• Only the author's initials are given, regardless of the presentation of the author's name on the journal article.
• List the first six authors followed by et al.
• Capitalisation practice should also be consistent
• Capitalise only the first word of the article title, proper nouns and acronyms.
• The titles of journals should be abbreviated as they appear in the NLM Catalog.
• Volume, issue and page numbers are given but not labeled.
• To indicate a page range use 123-9, 126-34 or 111-222. If you refer to only one page, use only 111.
• Include the name of the full text database used to source the article (e.g. ProQuest, ScienceDirect and PsycARTICLES).
• Include the DOI of the article.
• If no DOI is available, include the complete internet address.
When including the internet address of articles retrieved from searches in full-text databases, please use the Recommended URLs for Full-text Databases, which are the URLs for the main entrance to the service and are easier to reproduce.
Standard format for citation
Journal article from a full text database:
DOI available:
#. Author A, Author B. Title of article. Abbreviated Title of Journal. year;vol(no):page numbers. doi:10.XXX/XXXXX.XX. |
No DOI available:
#. Author A, Author B. Title of article. Abbreviated Title of Journal [format]. year [cited year abbreviated month day];vol(no):page numbers. Available from: Internet address. |
Journal article from the internet:
DOI available:
#. Author A, Author B. Title of article. Abbreviated Title of Journal. year;vol(no):page numbers. doi:10.XXX/XXXXX.XX. |
No DOI available
#. Author A, Author B. Title of article. Abbreviated Title of Journal [format]. year [cited year abbreviated month day];vol(no):page numbers. Available from: Internet address. |
From print journal:
#. Author of article AA, Author of article BB, Author of article CC. Title of article. Abbreviated Title of Journal. Year;vol(issue):page number(s). |
Journal article from a full text database
1. Palsson G, Hardardottir KE. For whom the cell tolls: debates about biomedicine (1). Curr Anthropol. 2002;43(2):271+. doi:10.1086/338302.
2. Abalos E, Carroli G, Mackey ME. The tools and techniques of evidence-based medicine. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2005;19(1):15-26. doi:10.1016/j.bpogyn.2004.10.008.
3. Allen C, Crake D, Wilson H, Buchholz A. Polycystic ovary syndrome and a low glycemic index diet. Can J Diet Pract Res [Internet]. 2005 [cited 2005 Jun 30];Summer:3. Available from: http://il.proquest.com.
Journal article from the internet
4. Scholz T. Evidence based medicine: from science to patient. J Tissue Sci Eng. 2012;3:e113. doi: 10.4172/2157-7552.1000e113.
5. Eisen SA, Kang HK, Murphy FM, Blanchard MS, Reda DJ, Henderson WG, et al. Gulf War veterans' health: medical evaluation of a U.S. cohort? Ann Intern Med [Internet]. 2005 [cited 2005 Jun 30];142(11):881+. Available from: http://www.annals.org/.
6. Sillick TJ, Schutte NS. Emotional intelligence and self-esteem mediate between perceived early parental love and adult happiness. E-Jnl Appl Psych [Internet]. 2006 [cited 2010 Aug 6];2(2):38–48. Available from: http://ojs.lib.swin.edu.au/index.php/ejap/article/view/71/100.
Journal article from a preprint database
7. Kording KP, Mensch B. Ten simple rules for structuring papers. BioRxiv [preprint]. 2016 bioRxiv 088278 [posted 2016 Nov 28; revised 2016 Dec 15; revised 2016 Dec 15; cited 2017 Feb 9]: [12 p.]. Available from: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/088278v5.
Journal article from a print journal
1. Drummond PD. Triggers of motion sickness in migraine sufferers. Headache. 2005;45(6):653-6.
2. Halpern SD, Ubel PA, Caplan AL. Solid-organ transplantation in HIV-infected patients. N Engl J Med. 2002;347(7):284-7.
3. Geck MJ, Yoo S, Wang JC. Assessment of cervical ligamentous injury in trauma patients using MRI. J Spinal Disord. 2001;14(5):371-7.
Journal article from a print journal: More than six authors
4. Gillespie NC, Lewis RJ, Pearn JH, Bourke ATC, Holmes MJ, Bourke JB, et al. Ciguatera in Australia: occurrence, clinical features, pathophysiology and management. Med J Aust. 1986;145:584-90.
Journal article from a print journal: No author
5. 21st century heart solution may have a sting in the tail. BMJ. 2002;325(7537):184.
Journal article from a print journal: Organization as author
6. Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Hypertension, insulin, and proinsulin in participants with impaired glucose tolerance. Hypertension. 2002;40(5):679-86.
Journal article from a print journal: Volume with supplement
7. Geraud G, Spierings EL, Keywood C. Tolerability and safety of frovatriptan with short- and long-term use for treatment of migraine and in comparison with sumatriptan. Headache. 2002;42 Suppl 2:S93-9.
Journal article from a print journal: Issue with supplement
8. Glauser TA. Integrating clinical trial data into clinical practice. Neurology. 2002;58(12 Suppl 7):S6-12.
Journal article from a print journal: Volume with part
9. Abend SM, Kulish N. The psychoanalytic method from an epistemological viewpoint. Int J Psychoanal. 2002;83(Pt 2):491-5.
Journal article from a print journal: Issue with part
10. Ahrar K, Madoff DC, Gupta S, Wallace MJ, Price RE, Wright KC. Development of a large animal model for lung tumors. J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2002;13(9 Pt 1):923-8.
Journal article from a print journal: Issue with no volume
11. Banit DM, Kaufer H, Hartford JM. Intraoperative frozen section analysis in revision total joint arthroplasty. Clin Orthop. 2002;(401):230-8.
Journal article from a print journal: Forthcoming
12. Staartjes VE, Siccoli A,
de Wispelaere MP, Schröder, ML. Do we need 2 years of follow-up? Spine J. Forthcoming 2019.