Statistics and Data Science Subject Guide

In APA citation style, the general format for citing datasets is as follows:

• Lastname, F. M. (Year). Title of Dataset (Version Number) [Data Set]. Publisher Name. https://doi.org/xxx

Here is an example of what a citation would look like in practice:

• O’Donohue, W. (2017). Content analysis of undergraduate psychology textbooks (ICPSR 36966; Version V1) [Data set]. ICPSR. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR36966.v1

Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind when creating citations:

• Many datasets may be created by organizations, rather than specific individuals; for instance, the creator of the dataset may be a government agency like the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. In this case, list the organization at the beginning of the citation, just like you would an individual creator.
• If a single organization is both the creator and publisher of the dataset, you do not need to list it in the citation twice. Instead, name the organization in the "creator" field at the beginning of the citation and skip the "Publisher Name" section of the citation.
• The bracketed section of the citation (where it says [Data set] in the example above) can be changed to suit your needs. For instance, you might write [Data set and code book] if you also used an accompanying codebook.

For additional questions about citing datasets, consult the citation guidelines from the APA website or reach out to your librarian.