Vancouver referencing is a numbered citation style used widely in medicine, nursing and the health sciences. Each source gets a number in the order you first cite it, and the reference list follows that numerical order.
This guide covers in-text citations, author rules and reference list formats for the most common source types, plus the mistakes that cost marks.
How Vancouver Referencing Works
- Give each source a number the first time you cite it: 1, 2, 3 and so on.
- Reuse the same number whenever you cite that source again.
- List references numerically, not alphabetically, at the end.
- Write author names as surname plus initials, with no full stops.
Vancouver is based on the recommendations of the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, with detailed formats set out by the US National Library of Medicine. Universities often publish their own versions, so check yours.
In-Text Citations
Place the number in round brackets, square brackets or superscript, depending on your guide. Be consistent throughout.
Hourly rounding has been linked to fewer inpatient falls (1).
Several studies report similar findings (2-4).
Okafor and Lee found that adherence declined after six months (5).
Numbering is fixed by first appearance, so if you add a new source early in a draft, every later number shifts. A reference manager set to Vancouver handles this automatically and saves a great deal of checking.
Use a hyphen for a continuous range (2-4) and commas for separate sources (1,3,6). You may name authors in the sentence, but the number is still required.
Reference List Rules
| Rule | Vancouver convention |
|---|---|
| Order | Numerical, in order of first citation |
| Author format | Surname then initials, no full stops: Okafor A |
| Number of authors | List up to six; if more, list the first six then "et al." |
| Article titles | Sentence case, no quotation marks or italics |
| Journal titles | Abbreviated in NLM style, no italics |
| Punctuation | Minimal; full stops separate elements |
The examples below use fictional sources to show the pattern.
Journal Article
Format: Author AA, Author BB. Title of article. Abbreviated Journal Title. Year;Volume(Issue):pages.
Example: 1. Okafor A, Lee J. Hourly rounding and inpatient falls in older adults. J Clin Nurs Stud. 2023;29(4):512-30.
With DOI: 1. Okafor A, Lee J. Hourly rounding and inpatient falls in older adults. J Clin Nurs Stud. 2023;29(4):512-30. doi:10.1234/jcns.2023.0412
Note there are no spaces in "2023;29(4):512-30". Many guides shorten the final page number where digits repeat, so 512-530 becomes 512-30.
Book
Format: Author AA. Title of book. Edition. Place of publication: Publisher; Year.
Example: 2. Marsh E. Foundations of community nursing. 3rd ed. London: Example Press; 2021.
Take the place and publisher from the book's title page or the back of it, not from a bookseller's website. Omit the edition for a first edition. For an edited book, add "editor" or "editors" after the names: Gray T, editor.
Chapter in an Edited Book
Format: Chapter author AA. Chapter title. In: Editor AA, editor. Book title. Edition. Place: Publisher; Year. p. pages.
Example: 3. Adeyemi R. Assessing pressure injuries. In: Gray T, editor. Acute care nursing practice. 2nd ed. Manchester: Example Press; 2020. p. 112-34.
Website
Add "[Internet]" after the title, the date you cited it, and the URL.
Format: Author or Organization. Title of page [Internet]. Place: Publisher; Year [updated date; cited date]. Available from: URL
Example: 4. Example Health Agency. Preventing falls in hospital [Internet]. London: Example Health Agency; 2024 [updated 2025 Jan 10; cited 2026 Mar 3]. Available from: https://www.example.org/falls
Clinical Guideline or Report
Format: Organization. Title of report. Place: Publisher; Year. Report number if any.
Example: 5. Example Health Agency. Falls prevention in acute care: national guidance. London: Example Health Agency; 2023.
Online version: add [Internet] after the title, the cited date after the year, and "Available from:" with the URL.
Author Name Rules
- One author: Marsh E.
- Two to six authors: list all, separated by commas: Okafor A, Lee J, Gray T.
- More than six: list the first six, then "et al."
- Organization as author: give the full name: Example Health Agency.
- No author: begin with the title.
- Hyphenated or compound surnames: keep them as written: Smith-Jones K.
Common Vancouver Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Alphabetical reference list | Order by first citation number |
| New number for a repeated source | Reuse the original number |
| Full stops in initials (A. B.) | Write initials without full stops: AB |
| Full journal names in italics | Use NLM abbreviations, no italics |
| Missing [Internet] and cited date for online sources | Add both, with the URL |
| Mixed bracket styles | Pick brackets or superscript and stick with it |
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Frequently Asked Questions
Mainly medicine, nursing, dentistry and other health sciences, along with many biomedical journals.
Vancouver is based on ICMJE recommendations, and the NLM's guide gives the detailed formats most versions follow.
No. Journal titles are abbreviated and not italicized.
Search the NLM Catalog, which lists standard abbreviations for indexed journals.
Yes, if your guide allows. Use one method consistently throughout.
Use its original number every time.
Add [Internet] after the journal abbreviation, the cited date after the year, and "Available from:" followed by the stable URL.
Ideally, find and read the original. If you cannot, cite the source you actually read, and mention the original author in your sentence.
Usually not. The numbered reference list contains every source you cited.
It varies by guide. Many place it before commas and full stops, while some superscript styles place it after. Follow your university's version.