NLM Style Guide: Reference List Rules

• Capitalize the first word of the title, proper nouns, proper adjectives, acronyms, and initialisms.
• NLM recommends using caution when applying italics to titles as this can often make the citation difficult to read.
• Use a colon to separate the title from the subtitle, unless punctuation is already in use.

       Example: Maximizing children’s health: screening, anticipatory guidance, and counseling.

• Journal titles are abbreviated.
  Int J Emerg Ment Health for the International Journal of Emergency Mental Health.
• Locate journal abbreviations using NLM's Catalog: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/journals
• NLM recommends using caution when applying italics to titles as this can often make the citation difficult to read.

• Last name then first and middle initials.
• List names in the order that they appear in the text.
• Include all authors, regardless of the number.
• If an organization is listed with author names, include the organization with the authors as it appears in the text and separated by a semi-colon.

       Almond D, Currie J, Herrmann M; National Bureau of Economic Research.

• Include the 2-letter abbreviation for the state enclosed in parentheses with all US cities and Canadian provinces.
• Add the country enclosed in parentheses with all other cites.
• End place information with a colon.

       Example for US city: Roanoke (VA):  

       Example for a city in another country: Paris (France):

• Always use the link to the reference that will take the reader directly to the source.
• Do not shorten the link, but use the entire web address. 
• End with no punctuation unless the URL ends with a slash (/), then end with a period.

       Example:
       Available from: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM187501070920102