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Physician Assistant

Introduction to AMA Style

The American Medical Association (AMA) style was created by the editors of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) and is a widely used citation style in the health sciences. This guide will explain how to format your references into AMA, which is also referred to as JAMA style.

For more in-depth information on AMA, please refer to the AMA Manual of Style, available at Wilson Library.

Why is Citing Important?

Avoids Plagiarism

Plagiarism is using another person’s ideas, processes, results, text, or illustrations/clinical photographs, etc. without their acknowledgment. There are academic consequences if you use someone else's work, or even small parts of it, without citing the source and giving the author credit for their work.

Shows That You've Done Your Research

Citing your sources shows that you've done your research and are not making things up. It helps illustrate that your research is building off the research that has come before it. When you cite your sources, it helps build your credibility as a scholar.

Leads Back to the Original Source

Citations are very helpful in allowing others to find the original source. When citations are incomplete or done incorrectly, it can be difficult or impossible to locate the resource.