As the medical industry rapidly moves online, medical writers are increasingly looking to reference digital sources in their medical content. While digital platforms provide easy and quick access to medical literature, we must ensure that any sources we use are accurately cited to uphold the integrity of the industry.
This article provides practitioners, researchers, and medical writers with a handy guide to referencing their digital sources. As a scientist, I always reference my sources using APA format (unless a particular project requires a different formatting strategy), so all of these examples are written in APA style. Always remember to double-check updated best practices with regard to your chosen referencing style.
How to Reference Digital Sources:
Citing digital content requires attention to detail to ensure that readers can trace back to the original source of information. The foundation of a digital citation typically includes author(s), publication date, title, source, URL, and DOI when available. Maintaining a uniform citation format enhances the readability and credibility of your work.
Citing Online Journals
Articles from online medical journals should be cited in a similar way to their print counterparts. If a DOI is present, it should supersede the use of a URL as it provides a reliable link to the content. Here is a common citation structure in APA format:
Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume number(issue number if available), Page Range. DOI
Citing Medical Blogs and Websites
When citing blogs, the authorship and content’s accuracy should always be evaluated. We must remember that the content in these sources is not typically peer-reviewed in the same manner as information contained in medical journals. Try to seek out medical blogs that have been reviewed by a medical expert.
The general format for citing medical blogs and websites is similar to that used for journal articles, with a few adaptations:
Author(s). (Year, Month Day). Title of the post. Name of the Website/Blog. Retrieved from URL
Citing e-Books and Online Reports
When citing e-books and online reports, you should include publisher information and add a date for when you accessed the article if you believe that the information is likely to be updated. Here is an example of how to cite an e-book:
Author(s). (Year). Title of the work. Publisher. Retrieved Month Day, Year (if necessary), from URL
And here is an example of how to cite an online report:
Author(s). (Year). Title of the report (Report No. xxx [if available]). Publisher. URL
Citing Social Media References
Given their transient nature, social media citations require a retrieval date. Here is an example:
Author(s). (Year, Month Day). Title of the post [description]. Platform. Retrieved from URL
Using Reference Management Software to Reference Digital Sources
Employing tools like EndNote, Zotero, or Mendeley can ensure consistency and accuracy throughout your content as you reference digital sources.
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