How to Cite a Book Chapter in AMA Citation Style

Learn the exact format with examples, in-text citations, and common mistakes to avoid.

Citation Format

Basic Template

1. Chapter Author(s). Chapter title. In: Editor(s), ed. Book Title. Edition. Publisher; Year:page range.

Citation Components

Superscript Number

Superscript 1, 2, 3, etc.

Chapter Author

Last name Initial(s).

Chapter Title

Sentence case. No italics or quotation marks.

In: Editor(s)

In: Editor(s), ed.

Book Publication

Book Title. Edition. Publisher; Year:page range.

Real-World Example

Example Source

number

1

author

Gupta S, Verma R

chapter

Mechanisms of immune response

editor

Kapoor A

book

Immunology Essentials

edition

4th ed.

publisher

Oxford University Press

year

2022

pages

87-105

Formatted Citation

1. Gupta S, Verma R. Mechanisms of immune response. In: Kapoor A, ed. Immunology Essentials. 4th ed. Oxford University Press; 2022:87-105.

In-Text Citation

1

Superscript 1

Common Mistakes

Wrong:

1. Gupta, S., & Verma, R. (2022). "Mechanisms of Immune Response." In A. Kapoor (Ed.), Immunology Essentials (4th ed., pp. 87-105). Oxford.

Right:

1. Gupta S, Verma R. Mechanisms of immune response. In: Kapoor A, ed. Immunology Essentials. 4th ed. Oxford University Press; 2022:87-105.

Why: Use Last Initial format, no quotation marks for chapter title, 'In:' with 'ed.' notation, and publisher;year:page format.

Wrong:

1) Gupta & Verma. Immune Response Chapter. Kapoor et al., eds. 2022. Oxford Press. Pp. 87-105.

Right:

1. Gupta S, Verma R. Mechanisms of immune response. In: Kapoor A, ed. Immunology Essentials. 4th ed. Oxford University Press; 2022:87-105.

Why: Use commas between authors, don't use 'et al.' in reference list, use single editor name, and proper format with semicolon/colon.

Wrong:

1. Gupta S. Immunology Essentials Chapter 5. Kapoor (Ed.). Oxford University Press. 2022.

Right:

1. Gupta S, Verma R. Mechanisms of immune response. In: Kapoor A, ed. Immunology Essentials. 4th ed. Oxford University Press; 2022:87-105.

Why: Include full chapter title and co-authors, use 'In:' format, include edition, and use semicolon/colon for year and pages.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I format multiple editors?

Multiple: Editor A, Editor B, eds. (plural 'eds' for 2+)

Do I always need chapter page numbers?

Yes, AMA requires the page range of the chapter.

What if the chapter author and editor are the same?

Cite as a regular book, not as a chapter.

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