How to Cite a Dataset in APA

Datasets get the author, year, title, repository and DOI, which most repositories list under "Cite this dataset". This page follows APA 7th edition, 7th edition (2020).

APA format for a dataset

APA 7th edition

References entry

Fisher, R. A. (1988). Iris [Dataset]. UCI Machine Learning Repository. https://doi.org/10.24432/C56C76

In-text citation

(Fisher, 1988)

Style: APA 7th edition

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4 required fields are empty: the citation will be incomplete until you fill them in.

Author or organisation (required)

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Date published (required)

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Missing: most styles need this.

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Preview: APA 7th edition

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Your citations appear here, formatted in APA 7th edition. They are saved in this browser only: nothing is sent to us, and no account is needed.

    Where to find the details

    • Repositories such as Zenodo, Dryad, Figshare and the UCI repository show a DOI on the dataset page.

    Required in most styles: author or organisation, date published, dataset title, repository or publisher.

    Cite a dataset in another style

    Other sources

    Questions

    What do I need to cite a dataset in APA?

    At minimum: author or organisation, date published, dataset title, repository or publisher. Repositories such as Zenodo, Dryad, Figshare and the UCI repository show a DOI on the dataset page.

    What does a dataset look like in APA?

    References entry: Fisher, R. A. (1988). Iris [Dataset]. UCI Machine Learning Repository. https://doi.org/10.24432/C56C76 In-text citation: (Fisher, 1988)

    Is this free?

    Yes. No account and no limit. Your bibliography is saved in this browser only, and you can export it to Word, BibTeX, RIS or CSL-JSON.

    Citations are formatted by citeproc-js by Frank Bennett (CPAL-1.0, or AGPL-1.0), the engine behind Zotero and Mendeley, running the official Citation Style Language styles (10,863 styles, commit 2e93558) and locales (commit a89adec), used under CC BY-SA 3.0. AGLC4 citations use the LexIntellect AGLC4 engine, checked against the Guide's worked examples. Always check a citation against the manual or your institution's guide before you submit.