How to Cite a Journal Article in Vancouver

This guide explains how to format a journal article 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 journal article in Vancouver:

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

(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 their initials with no full stops or spaces between initials. Separate authors with commas. List up to six authors; for seven or more, list the first six followed by 'et al.'
2
Write the article title
Use sentence case (capitalise only the first word and proper nouns). 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. Do not italicise. End with a full stop.
4
Include the year, volume, issue, and pages
Write the year followed by a semicolon, the volume number, the issue number in parentheses, a colon, and the page range. Use a hyphen (not en dash) for page ranges.
5
Add the DOI
Include 'doi:' followed by the DOI number. End with a full stop.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not abbreviating the journal name (Vancouver requires abbreviations per NLM/MEDLINE standards).
Including a comma between the author surname and initials (Vancouver uses no comma: Patel R, not Patel, R.).
Adding full stops after author initials (write 'Patel R' not 'Patel R.').
Using 'and' or '&' between authors (Vancouver uses commas only, no conjunction).
Forgetting to include the DOI when one is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I abbreviate journal names in Vancouver style?

Use the NLM (National Library of Medicine) standard abbreviations. You can look up the abbreviation in the NLM Catalog or MEDLINE/PubMed. For example, 'New England Journal of Medicine' becomes 'N Engl J Med.'

Do I use full stops after author initials in Vancouver?

No. Write initials without full stops or spaces: 'Patel R' not 'Patel R.' or 'Patel, R.' This is one of the most distinctive features of Vancouver style.

How does Vancouver in-text citation work?

Vancouver uses numbered citations in parentheses (1) or as superscript numbers.¹ Sources are numbered in the order they first appear in the text. The same number is reused for subsequent citations of the same source.

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 their initials with no full stops or spaces between initials. Separate authors with commas. List up to six authors; for seven or more, list the first six followed by 'et al.'

Write the article title

Use sentence case (capitalise only the first word and proper nouns). 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. Do not italicise. End with a full stop.

Include the year, volume, issue, and pages

Write the year followed by a semicolon, the volume number, the issue number in parentheses, a colon, and the page range. Use a hyphen (not en dash) for page ranges.

Add the DOI

Include 'doi:' followed by the DOI number. End with a full stop.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not abbreviating the journal name (Vancouver requires abbreviations per NLM/MEDLINE standards).

Including a comma between the author surname and initials (Vancouver uses no comma: Patel R, not Patel, R.).

Adding full stops after author initials (write 'Patel R' not 'Patel R.').

Using 'and' or '&' between authors (Vancouver uses commas only, no conjunction).

Forgetting to include the DOI when one is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I abbreviate journal names in Vancouver style?

Do I use full stops after author initials in Vancouver?

No. Write initials without full stops or spaces: 'Patel R' not 'Patel R.' or 'Patel, R.' This is one of the most distinctive features of Vancouver style.

How does Vancouver in-text citation work?