AMA In-Text Citations
Master AMA's superscript citation system for medical literature
Superscript Citation System
AMA style uses superscript numbers for in-text citations, numbered consecutively in the order they first appear in the text.
✓ Correct
Recent studies show improved outcomes.¹,²
✗ Incorrect
Recent studies show improved outcomes (1,2).
Citation Placement Rules
After Punctuation
The treatment showed significant improvement.¹
Multiple Citations
Several studies support this finding.¹⁻³,⁵,⁷
Before Punctuation (Special Cases)
According to Smith et al,¹ the results were significant.
Formatting Guidelines
Superscript Format Rules:
- • Use superscript Arabic numerals: ¹
- • Place after punctuation marks
- • Use commas to separate: ¹,³,⁵
- • Use en dash for consecutive numbers: ¹⁻⁴
- • Combine ranges and singles: ¹⁻³,⁵,⁷⁻⁹
- • No spaces before or after commas
Special Situations
Author Names in Text
Smith et al¹ reported significant improvements in patient outcomes.
Multiple Studies
Consecutive: Multiple studies¹⁻⁴ demonstrate efficacy.
Non-consecutive: Research findings¹,³,⁷⁻⁹ suggest improvement.
Page Numbers (Rare)
As noted in the literature¹⁽ᵖ⁴⁵⁾, treatment outcomes improved significantly.
Note: Page numbers are rarely used in AMA style unless citing specific data.
Table and Figure Citations
When referencing tables and figures, use specific formatting conventions.
Table References
Patient demographics are shown in Table 1.
Figure References
The treatment algorithm is illustrated in Figure 2.
Common Mistakes
⚠ Avoid These Errors
- • Using parentheses instead of superscript
- • Placing citations before punctuation incorrectly
- • Adding spaces around commas or dashes
- • Using regular numbers instead of superscript
- • Inconsistent numbering throughout manuscript
- • Citing same source with different numbers