References: American Medical Association (AMA) vs. APA

Though the two styles differ in minor ways, 

the underlying principles are much alike.

Here is a quick guide to AMA references

AMA’s own free “Style quizzes” cover dozens of topics (Age and sex referents, Capitalization, Electronic references, etcetera.

When we say AMA reference style, today we mean AMA Manual of Style 10th edition, first published 2007, revised in 2009, and updates posted on the Web.

• List sources numerically in the order you first cited them in the text.  A source keeps the same number when you cite it more than once.
• Human authors: use initials of first and second names with no spaces or punctuation.
• List by name up to six authors. For sources with more than six, include the first three, followed by et al with no periods. If no author is given, start with the title.
• Websites: include the name of the webpage, the name of the entire website, the full date of the page (if available), and the date you accessed it.  Provide the URL you used to find it.

 

How an AMA text looks

AMA Manual of Style, p. 235:

Defamation is the act of harming another’s reputation by either libel or slander and thereby exposing that person to public hatred, contempt, ridicule, or financial loss.^2-7  …. Truth is considered a defense against libel in most cases.^3(§5.09) …writer, editor, and publisher and location of the publication can each influence liability.^{3,4,6,7,8(p.277)}

AMA reference to

a journal article

28. Lundberg GD, Glass RM, Joyce LE. Policy of AMA journals regarding release of information to the public. JAMA. 1999;265:400.

APA reference to the same journal article

Lundberg, G.D., Glass, R.M., & Joyce L.E. (1999). Policy of AMA journals regarding release of information to the public. JAMA, 265, 400.

AMA differences

·       Numbered, and numbered according to appearance in the text

·       Year of publication appears between journal title and volume

·       Volume number not in italics

·       Less punctuation and fewer spaces

AMA reference to a book

31. Hough GA. News Writing. 3rd ed. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Co; 1984.

APA reference to the same book

Hough, G.A. (1984). News writing (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin.

AMA differences

·       Numbered according to appearance in the text

·       Year of publication is at the end

·       Book title is in title caps

·       Includes abbreviations such as “Co” for Company

·       Less punctuation

AMA reference to a web page requires the date of access.

Author [often an organization]. Title of webpage. Name of website. Year of publication. Available at http://… Accessed month, day year.

Example:

2.  American Medical Managers Association. Sources of statistical information.  American Medical Managers Resource Repository. Available at http://AMMRR/~lib/sources_stat.html  Accessed June 7, 2013.

APA reference to a web page (guidelines here)

Author. (year). Title of document or other source. Retrieved from [sometimes name of site, if not obvious]: http://…

American Medical Managers Association (AMMA). (2013). Sources of statistical information. Retrieved from AMMA Resource Repository: http://AMMRR/~lib/sources_stat.html