Vancouver style referencing is a very popular citation style in many STEM fields, primarily in medical, scientific, or other healthcare-related fields. It is known for its simple and numeric style and structure, which makes it the perfect and most efficient way to cite sources.
This clear style of citing with linear flow helps locate the references quickly. Now, one must wonder, What is Vancouver style citation? It was first used and developed by many editors during a general meeting in 1978 in Vancouver, Canada. Their goal while creating this style was to standardise the scientific citation style.
This standardisation made it easier for readers and researchers to follow the sources in numeric format. Later, with its successful appraisal, it was also adopted by the ICMJE, which made the Vancouver reference style the standard form of citing scientific or medical research.
Vancouver Style Citation Example:
In-Text Citation
According to past accounts, there is a massive correlation between A and B (1). Further study confirms these results.
Reference List
Mirza G, O'connor W. Climate change and environment. World Life. 2009;44(1):21-34.
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When And How To Use Vancouver Referencing
With a better understanding of citation style, let's see how to do Vancouver referencing in papers. There are many ideal situations where this referencing style can come in handy. It is specifically used in the fields of health care, medicine, and natural sciences. This style fits every criterion of medical citation.
Now, using this style is completely easy with the help of a referencing generator, making citing easy. Although there are a lot of numbers and data to handle, using a generator and a Vancouver style guide makes it easier to cite.
In Vancouver citations, the in-text citations differ slightly from the general ones. They use numbers to indicate the text. So, each source has a unique number whenever it is cited, and then it is continually reused each time it is cited. Lastly, all of these numbers correspond to the reference list that is added at the end of a document.
OXFORD
Harvard
Vancouver
APA
MLA
CHICAGO
AMA
The Oxford style is a superscript number that is inserted at the point in your document for citing author's work.
In-Text Citation
The sky is blue.1
Reference List
Cottrell, Stella, The Study Skills Handbook (Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2013)
CHICAGO style citations are the oldest and the most flexible citation. It can be done in two varieties, that are notes and bibliography, and author-date.
In-Text Citation
“There is no book so bad...that it does not have something good in it.”de Cervantes, M. (1992)
Reference List
de Cervantes, M. (1992). Don Quixote (P. A. Motteaux, Trans.). Wordsworth Editions.
AMA style citation contains all the details about each source, and they are cite in an orderly manner. There are certain rules for in-text and reference list citations.
In-Text Citation
Austen, J. (1817)
Reference List
Austen, J. Persuasion, University Press of New England; 2016.
Making a reference list is no joke; it is a huge task with minor details that make it tricky to get it right. Create a perfect, error-free Vancouver style citation using few tips to make this somewhat tedious task simpler.
Using referencing generators can make the task of making lists a lot easier. These tools can automate citations using reliable tools. This is by far the best method to save time and avoid errors.
Next, use the abbreviations of the journal websites found in databases. Maintain consistency in spacing, punctuation, and fonts to maintain professionalism; it is one of the best tips, you will find Vancouver style guide.
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Vancouver style referencing has specific rules that apply to all kinds of sources. Here are the guidelines for each of them:
Article
Add the author's name, title of the article, abbreviation of the journal, publication year, volume, issue, and page number.
Website
Provide the author's name or the organisation, page title, website title, year, and the link.
Book
Include the author's name, title of the book, edition(if needed), place of publication, publisher, and year of publication.
Sources Type
Citation Example
Article
Dunn K, Santosh S. Health Tok. Health Sci H. 2022;12(3):55-12.
Website
WHO. Climate evolution. World Health Organization. 2023. Available from: (Link)
Book
Bhatt A. Basics of Medicine. 9th ed. Berlin: Medic Press; 2021.
Be it an article, website or book, a better understanding of the format can help master the skill easily. But for more assistance, use our Vancouver referencing generator free of cost. It will give you results in an instant.
Additional Information on Vancouver Citation
Vancouver format can be a bit tricky to use as it contains many precise guidelines. Certain errors can make the citation invalid if not corrected. Avoiding these errors can make the list look more polished and accurate. Hence, here is a list of common errors that one should look out for in Vancouver style citation.
Here is a checklist of things to avoid while using this Vancouver style guide for citing sources.
A Quick Checklist:
Ensure all the numbers are in sequence and align with the reference list.
Check all the elements in the list to ensure they are included and complete.
Make sure to check that the year, periods, and author's initials are all in a uniform format.
Cite Your References in Vancouver Style with Ease
So, these are all one needs to know about Vancouver referencing style. It is one of the very important citation styles found in STEM, especially in medical and scientific fields. Finally, a citation generator tool can help create a reference list and in-text citations for the research paper. Keep in mind that Vancouver format for the reference list is again in a numerical structure.
It follows the citation order within the text. Each entry in the list includes precise details like the author's name, title of the article, title of the journal/book, publication date and lastly page numbers. Each of the entries should follow a strict order as it helps maintain a consistent flow in the paper. In case you face any issue, it is best to get in touch with our experts.
How Do I Format a Book Citation In Vancouver Style?It uses a simple method: Include the author(s), book title, edition (if applicable), place of publication, publisher, and year.
What Types Of Sources Can I Cite Using Vancouver Style?The Vancouver style is flexible and used for various sources types. You can cite books, journal articles, websites, conference papers, articles dissertations, and more.
How Do I Reference a Website Using Vancouver Style?Use this format to style a website in Vancouver style: Author(s). Title of the webpage. Name of the website. Year [date cited]; Available from: URL.Example: Smith J. The benefits of regular exercise. Health and Wellness Blog. 2023 [cited 2024 Nov 8]; Available from: https://www.healthandwellness.com/exercise-benefits. Make sure to include the author (if available), the title, publication year, citation date, and the full URL.
What Is The Vancouver Referencing Style?Vancouver citation style is used in Medical, science and health-related fields. It uses numbered citations within the text and a reference list at the end. The Vancouver referencing is mainly adopted by medical institutions, academic journals and publication.
How Do I Cite a Journal Article Using Vancouver Referencing Style?To cite a journal article using Vancouver referencing style, use this format: Author(s). Title of the article. Journal Name. Year; Volume(Issue): Page range. Example: Brown P, Smith J. The impact of nutrition on health. J Health Sci. 2020;15(3):123-130.
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