AMA Style Guidebook: 11th edition

Be careful not to confuse this style with APA: although both have to do with medicine, AMA citations are much briefer and should be numbered. That is, you assign a number to each in-text citation and then compile the reference list based on that order rather than on the alphabetical sequence.

Still puzzled? Don’t be, we are about to give you the main tips on AMA and its usage.

As a professional custom writing company, we fully understand that mastering AMA may be overwhelming. However, as such company, we can and are eager to help you avoid the difficulties. Just go through this guide, look at the citation rules and find the one you need. Then, all you need to do is just download a citation sample given in a .doc file, adjust publication information (such as the author or book title) and get a perfect reference.

Let’s get down to AMA specifics and examples!

General Principles of Formatting

When you write a paper in the AMA format, make sure to format it this way:

  • 12 pt. font (Arial or Times New Roman)
  • Double-spacing
  • 1-inch margins (all sides)
  • Indent the first sentence in a paragraph
  • Page numbers should be located in the upper-right corner, starting with the title page
  • AMA is not particularly demanding of a title page. However, if you include one, it should contain the following items:
    • Title of Assignment
    • Student Name
      Degrees (above bachelors)
    • Email address
      Institutional Affiliation
    • Word Count (for text only, excluding title, abstract, references, tables, and figures)

Remember that every instructor may have their own requirements – be sure to follow them!

Example of AMA title page.

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AMA Abstract

  • Write it on a separate page
  • Start with a heading ABSTRACT – all caps, left justified and bold
  • Do not indent the text
  • Make the sections single-spaced but add a double space between them
  • Limit unstructured abstracts to 200 words and structured (the ones with section heads) – to 350
  • If necessary, add 3-10 key words

AMA Headings

Level 1. Left-aligned, Bold, Uppercase and Lowercase. Double Space After.

Level 2. Centered, Italicized, Uppercase and Lowercase. Double Space After.

AMA Reference List 

  • Write on a separate page titled ‘References’
  • Number the references in the order they are used in the paper
  • Indent by 0.25″
  • Make the list single-spaced with double spaces between entries
  • Never shorten page numbers: not 213-15 but 213-215

Download Example