Dataset Citation Generator
Cite a dataset you analysed or took figures from. Enter the creator, the year, the dataset's title, the repository and its DOI or link, and get the reference and in-text citation in APA 7, MLA 9, Chicago 18 and 10,834 other styles. Free, no sign-up.
How to Use the Dataset Citation Generator
- 1. Find the creator and the year. Look at the repository page for the dataset: the creator is the person, lab or agency who produced the data, and the year is when it was published or last released. A repository is not the creator.
- 2. Fill in the details. The generator opens on Manual Entry with the source type set to Dataset. Type the title, the creator in Author(s), the year, the repository in Publisher / Site and the DOI or link. Type Data set in Format / medium.
- 3. Pick a style. Choose APA, MLA, Chicago or any of the 10,834 styles. The reference and its in-text citation appear together.
- 4. Add a version or retrieval date if the data changes. If the dataset is updated, name the version you used in the title and check whether your style wants a retrieval date.
What a Dataset Citation Contains
| Element | Where to find it | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Creator | The repository page, the DOI landing page, or the data paper | A person, a team or an organization |
| Year | Publication or release date of the version used | Not the year you downloaded it |
| Title | The dataset's own name | Not the paper that describes it |
| Version | The version or release number | APA puts it in parentheses after the title |
| Format label | Data set | APA puts it in square brackets after the title |
| Repository | Zenodo, UCI, Kaggle, ICPSR, an agency's portal | Where the data can be retrieved |
| DOI or URL | The persistent link | A DOI is always better than a URL |
APA 7 has a dedicated format for datasets. Neither the MLA Handbook nor the Chicago Manual has a dataset example, so MLA and Chicago apply their general rules for a web document. Ask your instructor which they prefer.
Dataset Citation Examples
The classic Iris dataset, as published in the UCI Machine Learning Repository.
APA 7th edition
Reference list:
Fisher, R. A. (1988). Iris [Data set]. UCI Machine Learning Repository. https://doi.org/10.24432/C56C76
In-text (parenthetical):
(Fisher, 1988)
In-text (narrative):
Fisher (1988)
MLA 9th edition
Works Cited:
Fisher, R. A. “Iris.” Data set. UCI Machine Learning Repository, 1988, https://doi.org/10.24432/C56C76.
In-text citation:
(Fisher)
Chicago 18th edition (notes and bibliography)
Footnote:
R. A. Fisher, “Iris,” Data set, UCI Machine Learning Repository, 1988, https://doi.org/10.24432/C56C76.
Bibliography:
Fisher, R. A. “Iris.” Data set. UCI Machine Learning Repository, 1988. https://doi.org/10.24432/C56C76.
APA leaves out the repository when it is the same as the author, so a dataset an agency publishes itself reads Agency. (Year). Title [Data set]. URL.
Common Mistakes
- Citing the paper instead of the data. If you used the data, cite the dataset. If you also rely on the paper that describes it, cite both.
- Naming Kaggle as the author. Kaggle hosts the data; the creator is the person or organization who uploaded the work. A dataset with no named creator takes the uploader's account name.
- Using the download date as the year. Use the year of the release you used.
- Leaving out the version. Datasets are revised; the version tells readers exactly which data you analysed.
- Using a URL when there is a DOI. The DOI stays valid when the repository moves.
Which Tool Do You Need?
| You have | Use |
|---|---|
| A dataset in a repository, on Kaggle or on an agency site | This page |
| A report that describes a study | Report Citation Generator |
| A DOI of any kind | DOI Citation Generator |
| Statistical tables on a government site | Website Citation Generator |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I cite a dataset in APA 7?
- Give the creator, the year, the dataset's title in italics, the version in parentheses if there is one, [Data set], the repository and the DOI or URL: Fisher, R. A. (1988). Iris [Data set]. UCI Machine Learning Repository. https://doi.org/10.24432/C56C76. In text: (Fisher, 1988).
- How do I cite a Kaggle dataset?
- Use the uploader or the organization that made the data as the creator, the dataset's title, the year it was published, Kaggle as the repository and the dataset's page as the URL. If a DOI is shown on the page, use it instead of the URL.
- How do I cite a dataset in MLA 9 or Chicago?
- Neither manual has a dedicated dataset example. Treat it as a web document: creator, title, the repository as publisher, the year and the link. The generator does this and labels the work as a data set.
- Do I need a retrieval date for a dataset?
- Only if the data changes and there is no version or dated release. A numbered version or a DOI is better than a retrieval date, because it identifies exactly what you used.
- Who is the author of a dataset?
- The person, team or organization that created it. A government agency is the author of its own data. If several people are named, list them as for any source.
- Which citation styles does the dataset generator support?
- APA 7, MLA 9 and Chicago 18 at the top of the list, and any of the other 10,834 styles. Switch the style and the same details are reformatted.
Related Tools
How to cite a Dataset in each style
Format rules, templates, and worked examples for the styles most often required.