How to prepare references for submission

Created August 16, 2021 | Revision history

Reference formatting

Journal staff strongly encourages authors to use EndNote in Microsoft Word to ensure that the format is correct.
Ensure that all citations have a corresponding reference, all references are cited, and there are no duplicates.
Staff may return a submission if references are not prepared according to Journal format.

References are cited sequentially in the text
Citations appear as numerals in parentheses preceded by a space; for example,
- “as described previously (1, 2)”
- “several research groups (3–10) have found”
- “as discussed previously (11, 13, 15–20)”
Do not use superscript, brackets, italics, or other formatting.

References are numbered in the order in which they are cited in the text.
Bibliographical information is presented according to the most recent edition of the AMA Manual of Style, with the following exception: when a publication has 3 or more authors, include only the first author, followed by “, et al.”
Abbreviate names of journals according to the NLM Catalog–Journals database.
Do not include extraneous information such as PubMed identification (PMID).
Manuscripts accepted for publication are treated as numbered references (see "In press" example below).

URLs: In the main text, limit use to citation of online databases and similar websites; URLs representing publications should be treated as numbered references, with complete bibliographic details.
Preprints: Only preprints that have been uploaded to a recognized preprint server (e.g., arXiv, bioRxiv, medRxiv) should be included in the reference list (see example below).
Preprints uploaded to a non-recognized preprint server; submitted manuscripts; manuscripts in preparation; unpublished observations; personal communications; and preliminary reports:
- Reference parenthetically in the main text (do not include in the Reference list);
- If the source is someone outside your research group:
  - Specify the affiliation and location)
  - Submit written permission (an email is sufficient)
- Examples:
  - “in preliminary results from our research group (unpublished observations)”
  - “confirmed by the test (Rajiv M. Patel, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA, personal communication)"

Keane L, et al. mTOR-dependent translation amplifies microglia priming in aging mice. J Clin Invest. 2021;131(1):e132727.
Khan SS, Greenland P. Comprehensive cardiovascular health promotion for successful prevention of cardiovascular disease. JAMA. 2020;324(20):2036–2037.

van der Hoek L. Identification of a new human coronavirus [published online October 21, 2009]. Nat Med. https://doi.org/10.1038/nm1024.

Jacovina AT. Homocysteine inhibits neoangiogenesis in mice through blockade of annexin A2–dependent fibrinolysis. J Clin Invest. In press.

Baumgart J, et al. Soluble tubulin is locally enriched at mitotic centrosomes in C. elegans [preprint]. https://doi.org/10.1101/543066. Posted on bioRxiv February 6, 2019.

Jacobsen D. Practical chemistry of homocysteine and other thiols. In: Carmel R, Jacobsen D, eds. Homocysteine in Health and Disease. Cambridge University Press; 2001:9–20.

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Asthma Risk Factors and Prevention Research. http://stemcells.nih.gov/policy/2009guidelines. Updated April 5, 2018. Accessed November 5, 2020.

Morales M, Zhou X. Health practices of immigrant women: indigenous knowledge in an urban environment. Paper presented at: 78th Association for Information Science and Technology Annual Meeting; November 6–10, 2015; St. Louis, Missouri, USA. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.5555/2857070.2857108. Accessed March 15, 2020.