VANCOUVER Reference Style Guide
Notes:
Your reference list should appear at the end of your assignment/report with the entries listed numerically and in the same order that they were cited in
the text.
It is very important that you use the right punctuation and that the order of details in the reference is also correct.
No use of & between author names
Book and journal titles are not italicised or placed in quotation marks.
Abbreviate page numbers to p. eg p. 12-25.
Only first words of the article title and words that normally begin with a capital letter are capitalised.
Journal titles are abbreviated. A list of abbreviations for the titles is available online at either List of Journals in MEDLINE with abbreviations (NB: Use
the binoculars in the toolbar to search for a title) or Medical Journal Abbreviations (Internationally recognised abbreviations for journal titles).
Only first words of article title and words that normally begin with a capital letter are capitalised.
More than 6 authors, first 3 authors are listed; thereafter add an et al. after the third author.
If the journal has continuous page numbering, you may omit month/issue number
Books In-Text Example Reference List Example
Single author The theory was first propounded 1. Comfort A. A good age. London: Mitchell Beazley; 1997.
in 1993 by Comfor1 that
OR
Comfort1 claimed that
2 6 authors new definition of disability. 2 2. Madden R, Hogan T. The definition of disability in Australia: Moving towards
OR national consistency. Canberra: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; 1997.
Madden and Hogan have stated
that 2
More than 6 authors Numerous academic librarians 3 3. Rodgers P, Smith K, Williams D, et al. The way forward for Australian libraries.
Perth: Wombat Press; 2002.
No author the most-accepted 4. Advertising in the Western Cape. Cape Town: ABC Publishers; 1990.
definition. 4
Multiple works by same author University research 5-6 has 5. Brown P. Corals in the Capricorn group. Rockhampton: Central Queensland
indicated that [if not University; 1982.
previously cited]
6. Brown P. The effects of anchor on corals. Rockhampton: Central Queensland
University; 1988.
Editor The most comprehensive work 7. Kastenbaum R, editor. Encyclopedia of adult development. Phoenix: Oryx
on the Subject 7 Press; 1993.
Different Editions The latest preferred style 8 8. Renton N. Compendium of good writing. 3rd ed. Milton: John Wiley & Sons;
2004.
An edition number is placed after the title of the work - this is not
necessary for a first edition.
Encyclopedia or Dictionary is defined as 9 9. Oxford dictionary for scientific writers and editors. Oxford: Clarendon; 1991.
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Parabola; p. 89.
[include the definition looked up in this case Parabola.
Article or chapter in a book As discussed by Blaxter 10 10. Blaxter M. Social class and health inequalities. In: Carter C, Peel J, editors.
Equalities and inequalities in health. London: Academic Press, 1976; p. 369-380.
Article or chapter in a book no author Achieving a life of its own 11 11. Solving the Y2K problem. In: Bowd D, editor Technology today and
tomorrow. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1997; p. 27-40.
Conference Proceeding (the whole This was discussed at the 15. Harnden P, Joffe JK, Jones WG, editors. Germ cell tumours V. Proceedings
conference) conference 15 . of the 5th Germ Cell Tumour Conference; 2001 Sep 13-15; Leeds, UK. New
York:Springer; 2002.
Conference Paper This was discussed at the 15. Anderson JC. Current status of chorion villus biopsy. Paper presented at:
conference 15 . APSB 1986. Proceedings of the 4th Congress of the Australian Perinatal Society,
Mothers and Babies; 1986 Sep 8-10; Queensland, Australian. Berlin: Springer;
1986. p. 182-191.
Conference Poster/workshop This was discussed at the 15. Chasman J, Kaplan RF. The effects of occupation on preserved cognitive
conference 15 . functioning in dementia. Poster session presented at: Excellence in clinical
practice, 4th Annual Conference of the Amercian Academy of Clinical
Neuropsychology; 2006 Jun 15-17; Philadelpia, PA.
Image in a book The poster Buy Australian 16. Cowle C, Walker D. The art of apple branding. Hobart:Apples from Oz; 2005.
Apples 16
Print Journals In-Text Example Reference List Example
Article As mentioned by Wharton, 17 17. Wharton N. Health and safety in outdoor activity centres. J Adventure Ed
Outdoor Lead. 1996;12(4):8-9.
Article no author Its a growing problem in the 18. Anorexia nervosa. Br Med J. 1969;2(1):529-530.
U.K. 18
Newspaper article with or without not responsible. 19 19. Towers K. Doctor not at fault: coroner. The Australian 2000 Jan 18;3.
author
Newspaper article no author not responsible. 20 20. Doctor cleared by coroner. Sydney Morning Herald 2000 Jan 24;12.
Press release As stated by the company 21 21. Watersmith C. BHP enters new era [press release].Melbourne: BHP Limited;
2000 Mar 1.
Electronic Journals In-Text Example Reference List Example
Full text from an electronic database The economic policy issues 22. Reid DB. Austtralasian association of doctors health advisory services. Med
raised by the Internet are J Australia [serial online]. 2005 [cited 2006 Mar 28];182(5):255. Available from:
dicussed in detail by Madden 22 Health and Medical Complete.
Full text from anelectronic database The internet has had a huge 23. Cell tropism of Salmonella enterica. Int J Med Microbiol [serial online]. 2004
no impact on the Australian [cited 2006 Mar 28]; 294(4):225-33. Available from: Health and Medical
economy 23 Complete.
Full text newspaper, newswire or Promoted as a frontier state 24, 24. WA packed with overseas appeal. The West Australian [serial online]. 2003
magazine from an electronic database Western Australia is seen by [cited 2004 Nov 13] Nov 12; 47. Available from: Factiva.
no author overseas tourists as
Full text from the internet Recreational venues of a 25. Sopensky E. Ice rink becomes hot business. Austin Business Journal [serial
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seasonal nature can still be on the Internet]. 2002 [cited 2002 Oct 16]; 10(4). Available from:
profitable 25 [Link]
Article from Curtin E-Reserve tips on speaking to groups of 26. Bodeker G, Kronenberg F. A public health agenda for traditional,
health care professionals. 26 complimentary, and alternative medicine. Am. J. Public Health [serial online].
2002 [cited 2006 Mar 29] 92(10):1582-91. Available from: Curtin Library and
Information Service E-Reserve.
Article from a CD-ROM (BPO) Marketing is money well spent, 27. La Rosa SM. Marketing slays the downsizing dragon. Information Today
even in hard times, according to [serial on CD-ROM] 1992 [cited 2002 Oct 16]; 9(3):58-9. Available from: UMI
La Rosa. 27 Business Periodicals Ondisc.
Newspaper article from online Marketing is money well spent, 60. Dearne K. Dispensing with the chemist. The Australian [newspaper online].
database even in hard times, according to 2005 Jun 14 [cited 2005 Jun 30];[about 8 screens]. Available from: Factiva.
Dearne. 60 [Link]
Cochrane Review This is debated by Iver, 28. Iyer V, Farquhar C, Jepson R. The effectiveness of oral contraceptive pills
Farquhar and Jepson 28 versus placebo or any other medical treatment for menorrhagia. [Cochrane
review] In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 4, 1998. Oxford: Update Software.
World Wide Web In-Text Example Reference List Example
Document on WWW A good example of how 29. Department of Health. Creutzfeldt Jakob disease: Guidance for healthcare
students can learn online about workers [homepage on the Internet]. c2003 [updated 2003 Mar 23; cited 2003
referencing at their own pace Nov 9]. Available from [Link]
can found at Curtin University. 29
Document on WWW no article title Curtin University Library 30. Curtin University of Technology [homepage on the Internet]. Perth: Curtin
launched an improved version University; c2004 [updated 2004 May 21; cited 2004 Dec 10] Available from:
of their homepage. 30 [Link]
Document on WWW No author Both Leafy Seadragons and 31. Leafy seadragons and weedy seadragons [homepage on the Internet]. c2001
Weedy Seadragons are [updated 2001 Aug 1; cited 2004 Dec 10]. Available from:
protected species. 31 [Link]
Document on WWW No date A link between these conditions 32. McCook A. Pre-diabetic condition linked to memory loss [homepage on the
has been noted by McCook. 32 Internet]. No date [cited 2003 Feb 7]. Available from:
[Link]
Image on the web The image of the bleached coral 33. Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority [image on the Internet]. c2002
33
[updated 2006 Jan 28; cited 2006 Feb 15]. Available from:
[Link]
Government Publications In-Text Example Reference List Example
Acts of Parliament The Environmental Protection 34. Environmental Protection Act of 1986, WA [statute on the Internet]. c2002
Act 198634... [cited 2004 Dec 21]. Available from: State Law Publisher.
Cases State-federal relations in this 35. The State of New South Wales v. The Commonwealth (1915) 20 CLR 5.
issue were tested in court as far
back as 1915 35
Australian Bureau of Statistics Bulletin change from the figures 36. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Disability, ageing and carers: summary of
published in 1999 by the ABS. 36 findings. Canberra: ABS; 1999. ABS publication 4430.0.
Australian Bureau of Statistics from change from the figures 37. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Disability, ageing and carers: Summary of
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ABS website published in 1999 by the ABS. 37 findings [serial online]. c1999 [cited 2004 Oct 14]; ABS publication 4430.0.
Available from: [Link]
Census Information information from the 2001 38. Australian Bureau of Statistics. Census of population and housing: 2001
census now becoming dated. 38 Census Basic Community Profiles and Snapshots: Postal Areas: postal area
6050: B01 selected characteristics. First release processing [data table online].
c2001 [cited 2002 Nov 20]. Available from: [Link]
Government Reports a new approach to resource 39. Resource Assessment Commission. Forest and timber enquiry. Volume 1.
assessment on the macro Draft report. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service; 1991.
level.39
Also:
39. Childrens Institure, UCT. Child rights in focus. Annual report 2004/2005
[document on the Internet]. University of Cape Town; no date [cited 2009 Feb
21]. Available from: xxxx.
Patent US Patent 20020103498 40 40. Pagedas AC, inventor; Ancel Surgical R&D Inc., assignee. Flexible
endoscopic grasping and cutting device and positioning tool assembly. United
States patent 20020103498. 2002 Aug 1.
Online Standard from Standards Australia 41 41. Standards Australia. Size clothing scheme for infants and childrens clothing
underwear and outerwear [standard online]. c1997 [cited 2006 Feb 22]; AS
1182-1997. Available from: Standards Australia Online.
Secondary Sources In-Text Example Reference List Example
Book Higgins discusses Newmans 42. Higgins D. Horizons: The poetics and theory of the intermedia. Illinois:
research in his work 42 Southern Illinois University Press: 1984
Record the book that you actually used.
Journal article Clements quoted Chandler in [Link] C. The facts about cocaine (drugs), Science and Children [serial
his article 43 online]. 2007 [cited 2007 Apr 13]; 44(7): 44. Available from: ProQuest.
Record the journal that you actually used.
Other Sources In-Text Example Reference List Example
Personal communication, e-mail, This was later confirmed Not included in reference list as they cannot be traced by the reader.
discussion lists (no web archive) (Savieri S 1999, personal
communication, April 24) that an
outbreak occurred in London at
this time.
Films and video recordings as seen in the Lonergan film, 44. Scorsese M, producer; Lonergan K, director. You can count on me [motion
You Can Count on Me. 44 picture]. United States: Paramount Pictures; 2000.
Television and radio programmes then AMA chief, in a television 45. The medical profession in the 1990s [television broadcast]. The
interview. 45 MacNeil/Lehrer news hour. New York, Washington D.C.: Public Broadcasting
Service; 1993 Oct 11.
Podcast .in The Wings of a Butterfly 46. The wings of a butterfly children, teenagers and anxiety [podcast on the
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Children, Teenagers and Internet]. Sydney: ABC Radio National; c2005 [updated 2005 Sep 10; cited 2005
Anxiety 46 Sep 16]. Available from: [Link]
CD-ROM in Andersons Electronic Atlas 47. Anderson SC, Poulsen KB. Andersons electronic atlas of haematology [CD-
of Haematology 47 ROM]. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2002.
E-mail discussion list web archive as discussed by Little. 49 49. Little L. Two new policy briefs. ECPOLICY [discussion list on the Internet].
2002 Apr 16 [cited 2002 Nov 13]. Available from:
[Link]
OLICY/2002/Apr_2002/[Link]
Government publication Examples Australia. Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs and Defence.
Australian Gulf War veterans' health study 2003. Canberra: Commonwealth of
Australia; 2003.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. Disability, ageing and carers: summary of
findings. Canberra: ABS; 1999. ABS publication 4430.0.
Association/organisation as author Examples Name of organisation. Title of book. Place of publication: Publisher; year.
Page(s).
Diabetes Prevention Program Research Group. Hypertension, insulin, and
proinsulin in participants with impaired glucose tolerance. Hypertension.
2002;40(5):679-86.
Translated works Examples Ellingsen AE, Wilhelmsen I. [Disease anxiety among medical students and law
students]. Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen. 2002 Mar 20;122(8):785-7. Norwegian.
Scientific / Technical report Examples Lugg DJ. Physiological adaptation and health of an expedition in Antarctica: with
comment on behavioural adaptation. Canberra: A.G.P.S.; 1977. Australian
Government Department of Science, Antarctic Division. ANARE scientific
reports. Series B(4), Medical science No. 0126.
Abbreviations:
These are commonly used abbreviations:
c. = circa (about, approximately)
ch. = Chapter
ed. = edition
et al. = and others
fig; figs = figure(s)
ill; ills = illustrator(s)
p. = page(s)
para; paras = paragraph(s)
pt; pts = part(s)
rev = revised
suppl = Supplement
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Other Sources of Information
Note: This list of examples is in no way exhaustive. Only the most often-used types of references are listed here. Refer to the following publications for more
information on citing references:
International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Uniform Requirements for Manuscripts Submitted to Biomedical Journals: Writing and editing for
biomedical publication [document on the Internet]. ICMJE;2003 [updated 2004 Oct; cited 2005 Apr 14]. Available from: [Link]
Iverson C, Flanagin A, Fontanarosa PB, Glass RM, Glitman P, Lantz JC, et al. American Medical Association manual of style: a guide for authors and editors.
9th ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1998.
Other resources:
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
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