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EXER 4286: Exercise Prescription

MSSE Citation Style

The standard citation style used in exercise science is the style used in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (MSSE). MSEE citation style is based on the NLM (National Library of Medicine) style, which is the option you can choose in citation management software like EndNote.

Some helpful resources for MSSE style are linked below in the MSSE Style Resources section.

In-text citations in MSSE style should be numbered, with the full reference appearing in the reference list:

  • In-text reference citations shall be baseline in parentheses, not superscripts [e.g., (14,15), not 14,15] Example: An exercise prescription includes the intensity, duration, and frequency of activity, which must provide a sufficient stimulus to evoke positive adaptations (7).

Here are some examples of how to cite commonly-referenced types of sources in the text of your paper reference list (examples are from Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise - Information for Authors - 2. Manuscript Submission Requirements and Preparation).

  • The reference list should be in order of citation (rather than in alphabetic order) and numbered.
  • Use of et al.—If fewer than seven (7) authors are listed, all should be mentioned. When seven or more authors are named, list only the first three.

Journal Article:
Blair SN, Ellsworth NM, Haskell WL, Stern MP, Farguhar JW, Wood PD. Comparison of nutrient intake in middle-aged men and women runners and controls. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1981;13(5):310–5.

E-Journal Article:
Vickers AJ. Time course of muscle soreness following different types of exercise. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders [Internet]. 2001 [cited 2001 May 31];2(5). Available from: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/2/5. doi:10.1186/1471-2474-2-5.

Book:
Cohen J. Statistical Power Analysis for the Behavioral Sciences. 2nd ed. Hillsdale (NJ): Lawrence Erlbaum Associates; 1988. 567 p.

Paffenbarger RS, Hyde RT, Wing AL. Physical activity and physical fitness as determinants of health and longevity. In: Bouchard C, Shephard RJ, Stephens T, Sutton JR, McPherson BD, editors. Exercise, Fitness, and Health. Champaign: Human Kinetics; 1990. p. 33–48.

Conference Proceedings:
Matthie JR, Withers PO, Van Loan MD, Mayclin PL. Development of a commercial complex bio-impedance spectroscopic (CBIS) system for determining intracellular water (ICW) and extracellular water (ECW) volumes. In: Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Electrical Bio-impedance; 1992 Jul 28-31: Kuopio (Finland). University of Kuopio; 1992. p. 203–5.

Doctoral Dissertation:
Crandall C. Alterations in human baroreceptor reflex regulation of blood pressure following 15 days of simulated microgravity exposure [dissertation]. Fort Worth (TX): University of North Texas; 1993. 100 p.

Government Report:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; 2004. 436 p. Available from: U.S. GPO, Washington.

Website home page:
American Heart Association Web site [Internet]. Dallas (TX): American Heart Association; [cited 2006 Jan 1]. Available from: http://www.americanheart.org.

Abstract:
(An abstract can be cited when it is the only source of information.) Kelley KM, Hamann JJ, Aschenbach WG, Gladden LB. Canine gastrocnemius muscle in situ: O2max [abstract]. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996;28(5):S62.

Letter to the Editor:
Stöhr EJ, Balmain BN. Regarding high-intensity interval training and left ventricular mechanics [letter]. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(11):2423.

Non-Refereed Journal/Magazine:
Funnell MP, Mears SA, James LJ. Dehydration and endurance performance: why hasn’t research in this area dried up? The Sport and Exercise Scientist. 2018 Autumn;57:10-11.

Lisanti J. The fittest 50. Sports Illustrated. 2019 Jan 14;130(1):52-55.

Prereview/Preprint:
Pethick J, Casselton C, Winter SL, Burnley M. Ischaemic pre-conditioning attenuates fatigue-induced loss of knee extensor torque complexity during submaximal intermittent isometric contractions [Internet]. SportRxiv; 2019. Available from: osf.io/preprints/sportrxiv/mcpjz.

MSSE Style Resources