AMA style, used by JAMA and many medical journals, capitalizes the first and last words of titles and subtitles and every major word. It lowercases articles, coordinating conjunctions, prepositions of three letters or fewer, and the "to" in infinitives. Prepositions of four or more letters, like "With" and "Among," are capitalized.
AMA Title Case Rules
Capitalize:
- The first and last words of the title and subtitle.
- Nouns, pronouns, verbs (including phrasal verbs), adjectives, and adverbs.
- Subordinating conjunctions: If, Because, Although, When.
- Prepositions of four or more letters: With, From, Among, After, Without.
- The first word after a colon.
Lowercase (unless first or last):
- Articles: a, an, the.
- Coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, nor, or.
- Prepositions of three letters or fewer: at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up, via.
- "To" in infinitives: "How to Reduce Readmissions."
Where AMA Uses Sentence Case
In AMA references, the titles of journal articles and book chapters are in sentence case: only the first word, proper nouns, and abbreviations get capitals. Book titles and journal names keep title case. Some journals also set their own heading style, so check the target journal's instructions for authors.
Examples in AMA Style
| Typed | AMA style |
|---|---|
| outcomes of surgery in older adults: a cohort study | Outcomes of Surgery in Older Adults: A Cohort Study |
| vaccine uptake among adults with diabetes | Vaccine Uptake Among Adults With Diabetes |
| how to reduce readmissions after heart failure | How to Reduce Readmissions After Heart Failure |
| risk factors for stroke and dementia | Risk Factors for Stroke and Dementia |
| effect of exercise on sleep quality | Effect of Exercise on Sleep Quality |
AMA's preposition rule matches AP and APA, so the title case converter in AP or APA mode gets most AMA titles right. Check subordinating conjunctions like "if," which AMA capitalizes and AP and APA do not.
Common AMA Mistakes
- Lowercasing "With" or "Among." AMA capitalizes prepositions of four or more letters.
- Using title case for article titles in references. Those use sentence case.
- Capitalizing "to" in an infinitive mid-title.
Quick Answers
Does AMA capitalize prepositions?
Prepositions of four or more letters, yes ("With," "From," "Among"). Prepositions of three letters or fewer stay lowercase unless first or last.
Is "with" capitalized in AMA style?
Yes. "With" has four letters, so AMA capitalizes it.
Are AMA reference titles in title case?
Journal article and book chapter titles use sentence case. Book titles and journal names use title case.
For other medical and science styles, see CSE and ACS. For any single word, see the full list of words that stay lowercase.