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Home » Blog » Vancouver Referencing Guide for Health Students | EasyMarks

Academic Writing Tips

Vancouver Referencing: A Guide

The numbered citation style used across medicine, nursing and the health sciences.

7 min read · Written by UK academic writers

Quick Answer

Vancouver is a numbered referencing style common in medicine, nursing and the sciences. You insert a number in the text each time you cite a source, and list sources in a numbered reference list in the order they first appear.

If you study nursing, medicine or a health science, you will likely use Vancouver. Unlike Harvard or APA, it is number-based rather than author-date. This guide explains how it works.

How Numbered Citations Work

Each time you cite a source, you place a number in the text — either in brackets (1) or as a superscript. The same source keeps the same number every time it is cited.

The Numbered Reference List

Sources are listed in the order they first appear in the text, not alphabetically. The numbering of the list matches the numbers used in the body.

Referencing Common Sources

Vancouver has set formats for each source type.

  • Journal: Author AA. Title. Journal. Year;volume(issue):pages.
  • Book: Author AA. Title. Edition. Place: Publisher; Year.
  • Online: Author. Title [Internet]. Year [cited date]. Available from: URL

Author Name Format

Vancouver lists authors by surname and initials with no full stops between initials, and uses specific rules for listing multiple authors before using "et al."

Keep Numbering Consistent

If you add or remove a citation while editing, the numbering can fall out of order. Reference management software helps keep your numbered list accurate.

Key Takeaways
  • Vancouver uses numbers in the text, not author-date
  • Each source keeps the same number throughout
  • The reference list is ordered by first appearance
  • Each source type has a set numbered format
  • Use reference software to keep numbering consistent

Frequently Asked Questions

What subjects use Vancouver referencing?

Medicine, nursing and the health and physical sciences commonly use Vancouver.

Is the Vancouver reference list alphabetical?

No. It is ordered by the sequence in which sources first appear in the text.

How is Vancouver different from Harvard?

Vancouver uses numbers in the text and a numbered list; Harvard uses author-date citations and an alphabetical list.

What does "et al." mean in Vancouver?

It means "and others" and is used to shorten long author lists according to the style's rules.

Related Guides & Services

Harvard ReferencingAPA ReferencingAvoiding PlagiarismNursing Essay HelpProofreading Service

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