This page will introduce formatting rules regarding AMA Style.
NOTE: Unfortunately the AMA Manual of Style is not very specific on formats to use, including a format for the Title Page. Be sure and check with your instructor or the publisher to whom you are submitting a paper for more specific formatting rules.
Formatting a paper means using proper references within the text and bibliography, but also using the stylistic matters laid out in the AMA Manual of Style to format the text. This includes such factors as using headings and capitalizing them appropriately, line spacing, margins, text style issues (such as using "one" or "1", using AM or a.m. or A.M.), placement of page numbers, preferred font and spacing for graphs, preferred size and shape for tables, etc. This guide includes some basic help on manuscript style, but it is not extensive.
Consult the AMA Manual of Style for detailed information on manuscript style.
Acronyms, abbreviations, and initialisms are discouraged from use, except for well-known and accepted units of measurement and some well-recognized terms.
Numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) should be used in all writing, except when:
When dates are provided in the text, use numerals for day and year, and write out the month, e.g., April 2, 2010.
If using dates in a table, you may use numerals for the month (e.g., 4/2/2010).
Use SI (Le Système International d'Unités) standards for writing measurements. Numbers are always written in plain text, there is a space after the number and before the unit, and never a period after the unit (unless it ends a sentence).
Do not include commas in longer numbers (e.g., 1600 km, not 1,600 km).
Adapted from USC Norris Medical Library AMA:Citing Your Sources
NOTE: This is a sample ONLY. Please check with your assignment instructions for current guidelines on formatting your paper.
Spacing: Double space
Margins: 1"
Font: Size 12, any font type. AMA suggests two typefaces (a serif for body text and a sans serif for titles and subheads) with appropriate use of styles, such as bold and italics for a scholarly publication. (5.22.4)
Indents: 1/2"
Page numbering: Each page, beginning with the title page, should be numbered consecutively. Page numbers are usually placed in the upper right corner.
References: Reference entries should be listed and numbered in the order they were cited in your paper. If the citation extends to a second line, do NOT indent (as in APA).
Example from AMA Manual 3.11.3:
1. Rainier S, Thomas D, Tokarz D, et al. Myofibrillogenesis regulator 1 gene mutations cause paroxysmal dystonic choreoathetosis. Arch Neurol. 2004;61(7):1025-1029
2. Hyduk A, Croft JB, Ayala C, Zheng K, Zheng Z-J, Mensah GA. Pulmonary hypertension surveillance—United States, 1980–2002. MMWR Surveill Summ. 2005;54(5):1-28.
See Chapter 2.8 of the AMA Manual: Parts of a Manuscript, Headings, Subheadings, and Side Headings for detailed information.
In brief, here is how you can format your headings:
The AMA Manual outlines four different heading levels. The title of your report and Level 1 headings must be in bold Arial 14-point font. Level 2 headings are in bold Arial 12-point font. Level 3 headings are in bold Arial 12-point font and underlined. Level 4 headings are in bold Arial 12-point font and italicized.
Headings
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
For more resource help, visit the Jerry Falwell AMA Style Formatting Library Guide.
Figures, Tables and Boxes are given a number and a header in AMA. If you have more than one, you number them sequentially, according to their order of appearance in the text and the type of figure (e.g.: Box 1, Box 2, Table 1, Table 2, Figure 1, Figure 2...)
Table is used for any data arranged in tabular format.
Figure is used for graphs, diagrams and images (like illustrations or photographs).
Continue numbering based on what has been used in the main text. If the last number used in the text was 3, then the first number in your table/figure/box will be 4 (unless it is the same source, in which case it will be 3 again).
If the entire table, or figure has been taken from (or represents information taken from) the same source, place the superscript number at the end of the header
Table 1. Leading causes of mortality in Australia in 2018.4
|
Gender |
Cause of death |
|
Males |
Heart disease |
|
Females |
Dementiaa |
aIncluding Alzheimer's disease.
If the information has been taken from various sources, place the superscript number after the relevant piece of information:
Table 2. Incidence of asthma in Queensland and Tasmania 2018
|
Queensland |
Tasmania |
|
11% of children 0-4 years.7 |
12.2% of children and young people.8 |
|
10.6% overall population.9 |
12.6% overall population.10 |
The sequence of numbers within a table should be logical and consistent.
When setting out tables and figures in your document, you should give the give it a label (e.g. Table or Table 1) and a title next to the label. The label should be in bold, the title should not be in bold, and should be in sentence case.
Further notes explaining the table or figure can be placed in smaller font as a footnote under the table/image. Footnotes inside a table or figure that do not relate to referencing should be superscript letters, rather than superscript numbers.
For a machine-readable version of Figures and Tables, see the attached document.
Need additional help? Visit the New York Medical College's AMA LibGuide.
