Contents
AcademyManuscript Editing
Style guideAMA 11th edition
AMA Manual of Style for Research Manuscripts: The Editing Rules That Matter, Section by Section
Where each rule lives in the 11th edition, the rules editors apply most often, and a checklist to run before returning an edited manuscript.
- Manuscript editing
- AMA style
- Style guide
- Edition
- 11th (2020), updated online
- Numbers
- Numerals in most cases
- P values
- No leading zero, e.g. P = .03
- Priority
- Journal instructions first
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Quick answer
- The AMA Manual of Style (11th edition, 2020) is the style guide written by JAMA Network editors and used widely in medical publishing.
- The rules editors apply most are in chapters 3 (references), 13 (abbreviations), 17 (units), 18 (numbers) and 19 (statistics).
- AMA style uses numerals in most cases, italic P values without a leading zero and superscript reference numbers; the journal’s own instructions always come first.
Overview
The AMA style guide, formally the AMA Manual of Style, sets the writing and editing conventions used by the journals of the American Medical Association and widely followed in medical publishing1. This guide picks out the AMA style rules that matter most when editing a research manuscript and shows where each lives in the Manual, so editors and authors can check them quickly.
Use it alongside the journal’s own instructions, which always take priority. If you need an editor to apply these rules, see our manuscript editing service.
What the AMA Manual of Style Is
The 11th edition was published by Oxford University Press in 2020, written by a committee of JAMA Network editors1. It features an expanded, full-colour chapter on data display and a much-expanded statistics and study design chapter2. The online edition is updated regularly; the most recent update (May 2026) added guidance on short-form references3.
Where Each Rule Lives in the Manual
Table 1. AMA Manual of Style, 11th edition: chapters most used in manuscript editing
| Chapter | Title | What editors use it for |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | References | Citation order, superscript numerals and reference format |
| 4 | Tables, Figures, and Multimedia | Table and figure structure, titles, footnotes and units |
| 13 | Abbreviations | When to define, use and avoid abbreviations |
| 14 | Nomenclature | Naming of drugs, genes, organisms and other entities |
| 17 | Units of Measure | Reporting measurements, conventional and SI units |
| 18 | Numbers and Percentages | Numerals versus words, percentages and ranges |
| 19 | Study Design and Statistics | Reporting study design and statistical results |
| 21 | Editing, Proofreading, Tagging, and Display | Editing and proofreading practice |
Need your manuscript copyedited to journal style?
Pubrica’s editors copyedit research manuscripts for language, consistency, journal and AMA style, references and tables, with every change in tracked changes for you to accept or reject. Authors keep control of the content and conclusions, and no editing service can guarantee acceptance.
Editing Rules That Matter, Section by Section
Table 2. Selected AMA-style rules for research manuscripts (summary; see the Manual for full wording and exceptions)
| Manuscript element | AMA-style rule (summary) | Editing check |
|---|---|---|
| Abbreviations | Most abbreviations take no periods (eg, MD, eg, ie). Expand them at first mention in the text, avoid them in titles (and, in JAMA journals, abstracts) and keep them to a minimum14 | Is each abbreviation defined once and used consistently? |
| Numbers and percentages | Use numerals in most circumstances (eg, 3 patients, 7 days). Spell out numbers that begin a sentence, title or heading, “one” used as a pronoun, accepted idioms and ordinals first to ninth (sections 18.1–18.2). Use numerals with the % sign (eg, 5%)1 | Are numerals used throughout, with words only at sentence start and for the listed exceptions? |
| Units of measure | Follow the journal’s unit policy. JAMA Network journals report laboratory values in conventional units, with the SI conversion factor in parentheses at first mention (and in a table footnote); many other journals require SI units. Use the Manual’s unit abbreviations (chapter 17)14 | Are units consistent in text, tables and figures? |
| Statistics | Never report a P value alone: give the effect size and 95% CI. Use italic capital P with no leading zero (eg, P = .03), 2 decimal places (3 when P < .01) and P < .001 for smaller values, never P = .00014 | Do values in the abstract, text and tables match? |
| Drug names | Use nonproprietary (generic drug names); give a proprietary name in parentheses at first mention only if it is relevant1 | Is the same drug named consistently? |
| References | Number references in the order of first citation and cite them with superscript numbers, placed outside periods and commas and inside colons and semicolons (reference style, chapter 3)1 | Does each citation match its reference entry? |
When AMA Style and Journal Style Differ
Journals adapt style rules, so the journal’s house style and author instructions override the Manual (journal style first, AMA second). Before submitting, check that the paper follows the journal’s requirements completely5, and apply the Manual only to points the journal leaves open.
AMA Style Checklist for Editors
Table 3. Quick AMA-style check before returning an edited manuscript.
| Area | Check | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| Abbreviations | Defined at first use; used consistently | ☐ |
| Numbers and units | Numerals/words and SI units follow the rules and the journal | ☐ |
| Statistics | Values match across abstract, text and tables | ☐ |
| Drug and gene names | Generic names; consistent nomenclature | ☐ |
| References | Order of citation and format checked | ☐ |
| Journal instructions | Override checked for each rule | ☐ |
Notes for Authors in Germany
Authors writing in German should watch decimal separators (a decimal point in English-language AMA style), the spelling of units and abbreviations that differ between German and English usage, and reference formats copied from German journals. Agree a style sheet with your editor before copyediting begins.
Conclusion
The AMA Manual of Style gives editors a consistent basis for abbreviations, numbers, units, statistics and references, while journal instructions have the final say. Use the chapter map and the checklist above as a quick reference, and see our manuscript editing service if you want an editor to apply them.
Pubrica team verdict
Most AMA-style corrections come from three places, numbers, P values and units, so check those first and the journal’s instructions before anything else.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
Sources were checked on 12 November 2026. Requirements and guidance may change after that date; confirm the current version with the issuing body.
- 1JAMA Network Editors. (2020). AMA manual of style: A guide for authors and editors (11th ed.). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/jama/9780190246556.001.0001
- 2JAMA Network Editors. (n.d.). About the AMA Manual of Style. Oxford University Press. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from https://academic.oup.com/amamanualofstyle/pages/about
- 3JAMA Network Editors. (n.d.). Updates to the manual. AMA Manual of Style. Oxford University Press. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from https://academic.oup.com/amamanualofstyle/pages/about/updates-to-the-manual
- 4JAMA. (n.d.). Instructions for authors. JAMA Network. Retrieved November 13, 2026, from https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/pages/instructions-for-authors
- 5Kotz, D., & Cals, J. W. L. (2014). Effective writing and publishing scientific papers, part XI: Submitting a paper. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 67(2), 123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2013.10.004
AMA style guideAMA Manual of StyleAMA stylenumbers and percentagesunits of measurestudy design and statistics
How to cite this article
Pick your referencing style and copy it. Your university or target journal may vary the punctuation, so check its guide if it has one.
Dr. Charlie. (2026, November 12). AMA Manual of Style for Research Manuscripts: The Editing Rules That Matter, Section by Section. Pubrica. https://pubrica.com/academy/manuscript-editing/ama-manual-of-style-editing-rules/
This article is written to be learned from. Cite it if you are referring to what it says; if you are using the evidence behind it, cite the sources listed above instead.
Next steps
Need your manuscript copyedited to journal style?
Pubrica’s editors copyedit research manuscripts for language, consistency, journal and AMA style, references and tables, with every change in tracked changes for you to accept or reject. Authors keep control of the content and conclusions, and no editing service can guarantee acceptance.
This article is general information for researchers, not legal, regulatory or funding advice. Check the current requirements of your journal, funder, ethics committee or regulator before you act on it.
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