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Writing requires using specific guidelines and standards. Health science professions will use some of the associated citation styles and formatting that you see in publications. Two key ones are AMA for American Medical Association and APA for American Psychological Association.
Organizing your citations is necessary for referencing your sources properly in your papers. Citation/reference management tools can make that much easier.
On this page you will find information and links aimed at providing you with tools and tips related to citing and writing with those styles, as well as using those citation management tools.
Citing overview
Since you will read articles and other publications that use a variety of citation styles, it can be confusing at times. Remember, once you know which style you need to use, stick to that format for consistency.
The tutorial offers more detail and practice.
- Citing in the Health Sciences [H5P module]
A tutorial on citation styles commonly used in health sciences fields by Lauri Fennell.
Choose APA or AMA to review each style.
Reference list examples:
Journal article in APA:
MA, C. (2021). Misinformation and public opinion of science and health: Approaches, findings, and future directions. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 118(15). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1912437117
Same journal article in AMA:
1. MA C. Misinformation and public opinion of science and health: Approaches, findings, and future directions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 04/13/2021 2021;118(15)doi:10.1073/pnas.1912437117
APA Style information guidance
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by Call Number: Print only-reserve copiesISBN: 9781433832161Publication Date: 2019Seventh Edition It is the official source for APA Style.
New chapter on bias-free language guidelines for writing about people with respect and inclusivity in areas including age, disability, gender, participation in research, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality
- APAstyle.apa.org - GrammarAPA has a cite that covers most of the content in the print guide.
Use the Style & Grammar page for information on writing and formatting. - APA Style BlogBlog posts that answer common questions. Need to cite a hashtag, tweet, or a blog comment? Search this blog, which is the official companion to the APA Style Guide.
Make sure you are looking at answers for the 7th edition. - Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL)NOTE: Pop up ads and citation machine are included in Purdue OWL pages now. For projects that use many citations, use a reference manager.
NOTE: Pop up ads and citation machine are included in Purdue OWL pages now. For projects that use many citations, use a reference manager. Northeastern Libraries provide support for citation managers. See more information on this guide.
AMA Style information guidance
- AMA Manual of Style, 11th edition (American Medical Association) This link opens in a new windowA style guide for medical and scientific researchers, writers, and editors to produce well-organized, clear, readable, and authoritative manuscripts, including citation formatting guidelines. Access is limited to 5 users at a time.
- AMA Manual of Style (library access)
Examples of Sections include:
-specific guidelines for types of references: in text, legal, journal articles, etc.
-explanation of types of articles
-tables and figures
-proofreading
Includes links to other resources as well. - Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL)Purdue OWL offers tips for writing. However, be aware that there will be pop up ads.
Citation Management Software
Use citation management software to help you collect and manage your references, import citations for articles and books from databases and the library catalog, and auto-format citations and bibliographies in your papers.
The Library supports four programs: EndNote, RefWorks, Mendeley, and Zotero.
Your instructor may request you use a specific one.
- Comparison chart for citation management software [pdf]Compares EndNote, RefWorks, Zotero, and Mendeley Desktop. Choose based on your needs as well as the recommendation by an instructor or team member.
The two most commonly used in public health and health sciences courses.
- EndNote GuideHelps you manage your bibliography and citations, and is installed onto the computer of your choice. You store your citations offline on your computer, and use a Microsoft Word or Mac Pages plugin to automatically create bibliographies.
- Zotero GuideA research toolbar for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari (or available as a standalone program) to help you collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources. Save a citation of whatever you're viewing on the web to create your own collection of research in one personalized library.
More citation management choices
NU Libraries support additional citation managers listed below. One is licensed through the library and the other is for the free version.
- RefWorks GuideRefworks is licensed through the library.
- Mendeley GuideA free software that will help you manage your research, annotate PDFs, and format citations. It has both a cloud-based and desktop component. There are also free mobile apps available for both iOS and Android.