Targeted literature searches are a fundamental part of writing clinical manuscripts that will meet the standards of high-quality journals and contribute meaningfully to evidence-based practice. When physicians write clinical manuscripts, utilizing a targeted literature search can identify high-quality, relevant, and current evidence. While a general literature review is useful, a targeted literature search is specific to the clinical question and should be completed through frameworks established, such as PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcome) and PRISMA [1].

How to Format a Journal Article Per the AMA Manual of Style

  • Home
  • Academy
  • Research Impact
  • How to Format a Journal Article Per the AMA Manual of Style

High-Impact Journals

Interesting topics

How to Format a Journal Article Per the AMA Manual of Style

Table of Content
1. What is the AMA Format?
2. Who Uses the AMA Manual of Style?
3. AMA Writing Format Guidelines
4. Title Page Guidelines
5. Conclusion

The American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style is a commonly used guide for writing and citing sources in medicine, health care, and scientific publications. Following the AMA style provides scholarly writing with consistency, credibility, and professionalism. [1,2]

1. What is the AMA Format?

The AMA format is a standardized approach to writing, formatting, and referencing medical research articles. Key components of the format are:[3]

  • Numbered citations: References will be noted in text via superscript numbers sequentially.
  • Standardized headings: Multiple headings help organize information and make manuscripts easier to read.
  • Concise writing: The focus is on clarity and conciseness in the scientific writing.
  • Tables and figures: The data is more clearly presented in tables or images with captions.

Example of in-text citation:

Recent studies indicate a rise in diabetes prevalence in urban populations. [4]

2. Who Uses the AMA Manual of Style?

The AMA Style is mainly utilized by:

Medical researchers and practitioners

Public health specialists

Biomedical journal writers

Academic institutions offering medical and health-related programs.

3. AMA Writing Format Guidelines

Aside from providing writing and reference guidelines, the AMA Manual of Style does not specify a formal format for papers. The format is often determined by your instructor, university, or journal. However, if you do not have instructions to help guide formatting, you may consider the following AMA recommendations: [5]

  • Margins: 1-inch margins on all four sides of the page.
  • Text alignment: Align the main text left; do not use columns.
  • Spacing: Main text should be double-spaced. Single spacing may be used in the abstract, headings, block quotes, tables, figures, notes, and references.
  • Font: Font should be 12-point Times New Roman throughout the manuscript.
  • Paragraphs: Indent the first line of every new paragraph by 0.5 inches.
  • Page numbers: Utilize page numbers in the top right corner of every page, including the title page.
  • Title Placement: Place the document title at the top-left corner of the page.

4. Title Page Guidelines

When a title page is required, centre the following information on the page:

  • Title of the manuscript
  • Author’s name
  • Instructor’s name
  • Course title (for assignments)
  • Due date

Connect with us to explore how we can support you in maintaining academic integrity and enhancing the visibility of your research across the world!

Contact Us

Conclusion

Formatting a journal article according to the AMA Manual of Style is crucial for producing a professional, credible, and publishable manuscript. Proper adherence to AMA guidelines, including structured sections, numbered references, standardized headings, tables, figures, and precise formatting, ensures clarity, readability, and consistency across medical and scientific publications.

References

  1. Samples of formatted references for authors of journal articles. (2003, July 9). U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html
  2. Rajendra Santosh A. B. (2019). Understanding the Citation and Way Forward. European journal of dentistry, 13(2), 129–130. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0039-1697210
  1. Citation formats. (2008, April 23). Library.sc.edu. https://guides.library.sc.edu/citation/ama
  2. Kalra, S., Anjana, R. M., Verma, M., Pradeepa, R., Sharma, N., Deepa, M., Singh, O., Venkatesan, U., Elangovan, N., Aggarwal, S., Kakkar, R., & Mohan, V. (2024). Urban-Rural Differences in the Prevalence of Diabetes Among Adults in Haryana, India: The ICMR-INDIAB Study (ICMR-INDIAB-18). Diabetes therapy : research, treatment and education of diabetes and related disorders, 15(7), 1597–1613. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13300-024-01602-w
  3. AMA style guide. (2011, November 1). Lib.uw.edu. https://guides.lib.uw.edu/hsl/ama/format

This will close in 0 seconds