand alone to represent the article.  In many databases, the abstract is searched for keywords and the full text of the article isn't.  If someone doesn't have access to the full text of an article, they will judge whether to purchase access (or request through Inter-Library Loan) by the abstract.  Abstracts are usually 350 words or less, but publishers or assignments may have other requirements. There are two types of abstracts, structured and unstructured.  An unstructured abstract is a paragraph without section headings.  More information on structured abstracts can be found below.

General Guidelines

• Don't begin by restating the title
• Don't cite references or URLs in the abstract - save it for the body of the paper!
• Include major terms
• Include the hypothesis or study question if applicable
• All of the concepts and data mentioned in the abstract must be in the full text

Some publications or assignments may require keywords.

Structured Abstracts

An abstract with section headings.  Different kinds of papers require different headings, but they should always match the text of the article.  If your article doesn't have the section in the text, exclude it from the abstract.

• Participants
• Intervention(s) or Exposure(s)
• Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s)
• Conclusions and Relevance
• Trial Registration
• Data Sources
• Study Selection
• Data Extraction and Synthesis
• Evidence Review
• Observations

The body of your paper will be divided into sections called headings.  You can also have sub-headings within these sections.  While the AMA Style Guide does not give specific font style or size, it recommends being consistent throughout the paper. 

Recommendations

• Always put your headings or sub-headings on their own line.  The text of the section should follow after a return.
• Prepare three levels of headings and sub-headings.
• Use simple formatting to distinguish your headings from each other and the body text.  Consider the font style and size as well as the quality of the font if it is bold or italicized.  Changing just one element is enough - BE CONSISTENT
• Don't introduce abbreviations for the first time in a heading.
• Don't use citations in your headings for references, tables, or figures.  Put these in the body text.

Section Headings

Introduction:.

States the main focus of the paper, why it is important or significant, and gives relevant background information

Outlines the steps taken in performing the research described in the paper in such a way that it can be replicated

The data, qualitative or quantitative, that was produced during the research of this paper

Discussion:

An interpretation of the results and how they relate to the main focus of the paper and other similar studies

Conclusions and Relevance:

The article should end with a clear conclusion that does not go beyond the findings and a statement of relevance.

References should be included after the body of your paper.  They should start on their own page with number 1 and match the order of citations in the text. 

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American Medical Association (AMA) formatting guidelines

Note: Many of the guidelines concerning document formatting, especially of the title page and subheadings, that have been provided in this resource are subject to change depending on the preference of your instructor. Always check with the rubric, instructor, or teaching assistant before making decisions about subjective formatting.

Formatting basics

• Page number, starting at 1 on the title page, in upper right-hand corner
• Text is double-spaced
• 12-point Times New Roman or other serif type font
• 1” margins and ½” paragraph indentations

The title page should include the article title, author name(s), institution name, abstract, and keywords. Place the title, author name(s), and institution name in the upper half of the page, centered, and double-spaced. This content should not be bolded, italicized or in a larger/differing font. Write author name(s) with first name, middle initial(s), and last name but no titles (e.g. “professor” or “Dr.”) or degrees (e.g. M.S., Ph.D., or M.D.),if you have degrees or titles.

Effects of Music Therapy on Recovery Time in Post-Operation Pediatric Patients

Michael E. Jones

University of Nevada, Reno

The abstract and 3-10 key words should be included on the title page following the title, author and institution information.

Most often, you will be writing a literature review or reporting original data, and therefore will use a structured abstract, limited to 250 words, that uses predetermined headings. The AMA handbook recommends use of the following:

• Evidence acquisition
• Conclusions

However, this is a common variation asked for by professors:

• Methodology and/or Research Design
• Results (often reported quantitatively when appropriate)

Objective: To investigate the effect of music therapy on overall recovery time in pediatric patients post-operation. Methods: We used data collected from previous literature to compare recovery times in the population of interest. Results : Review of literature revealed a weak, negative correlation between exposure to music therapy and length of stay in recovery. Conclusion: While there appears to be a correlation between specialist administered music therapy and shorter recovery times in post-operation patients, more research is needed to objectively define any benefits such therapy can have in a pediatric population.

Key Words: music therapy, auditory therapy, pediatrics, post-operation recovery, length of stay.

AMA does not outline specifics requirements for typeface (e.g. boldface, italicized) or alignment (e.g centered, left-justified) of headings; as long as they are consistent within the paper and distinguishable from each other they will be acceptable.

• May be centered or left-justified on the line above the text
• May be bolded or not
• Left-justified above the text or at the beginning of the text on the same line
• May be bolded, italicized, or not

The main sections in an AMA literature review are often the same as those found in an APA paper (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, etc.).

Introduction

This is where your background information goes. After informing the reader about your topic, this section should also present your research question and reason for your research. Include information about why this research is important and/or why it’s a problem, as well as how it ties to previous research in the field.

This section details how you conducted your research. You should outline databases (e.g., Ebsco Host, PubMed, etc.) filters (e.g., academic/peer-reviewed sources, date limitations, etc.), and keywords used in your searches and describe trends in the outcomes of these searches. This is also the section in which you should describe and justify your inclusion and exclusion criteria – i.e., the details of a study’s publication, design, or population that either allow it to be included or excluded from your research (e.g., “only studies published after 2005 were included” or “studies including participants over the age of 16 years were not considered”).

In a report of original data, this section will most often summarize the collected data and include tables and figures used to analyze the results. If you are reporting on original research or quantitative data, this section will not provide any commentary or analysis of the results’ significance. In a literature review, this section will summarize and synthesize the major results and conclusions of the reviewed literature. It will often be structured with subheadings that organize your analysis by topic (e.g. “Music Therapy in Neurosurgery Recovery” or “Music Therapy in Addition to Pain Management via Pharmaceuticals”).

The interpretation of your results goes here. Possible biases and/or weaknesses of the study or studies may be discussed, such as how sample demographics, study design, or reporting methods may have biased the results to a particular conclusion. You should also identify any gaps in the literature that may lead to potential for future research. In addition to this, your discussion section should describe the significance of your research to the greater body of knowledge or its role in solving the presented problem.

The heading for this section should be “References,” bolded and left-justified at the top of the next page. The references should then be numbered down the page in the order they appear in the text. References should not be double-spaced.