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NIH Public Access Policy: Cite articles in your grant applications

The NIH Public Access Policy ensures that the public has access to the published results of NIH funded research.

How to cite an article in your grant application

(See also:  Manage Your Publications for information on the using NCBI's My Bibliography, required since July 23, 2010.)

NIH grant applications and biosketches must cite PubMed Central reference numbers (PMCID) for all articles accepted for publication on or after April 7, 2008 that resulted from your previous NIH grants.  (Note that the PMCID is NOT the same as the PMID [PubMed ID] found on all articles in PubMed.)

If a manuscript was submitted through the NIH Manuscript Submission System (NIHMS) and a PubMed Central reference number is not yet available, include the NIH Manuscript Submission System reference number (NIHMS ID) instead.

Example, before PMCID is available:

  • Cerrato, A., et al. Genetic interactions between Drosophila melanogaster menin and Jun/Fos. Dev Biol. 2006 Oct 1; 298(1): 59-70. NIHMSID: NIHMS44135

The same article, once the PMCID is available:

  • Cerrato, A., et al. Genetic interactions between Drosophila melanogaster menin and Jun/Fos. Dev Biol. 2006 Oct 1; 298(1): 59-70. PMCID: PMC2291284

If you publish in a journal that submits articles for you, a PMCID may not be assigned until several weeks after publication. During this time, please indicate compliance with the policy by indicating “PMC Journal - In Process”.

Example, before PMCID is available:

  • Sala-Torra, O., et al., Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression and outcome in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood. 2007 April 1; 109(7): 3080–3083. PMCID: PMC Journal - In Process

The same article, once the PMCID is available:

  • Sala-Torra, O., et al., Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) expression and outcome in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Blood. 2007 April 1; 109(7): 3080–3083. PMCID: PMC1852221

PubMed Central provides a useful PMID : PMCID Converter that will locate an articles PMCID based on it's PMID (PubMed ID).  If the PMCID is not yet available, the converter will give you the NIHMS ID instead.

Your Librarian Liaison can also help you find PMCID or NIHMS ID numbers.

NIH provides more information here.