8. Cite data
You should cite any datasets you use in your reference list, just as you would books or journal articles.
Example of a data citation in APA 7th style
Rhodes, J. (2014). Spatial map of resistance estimates for the koala (Phascolarcotos cinereus) in South East Queensland. [Dataset]. The University of Queensland. https://doi.org/10.14264/uql.2014.6
Digital object identifier (DOI)
A DOI is a persistent identifier that takes you to the current URL of a resource.
Do you know how to find a resource using the DOI?
- Go to doi.org
- Enter the doi of the dataset from the previous example — 10.14264/uql.2014.6
- Click Submit.
It will open the dataset record in UQ eSpace.
Referencing styles
These Library referencing style guides include information on how to cite a dataset in that particular style:
If the style you use does not include specific information on how to cite datasets, cite the dataset elements in a similar manner to other formats in your style.
Standard elements
The standard elements to include in a data citation are:
- Author
- Year/Date
- Title
- Publisher
- DOI or URL.
The Elements of a data citation section in How to cite datasets and link to publications explains more about citing data.
The Data citation section, in our guide to managing research data, has more information on the importance of data citation.
