Vancouver uses superscript or bracketed numbers in the text [1], [2], with full references listed at the end in the order they were cited. It is the standard format for medical journals and used widely in nursing, pharmacy, dentistry, and health sciences.
What Is the Vancouver Citation Style?
The Vancouver system was developed in 1978 at a meeting of biomedical journal editors in Vancouver, Canada. It is now maintained by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) and is the dominant citation style for medical and clinical research worldwide.
If you're writing for JAMA, BMJ, The Lancet, NEJM, or most nursing journals, Vancouver is the style you need. Many universities also require Vancouver for healthcare and biomedical coursework.
Vancouver In-Text Citations
Insert a number in the text where the source is cited. Numbers appear in parentheses (1) or as superscripts¹, in the order they first appear:
Standard format
Randomised controlled trials remain the gold standard for clinical evidence (1). Meta-analyses confirm this view (2,3).
Consecutive sources
Several studies support this conclusion (4-7).
Key rule: Once a source is assigned a number, it keeps that number throughout the paper. Do not renumber sources when they are cited again.
Vancouver Reference List Format by Source Type
Journal Article
Format
Author(s) AA. Title of article. Abbrev J Name. Year;volume(issue):pages.
Example (up to 6 authors)
Smith JA, Jones BM, Lee CP. Efficacy of metformin in type 2 diabetes: a systematic review. Diabetes Care. 2023;46(3):445-452.
Example (more than 6 authors — use et al.)
Brown KL, Davis RT, Wilson AM, Patel S, Chen H, Martinez G, et al. Long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery. N Engl J Med. 2022;387(18):1677-1689.
Book
Format
Author(s). Title. Edition. Place: Publisher; Year.
Example
Tortora GJ, Derrickson B. Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. 16th ed. Hoboken: Wiley; 2021.
Book Chapter
Format
Chapter author(s). Chapter title. In: Editor(s), editor(s). Book Title. Edition. Place: Publisher; Year. p. 000-000.
Example
Harrison TR. Cardiovascular disease. In: Kasper DL, Hauser SL, editors. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 21st ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2022. p. 1890-1925.
Website
Format
Author(s)/Organisation. Title [Internet]. Place: Publisher; Year [cited Year Month Day]. Available from: URL
Example
World Health Organization. Diabetes [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2023 [cited 2024 Mar 10]. Available from: https://www.who.int/health-topics/diabetes
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Vancouver Author Name Rules
- Use surname first, followed by initials without spaces or periods: Smith JA
- List up to 6 authors; if there are 7 or more, list the first 6 then add "et al."
- Separate multiple authors with a comma: Smith JA, Jones BM, Lee CP
- No "and" between the final two authors — just commas throughout
- Organisation names can stand as author when no individual is listed
Vancouver Journal Abbreviation Rules
Journal names must be abbreviated according to the National Library of Medicine (NLM) list. Check the official NLM catalogue at ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog for the correct abbreviation. Common examples:
| Full Journal Name | Abbreviation |
|---|
| New England Journal of Medicine | N Engl J Med |
| Journal of the American Medical Association | JAMA |
| The Lancet | Lancet |
| British Medical Journal | BMJ |
| Annals of Internal Medicine | Ann Intern Med |
| Diabetes Care | Diabetes Care |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a free Vancouver citation generator?▼
Yes — GradeEssays provides a free Vancouver citation generator at
/citation-generator/vancouver. It handles journal articles, books, websites, and more with correct abbreviation and formatting.
What is the difference between Vancouver and IEEE citation styles?▼
Both use numbered references, but they differ in formatting. Vancouver uses full author initials without periods (Smith JA), abbreviated NLM journal names, and semicolons in journal references (2023;46(3):445). IEEE uses periods after initials (J. Smith), IEEE journal abbreviations, and commas with vol./no. notation.
Do I need to include DOIs in Vancouver citations?▼
Including DOIs is strongly recommended for journal articles and is required by many medical journals. Add the DOI at the end: doi: 10.XXXX/XXXXX. For online articles, you can also add [Internet] and the available URL if no DOI exists.
How is the Vancouver reference list ordered?▼
Vancouver references are listed in the order they were first cited in the text — not alphabetically. Reference [1] is the first source cited in your paper, [2] is the second, and so on. This differs from Harvard and MLA which use alphabetical order.
What is the correct format for citing a systematic review in Vancouver?▼
Cite a systematic review the same way as a journal article: Author(s). Title of systematic review. Journal Abbreviation. Year;volume(issue):pages. doi: 10.XXXX. No special designation is needed to indicate it is a systematic review.