Skip to Main Content
UWM Libraries Homepage

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>.