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Finding and Using GIS Data

The AGS Library's Guide to Finding GIS data and working with it for your specific project needs

Citing Data and Statistics

A general format for citing datasets:

Format:

  • Creator (PublicationYear): Title. Publisher. Identifier
  • Creator (PublicationYear): Title. Version. Publisher. ResourceType. Identifier

Example:

Lowe T, Garwood RJ, Simonsen TJ, Bradley RS, Withers PJ (2013) Data from: Metamorphosis revealed: time-lapse three-dimensional imaging inside a living chrysalis. Dryad Digital Repository. doi:10.5061/dryad.b451g

Citing Data

Format:

  • Author. (Year). Title of data set (Version number) [Description of form]. Location: Name of producer.
  • Author. (Year). Title of data set (Version number) [Description of form]. Retrieved from http://
  • Author. (Year). Title of data set (Version number) [Description of form]. doi:xxx.

Example:

Lowe, Tristan, Garwood, Russell J., Simonsen, Thomas J., Bradley, Robert S., and Withers, Philip J. (2013). Data from: Metamorphosis revealed: time-lapse three-dimensional imaging inside a living chrysalis. [Dataset]. doi:10.5061/dryad.b451g

Citing Statistics

In text format:

  • (Author, Year, Table #)

Bibliography format:

  • Author. (Year). Title of entry. In Editor (Eds.), Title of reference book (pp. xxx-xxx). Retrieved from http://.
  • Author. (Year). Title of entry. In Editor (Eds.), Title of reference book (pp. xxx-xxx). Location: Publisher.
  • Author. (Year). Title of entry. In Editor (Eds.), Title of reference book (pp. xxx-xxx). doi:xxxx.

Examples:

(U.S. Census Bureau, 2012, Table 270)

U.S. Census Bureau. (2012) "Table 270. Public High School Graduates by State: 1980 to 2009." In U.S. Census Bureau (131st ed.), Statistical Abstract of the United States. Retreived from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0270.pdf.

Citing Data

Format:

  • Author. Title. Version. Source, Year. Medium of publication.
  • Author. Title. Version. Source, Year. Web. Access Date.
  • Author. Title. Version. Source, Year. Web. Access Date. <URL>.

Example:

Lowe, Tristan et al. “Data from: Metamorphosis Revealed: Time-lapse Three-dimensional Imaging Inside a Living Chrysalis.” Dryad Digital Repository, 2013. Web. 24 October 2013.

Citing Statistics

Format:

  • Author. "Title of entry." Title of book. Edition. Ed. Editor's name(s). Place of publication: Publisher, Year. Page range. Medium of publication.
  • Author. "Title of entry." Title of book. Edition. Ed. Editor's name(s). Place of publication: Publisher, Year. Page range. Medium of publication. Date of access.
  • Author. "Title of entry." Title of book. Edition. Ed. Editor's name(s). Place of publication: Publisher, Year. Page range. Medium of publication. Date of access. <URL>.

Example:

U.S. Census Bureau. "Table 270. Public High School Graduates by State: 1980 to 2009." Statistical Abstract of the United States. 131st ed. U.S. Census Bureau. Washington D.C.: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012. Web. 25 October 2013. <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0270.pdf>.