Vancouver Style provides the following formatting rules for writing assignments:

• Double-spaced throughout, including the reference list
• 1″ margins on all sides
• 12-point sized font
• Times New Roman font
• The title page:
  • Title of paper
    • No more than 12 words
    • No abbreviations
    • It can take up 2 lines
  • Your name
  • Name of school
  • Some professors may want you to include the course and/or date
• The header:
  • First page only, left-hand side
    • Running head: TITLE OF YOUR PAPER
  • Rest of pages, left-hand side
    • TITLE OF YOUR PAPER
  • Right-hand side of every page
    • Page number

In-text citations are found within sentences and paragraphs of assignments to make clear that the information quoted or paraphrased comes from a specific source on the reference page. IMPORTANT: Note that an in-text citation is necessary whether the information is directly quoted or paraphrased.

Vancouver uses numbers within parentheses as in-text citations. Here are rules to follow when creating in-text citations, followed by examples of what in-text citations look like in different scenarios:

• References are numbered consecutively in the order they appear in the text
  • The initial number used for a reference is re-used each time it is cited
• When multiple references are used in a single sentence, use a hyphen to indicate a series of inclusive numbers. Use commas to indicate non-inclusive numbers (see examples below)
• Include the page number when directly quoting from a source
• The in-text citation is placed after commas and periods, before colons and semi-colons

Referencing a Single Source

When the author is mentioned in the sentence According to Considine (1) admitting you need help is the first step.

When the author is not mentioned in the sentence Admitting you need help is the first step. (1)

Referencing Multiple Sources

Inclusive numbers The results of the studies (4-7) were clear.

Non-inclusive numbers As both studies (5,9) demonstrated.

A mixture of inclusive and non-inclusive numbers Results of the studies (1-3, 13, 22) were unclear.

Direct Quotations

Quoting directly from a source“… the evidence points to the opposite conclusion.” (6, p95)

Citing Indirect Sources

Sometimes you want to use a source cited in another source. For example, a scholarly journal article mentions the results of a study found in a different article. In other words, the source you have is citing a different source that you would like to use.

Providing an in-text citation for a source cited in a source on your reference page In the example below, John Williams is a source used within your reference #12. It can be found on page 24. IMPORTANT: You will NOT have a reference for the John Williams article on your reference page. You will only have a reference for reference #12.John Williams (2015) argued (cited by 12, p24) that…

When it comes to quality, not all sources are created equal. Some sources are more reliable than others, while some are outright unfit for use in a college-level assignment. This means diligence is required when evaluating resources, to ensure the use of only high-quality, reliable sources created by experts with established authority related to your topic.

Before you spend time analyzing a website you should engage in “lateral reading,” the practice of doing a quick initial evaluation of a website by spending little time on the website and more time reading what others say about the source or related issue. Lateral reading is used commonly by fact checkers. Once your lateral reading shows the website to be reputable, you can employ the CRAAP test below. Please see our Evaluating Online Sources: A Toolkit LibGuide for more information on lateral reading.

Each category in the CRAAP test includes several questions that you can ask yourself when evaluating a source. The more negative answers, the less reliable that source is. There is no ‘threshold’ or specific number of negative answers that ‘disqualifies’ a source. Instead, you must rely on your intuition and experience evaluating other sources, to determine whether or not you think the source in question meets your standards.

Currency: The timeliness of the information

When was the information published?

Has the information been updated or revised?

Is the information current or out-of-date?

If there are links, are they functional?

Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs

Does the information relate to the topic and/or answer the question?

Who is the intended audience?

Is the information designed for an appropriate level?

Have you looked at multiple sources before choosing this one?

Would you be comfortable using this source for your research assignment?

Authority: The source of the information

Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?

Are their credentials or organizational affiliations given?

If they are provided, what are they?

Ar the qualifications related to the topic they are writing on?

Is there contact information for the author?

If it’s a website, does the URL reveal anything about the source?

Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content

Where does the information come from?

Is the information supported by evidence?

Has the information been reviewed or edited?

Can you verify the information from a different source?

Does it seem to be free of emotion and unbiased?

Are there spelling, grammar, or other errors?

Purpose: The reason the information exists

What is the purpose of the information?

Does the author make their intentions or purpose clear?

Is the information factual? Opinion? Propaganda?

Does their point of view appear objective and impartial?

Are there any political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?