How to Cite a Journal Article in AMA 11th Edition

This guide explains how to format a journal article citation in AMA 11th Edition. Follow the format template below, refer to the real example, and use the step-by-step instructions to build your citation correctly.

Format Template

The general pattern for citing a journal article in AMA 11th Edition:

Template

Author(s). Title of article. Abbreviated Journal Name. Year;Volume(Issue):Pages. doi:xxxxx

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

superscript 1

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Patel R, Kim S. The role of metacognition in self-regulated learning: a meta-analysis. *Educ Psychol Rev*. 2023;35(2):112-138. doi:10.1007/s10648-023-09812-5

Step-by-Step Guide

1
List the authors
Write each author's surname followed by initials without full stops or spaces between initials. Separate authors with commas. For up to six authors, list all. For seven or more, list the first three followed by 'et al.'
2
Write the article title
Use sentence case. Do not place in quotation marks or italicise. End with a full stop.
3
Add the abbreviated journal name
Abbreviate the journal name using NLM/MEDLINE standard abbreviations. Italicise the abbreviated journal name. End with a full stop.
4
Include year, volume, issue, and pages
Write the year followed by a semicolon, volume number, issue number in parentheses, a colon, and the page range. Do not use spaces.
5
Add the DOI
Write 'doi:' (lowercase, no space after the colon) followed by the DOI number. Do not add a full stop after the DOI.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Adding full stops after author initials (AMA does not use full stops in author initials).
Not abbreviating the journal name (AMA requires standard abbreviations).
Including a space between the volume and issue number.
Using 'pp.' before page numbers (AMA does not use 'pp.' for journal articles).
Placing a full stop after the DOI (AMA omits the trailing full stop when the entry ends with a DOI or URL).

Frequently Asked Questions

How does AMA in-text citation work?

AMA uses superscript numbers for in-text citations. Sources are numbered in the order they first appear in the text. The same number is reused for subsequent citations of the same source.

How many authors do I list in AMA?

List all authors if there are six or fewer. For seven or more authors, list the first three followed by 'et al.'

Is the journal name italicised in AMA?

Yes. The abbreviated journal name is italicised in AMA style. This is one of the few elements that is italicised in AMA.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your journal article:

Author(s)
Year of publication
Article title
Journal name
Volume number
Issue number
Page range
DOI or URL

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Step-by-Step Guide

List the authors

Write each author's surname followed by initials without full stops or spaces between initials. Separate authors with commas. For up to six authors, list all. For seven or more, list the first three followed by 'et al.'

Write the article title

Use sentence case. Do not place in quotation marks or italicise. End with a full stop.

Add the abbreviated journal name

Abbreviate the journal name using NLM/MEDLINE standard abbreviations. Italicise the abbreviated journal name. End with a full stop.

Include year, volume, issue, and pages

Write the year followed by a semicolon, volume number, issue number in parentheses, a colon, and the page range. Do not use spaces.

Add the DOI

Write 'doi:' (lowercase, no space after the colon) followed by the DOI number. Do not add a full stop after the DOI.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Adding full stops after author initials (AMA does not use full stops in author initials).

Not abbreviating the journal name (AMA requires standard abbreviations).

Including a space between the volume and issue number.

Using 'pp.' before page numbers (AMA does not use 'pp.' for journal articles).

Placing a full stop after the DOI (AMA omits the trailing full stop when the entry ends with a DOI or URL).