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