How to Cite Published Datasets
Learn how to properly cite formally published research datasets in APA format.
Basic Format
Author(s). (Year). Title of dataset [Data set]. Publisher/Repository. DOI or URL
Author(s). (Year). Title of dataset [Data set]. Database Name. Accession No.
Examples
Dataset with DOI
Smith, J. D., & Johnson, K. L. (2023). Global climate patterns dataset 1990-2020 [Data set]. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1234567
Dataset in Repository
National Center for Environmental Information. (2022). U.S. hourly precipitation data [Data set]. NOAA. https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/precipitation-hourly/
Dataset with Accession Number
Zhang, X., & Liu, Y. (2023). Human genome sequencing data [Data set]. GenBank. Accession No. MN908947
Key Elements
Dataset Information
- Include [Data set] in square brackets after title
- Specify version number if available
- Add data collection date range
- Note any subset information
Repository Details
- Use official repository name
- Include persistent identifiers
- Add database-specific information
- Note institutional affiliations
Access Information
- Provide DOI when available
- Include stable URLs
- Add accession numbers
- Note access requirements
Special Cases
Additional Guidelines
- For dynamic datasets, include access date
- Note any data embargoes or restrictions
- Include funding information if required
- Specify data collection methodology if relevant
In-Text Citations
First Citation
Use the full author name(s):
Smith and Johnson (2023) provided data showing...
Subsequent Citations
Use standard author-date format:
The analysis of climate patterns (Smith & Johnson, 2023) revealed...
Data Citations Best Practices
Version Control
- Cite specific version used
- Include version numbers
- Note any updates or revisions
- Track changes between versions
Documentation
- Reference related publications
- Include methodology papers
- Link to data dictionaries
- Note supplementary materials
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Don't omit [Data set] designation
- Don't use unstable or temporary URLs
- Don't forget to specify version information
- Don't ignore repository-specific citation guidelines
- Don't mix different citation formats