Why and how should I cite data?

Proper citation ensures that research data can be: discovered, reused, replicated for verification, credited for recognition, and tracked to measure usage and impact.

How to Cite Data

Citing data is straightforward. Each citation must include the basic elements that allow a unique dataset to be identified over time:

  • Author
  • Title
  • Distributor
  • Date
  • Version
  • Persistent identifier (such as the Digital Object Identifier, Uniform Resource Name URN, or Handle System)

For more information, see How to Cite Data Correctly.

Examples of data citation

Barnes, Samuel H. Italian Mass Election Survey, 1968. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 1992-02-16. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR07953.v1

Schneider, Barbara, and Waite, Linda J. The 500 Family Study [1998-2000: United States]. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2008-06-03. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR04549.v1

Federal Judicial Center. Judicial District Data Book, 1983: [United States]. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2006-01-18. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR08439.v1

Using Data Citations

If you formally cite research data, like you would cite an article, book, or other resource, we can find your publication and add it to the ICPSR Bibliography, linking it to the data you used. This gives credit to the data creator, and allows your readers to find the data underlying your conclusions.

Link to two posters created by ICPSR Metadata & Preservation staff, showing the variety of ways authors acknowledge data use. The first poster shows multiple ways in which ICPSR study DOIs are used, beyond acknowledging the data being analyzed in the publication. The second poster categorizes examples of the common ways that authors informally and opaquely cite data.

You can encourage responsible data reuse by citing data. As with any other source, in the body of your publication, include a shortened in-line citation referencing the data used in the author’s analysis. Then, in the References section, include the full citation, which can be found on each ICPSR study home page, and be sure to include the provided URL that contains the study’s registered DOI.