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Vancouver Referencing

Basic instructions on how to reference using the Vancouver system

Vancouver - this guide and further resources

The Vancouver referencing style is a numeric system commonly used in biomedical, health and some science journals (1, p. 248). 

The Vancouver referencing style is used by MBBS students at St George's.  This guide gives brief examples of how to cite within the text and how to write references using the Vancouver style.  The information in this guide is based on Cite them Right (12th edition) which is endorsed by St George's. This book contains many more types of referencing examples so if you don't find your example in this guide, use Cite them Right. 

Use the online version (you will need to log in with your St George's username and password) or find it on the library shelves at PN171 PEA.  Further samples of referencing formats can also be found in the National Library of Medicine's Citing Medicine publication (2), which is also recommended by Cite them Right (1).

This guide will show you how to reference:

  • Books and ebooks

  • Journals and ejournals

  • NICE Guidelines and other regulations and protocols

  • Cochrane Library systematic reviews

  • Webpages

  • Information from Canvas

References

1. Pears R, Shields G. Cite them right: the essential referencing guide. 12th ed. London: Bloomsbury; 2022.

2. Patrias K, Wendling D. Citing medicine: the NLM style guide for authors, editors, and publishers [Internet]. 2nd ed. Bethesda, MD: National Library of Medicine; 2007 [cited 2022 Jul 25]. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK7256/.

Use the CTR search bar below to find out how to reference different sources. For example, type 'journal article' to see how to correctly reference a journal article.  Use your St George's network login to access the full online resource when offsite.

Cite them Right

http://www.citethemrightonline.com

Cite them Right is both a book and an online publication that gives comprehensive guidance on the principles of citing and referencing, as well as examples of references using the Vancouver format (section N if you are using the print book).  You are encouraged to use it for guidance in your referencing, as well as using this guide.  Use your St George's network login to access the full online resource.

Find it on the library shelves at PN171 PEA.

Pears R, Shields G. Cite them right: the essential referencing guide. 12th ed. London: Bloomsbury Academic; 2022.