AVMA Journals Style-Special Materials-JAVMA
Citing Special Materials
Beyond journal articles and book chapters, authors frequently need to reference certain types of special materials, such as drugs, software programs, and abstracts. For these materials, the AVMA journals follow the guidelines given in the 11th edition of the AMA Manual of Style. Examples are given below, along with the pertinent sections from the Manual of Style.
Abstracts
Abstracts are listed as references (AMA Manual of Style sections 3.11.10 and 3.13.9.1).
Abstract published in a journal
1. Bradley A, Webb CB, Twedt D. Hepatic copper and zinc concentrations in feral dogs versus dogs fed a commercial diet. J Vet Intern Med 2013;27(3):715–716. 2013 ACVIM Forum Research abstract HP-3.
(Note that the abstract number [HP-3] can be listed if easily available but is not required.)
Abstract published in a proceedings book
2. Bentley RT, Cohen-Gadol A, Jones D, et al. Metronomic chlorambucil chemotherapy for canine gliomas: a phase I/II clinical trial. Abstract in: Proceedings of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum. American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine; 2015:903.
(Note that a DOI can be listed at the end of the reference if easily available but is not required.)
Acknowledgment of Material Support
Information on material support is included in the Acknowledgments section in the same paragraph as all statements of financial support (AMA Manual of Style section 5.5.3). The specific material and the name and affiliation of the individual are included.
Bacterial isolates used in the study were provided by Dr. Andrew Meadows, Oxford University, Oxford, England.
Products, Drugs, Equipment, and Similar Materials
Proprietary names (ie, trademark names) are given in the text (AMA Manual of Style sections 8.5.1.8, 14.4.3, and 14.5.1). Note, however, that only the nonproprietary name (ie, generic name or product description) is used for drugs, products, and equipment, unless the specific manufacturer’s drug, product, or equipment was essential to the study.
For drugs, if the proprietary name is included, the nonproprietary name appears first, with the proprietary name capitalized and in parentheses immediately after the first use of the nonproprietary name in the text and in the abstract. The name of the manufacturer is not included. Trademark symbols are not included.
Rabacfosadine (Tanovea-CA1) is an emerging, novel treatment option for this disease.
For products and equipment, if the proprietary name is given, the nonproprietary name appears first, with the proprietary name and manufacturer or supplier name given in parentheses immediately after the first use of the nonproprietary name. The location of the manufacturer is not included.
When a manufacturer’s name is included as part of the proprietary name of a product, it can generally be excluded from the product name to avoid repetition (eg, Excel; Microsoft Corp and not Microsoft Excel; Microsoft Corp). All words identifying a type of business entity should be abbreviated. This includes such terms as Corporation (Corp), Company (Co), Incorporated (Inc), Limited (Ltd), and Limited Liability Company (LLC).
Slides were immunostained with monoclonal antibodies against CD3 and Pax5 by use of an automated stainer (Bond automated stainer; Leica Biosystems) and a standard protocol that included a series of alcohol washes, heat-induced epitope retrieval (30 minutes), and incubation with either anti-CD3 (LN10, PA0122, mouse monoclonal; Leica Biosystems) or anti-Pax5 (IEW, PA0552, mouse monoclonal; Leica Biosystems) antibodies.
Note that for products, the AMA Manual of Style provides several examples of the proprietary name being used in the text, followed by the manufacturer name in parentheses. Generally, the AVMA journals prefer to avoid this style. However, for some specialized equipment for which the nonproprietary name is long or cumbersome, the proprietary name can be used in the text followed by the manufacturer’s name in parentheses after the first use of the proprietary name.
Separation was performed at room temperature with a 250-mm-long Mightysil RP-8 GP column (Kanto Chemical Co) with an internal diameter of 4.6 mm and particle size of 5 µm.
Personal Communications
This information is included in the text (AMA Manual of Style section 3.13.10). The method of communication (email, letter, etc) is included; oral personal communications are not allowed.
The date of the communication, how the communication was documented (eg, email or letter), the individual’s professional and highest academic degrees, and the individual’s affiliation are indicated.
Although conformational anomalies secondary to premature closure of the tibial apophysis may not always produce adverse functional consequences,8,9 these anomalies have been associated with lameness in some veterinary patients (S Kim, DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, email, August 15, 2020).
Statistical and Computer Software
In general, information about statistical software and other software programs is given as a reference (AMA Manual of Style section 3.15.6).
1. BlandAltmanLeh: Plots (slightly extended) Bland-Altman Plots. Version 0.3.1. Accessed December 4, 2019. https://cran.r-project. org/web/packages/BlandAltmanLeh/index.html
However, especially in the methods section, software programs are often indicated in the text in the same way that products are indicated.
All analyses were performed with standard software (SAS version 9.4; SAS Institute Inc).
Electronic Citations
These are listed as references.
Online Databases
These are listed as references.
Theses and Dissertations
These are listed as references (AMA Manual of Style section 3.13.4).
1. Geary JE. The dynamics of the equine foreleg. Master’s thesis. University of Delaware; 1975.
2. Wood GN. Recognition and assessment of pain in lambs. Dissertation. University of Edinburgh; 1991.
Unpublished Data
This information is included in the text (AMA Manual of Style section 3.13.9.3). The individual’s professional and highest academic degrees and the individual’s affiliation are indicated, along with the year.
Limited information is available on the withdrawal time for flunixin meglumine in goats (RE Baynes, DVM, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, unpublished data, 2018).
Conference Presentations (eg, Oral, Poster, or Workshop Presentation)
These are handled as references, much like abstracts (AMA Manual of Style section 3.13.9.1).
1. Bentley RT, Cohen-Gadol A, Jones D, et al. Metronomic chlorambucil chemotherapy for canine gliomas: a phase I/II clinical trial. Abstract presented at: American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Forum; April 24, 2015; Washington, DC.
