Vancouver (AMA) referencing style

• A citation is an acknowledgement in your text of a source that supports your work.  It is in the form of a number that correlates with the source in your reference list.
• In the AMA Vancouver style, citations within the text of the essay/paper are identified by Arabic numbers in superscript with no brackets. This applies to references in text, tables and figures.
• The Vancouver sequential number system assigns a number to each reference as it is cited.  A number must be used even if the author(s) is named in the sentence/text. e.g. Smith¹⁰ has argued that...
• A number is allocated to a source in the order in which it is first cited in the text. If the source is referred to again, the same reference number is reused. For example, if a reference by Moir is the first one to be referred to in the text, then Moir's reference number is number 1 in the list. If you refer to this work by Moir again later in the text, you reuse number 1. 
• Where it is useful to direct your reader to a specific page of a source, page numbers may be added to your reference number. See examples below. 
• For citing and/or reproducing/adapting charts, tables, figures, maps and other illustrative materials from a source, please refer to this guide's Tables/Figures/Images/Appendices section.
• When multiple references are cited at a given place in the text, use a hyphen to join the first and last numbers that are sequential. Use commas (without spaces) to separate non‐sequential numbers in a multiple citation e.g. ^2,3,4,5,7,10 is abbreviated to ^2‐5,7,10
• Do not use a hyphen if there are no citation numbers in between that support your statement e.g. ^1‐2. Use instead ^1,2
• The placement of citation numbers within text should be carefully considered.  A particular reference may be relevant to only part of a sentence.  As a general rule reference numbers::
  • should be placed outside full stops and commas
  • should be placed inside colons and semicolons
  • If you don't use the authors' names in the sentence references should be placed at the point in your text where it is clear that you are drawing on that source e.g. it has been reported that outcomes deteriorated significantly.²
  • If you use the authors' names in the sentence the reference number should generally be placed next to the names, e.g. Smith² has reported that outcomes deteriorated significantly...

Examples without page numbers

• Numerous studies^20‐22 have indicated.....
• It has been long-established that UV radiation is a risk factor for melanoma.^2-5,7,10
• Moir and Jessel¹ maintain that the sexes are interchangeable.

Examples with page numbers

• Patients showed no signs of diabetes.^1(p23),9
• Smithers^2(pp3,6) reported no sign of... (more than one page cited)

Using authors' names in the text of the document

• 1 author: Smith²¹ has noted that...
• For 2 authors use 'and': Smith and Jones²² suggest that...
• For 3 or more authors use the first author and 'et al': Smith et al²⁴ report that...

Displaying author names and reference numbers in Word with EndNote

• Use Edit & Manage Citation(s) in Word to edit the way the in-text citation displays for your chosen reference number
• Default displays just the superscript number, e.g.: It has been long-established that UV radiation is a risk factor for melanoma.^2-5,7,10
• Author (Year) displays the authors' names in the correct format followed by the superscript number, e.g.: Smith and Jones²² suggest that...