How to Cite a Book in Vancouver

This guide explains how to format a book citation in Vancouver. 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 book in Vancouver:

Template

Author(s). Title of book. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher; Year.

In-Text Citation Example

How the citation appears within the body of your paper:

In-text citation

(1)

Reference List Entry Example

The full citation as it appears in your reference list:

Reference list entry

Sapolsky RM. Behave: the biology of humans at our best and worst. New York: Penguin Books; 2017.

Step-by-Step Guide

1
List the author(s)
Write authors as surname followed by initials (no full stops, no commas between surname and initials). Separate multiple authors with commas.
2
Write the book title
Use sentence case. Do not italicise or place in quotation marks. End with a full stop.
3
Include the edition
If not the first edition, write the edition number (e.g., '3rd ed.') after the title. End with a full stop.
4
Add place of publication, publisher, and year
Write the city, a colon, the publisher name, a semicolon, and the year. End with a full stop.
5
Include URL or DOI if applicable
For online books, add 'Available from:' followed by the URL.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using a comma between the author surname and initials.
Not using a semicolon before the year (Vancouver uses Publisher; Year).
Forgetting to include the edition for editions after the first.
Italicising the book title (Vancouver does not use italics).
Omitting the place of publication.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Vancouver style italicise book titles?

No. Vancouver style does not use italics for any element. Book titles, journal names, and all other elements are written in plain text.

How do I cite an edited book in Vancouver?

List the editor(s) as the author followed by 'editor' or 'editors'. Example: Williams RT, editor. Title of book. Place: Publisher; Year.

Why does Vancouver use a semicolon before the year?

The semicolon separates the publisher from the year: Publisher; Year. This is a distinctive feature of Vancouver formatting and differs from other styles that use commas.

Information You Will Need

Before creating your citation, gather the following information from your book:

Author(s) or Editor(s)
Year of publication
Title
Edition (if not the first)
Publisher
DOI or URL (if electronic)

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Step-by-Step Guide

List the author(s)

Write authors as surname followed by initials (no full stops, no commas between surname and initials). Separate multiple authors with commas.

Write the book title

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

Include the edition

If not the first edition, write the edition number (e.g., '3rd ed.') after the title. End with a full stop.

Add place of publication, publisher, and year

Write the city, a colon, the publisher name, a semicolon, and the year. End with a full stop.

Include URL or DOI if applicable

For online books, add 'Available from:' followed by the URL.