Education: An Update on AMA 11th Edition Citation Format: A Guide for Pharmacy Students

Submitted by Kathy Grams and Irena G. Dryankova-Bond, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Science–Worcester

In 1925, the editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association (AMA) suggested that an important detail of a well-written article was that it included well-chosen and accurately represented references [1]. It was believed, even then, that a reader could needlessly waste time searching for or trying to verify incorrectly cited resources. The AMA suggestions for medical writers became the foundation for the AMA Manual of Style [2]. It is used today by editors, authors, and publishers in academia, industry, and government. It is a citation style recommended for and used by students in pharmacy schools. The 11th edition of the stylebook was published in early 2020 [2].

Pharmacy students can easily access a vast number of electronic databases and resources. A newly updated style guide, however, may not provide students with easy-to-follow instructions for citing these resources. This article reviews the changes in reference format and provides samples of commonly used pharmacy resources. These examples can serve as a guide and are intended to help pharmacy students, librarians, and teaching faculty.

One of the most noticeable changes in the 11th edition of AMA style is the removal of the publisher’s location [2]. Publishers of drug databases often change, as do the platforms on which they are published, making it especially difficult to locate and include in a citation. Publisher location is no longer needed as it is not necessary information to be able to retrieve a resource. This change is reflected not only in electronic drug databases, but also in resources such as textbooks and manufacturer’s prescribing information.

Other noticeable changes are also found in the style of electronic resources [2]. The website address (uniform resource locator [URL]) is now the last item in the citation and follows the date updated and date accessed. No punctuation follows a website address or digital object identifier (DOI). Newly developed formats for referencing social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, as well as clinical trial databases are included in the new edition.

AMA style modifies the National Library of Medicine (NLM) citation style and follows rules established by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) [2]. It is referred to as an author-number system where citations appear in the reference list in the order in which they are used.

Citation examples for common online resources are included to assist students in citing these resources when AMA style is used. The URL used in a reference citation should be one that takes the reader to the drug monograph or article. Students should use the institution-based authentication information in a reference citation for academic papers, but examples here use only the main website. Librarians and faculty who teach AMA citation style can refer to the AMA Manual of Style for more information.

Examples of online resources using AMA format

Chapter and Book

• Sorkness CA, Blake KV. Asthma. In: DiPiro JT, Talbert RL, Yee GC, Matzke GR, Wells BG, Posey L. eds. Pharmacotherapy: A Pathophysiologic Approach, 10e. McGraw-Hill; 2017. Accessed July 16, 2020. https://accesspharmacy-mhmedical-com.ezproxymcp.flo.org/content.aspx?bookid=1861&sectionid=146058008

Drug Database

• Adult Dosing. IBM Micromedex. Truven Health Analytics. Updated December 19, 2019. Accessed April 23, 2020. https://www.micromedexsolutions.com/
• Adverse Reactions. Clinical Pharmacology powered by ClinicalKey. Elsevier. Updated April 15, 2020. Accessed April 23, 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com
• Lexi-Drugs. Lexicomp Online. Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. Updated March 17, 2020. Accessed April 23, 2020. https://online.lexi.com
• Tiotropium Bromide Oral Inhalation. Facts & Comparisons. Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. Updated March 3, 2020. Accessed April 23, 2020. https://fco.factsandcomparisons.com

Government Report

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Asthma Facts: CDC’s National Asthma Control Program Grantees. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2013. Accessed April 20, 2020. https://www.cdc.gov/asthma/pdfs/asthma_facts_program_grantees.pdf

Journal Article

• Sánchez-Armendáriz K, García-Gil A, Romero CA, et al. Oral vitamin D3 5000 IU/day as an adjuvant in the treatment of atopic dermatitis: a randomized control trial. Int J Dermatol. 2018;57(12):1516-1520. doi:1111/ijd.14220

Website

• Unhealthy Drug Use: Screening. US Preventive Services Task Force. June 9, 2020. Accessed July 13, 2020. https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/drug-use-illicit-screening

References

1. Simmons G, Fishbein M. The art and practice of medical writing. Chicago, IL: American Medical Association; 1925. pp 75–6.
2. Fischer L, Frank P. AMA manual of style: references [Internet]. Oxford University Press [cited 2020 Jul 14]. <http://www.amamanualofstyle.com/view/10.1093/jama/9780190246556.001.0001/med-9780190246556-chapter-3>.