What citation style is recommended for publishing in the BMJ Case Reports?

 

Answer

BMJ reference style BMJ formats references using Vancouver style; references are sequentially numbered within the text of the main document and match the reference list at the end of the article. The first three authors are listed by last name and initials, with additional authors acknowledged by the use of ‘et al’ if applicable.

Depending on the type of reference, we may also include: the publication name, date of publication, volume and page numbers, chapter, DOI, URL, PubMed ID, access date, and any other necessary information.

Exception: Medical Humanities uses Chicago author-date referencing which is more commonly used in social sciences; references are listed by author and date within the text of the main document with the an alphabetical reference list at the end of the article. Please see the online style manual for details and this published article for examples.

Preparing references

  • Authors are asked to follow these guidelines when formatting their references:
  • References should be cited in numerical order (i.e. 1,2,3) in the text and be listed numerically in the reference list at the end of the article
  • The reference list should be included as part of the main text document and not in the footnotes
  • References cited in the text should be presented in square brackets [6] or parentheses (6) rather than superscript
  • Multiple reference citations should be separated by commas [6, 9, 12] or by hyphens if numbers are sequential [12-15]
  • Reference citations within figures and tables (or their legends/footnotes) should be listed in the reference list
  • References in the reference list should include:
  1. author names in any format
  2. article title
  3. DOI or PubMed ID

 Example references

Journals:

  • Print journal article: Koziol-Mclain J, Brand D, Morgan D, et al. Measuring injury risk factors: question reliability in a statewide sample. Inj Prev 2000;6:148–50.
  • Online only journal article: Dark P, Dunn G, Chadwick P, et al. The clinical diagnostic accuracy of rapid detection of healthcare-associated bloodstream infection in intensive care using multipathogen real-time PCR technology. BMJ Open 2011;1:e000181. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2011-000181
  • Supplement article: Mugosa A, Cizmovic M, Lakovic T, et al. Accelerating progress on effective tobacco tax policies in Montenegro. Tobacco Control 2020;29:s293-s299
  • Abstract article: Bricca A, Swithenbank Z, Scott N, et al. 21 Predictors of recruitment in randomised controlled trials of smoking cessation: meta-regression analyses from the IC-SMOKE systematic review project. Abstract competing for the ‘doug altman scholarship’. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine 2019;24:A52-A53.
  • Rapid response to an article: Krishnamoorthy KM, Dash PK. Novel approach to transseptal puncture. Heart Online [Rapid response] 18 September 2001. http://heart.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/86/5/e11#EL1

 

Databases and websites:

 

Books and Legal:

  • Book: Howland J. Preventing Automobile Injury: New Findings From Evaluative Research. Dover, MA: Auburn House Publishing Company 1988:163–96.
  • Chapter in a book: Nagin D. General deterrence: a review of the empirical evidence. In: Blumstein A, Cohen J, Nagin D, eds. Deterrence and Incapacitation: Estimating the Effects of Criminal Sanctions on Crime Rates. Washington, DC: National Academy of Sciences 1978:95–139.
  • Legal material: Toxic substances Contro Act: Hearing on S776 Before the Subcommittee of the Environment of the Senate Comm. on Commerce, 94th Congress 1st September (1975).
  • Law references: The two main series of law reports, Weekly Law Reports (WLR) and All England Law Reports (All ER) have three volumes a year e.g. Robertson v Post Office [1974] 1 WLR 1176

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  • Last Updated Aug 17, 2023
  • Views 5
  • Answered By Kyle Robinson

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