Citation Help: Citing Data

Citation Elements

There are 5 core elements of a dataset citation, with additional elements added as needed. All elements should be arranged according to the citation style you are using (MLA, APA, etc.).

• Creator(s) – individuals or organizations
• Title
• Publication year when the dataset was released (may be different from the Access date)
• Publisher – the data center, archive, or repository
• Identifier – a unique public identifier (e.g., an ARK or DOI)

Some additional elements may be needed if you are citing a dynamic/evolving dataset or a subset of a larger dataset:

• Version of the dataset analyzed in the citing paper
• Access date when the data was accessed for analysis in the citing paper
• Subset of the dataset analyzed (e.g., a range of dates or record numbers, a list of variables)
• Verifier that the dataset or subset accessed by a reader is identical to the one analyzed by the author (e.g., a Checksum)
• Location of the dataset on the internet, needed if the identifier is not "actionable" (convertible to a web address)

If you are creating a citation for your own data, many data repositories and publishers provide specific instructions for how to cite their data. If no citation information is provided, you can use generally agreed-upon guidelines.

Examples

APA

Reference List

Bartecchi, D. (2021, August 19). Tribal ownership by state-county [data set]. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Indian Affairs [producer]. Fort Collins, CO: Native Lands Advocacy Project [distributor]. Retrieved October 13, 2021 from https://data.nativeland.info/dataset/2019-tribal-land-ownership-by-state

In-text Citation

(Bartecchi, 2021)

Chicago AD

Reference List

Bartecchi, David. 2021. Tribal Ownership by State-County. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Indian Affairs. Distributed by Fort Collins, CO: Native Lands Advocacy Project. Accessed October 13, 2021. https://data.nativeland.info/dataset/2019-tribal-land-ownership-by-state

In-text Citation

(Bartecchi 2021)

MLA

Works Cited List

Bartecchi, David. Tribal Ownership by State-County. Washington, D.C.: Bureau of Indian Affairs [producer]. Fort Collins, CO: Native Lands Advocacy Project [distributor]. Aug. 2021. data.nativeland.info/dataset/2019-tribal-land-ownership-by-state. Accessed October 13, 2021.

In-text Citation

(Bartecchi)