Identify the conference material
AMA Conference Citation for Abstracts, Posters, and Presentations
Choose the reference format for the material you actually read, with real examples of a journal abstract and an archived conference poster.
An AMA conference citation starts with the item you read. An abstract published in a journal supplement follows journal reference rules. A poster or talk that has not been formally published uses a meeting reference. We checked a BMJ abstract and a university's archived poster against AMA 11 guidance. Their records show why abstract numbers and meeting dates deserve a second look.
Adding references to your own poster
For citations inside a presentation you are creating, plan where readers will find the matching full reference. The slide and poster guide provides original layouts and distinguishes institutional short forms from verified AMA guidance.
Public teaching slides and handouts
A university teaching file needs its own credited authors, course context, and slide locator. Check whether readers can retrieve it before deciding between a reference entry and personal communication.
Choose the conference material you actually used
Open the document containing the information you want to cite. A conference website may link to an abstract, poster PDF, slide deck, and later article about the same project. Each can contain different details. Save the item you read and identify how it was issued.
The University of Southern California's AMA 11 guide says to use the relevant publication format when conference material appears in a journal or book. Use the meeting format for material that has not been formally published in another work.
| Material used | Reference format | Details to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Abstract in a journal supplement | Journal reference | Journal abbreviation, volume, supplement, page or e-locator, DOI |
| Poster available from a meeting or repository | Poster presented at | Authors, poster title, meeting name, dates, location, online access |
| Oral presentation or conference slides | Presentation or slides presented at | Presenter, title, event, date, location, retrievable file |
| Paper published in edited proceedings | Chapter or relevant publication format | Paper authors, editors, proceedings title, publisher, year, pages |
AMA conference abstract citation for a journal supplement
A published abstract needs its own authors and title, followed by the abbreviated journal name, year, volume, supplement details, page or e-locator, and DOI when available. Keep letter prefixes in pagination. A1482 and 1482 identify different pages.
Tagliamonte and colleagues' cancer vaccine abstract appears in the 2023 supplement of Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. The publisher identifies volume 11, supplement 1, and page A1482. Its heading begins with 1331, the abstract number. That number also appears in the DOI, but it does not replace the page.
The example below lists all five authors and retains the publisher's numbered title. AMA 11 uses the journal article format without an automatically added bracketed material label. Describe the source as a conference abstract in your discussion so readers can judge how much detail it provides.
A DOI import can miss these details. The Crossref record we checked supplied the authors and A1482-A1482 pagination, but left out volume and issue. Its container field named the abstract collection. Compare the imported fields with the journal page before copying the reference.
Real journal supplement abstract
Tagliamonte M, Ragone C, Cavalluzzo B, Mauriello A, Buonaguro L. 1331 Cancer vaccine development based on molecular mimicry. J Immunother Cancer. 2023;11(suppl 1):A1482. doi:10.1136/jitc-2023-SITC2023.1331
1331 is the abstract number. A1482 is the journal page. The single page is written once.
How to cite a poster in AMA
For a poster, gather the credited authors, title, meeting name, dates, and location. The University of St. Augustine's AMA 11 guide identifies the material before the event name. Use Poster presented at for a poster and Paper presented at for an oral paper. An online copy also needs its access date and source link.
Danielle Westmark and Teresa Hartman's poster is held in the University of Nebraska Medical Center repository. Its landing page identifies the document type as Poster and the year as 2024. The library's annual report supplies the meeting dates, May 18-21, 2024, and Portland, Oregon.
The repository's download counter starts on June 4, 2024. Use the May meeting dates in the reference. The example cites the archived poster as a meeting item; its repository number, 16, is not a journal volume or page.
Real poster available online
Westmark D, Hartman T. Closing the loop: student learning assessments. Poster presented at: Medical Library Association Annual Meeting; May 18-21, 2024; Portland, OR. Accessed October 13, 2026. https://digitalcommons.unmc.edu/mcgoogan_pres/16/
The title and author names follow the repository record. The date range and location are corroborated by the library's annual report.
AMA conference presentation citation template
Presenter AA. Presentation title. Paper presented at: Meeting name; Month Day, Year; City, State. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL
Replace Paper with Slides, Keynote address, or the meeting's own description when appropriate. Include online access details when you used an online item.
Check virtual meetings and later publications
A virtual meeting still has a name and dates. The AMA Manual's May 26, 2022, update added guidance for virtual and hybrid meeting materials. Rosalind Franklin University's guide uses Virtual in the location position for an online meeting. For a hybrid event, check the event record and the format of the session you used. Do not substitute the city where you watched it.
Before submitting your paper, look for a full publication using the title and authors. Read the passage that supports your claim before switching to a journal reference. An abstract's short results section may differ from the eventual article. If you discuss the preliminary report itself, keep that source identifiable.
Build and review the citation in AMA Cite
Choose Journal Article for an abstract published in a journal supplement. For the BMJ example, enter 11 in Volume, suppl 1 in Issue, and A1482 in Pages. There is no separate supplement field. Check that the preview matches the example above, including the journal abbreviation.
For meeting material, choose Conference Abstract and enter the verified authors, title, dates, and location. Its current output always says Abstract presented at. Edit the copied reference to use Poster presented at or Paper presented at when appropriate. The form accepts a URL but has no access-date field, so add that date manually for an online item.
Reopen the linked item before submitting and check the passage your sentence relies on. Assign a reference number when you first cite it, then reuse that number whenever you cite the same item again.