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Formal reference to datasets that gives credit, enables discovery, and supports reproducibility.
DESCRIPTION
Data citation provides standardized references to datasets, similar to scholarly citations for articles. It uses persistent identifiers (e.g., DOIs), clear creators, titles, versions, and access details to support credit, discovery, and reproducibility. Principles like FORCE11’s JDDCP guide practice across disciplines. Repositories and catalogs automate citation generation and metadata capture. Good data citation strengthens incentives for data sharing and reuse.
ALTERNATIVE DEFINITIONS
Wikipedia
Data citation is the practice of providing a reference to data in the same way that researchers routinely provide a bibliographic reference to printed sources.
Frames data citation as analogous to traditional scholarly citation.
DataCite
Data citation is the practice of providing persistent identifiers for datasets along with descriptive metadata to facilitate discovery, attribution, and reuse.
Emphasizes persistent identifiers and metadata for reuse and credit.
RELATED TERMS
Digital Object Identifier FAIR Principles Data Repository Provenance Reproduction Metadata Data Sharing Persistent Identifier ORCID Data Discovery Platform
COMPETING TERMS
Data Attribution
KNOWLEDGE AREAS
Metadata Management Data Management Collaboration
TARGET AUDIENCE
Data Steward Data Scientist Information Analyst Data Governance Manager Chief Data Officer
EXTERNAL SOURCES
- Wikipedia - Data citation
- FORCE11 - Joint Declaration of Data Citation Principles
- GO FAIR - FAIR principles for data stewardship
TOP QUESTIONS
Why is Data Citation important?
It gives credit to data creators, enables discovery and reuse, and supports reproducibility. Proper citation also incentivizes data sharing.
Category: Relevancy
What elements belong in a Data Citation?
Creators, title, year, version, repository, and a persistent identifier like a DOI, plus access date for mutable datasets.
Category: Requirements
How do persistent identifiers help Data Citation?
They provide stable, resolvable links to datasets, ensuring durability and unambiguous reference across systems.
Category: Standards
What are common mistakes in Data Citation?
Citing only a URL, omitting versioning, or missing creators undermines credit, stability, and reproducibility.
Category: Mistakes
How does Data Citation support reproducible research?
Precise references to exact dataset versions and access locations make analyses verifiable and repeatable.
Category: Benefits
Where can I get a DOI for my dataset?
Use repositories and registries like DataCite member repositories, Zenodo, Figshare, or institutional archives.
Category: Getting Started
What is the JDDCP in Data Citation?
FORCE11’s Joint Declaration of Data Citation Principles outlines community-agreed guidance for effective, consistent data citation.
Category: Standards
How do catalogs help automate Data Citation?
They generate recommended citations from metadata and mint persistent IDs, reducing manual errors and inconsistency.
Category: Tools
What is the relationship between Data Citation and FAIR?
Citation complements FAIR by promoting findability and reusability through identifiers, metadata, and provenance.
Category: Concept