How to Format Citations and References in Vancouver Style: Examples and Tips
Contents
- What Is Vancouver Style?
- Core Principles of Vancouver Style
- How to Format In-Text Citations in Vancouver Style
- How to Format the Reference List in Vancouver Style
- Common Mistakes to Avoid in Vancouver Style
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Vancouver Style?
Vancouver style is a numbered citation system widely used in biomedical and health sciences. Developed from guidelines created at a meeting of editors of general medical journals in Vancouver, Canada, in 1978, it became the foundation for the Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals published by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE).
Unlike author-date systems such as APA or Harvard, Vancouver uses superscript numbers or numbers in brackets within the text, with full references listed in numerical order at the end of the document.
Core Principles of Vancouver Style
- References are numbered in the order they first appear in the text
- Each source gets one number: if cited again, the same number is reused
- The reference list is arranged numerically, not alphabetically
- Citations appear as superscript numbers (e.g., ¹) or in brackets (e.g., [1])
- Author names use initials only for first and middle names, with no punctuation between them
How to Format In-Text Citations in Vancouver Style
Basic Rules
- Place the citation number directly after the relevant information, before punctuation
- For multiple sources at once, list numbers separated by commas or use a range with a dash
- Do not repeat an author’s name in the text unless it flows naturally in the sentence
Examples
| Situation | Example |
| Single source | Hypertension is a leading risk factor for stroke.¹ |
| Multiple sources | Several studies confirm this finding.²⁻⁴ |
| Source cited again | As previously noted¹, the correlation holds. |
| Author named in text | Smith et al.⁵ demonstrated that… |
| Two consecutive sources | …as reported by Jones² and Kim.³ |
How to Format the Reference List in Vancouver Style
General Formatting Rules
- Start on a new page titled References
- Number each entry sequentially in the order cited
- Use a hanging indent for long entries
- Include all authors up to six; if more than six, list the first six followed by et al.
- Abbreviate journal names according to Index Medicus conventions
- Do not italicise journal names in Vancouver style
Reference Types and Formats
Journal Articles
Format: Author(s). Title of article. Abbreviated journal name. Year;Volume(Issue):pages.
| Element | Example |
| Author(s) | Patel R, Singh M, Chow L |
| Article title | Effect of diet on blood pressure in adults |
| Journal (abbreviated) | J Hypertens |
| Year;Volume(Issue):pages | 2022;40(3):215–22 |
Full example: Patel R, Singh M, Chow L. Effect of diet on blood pressure in adults. J Hypertens. 2022;40(3):215–22.
Books
Format: Author(s). Title of book. Edition (if not first). Place of publication: Publisher; Year.
Example: Kumar V, Abbas AK, Aster JC. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. 10th ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier; 2021.
Book Chapters
Format: Chapter author(s). Title of chapter. In: Editor(s), editor(s). Title of book. Edition. Place: Publisher; Year. p. pages.
Example: Brenner BM, Rector FC. The glomerulus. In: Taal MW, Chertow GM, editors. Brenner and Rector’s The Kidney. 9th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2012. p. 100–18.
Websites and Online Sources
Format: Author(s)/Organisation. Title of page [Internet]. Place: Publisher; Year [cited Year Mon Day]. Available from: URL
Example: World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report 2023 [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2023 [cited 2024 Mar 10]. Available from: [URL]
Note: Always include the date you accessed online material, as websites can change or be removed.
Government and Institutional Reports
Format: Author(s)/Organisation. Title of report. Report number (if any). Place: Publisher; Year.
Example: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management. NICE guideline NG136. London: NICE; 2019.
Conference Papers
Format: Author(s). Title of paper. In: Editor(s), editor(s). Title of conference proceedings; Date of conference; Location. Place: Publisher; Year. p. pages.
Key Formatting Rules for Author Names in the Reference List
| Scenario | Format |
| One author | Smith J |
| Two authors | Smith J, Brown K |
| Up to six authors | List all |
| More than six | Smith J, Brown K, Patel R, Jones A, Lee S, Kim C, et al. |
| No author | Begin with title |
| Organisation as author | World Health Organization |
Punctuation and Abbreviations in the Reference List
| Element | Rule |
| Author initials | No spaces or full stops between initials |
| Article title | Sentence case only (capitalise first word and proper nouns) |
| Book title | Title case or sentence case: be consistent |
| Volume and issue | Volume in plain text, issue in parentheses |
| Page ranges | Use en dash (–), abbreviate second number (215–22) |
| Edition | Abbreviate as 2nd ed., 3rd ed. |
| Date accessed (online) | [cited 2024 Mar 15] |
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Vancouver Style
- Renumbering incorrectly when adding or removing a reference mid-draft
- Using full journal names instead of Index Medicus abbreviations
- Forgetting to include all required elements such as volume, issue, or page numbers
- Mixing citation styles within a single document
- Not updating in-text numbers to match the reference list after edits
- Omitting the access date for online sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Do I need to include the issue number for journal articles?
It depends on the journal. If the journal paginates each issue separately (i.e., every issue restarts at page 1), the issue number is essential for locating the article. If the journal paginates continuously across a volume, the issue number can be omitted. When in doubt, include it.
Q2: What do I do if a source has no author?
Begin the reference with the title of the work. In the text, use a shortened version of the title in place of the author name, still paired with the appropriate reference number.
Q3: Can I use the same reference number more than once in the text?
Yes, in fact, this is a key feature of Vancouver style. If you cite the same source multiple times throughout your document, you always use the same number assigned to it the first time it appeared.
Q4: How do I cite a secondary source (a source I read about in another source)?
Vancouver strongly discourages citing sources you have not read yourself. If you must, cite the secondary source (the one you actually read) and note in the text that it is cited in that work. Always try to locate and read the original source.
Q5: Is there a difference between Vancouver style and ICMJE style?
They are closely related but not identical. Vancouver style refers broadly to the numbered citation system, while ICMJE style refers specifically to the detailed author guidelines published by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors. Most journals that use Vancouver-style numbering follow ICMJE recommendations for formatting, but individual journals may have their own variations. So always check the specific journal’s author guidelines before submission.
This article was originally published on August 8, 2025, and revised on June 14, 2026.
