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Vancouver Referencing: A Guide for Health Students

Last updated: July 2026

A guide to Vancouver referencing for medical and health science students, using the numbered citation system.

What is Vancouver referencing?

Vancouver referencing is a numbered citation system widely used in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and health sciences. It was developed from guidelines produced at a 1978 meeting in Vancouver, Canada, and is now maintained by the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE). Many UK healthcare and biomedical programmes require Vancouver referencing.

If you need professional referencing support for healthcare assignments, GradeQuill's referencing and formatting service covers Vancouver and all other major styles.

In-text citations

Vancouver uses superscript numbers in the text to indicate citations. Numbers are assigned in the order in which sources first appear in the text, the first source cited is numbered 1, the second is numbered 2, and so on. If the same source is cited again later, the original number is reused.

Example: "Social media use is associated with reduced sleep quality in adolescents.1 This finding is consistent with earlier research on screen time.2,3"

Unlike Harvard or APA, Vancouver does not include author names or years in the in-text citation.

Citing a journal article

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

Example: Smith JA, Jones RB, Williams CL. Social media use and sleep quality in adolescents: a systematic review. J Adolesc Health. 2021;68(4):712–9.

Note: author initials follow the surname with no full stops; journal names are abbreviated and italicised; a semicolon separates year from volume; and the issue number appears in parentheses.

Citing a book

Format: Author AA. Title of Book. Edition. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year.

Example: Kumar P, Clark M. Kumar and Clark's Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. London: Elsevier; 2020.

For a chapter in an edited book: Author AA. Chapter title. In: Editor AA, editor. Book Title. Place: Publisher; Year. p. 45–67.

Citing a website

Format: Author/Organisation. Title [Internet]. Place: Publisher; Year [cited Year Month Day]. Available from: URL

Example: NHS England. Mental health support for students [Internet]. London: NHS England; 2023 [cited 2024 Mar 10]. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/example

The word "Internet" appears in square brackets after the title. Always include the date cited for web sources.

The reference list

Vancouver reference lists are organised numerically in the order sources first appear in the text, not alphabetically. This is the key structural difference from Harvard and APA. Each entry is numbered to match its in-text citation number.

Only sources actually cited in the text should appear in the reference list. The reference list is headed "References" and appears at the end of the document.

Common Vancouver mistakes

Common errors include: alphabetising the reference list (it should be numerical); restarting the numbering when a source is cited a second time (use the original number); including full stops after author initials (Vancouver does not); and using the full journal name instead of the standard abbreviation.

For guides to other referencing styles used in healthcare, see our articles on Harvard referencing and APA 7th referencing. For guidance on nursing essays, read our article on how to write a nursing essay.

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Frequently asked questions

How does Vancouver referencing work in practice?

Vancouver referencing uses a numbered citation system. Each source is assigned a number the first time it is cited in the text, and that number is used for all subsequent citations of the same source. Numbers appear in the text as superscripts or in parentheses immediately after the referenced material. The reference list at the end of the document lists all sources in the order they first appear in the text, not alphabetically. This system is particularly efficient in clinical and scientific writing where multiple sources are cited frequently and the numbered format maintains reading flow.

How do I format a journal article reference in Vancouver style?

A journal article in Vancouver style is formatted as: Author AA, Author BB, Author CC. Title of article. Abbreviated journal name. Year;Volume(Issue):Page range. For example: Smith J, Brown K. Effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy in treating anxiety disorders. Br J Psychiatry. 2020;217(3):45-52. Note that journal names are typically abbreviated according to standard medical abbreviation lists. All authors up to six are listed; if there are more than six, list the first six followed by 'et al.' Author initials follow surnames directly without full stops in Vancouver style.

When should I use Vancouver referencing instead of Harvard?

Vancouver referencing is the standard in medicine, nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, and many health science disciplines, as well as in biomedical publishing. It was developed specifically for clinical and scientific writing where multiple sources need to be cited concisely without interrupting the flow of technical text. Harvard referencing, by contrast, is more common in social sciences, business, and humanities, where author-date citations help readers immediately identify sources by name. Your choice of referencing style should always be determined by your module handbook or tutor's instructions , never select a referencing style based on personal preference.

How do I reference a book in Vancouver style?

A book reference in Vancouver style follows this format: Author AA, Author BB. Title of book. Edition (if not first). Place of publication: Publisher; Year. For example: Greenhalgh T. How to Read a Paper: The Basics of Evidence-Based Medicine. 6th ed. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell; 2019. Note that author initials follow surnames without spaces or full stops, only the first word of the title and proper nouns are capitalised, and the year appears at the end preceded by a semicolon. For edited books, add 'editor' or 'editors' after the name: Jones A, editor.

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