Why APA vs AMA style?

[CraigB-RN, MSN, RN]

As I reformat another paper for possible publication I wonder again, why APA for academics when professional publication uses AMA format. According to the educators I've talked to, that's one of the leading reasons for papers being rejected for publication.

So why does APA have such of foot hold in academic writing?

It's easier to reformat now with the current batch of programs like Papers and Endnote, but it's still a pain.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

Nursing journals require APA format. We're nurses!

[CraigB-RN, MSN, RN]

I guess we read different nursing journals. The ones I read are all AMA format.

[CraigB-RN, MSN, RN]

Although general nursing journals like AJN may use APA, specialty journals use AMA. APA isn't a "nursing" format.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

It sounds like you need to be able to use both.

[iteachob, MSN, RN]

I feel your pain. I'm in a PhD program, and all of my professors (all of them), prefer we not cite in APA. To quote, "it takes up too much room". And, it does actually. Thank GOD for the reference manager program End Note. Do you use it? If not, you should. It is life-changing. One click and it will reformat your paper in a number of styles, depending on the journal requirements. It also libraries all your references (with PDF attachment if you like), for future use.

30 day trial here.... 30-Day Trial | EndNote | Thomson Reuters

[CraigB-RN, MSN, RN]

Endnote rules. Yeah I can't imagine even attempting it nowadays with nothing but a stack of index cards and an IBM selectric. I've tried Papers, Mendelay but keep on comming back to Endnote.

[elkpark]

Although general nursing journals like AJN may use APA, specialty journals use AMA. APA isn't a "nursing" format.

The two specialty (nursing) journals I take both use APA format (and require it for morificecripts submitted for possible publication). It is true that nursng didn't develop the format independently, but the larger nursing community adopted it as "the" official format of nursing a long time ago.

[CraigB-RN, MSN, RN]

Of course adding insult to injury. Journal that requires APA style, doesn't use DOI. So I have to manually enter the information into citation manager. so far 100% of non nursing journals have used DOI.