How to Cite Sources in The Journal of Neuroscience: Complete Formatting Guide

Don’t let citation errors undermine your neuroscience research. Get it right every time!

Citing sources correctly is non-negotiable in academic research, especially in neuroscience, where precision matters. The Journal of Neuroscience follows a specific citation style that ensures your work is credible, traceable, and publication-ready.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know, including how to format in-text citations, structure your reference list, and cite different source types like journal articles, books, and figures. Whether you're submitting a paper or just want to cite like a pro, this resource will help you follow the journal’s guidelines with confidence.

In-Text Citations

The Journal of Neuroscience uses the author-date citation style, meaning that sources are cited in-text using the author’s last name followed by the publication year in parentheses.

Basic Format:
(Author, Year)

Citing Different Types of Authors

• Single author:
  Cognitive processing changes with age (Smith, 2018).
  
  
  

• Two authors:
  This pattern has been consistently observed (Lee and Patel, 2020).
  
  
  

• Three or more authors:
  The study revealed significant neural activity (Garcia et al., 2021).
  
  
  

• Institutional author:
  (National Institute of Mental Health, 2019)
  
  
  

Paraphrasing vs. Direct Quotes

• Paraphrased example:
  Research indicates changes in memory encoding with age (Brown and Singh, 2020).
  
  
  

• Direct quote example:
  “Neural activation during memory tasks declines with age” (Brown and Singh, 2020).
  
  
  

No superscripts or reference numbers are used, just names and dates. This format keeps your sources clear and easily traceable throughout your writing.

Reference List Formatting

The Journal of Neuroscience requires a reference list arranged alphabetically by the first author’s last name. Each entry should follow specific formatting rules to maintain consistency and meet submission standards.

General Formatting Rules

• Author names: Last name first, followed by initials with no periods (e.g., Smith AB, Jones CD).
  
  
  

• Year: Placed after the author list in parentheses.
  
  
  

• Title: Only the first word of the title (and any proper nouns) should be capitalized. Do not italicize.
  
  
  

• Journal names: Use standard abbreviated journal titles as per PubMed conventions, followed by volume number and page range.
  
  
  

• DOIs: Include the DOI at the end if available. No hyperlink formatting.
  
  
  

Example Reference Entries

• Journal Article:
  Smith AB, Lee KJ (2020) Neural markers of learning: A longitudinal study. J Neurosci 40:1234–1245. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1234-20.2020
  
  
  

• Book:
  Brown HT (2015) Neuroscience and Behavior. New York, NY: Academic Press.
  
  
  

• Book Chapter:
  White RJ (2018) Cognitive function in aging. In: Green LM, ed. Advances in Neural Research (2nd ed.), pp 100–118. Boston, MA: NeuroPub Press.
  
  
  

Spacing & Indentation

• Use single spacing within each entry.
  
  
  

• Apply a hanging indent to each line after the first.
  
  
  

Make sure all references cited in-text are included in the list, and double-check for accuracy before submission.

Examples of References

The Journal of Neuroscience requires specific formatting for each type of source cited in the reference list. Whether you're referencing a journal article, book, or book chapter, consistency and accuracy are key. Below are examples of how to format the most common source types correctly.

Journal Articles

Journal articles are cited using abbreviated journal names, followed by volume and page numbers. Use a comma between multiple authors and avoid periods in initials.

Formatting Guidelines:

• List all authors unless there are more than six (in which case, list the first six followed by et al.).
  
  
  

• Use standard journal abbreviations (e.g., J Neurosci for Journal of Neuroscience).
  
  
  

• Include DOI at the end when available.

Examples:

• Smith AB, Carter DJ (2021) Cortical pathways in visual learning. J Neurosci 41:2256–2265. doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.0256-21.2021
  
  
  

• Lopez MJ, Greene JN, Kim S et al. (2020) Synaptic plasticity in auditory processing. Nat Neurosci 23:890–899. doi:10.1038/s41593-020-0652-x

Books

Book citations follow this structure: Author(s) (Year) Title. Edition (if applicable). City, State: Publisher.

No quotation marks or italics needed for titles—just proper capitalization of the first word.

Example:

Brown TH (2019) Foundations of Behavioral Neuroscience. 4th ed. New York, NY: Academic Press.

Book Chapters

Unlike full books, chapter citations must include the chapter author, title, book editor, book title, and page range.

Example:

Gomez RC (2018) Neural circuitry in stress regulation. In: Michaels KL, Huang T, eds. Advances in Neurobiology, pp 142–160. Cambridge, MA: BrainMap Press.

Figures and Tables Citations

In scientific writing, especially in journals like The Journal of Neuroscience, figures and tables are essential for presenting data clearly. But how you cite them matters just as much as how you design them. This section explains how to properly reference and format them in your manuscript.

Numerical Order Requirement

Figures and tables must be cited in the order they appear in the text. This isn't just a formatting preference, it's a requirement. It ensures the reader encounters visual data at the exact point it's referenced, making the flow of information logical and easy to follow.

For example:

• Correct: “As shown in Figure 1, the hippocampal activation increased...”
  
  
  

• Incorrect: Citing Figure 3 before Figure 1, even if it appears earlier in the text.
  
  
  

In captions, include a brief title followed by a detailed legend that clearly describes what the figure or table shows. Example:

Figure 2. Neural activation in the prefrontal cortex under varying stimulus conditions. Data represent mean ± SEM across five trials.

Clear, consistent formatting keeps your figures from being overlooked—or worse, misunderstood.

Master Journal of Neuroscience Citations with Confidence

Getting your citations right isn’t just about formatting, it’s about credibility. By following the Journal of Neuroscience’s citation style closely, you ensure your research is taken seriously and stays publication-ready.

Need help polishing your references or structuring your paper? Tools like Jenni AI can support your workflow and help you stay focused on what matters most; your research!