Vancouver referencing
Medicine, nursing and the health sciences.
Short answer
What is Vancouver referencing?
Vancouver is a numeric system used across medicine and health sciences. Sources are numbered in the order they first appear in the text, cited as a superscript or bracketed number, and listed in that same numerical order — not alphabetically.
Journal names are abbreviated to their standard NLM form.
Worked examples
Vancouver for every source type
Each example below is produced by the same engine that powers our free generator.
book
Full guide →Reference list entry
Bolton G. Reflective practice: writing and professional development. 5th ed. London: SAGE Publications; 2018.
In-text
[1]
journal article
Full guide →Reference list entry
Thomas L, Hill M. Belonging and continuation among first-generation undergraduates. Studies in Higher Education. 2024;49(3):412-428. doi:10.1080/03075079.2024.2298471
In-text
[1]
web page
Full guide →Reference list entry
Agency QA. Academic integrity charter for uk higher education [Internet]. QAA; 2025 [cited 14 August 2026]. Available from: https://www.qaa.ac.uk/academic-integrity
In-text
[1]
book chapter
Full guide →Reference list entry
Moon J. Reflection in higher education learning. 2nd ed. Abingdon: Routledge; 2013. p. 45-62.
In-text
[1]
report
Full guide →Reference list entry
Students OF. Student outcomes and teaching excellence. Office for Students; 2025.
In-text
[1]
Watch out for
Vancouver quirks that cost marks
- The reference list is in citation order, never alphabetical.
- Journal titles are abbreviated using the NLM standard.
- Author initials follow the surname with no full stops: Smith JA.
- List the first six authors, then 'et al'.
Vancouver — FAQs
What is Vancouver referencing?
Vancouver is a numeric system used across medicine and health sciences. Sources are numbered in the order they first appear in the text, cited as a superscript or bracketed number, and listed in that same numerical order — not alphabetically. Journal names are abbreviated to their standard NLM form.
Who uses Vancouver?
Medicine, nursing and the health sciences. It is most common in UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada. Always confirm against your own module handbook, because departments within one university often differ.
Is Vancouver an author–date or numeric system?
Vancouver is a numeric system: sources are numbered in the order they first appear and the reference list follows that same order, not alphabetical order.
Every source type
Vancouver at a glance
One worked example per source type, formatted in Vancouver and produced by the same engine as the citation generator. Vancouver is a numeric style, so entries are numbered in order of first citation.
| Source type | Reference list entry | In-text citation |
|---|---|---|
| book | Bolton G. Reflective practice: writing and professional development. 5th ed. London: SAGE Publications; 2018. | [1] |
| journal article | Thomas L, Hill M. Belonging and continuation among first-generation undergraduates. Studies in Higher Education. 2024;49(3):412-428. doi:10.1080/03075079.2024.2298471 | [1] |
| web page | Agency QA. Academic integrity charter for uk higher education [Internet]. QAA; 2025 [cited 14 August 2026]. Available from: https://www.qaa.ac.uk/academic-integrity | [1] |
| book chapter | Moon J. Reflection in higher education learning. 2nd ed. Abingdon: Routledge; 2013. p. 45-62. | [1] |
| report | Students OF. Student outcomes and teaching excellence. Office for Students; 2025. | [1] |