InfoGuides: Data Analytics Engineering: Write & Cite

Citing & Writing Help

Citation Managers

A citation manager can make your life a lot easier. It helps you organize your references and notes. It can help you format your paper. Zotero is my favorite, but please choose the one that best suits your needs and workflow.

Zotero

Zotero
You will need to download Zotero Standalone and you will need to install a connector for your favorite browser (with the exception of Safari). Be sure to watch the Zotero Part 1: First Steps video (3:47)
Manage Citations: Zotero (videos)
Contains 8 videos made by George Mason University Libraries. The videos are helpful for getting started with Zotero.
Zotero Documentation
HTML documentation for Zotero on zotero.org. Most of what you need to do can be found in the documentation.

Mendeley

Mendeley
You will need to download Mendeley Desktop and the Mendeley extension might be helpful. Please view the Mendeley guide for more information.

Mendeley User Guide
by Leigh Ann Skeen Last Updated Mar 30, 2022 24 views this year

Citation Tools or Generators

Online Writing Lab (OWL), Purdue University
Find APA, Chicago, and MLA style and citation resources at the OWL from Purdue.
ZoteroBib
ZoteroBib helps you build a bibliography instantly from any computer or device, without creating an account or installing any software.

Writing Help

Mason Writing Center
Provides students at all levels advise and help to become better writers. Check out their Writing Resources page and their services for Graduate Students.
Annotated Bibliographies (OWL)
Provides basic information about annotated bibliographies--what they are and how to create them. (OWL @ Purdue)
Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
Contains podcasts and blogs on different topics pertaining to grammar.

APA Citation Style

APA Resources

The Basics of APA Style, 7^th ed.
Interactive tutorial from APA.org.
The OWL APA Formatting & Style Guide
Learn how to format your paper in APA style and create your in-text citations and list of references. (Purdue University)
APA Style: References Guide
This page from the creators of APA style provides guidelines and tips on creating APA references.
Citation Generator (APA)
Use this free citation editor/generator to create APA citations when you need them. Copy citations and paste into reference list.

How to Cite a Data Set in APA Style
This blog post can help you figure out how to cite the data sets you used.
Data Set References
Demonstrates how to cite data sets in APA. Produced by APA.

Citing Data
by Wendy Mann Last Updated Jul 14, 2022 242 views this year

Citing Data

Citing your data source is just as important as citing your other research sources. For other scholars to be able to examine and extend your work, they must be able to find the original data.

Few citation style guides offer guidance on how to cite data. Use the key components listed below and work them into the style you're using. Please note, this set of recommendations should not be taken as the final word on styles. If you have a question, check with your faculty advisor or the publication where you hope to publish. Also consult the Citing Datasets subject guide.

Key Elements of a Data Citation
Author or Creator	The name(s) of each individual or organizational entity responsible for the creation of the dataset.
Title or Study Name	The title of the dataset, including the edition or version number, if applicable.
Publisher and/or Distributor	The organizational entity that makes the dataset available by archiving, producing, publishing, and/or distributing the dataset.
Publication Date	The date when the data set was published or released.
Location or Identifier	Web address OR unique, persistent, global identifier used to locate the dataset,. e.g., DOI or a handle. Append the date retrieved if the title and locator are not specific to the exact instance of the data you used.

Additional Elements for Data Citations
Version or Edition	The exact version or edition of the data set.
Access Date	Date of access for analysis. Needed to reproduce analysis of continuously updated dynamic datasets.
Format/Material Designator	Database, CD-ROM.
Feature Name	A description of the subset of the dataset used. May be a formal title or a list of variables.
Verifier	Used to confirm that two datasets are identical. Most commonly a UNF or MD5 checksum.
Series	Used if the dataset is part of series of releases (e.g. monthly, yearly).
Contributor	e.g. editor, compiler

(Source: http://datapub.cdlib.org/)