▷ Vancouver Citation Style: Complete Guide with Examples (2026)

Vancouver citation style is the standard reference format in medicine, biomedical research, nursing, pharmacy, and the health sciences. It uses numbered in-text citations and a numbered reference list, making papers cleaner to read and easier to navigate than author-date systems. This guide explains the complete Vancouver citation style with examples for every source type you’ll encounter in clinical or biomedical writing.

What Is Vancouver Style?

Vancouver style takes its name from a 1978 meeting in Vancouver, Canada, where a group of medical journal editors agreed on uniform requirements for manuscripts. The resulting format — now maintained by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) — is used by thousands of biomedical journals worldwide, including The Lancet, JAMA, BMJ, and the New England Journal of Medicine.

The defining feature of Vancouver style is its numbered citation system. Sources are numbered in the order they first appear in the text, and the same number is reused each time the source is cited again. The reference list at the end of the paper lists sources in numerical order, not alphabetical order.

Vancouver In-Text Citations

In-text citations in Vancouver style are numbers — either superscripts or in parentheses, depending on the journal’s preference. The number corresponds to the source’s entry in the reference list.

Superscript format (most common)

Randomised controlled trials have shown significant benefits for this intervention.¹²³
The mechanism was first described by Smith et al.¹ and subsequently confirmed by three independent groups.²³⁴

Parenthetical format

Randomised controlled trials have shown significant benefits for this intervention (1,2,3).
The mechanism was first described by Smith et al. (1) and subsequently confirmed by three independent groups (2,3,4).

Key rules for Vancouver in-text citations

Number sources in the order they first appear in the text
Reuse the same number each time you cite the same source
When citing multiple sources at once, list their numbers separated by commas (no spaces): (1,4,7)
For a consecutive range of numbers, use an en dash: (1-4) means sources 1, 2, 3, and 4
Place the citation immediately after the relevant text, before any punctuation (before the period, comma, or semicolon)
You don’t need to mention author names in the text — the number is sufficient. But if you want to: «Smith et al. (1) demonstrated that…»

Vancouver Reference List Format

The reference list in Vancouver style is titled «References» and lists sources in numerical order (not alphabetical). Each entry is numbered to match its in-text citation. The reference list is typically not double-spaced — most journal and institutional formats use single-spacing for the reference list, with a blank line between entries. Check your specific journal’s guidelines.

Vancouver Citation Examples: Every Source Type

Journal Article (Standard)

Format: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC. Title of article. Abbreviated Journal Name. Year;Volume(Issue):Pages.

Up to 6 authors — list all:
Brown TJ, Smith K, Williams RA, Davis MJ, Jones PL, Thompson SR. Cognitive outcomes following early antibiotic exposure in neonates. Lancet Infect Dis. 2023;23(4):412–21.

7 or more authors — list first 6, then et al.:
Brown TJ, Smith K, Williams RA, Davis MJ, Jones PL, Thompson SR, et al. Long-term cognitive outcomes following early antibiotic exposure. N Engl J Med. 2024;390(8):723–35.

With DOI:
Smith KL, Jones PL. Antibiotic resistance patterns in community-acquired pneumonia. BMJ. 2024;384:e072156. doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-072156.

Key formatting notes: Author initials have no periods between them (Brown TJ, not Brown T.J.). Journal names are abbreviated using standard NLM abbreviations (e.g., Lancet stays Lancet; New England Journal of Medicine becomes N Engl J Med). No space between volume and issue: 23(4), not 23 (4). Pages: give first and last, but contract the last where possible: 412–21 (not 412–421).

Book

Format: Author AA. Title of Book. Edition (if not first). Place of publication: Publisher; Year.

Harrison TR, Kasper DL, editors. Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine. 21st ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2022.

Stryer L, Berg JM, Tymoczko JL. Biochemistry. 9th ed. New York: W.H. Freeman; 2019.

Chapter in Edited Book

Format: Author AA. Title of chapter. In: Editor AA, editor(s). Title of Book. Edition. Place: Publisher; Year. p. pages.

Williams JD. Antimicrobial resistance mechanisms. In: Cohen J, Powderly WG, editors. Infectious Diseases. 4th ed. London: Elsevier; 2023. p. 1145–59.

Website

Format: Author AA or Organisation Name. Title of page [Internet]. Place: Publisher; Year [cited Year Month Day]. Available from: URL

World Health Organization. WHO global report on antimicrobial resistance [Internet]. Geneva: WHO; 2024 [cited 2026 Mar 26]. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/example

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence. Hypertension in adults: diagnosis and management [Internet]. London: NICE; 2023 [cited 2026 Mar 10]. Available from: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng136

Systematic Review or Meta-Analysis

Cited exactly like a regular journal article. The [Review] or [Meta-Analysis] tag is added in square brackets after the article title only in PubMed display — do not add these tags in your reference list unless specifically required.

Clinical Guideline

National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. Depression in adults: recognition and management. Clinical guideline CG90. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE); 2022.

Thesis or Dissertation

Brown TJ. Antibiotic prescribing patterns in primary care: a longitudinal analysis [dissertation]. London: University College London; 2023.

Conference Paper

Smith K, Jones P. Outcomes of early mobilisation in ICU patients. In: Proceedings of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine Annual Congress; 2024 Oct 5–9; Barcelona, Spain. Brussels: ESICM; 2024. p. 112–18.

Vancouver vs. APA vs. Harvard: Key Differences

Feature	Vancouver	APA	Harvard
In-text citation	Number (superscript or parenthetical)	(Author, Year)	(Author Year)
Reference order	Numerical (order of appearance)	Alphabetical	Alphabetical
Primary use	Medicine, health sciences	Social sciences, psychology	Sciences (UK/AU)
Author format	Brown TJ (no periods)	Brown, T. J.	Brown, T.J.
Year position	After volume/issue	After author	After author

Common Vancouver Citation Mistakes

Alphabetising the reference list — Vancouver references are listed in numerical order of first citation, not alphabetically. This is the most fundamental difference from APA and Harvard.
Using full journal names — Journal names must be abbreviated using NLM standard abbreviations. Look up abbreviations in the NLM Catalog or PubMed.
Adding periods after author initials — Vancouver uses Brown TJ, not Brown T.J. No periods between or after initials.
Not contracting page ranges — Vancouver contracts the last page where possible: 412–21, not 412–421; 1145–59, not 1145–1159.
Forgetting the citation date for websites — Web citations must include the date you accessed the page: [cited 2026 Mar 26].

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Vancouver and NLM style?

Vancouver style and NLM (National Library of Medicine) style are closely related — they use the same numbered citation system and similar reference formats. NLM style is the specific implementation used by PubMed and US government biomedical publications. Most practical differences are minor (some punctuation variations, handling of electronic sources). Many journals specify one or the other; if your journal says «Vancouver,» follow the ICMJE guidelines; if it says «NLM,» follow NLM/PubMed formatting.

How many authors do I list in a Vancouver reference?

List all authors if there are 6 or fewer. If there are 7 or more authors, list the first 6 followed by «et al.» This is the standard ICMJE/Vancouver rule for journal articles. Book references follow the same convention.

Does Vancouver style require a DOI?

Including the DOI is strongly recommended for all journal articles that have one — it makes the reference verifiable and permanent. Format the DOI as a hyperlink: doi:10.1136/bmj-2023-072156. If no DOI is available, include the journal’s URL if the article is available online: Available from: https://…

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