AMA Citation Guide: How to Cite Anything in AMA Format

If you use AMA style, the main rule is simple: cite sources with superscript numbers in the order they first appear, then match those numbers to a reference list in the same order.

I’d boil this guide down to a few things you need to get right every time:

• Use superscript numbers in the text
• Reuse the same number when you cite the same source again
• Put citations in a numbered References list, not alphabetical order
• List all authors if there are 1 to 6
• For 7 or more authors, list the first 3, then et al
• Use DOIs when available and don’t put a period after a DOI or URL
• Add access dates for websites, online reports, and database entries
• For book chapters, start with the chapter author, then add “In:” and the book details
• If there’s no author, start with the title
• If material is unpublished or a personal communication, cite it in the text only

A lot of AMA mistakes come from small details, not big ones. For example, journal titles use NLM abbreviations, article and page titles use sentence case, and book and journal titles are usually italicized. Also, if an online article has an e-locator instead of page numbers, use that in place of a page range.

Here’s the short version: AMA is a numbered system with strict punctuation and source-order rules. Once I keep those rules straight, the rest is mostly plugging each source type into the right pattern.

This intro gives you the full map so you can scan the article and find the source type or edge case you need.

AMA Citation Basics: Superscripts, Numbering, and Reference List Rules

How AMA in-text superscript citations work

AMA uses superscript numbers based on the order each source first appears. Once a source gets a number, it keeps that same number every time you cite it later in the paper. Put the superscript right after the claim it supports, with no space in between. If you need more than one citation in the same spot, use commas for nonconsecutive numbers and hyphens for consecutive ranges.

Superscripts go outside periods, commas, quotation marks, and parentheses, but inside colons and semicolons. There’s one easy-to-miss rule here: don’t place a citation right after a numeral or an abbreviated unit, because it can look like an exponent.

Once you’ve set the numbering system, move to the References page.

How to format the References page

Your reference list follows the same order as your superscript citations. Put it at the end of the paper under the centered, bold heading References. List each source in the order it first appears, and include each source only once, even if you cite it more than one time.

For titles, use sentence case for article titles, web page titles, and chapter titles. Use title case and italics for book titles and journal names. Journal names should follow NLM abbreviations. If a source has a DOI, use that instead of a URL, and don’t add a period after either one.

After the page layout is in place, apply the author-name rules to each entry.

Author names, corporate authors, and et al

These rules apply to every entry in the reference list. Start with the surname, then add the initials with no periods and no spaces. Separate author names with commas.

Author Scenario	Reference List Rule
1–6 authors	List all authors
7+ authors	First 3 authors + et al
Corporate/group author	Full organization name
Individual + group	Individuals; Group Name
No author	Start entry with the title

Use the full organization name for corporate authors. If both individual authors and a group author appear, list the individuals first and then the group name. If no author is given, start the entry with the title. Use Anonymous only when it appears in the source byline.

With those ground rules set, you can apply them to common source types.

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Citing & Using AMA Style

How to Cite Common Sources in AMA Format

Use the numbering rules above for the source types you’ll cite most often.

Journal articles and online journal articles

For journal articles, AMA uses a standard pattern:

author(s). article title. Journal Abbrev. Year;volume(issue):pages.

Article titles should be in sentence case. Journal names should use the official NLM/PubMed abbreviation and appear in italics. If you’re citing an online journal article and a DOI is listed, place it at the end. Don’t add a period after the DOI.

This same AMA pattern also works for books, web pages, reports, and databases. The structure stays similar, while the source details shift based on what you’re citing.

Books, book chapters, websites, and government reports

Source Type	Core elements
Whole book	Author(s) or editor(s), Title (italicized, title case), edition if not first, publisher, year
Online book	Same as a whole book, plus DOI or URL and accessed date
Book chapter	Chapter author(s), chapter title (sentence case), "In:", editor(s), Book Title, publisher, year, page range
Website/web page	Author or organization, page title, URL
U.S. government report	Author or organization, report title, URL

Book chapters trip people up all the time. The key point is simple: start with the chapter author, not the book editor. Then use "In:" to introduce the larger book.

For websites and government reports, use the most specific source details you can find and keep the style consistent across the reference list.

Databases follow the same source-entry logic, but they also need update and access dates.

Online databases, clinical tools, and reference platforms

Clinical databases such as UpToDate, DynaMed, and Lexicomp are usually cited like book chapters. If the entry names an author, list that person first. If it doesn’t, start with the entry title instead. Then include the database name in italics, followed by the publisher or platform.

For databases that change often, include:

• Updated date
• Accessed date
• URL

Propylthiouracil. In: DynaMed. EBSCO Information Services. Updated July 22, 2020. Accessed September 30, 2020. https://www.dynamed.com/drug-monograph/propylthiouracil

How to Handle Tricky AMA Citation Cases

Use these rules when a source doesn’t match the usual AMA pattern.

Many authors, no author, and missing dates

Some sources come with gaps. When that happens, follow the rules below so your references stay consistent.

If no person or organization is listed as the author, start the reference with the title of the work. If the source names Anonymous, use Anonymous as the author. If both named authors and a group are credited, list the individual authors first, then add a semicolon followed by the group name.

For undated books, use date unknown. For websites, leave out the publication date and use the Updated and Accessed dates instead.

Editions, missing page numbers, and unpublished material

Include an edition only for a second edition or later. You don’t need to label a first edition. For example, a third edition should appear as 3rd ed after the title.

Online-only journal articles often use an e-locator or article ID instead of page numbers. If a journal article has neither page numbers nor an e-locator, keep the colon and leave the page field blank.

For theses and dissertations, include the italicized title, the type of document, the institution, and the year. If material has been submitted but not accepted, cite it only in the text as unpublished data and leave it out of the reference list. Personal communications, including emails and conversations, should also appear only in the text.

AMA edge cases at a glance: a quick-reference table

Use this table when you need a fast check on the details that most often throw AMA style off.

Scenario	What to include	What to omit	AMA note
Missing date (website)	Updated date + Accessed date	Published date	Use the Updated and Accessed dates.
Missing date (book)	date unknown	Year	Use only if no copyright or update date exists.
Online-only article	e-locator (e.g., e000239)	Page range	Use the identifier provided by the journal.
Thesis or dissertation	Title, document type, institution, year	Journal/publisher info	Include Master's thesis or Dissertation.

AMA Citation Checklist for U.S. Academic Writing

U.S. formatting details that affect citation consistency

Use U.S. formatting across dates, numbers, and units so your citations stay consistent. That means dates should appear as Month Day, Year. Numbers should use a comma for thousands, like 1,000, and a period for decimals, like 3.5. AMA also uses metric units and degrees Celsius.

Use this final checklist to catch small formatting mistakes before you submit. The table below pulls together the citation parts you’ll use most often.

Major source types at a glance: a quick-reference table

Use this checklist to apply those rules the same way throughout U.S. academic writing.

Source Type	Core elements	DOI or URL rule	Access date	AMA rule
Journal Article	Author(s), article title, journal abbreviation, year, vol(issue), pages	Prefer DOI; use URL only if no DOI	Only if using a URL	Use the journal's official abbreviation
Book	Author(s)/editor(s), book title, edition (if not 1st), publisher, year	DOI/URL if accessed online	Only if using a URL	Title is italicized and in title case; place of publication is omitted in the 11th edition
Book Chapter	Chapter author, chapter title, In: editor(s), book title, publisher, year, pages	DOI/URL if accessed online	Only if using a URL	Use "In:" before the editor/book info
Website	Author/org, page title, website name, date, URL	URL required	Always required	Page title is in sentence case; website name is in title case
Government Report	Organization/author, report title, publisher/department, year, URL	DOI or URL	Always required for online reports	If publisher is the same as the author, list once
Database Entry	Database title, publisher, year, updated date, URL	URL required	Always required	Include a descriptor such as "[database online]" if applicable

Conclusion: Core AMA rules to check before you submit

Before you submit, check the basics one more time. Number sources in the order they first appear in the text, and reuse that same number each time you cite the source again. Don’t create a new entry for a source that already has a number. Your References page should follow numeric order, not alphabetical order.

It also helps to give each entry a last pass for author count, edition details, and access-date rules. Prefer a DOI over a URL, add access dates when a URL is used, and keep all reference entries in numeric order.

FAQs

When should I reuse a citation number?

In AMA style, you reuse the same citation number every time you mention a source after its first citation. Once a source is assigned a number, that number stays the same throughout the paper, including in tables, figures, and boxes.

Why does that matter? Each source has just one entry in the reference list. Reusing the same number keeps every in-text citation tied to that single entry.

If you need to point readers to a certain part of the source, add page numbers to the superscript, like this: 1(pp13-15).

How do I cite a source with no author?

In AMA format, if a source has no listed author, start the reference with the title of the work. For a book, that means the title comes first, followed by the edition, publisher, and year.

If the source lists a group or organization as the author, use that name as the author. If the source is explicitly labeled Anonymous, use Anonymous as the author name.

Do I need a DOI, URL, or access date?

In AMA format, include a DOI whenever one is available.

If a DOI is included, you do not need an access date.

If no DOI is available, include the URL instead and add an access date.

Format the DOI as doi:xx/xx, without the prefix.