Citation styles can take many forms, such as author-date, author-page, footnotes, numeric, etc. In this post, we discuss the most common citation styles with superscript numbers. We provide details about AMA, Vancouver, CSE, ACS, and others. We feature examples for each style and highlight links to further resources.
#1 AMA
AMA style is a numeric citation style used in many medical fields. This style uses superscript numbers for in-text references, which are then listed in full at the end of a paper.
AMA style resources
🌐 Official AMA style guidelines
AMA style examples
Here is an example of an in-text citation in AMA style:
The rising hospitalizations and deaths across New York City boroughs ¹.
Here is a reference list entry in AMA style:
1. Wadhera RK, Wadhera P, Gaba P, et al. Variation in COVID-19 hospitalizations and deaths across New York City boroughs. JAMA. 2020. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.7197
#2 Vancouver
Vancouver style is a numeric citation system used in biomedical, health, and other science disciplines. This style uses superscript or bracketed numbers for in-text citations. The same number is used throughout the paper to refer to the same source.
A reference list at the end of the paper provides the full bibliographic information for each source. This list is ordered sequentially, not alphabetically.
Vancouver style resources
🌐 Official Vancouver style guidelines
📝 Vancouver citation generator
🗂 Estilo Vancouver (guide in Spanish)
Vancouver style examples
Here is an in-text citation in Vancouver style:
A similar study was carried out in 2015¹.
Here is a reference list entry in Vancouver style:
1. Aprile A, Gulino A, Storto M, Villa I, Beretta S, Merelli I, et al. Hematopoietic stem cell function in β-thalassemia is impaired and is rescued by targeting the bone marrow niche. Blood [Internet]. 2020; Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.1182/blood.2019002721
#3 Nature
Nature is one of the most renowned science journals in the world. They have their own numeric referencing style. It requires in-text citations with superscript numbers and a sequential reference list at the end of the paper that gives the full bibliographic information for each source.
Nature style resources
🌐 Official Nature style guidelines
Nature style examples
Here is an examples of an in-text citation in Nature style:
A great revelation in the genomes field¹.
Here is a reference list entry in Nature style:
1. Skov, L. et al. The nature of Neanderthal introgression revealed by 27,566 Icelandic genomes. Nature (2020) doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2225-9.
#4 CSE
CSE style is the standard format used in the physical and life sciences. This style features three types of citation systems: citation-sequence, name-year, and citation-name.
• Name-Year: In-text citations of this type feature the author’s last name and the year of publication in brackets. A bibliography at the end lists all references in full.
• Citation-Sequence: Every source is assigned a superscript number that is used as an in-text reference. The bibliography at the end lists all numbers with their references in the order in which they appeared in the text.
• Citation-Name: The reference list is organized alphabetically by authors’ last names; each name is assigned a number which can be placed in superscript as an in-text reference.
CSE style resources
🌐 Official CSE style guidelines
CSE style examples
Here is an in-text citation in CSE citation-sequence style:
Therefore, the translocation of wild plants was tracked ¹.
Here is a bibliography entry in CSE citation-sequence style:
1. Hofman CA, Rick TC. 2018. Ancient Biological Invasions and Island Ecosystems: Tracking Translocations of Wild Plants and Animals. J. Archaeol. [accessed 2019 Mar 11]; 26(1): 65–11. doi.org/10.1007/s10814-017-9105-3.
#5 ACS
ACS style is the standard citation style for chemistry. This style uses both numeric and author-date citations systems. The numbered in-text citations can have either a superscript number or a number in italics. Full references for each source are listed at the end of the paper.
ACS style resources
🌐 Official ACS style guidelines
ACS style examples
Here is an example of an in-text citation in ACS numeric style:
The source contradicted the hypothesis ¹.
Here is a reference list entry in ACS numeric style:
1. Brown, T.E.; LeMay H.E.; Bursten, B.E.; Murphy, C.; Woodward, P.; Stoltzfus M.E. Chemistry: The Central Science in SI Units. Pearson: New York, 2017.
#6 The Lancet
The Lancet is an international medical journal. They use their own numeric citation system with superscript numbers for in-text citations. These numbers are listed sequentially in a reference list that provides full bibliographic information for each source.
Lancet style resources
🌐 Official The Lancet style guidelines
Lancet style examples
Here is an in-text citation in Lancet style:
For instance, the experiences of health-care providers in China ¹.
Here is a reference list entry in Lancet style:
1. Liu Q, Luo D, Haase JE, et al. The experiences of health-care providers during the COVID-19 crisis in China: a qualitative study. Lancet Glob Health 2020. DOI:10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30204-7.
Frequently Asked Questions about citation styles with superscript numbers
🌟 What is the most common citation style with superscript numbers?
The most popular citation style with superscript numbers is AMA style. The American Medical Association’s numeric citation style uses superscript numbers for in-text citations. To quickly create citations in AMA style, visit our AMA citation generator.
📏 What are the rules to follow when using superscript numbers in a paper?
These are the general rules for implementing superscript numbers into your text:
- Use superscript Arabic numerals to cite sources.
- Insert the superscript number next to the statement, fact, or quotation being cited.
- If citing more than one source at the same time, separate the numbers with commas.
For further details, be sure to consult a citation guide for the style you’re using.
🍒 Are superscript numbers added both in-text and in the reference list?
No. After you add a superscript number as an in-text citation, add the same number in the reference list in normal size. Then, include the full information for each source in the reference list.
🧼 How can I create an error-free reference list?
You can easily create an error-free reference list with the BibGuru citation generator. This fast, free, and ad-free generator creates accurate citations for 70 sources types in every major style. Students have called BibGuru “easy to use,” “Inviting,” and “friendly.”
🤔 Why do people use superscript numbers in citation styles?
Superscript numbers save space and are easy to find in a text. That’s why many citation styles prefer this format for in-text citations.
