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The University of Arizona

weird one- Library Toolkit for Professional Support Staff: Home

This guide will provide helpful tips and resources that may be relevant to the work of a variety of support professionals including: administrative assistants, administrative associates, program coordinators, and research assistants.

Citations & Citation Styles

Citations are a way to reference a work (journal article, conference abstract, website, report, etc.) A citation includes standard elements that allow one to locate the work. Elements may typically include components such as: author/s, title of work, title of source (e.g., journal title), publication year, pages, ID#, etc.

Citation styles are a defined way to format how citations to work appear and what they include. Citation styles may be discipline specific or source specific.

  • One common citation style in biomedical research includes the NIH style which is typically used for NIH applications, proposals and reports. Other examples, typically use a journal's name or a modification of other known style such as: Vancouver or AMA.
  • The gold standard to be informed on how to format in a particular style is a style manual or guide. (*see AMA example) for a particular style.
  • Reference managers can be used to instantly format citations to match a particular style. You can learn more about what reference manger options you have here: Reference Managers.

Example: Journal Article in NIH Style

Sala-Torra O, Gundacker HM, Stirewalt DL, Ladne PA, Pogosova-Agadjanyan EL, Slovak ML, Willman CL, Heimfeld S, Boldt DH, Radich JP. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression and outcome in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood. 2007 April 1; 109(7): 3080–3083. PMCID: PMC1852221.

Example: Conference Proceeding Abstract in AMA Style 

Khuri FR, Lee JJ, Lipman SM, et al. Isotretinoin effects on head and neck cancer recurrence and second primary tumors. In: Proceedings from the American Society of Clinical Oncology; May 31-June 3, 2003; Chicaco, IL. Abstract 359.

Example: Chapter in Book in AMA Style

Solenskey R. Drug allergy: desensitization and treatment of reactions to antibiotics and aspirin. In: Lockey P, ed. Allergens and Allergen Immunotherapy. 3rd ed. New York, NY: Marcel Dekker; 2004:585-606.

* Examples retrieved August 2015 from MD Anderson Libguides.com and NIH Public Access Policy webpage.