How to cite a journal article in AMA

To cite a journal article in a reference entry in AMA style 11st edition include the following elements:

  1. Author(s) of the article: Give the last name, and initials of up to six authors (e.g. Watson J). For more authors only the first three are listed, followed by et al.
  2. Title of the article: Do not italicize article titles. Capitalize the first letter of each major word.
  3. Journal title: Abbreviate all journal titles according to the PubMed listing and italicize.
  4. Year of publication: Give the year of publication.
  5. Volume number: Give the volume number preceded by Vol and end with a period (e.g. Vol 3.).
  6. Issue number: Give issue number in parentheses, if available.
  7. Page numbers: Give the initial page number, a hyphen, and the final page number, followed by a period.

Here is the basic format for a reference list entry of a journal article in AMA style 11st edition:

Author(s) of the article . Title of the article . Journal title . Year of publication ; Volume number ( Issue number ): Page numbers .

Take a look at our reference list examples that demonstrate the AMA style guidelines in action:

A journal article with two authors

Langner M, Imbach R . The University of Freiburg: A Model for a Bilingual University . Higher Education in Europe . 2000 ; 25 ( 4 ): 461–468 .

A journal article with two authors

Hofman CA, Rick TC . Ancient Biological Invasions and Island Ecosystems: Tracking Translocations of Wild Plants and Animals . Journal of Archaeological Research . 2018 ; 26 ( 1 ): 65–115 .

This citation style guide is based on the AMA Manual of Style (11 th edition).

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