The minimum data required for an acceptable citation are the name(s) of the data creators(s), title of dataset, publisher, published date, and the URL/DOI where data was found.
Examples of how to cite 2020 National Census of Ferry Operators using seven different style manuals:
ACS Guide to Scholarly Communication
Find more information in section: 4.3.5.14 Data & Datasets
Author names are listed in inverted form with periods and spaces:
Surname, First Initial. Middle Initial., qualifier if applicable.
Section 4.3.4.1 Authorship for more information.
General Format:
Author1; Author2; et al. Title of dataset, ver. ##. Publisher, Published date (format Month Date, Year). DOI/URL
Example:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 2020 National Census of Ferry Operators, United Stated Department of Transportation, March 1, 2022. https://www.bts.gov/NCFO
AMA Manual of Style
The AMA Manual of Style 11th Edition does not specifically reference Datasets
Author names are listed in inverted form without periods and without spaces:
Surname, First Initial Middle Initial
Section 3.7 Authors for more information.
Depending on where dataset is stored will determine which formatting to use.
For the example of the National Census of Ferry Operators, it was found on a website so using the general format for a website as:
Author1, Author2. Title of dataset. Name of Website. Published date (format Month Date, Year). Updated date (format Month Date, Year). Accessed date (format Month Date, Year). DOI/URL
Example:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 2020 National Census of Ferry Operators. United Stated Department of Transportation. Updated March 3, 2022. Accessed June 10, 2022. https://www.bts.gov/NCFO
APA Publication Manual
Find more information in section: 10.9 Data sets
Author names are listed in inverted form with periods and spaces with an ampersand before final author's name.
Surname, First Initial. Middle Initial., qualifier if applicable.
Section 9.8 Format of the Author Element for more information
General Format:
Author 1, Author 2. (Year Published). Title of dataset (version #) [Data set]. Publisher Name. DOI/URL
Example:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics. (2022). 2020 National Census of Ferry Operators [Data set]. United States Department of Transportation. https://www.bts.gov/NCFO
Chicago Manual of Style
The Chicago Manual of Style does not specifically reference Datasets.
Authors names are given as they appear in the source itself. If more than one inventor - order is “Inventor1 Last Name, Inventor1 First name and Inventor 2 First Name Inventor 2 Last Name”
Sections 14.73 Form of author’s name and 15.12 Authors’ names in reference list entries for more information.
Author-Date References
Using the general format an Author-Date citation can be constructed as:
Author. Title of dataset. Place: Publisher, Year. URL/DOI.
Example:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 2020 National Census of Ferry Operators. Washington DC: United States Department of Transportation, 2022. https://www.bts.gov/NCFO.
Notes and Bibliography
Using the general format for Notes and Bibliography citations can be constructed as:
Author, Title of dataset (Place: Publisher, Year), URL/DOI.
Example:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2020 National Census of Ferry Operators (Washington DC: United States Department of Transportation, 2022), https://www.bts.gov/NCFO.
Scientific Style and Format: The CSE Manual
The CSE Manual does not specifically reference Datasets.
Author names are listed in inverted form without periods and without spaces:
Surname, First Initial Middle Initial
Section 29.3.6.1.1 Personal Authors for more information.
Citation–sequence and citation–name:
Using the general format a Citation–sequence and Citation–name citation can be constructed as :
Author1, Author2, et al. Dataset title. Publisher Location City (Location State): Publisher; Year [accessed date (format YYYY MMM DD)]. URL/DOI.
Example:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 2020 National Census of Ferry Operators. Washington DC: United States Department of Transportation; 2022 [accessed 2022 Jun 10]. https://www.bts.gov/NCFO.
Name–year:
Using the general format a Name-year citation can be constructed as :
Author1, Author2, et al.Year. Dataset title. Publisher Location City (Location State): Publisher; [accessed date (format YYYY MMM DD)]. URL/DOI.
Example:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 2022. 2020 National Census of Ferry Operators. Washington DC: United States Department of Transportation; [accessed 2022 Jun 10]. https://www.bts.gov/NCFO.
IEEE Guide to Writing in the Engineering & Technical Fields
The IEEE Guide to Writing does not specifically reference Datasets.
Author Names are listed in order with periods and spaces for first and middle names.
First Initial. Middle Initial. Surname.
Appendix: IEEE Style for References for more information
Using the general format for IEEE Citations it can be constructed as:
Author1, author2, et al., “Title of dataset,” Source, Publication date (Mon. DD, YYYY). [Online]. Available: URL/DOI
Example:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics, "2020 National Census of Ferry Operators," United States Department of Transportation, Mar. 01, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.bts.gov/NCFO
MLA Handbook 9th Ed.
The MLA Handbook does not specifically reference Datasets.
Inventor names are listed in inverted order with full first name and middle initial
Surname, First Name Middle Initial.
Chapter 5.5 Author: How to Style It of MLA Handbook 9th Edition for more information
Using the MLA Format Template it can be constructed as:
Author. Title of dataset. Publisher, Publication Date, Location. Publisher name, Date of publication (format DD Month YYYY), location. doi/url of data
Example:
Bureau of Transportation Statistics. 2020 National Census of Ferry Operators. United States Department of Transportation, 01 March, 2022, Washington DC. https://www.bts.gov/NCFO