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Citing Sources: Citing Datasets

Citation format instruction for technical & scientific writing.
Citing Datasets

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