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What Is Ama Citation?

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While writing any type of academic paper, a student needs to cite mentioned sources of other authors to keep a project professional and not be accused of possible plagiarism issues. A few common citation styles are widely used, and AMA citation is one of them. It was created by American Medical Association and is a top choice for the medical field and health sciences. Similar to other citation styles, AMA requires being attentive to each detail. Creating a top-quality paper involving AMA citation may be both difficult and time-consuming. Still, without well-arranged quotes, your paper is at risk of being rejected. If you do not want to face this problem, then keep an eye on a detailed AMA citation guide.

How to Cite AMA Format?

AMA citation sets certain requirements for the writer. Here is a brief, clear guide on how to cite sources in this format.

Formatting

The documents that come in AMA style must be double-spaced and left-aligned. It is not allowed to place the text in the center or to the right side. Remember about 12-point font and margins 1”. Unless the tutor doesn’t provide some other specifications, you should use only Times New Roman. The author should also consult with the body/authority to which the paper is going to be submitted to find out about possible preferences in case of a title page. If there are no certain preferences, the author can decide on his/her own.

Style

AMA format doesn’t aim at dictating the writer what style to use while crafting the paper. Still, it reminds students to follow a professional tone and prefer Active voice sentences. It is also important to avoid long sentences since they may lose their main meaning due to the length.

General Paper Requirements

As usual, the AMA paper structure includes four parts:

Title page. It contains a paper title, writer’s name, receiving the authority’s name, date of submission, etc;
Abstract. It may be either unstructured or structured. The author decides on his/her own how to craft it, depending on the paper contents or writing style;
Text. Due to the scientific nature of most papers, they are written in the form of a report. Usually, the sections are introduction, methods, results, discussions, and finally, recommendations. One more part is a literature review;
References. This section must incorporate all works that are cited throughout the article. The works are expected to be arranged numerically. It is not allowed to miss in-text citations while using AMA format.

Requirements for the References

The article references must meet certain requirements to meet the point of acceptability:

Journals. A print journal must have a name, author’s name, article’s title, year of publication, volume. An online journal must have the same and, additionally, data retrieved;
Books. A printed book must have a title, edition, city published, country or state of the publisher, and year. Online books must have the same, and additionally, URL and access date;
Websites. Author’s name or the organization if the writer is not provided, article title, site’s name, web address, and access data.

Important Rules to Remember

AMA citation comes up with a few more significant rules that you should be aware of:

Numbers. Numerals (4,5,6) must be written in words except when the titles or the sentences begin with them. Use AM/PM to mention the time in small letters.12-hour clock time is preferred.
Dates. If you need to mention a certain date in your paper, then it is necessary to use numbers for day and year while writing the month in letters. For example, on March 22, 2020. If you use the data in tables, then you can write it like this: 2/5/2020.
Abbreviations. Using abbreviations and acronyms is not the best idea unless they are well-known. But if you decide to use them, mind spelling them out for the first time. Names should always be mentioned in full form. As for references, there, you should use two-letter abbreviations.
Measurements. It is recommended to use the international system of units to write measurements. Leave a place between the number and the unit. Avoid putting the period after the unit if it is not the end of the whole sentence. Longer numbers do not contain commas. For example, 3456 km instead of 3,456.

There are also a few rules on punctuation regarding AMA citation. Look at them and remember:

It is necessary to put a semicolon in case the elements in the category differ from each other
You should use a comma if there are adjoined components such as authors’ names, or items are elements of the bibliographic component
It is important to place a colon between the title and the subtitle, before the publisher’s name and after conjoining phrase

AMA Citation Examples

Consider the following examples to understand better how to use AMA citation properly. Mind that every source type has its peculiarities. Hence you should be careful while writing your paper.

In-Text Citations

According to the AMA requirements, the author is expected to cite every source clearly, using numerical order. Also, it is important to mind such points:

Both in-text citations and reference list must be numbered identically;
The reference list is listed numerically, not identically.

Each source, reference, or quote should include the AMA style. It is referred to tables, overall text, statistics, or figures cited in numerical order, along with relevant numbers. Do not forget to use quotation marks while citing direct quotes. For example: “Initial management of epistaxis involves digital compression of the lower third of the nose for 15 to 20 minutes.”

As for the page numbers, they are considered optional for AMA citation. Still, some tutors require including page numbers, so it is better to consult first. For example, The New England Journal of Medicine reported that CMS recently finalized a rule that could substantially alter Medicare-coverage decisions for certain new medical devices. 8 (pp4-5).

Book Citations

Citing books is different from article citation and involves lots of factors when it comes to AMA citation. Among them is the presence of an editor, the number of authors, etc. Here, you will find a few good examples that will help you understand the rules better:

Books with one author should mention Author’s surname. Book Title. Location: Publisher name; publication date. For example, Gleick J. Chaos: Making a New Science. London: Penguin; 1987.
Books with two to six authors should mention Author 1, Author 2, Author 3, et al.Book Title. Location: Publisher name, publication date. For example, Brown A, Brown B, Brown C. The Sunrise before the Sunset. London: Penguin; 1987.
eBooks or online publication chapter should mention: Author’s surname first initial. Chapter title. In: Editors. Title of the electronic book. Based on: [edition details]. Edition. Location: publisher’s name; publication date. URL. Data accessed. For example, White K. How to find a dentist. In: Mexico Press. The World Full of Surprises. Based on: Mexico Press. The World that Keeps Secrets. 3d ed. London: Penguin; 2000, http://www.thissite.com. Accessed March 20, 2021.
Edited books should mention Editor surname first initial, ed. Book Title. Location: Publisher’s name; publication date. For example, Brown B, ed. The World Full of Surprises. London: Penguin; 2000.
A chapter in an edited book should mention Author’s surname first initial. Chapter title.In: Editor Name, ed. Book Title. Location: Publisher name; publication date: pages. For example, Brown B. The World Full of Surprises. In: The World that Keeps Secrets. London: Penguin; 2000: 110-121.

Websites

You should include the title, URL, date of publication, and the date of the last access. For example, 7 tips for physicians looking to connect with lawmakers. Website https://www.ama-assn.org/. Published 2021. Accessed March 17, 2021.

Summing-Up

Students who study medicine, health care, and nursing have probably heard about AMA citations. It’s crucial to master the AMA format due to a few reasons:

To structure paper logically.
To follow a guideline for thesis statement and arguments.
To exclude the risks of Plagiarism issues.
To mention the talented contributors’ names.
To simplify your texts following.

If you still struggle with the AMA citation format, then feel free to approach a professional writing company to ask for assistance. The team of experienced specialists will help you arrange all quotes well. In this case, you may be sure that no plagiarism issues will occur.

Moreover, cooperation with professionals greatly saves time as working with quotes requires a lot of attention, patience, and of course, time. Remember that an academic reputation is so easy to destroy, so you’d better not risk and apply for professional writing services.