How to Cite a Standard in Vancouver Referencing
  • 2-minute read
  • 17th October 2021

How to Cite a Standard in Vancouver Referencing

If you refer to a technical standard in your writing, you’ll need to cite it correctly. In this post, we set out how to cite a standard in Vancouver referencing.

How to Cite a Standard in Vancouver Referencing

When using the Vancouver reference style, you cite sources by using an endnote number in the text, with sources numbered sequentially in the order they are cited. For example, the first source in your document will be cited with a (1) in the text, the second source will be cited with a (2), the third with a (3), and so on.

These numbers point to corresponding entries in the reference list at the end of your document. Take the following, for example:

An implantable medical device remains in the body for at least 30 days (4).

The number here shows that we can find full details of the relevant standard in the fourth entry in the reference list. And if you later refer to the same technical standard again, you should use the same endnote number each time.

Standards in a Vancouver Reference List

The format for a technical standard in a Vancouver reference list is:

(Source Number) Issuing Organization Name. Standard Number. Title of Standard. Place of Publication: Publisher; Year of publication.

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Note that the “source number” here should match the number used in citations.

For instance, our above example would appear like this in the reference list:

(4) International Organization for Standardization. ISO 13485:2016. Medical Devices – Quality Management Systems – Requirements for Regulatory Purposes. Geneva: ISO; 2016.

Expert Vancouver Proofreading

Be aware that Vancouver referencing (also known as number–endnote referencing) can vary among different institutions. For example, some versions specify the use of square brackets rather than round ones for the endnote numbers, while others don’t use brackets at all but instead require superscript numbers.

If you’re a student, your course materials should tell you which version to use (or you might have a style guide you have been asked to follow). Regardless of which version of Vancouver referencing you use, be sure to apply it consistently.

Our proofreading team includes experts in Vancouver and all other referencing styles. If you’d like a professional to check your reference list or any other writing, we’re just a few clicks away. Why not submit a free sample document today?

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