For assistance, reach out by chat below or submit a request
We can be reached by email at data.services@nyu.edu
Join our Discord server
If you've met with us before, tell us how we're doing
Staffed Hours: Summer 2022
Mondays: 12pm - 5pm
Tuesdays: 12pm - 5pm
Wednesdays: 12pm - 5pm
Thursdays: 12pm - 5pm
Fridays: 12pm - 4pm
All scholarly or academic work requires that you cite your sources, whether you are writing a long paper or a quick report. Why is citing your research so important?
Researching and writing a paper ideally involves a process of exploring and learning. By citing your sources, you are showing your reader how you came to your conclusions and acknowledging the other people's work that brought you to your conclusions. Citing sources:
Partially adapted from "When and Why to Cite Sources." SUNY Albany. 2008. Retrieved 14 Jan 2009.
Citation standards for data sets are still evolving, but you have a few options:
Remember that the purpose is to help your reader re-trace your steps. More information is better than less.
APA (American Psychological Association)
Point readers to raw data by providing a Web address (use "Retrieved from") or a general place that houses data sets on the site (use "Available from").
General format:
Author/Rightsholder. (Year). Title of data set (Version number) [Description of form]. Retrieved from http://
OR
Author/Rightsholder. (Year). Title of data set (Version number) [Description of form]. Location: Name of producer.
Examples:
United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2008). Indiana income limits [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.huduser.org/Datasets/IL/IL08/in_fy2008.pdf
Some data providers, such as archives or some government agencies, prefer that you cite their data a certain way. Look around on their webpage for clues.
For example, ICPSR provides a citation for each dataset on the Study Description page:
In this case, you can just copy and paste the citation right into your bibliography!