Journal title abbreviations
Literature references are often written with abbreviated terms. Abbreviated journal titles can make finding a journal difficult. It is often necessary to know the full title in order to locate the journal. To find journal title abbreviations you could use:
- PubMed Journal Browser or All that JAS (Journal Abbreviation Sources)
- List of journals indexed in Index Medicus - in the Medical Library; current copy at REF AA6d LIS.
- Embase list of journals indexed - in the Medical Library at Ref AA6g EMT
- BIOSIS Serial Sources - in the Medical Library at Ref AA6d SER
- For older references try World list of scientific periodicals - in the Medical Library at Ref AA6d WOR
If you are unable to find the abbreviation you are looking for, please ask a member of the Library staff for assistance.
Unofficial abbreviations
Sometimes very short unofficial abbreviations are employed in reference books or journals. Here are some examples that you may encounter:
- AJCP - American journal of clinical pathology
- ABB - Archives of biochemistry and biophysics
- BBRC - Biochemical and biophysical research communications
- BBA - Biochimica et biophysica acta
- BDJ - British dental journal
- BJA - British journal of anasthesia
- BJC - British journal of cancer
- BJCP - British journal of clinical pharmacology
- BJO - British journal of ophthalmology
- BJR - British journal of radiology
- BMB - British medical bulletin
- BMJ - British medical journal
- EJN - European journal of neuroscience
- JAC - Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy
- JAAHA - Journal of the American Animal Hospital Association
- JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association
- JAVMA - Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association
- JSAP - Journal of small animal practice
- JBC - Journal of biological chemistry
- JBJS - Journal of bone and joint surgery
- JCI - Journal of clinical investigation
- JCP - Journal of clinical pathology
- JIDR - Journal of intellectual disability research
- JJATS - Journal of the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery
- JLR - Journal of lipid research
- JMB - Journal of molecular biology
- MMBR - Microbiology and molecular biology reviews
- MMWR - Morbidity and mortality weekly report
- MVR - Microvascular research
- MCB - Molecular and cellular biology
- MGG - Molecular and general genetics
- NEJM - New England journal of medicine
- PNAS - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
- PSEBM - Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine
- SAMJ - South African medical journal
Please note: these should not be used in the references that you write, unless they are stipulated by the body or journal that you are submitting your work to.