Data Citation

This webpage explains what Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) are, how they fit within the bigger pictures of Persistent Identifiers and Data Citation, the role ANDS plays in this process and where to get more information.

Expanded page with more resources: http://ands.org.au/cite-data/resources.html

What is Data Citation?

Data Citation Poster (PDF)

Data citation refers to the practice of providing a reference to data in the same way as researchers routinely provide a bibliographic reference to printed resources. An important aim of ANDS is to enable more researchers to re-use research data more often. To achieve this aim ANDS is engaged in activities that will make it easier to share data, to recognise the importance of making data available and to make data citation a standard procedure. More >>

CrossRef Animation

The need to cite data is starting to be recognised as one of the key practices underpinning the recognition of data as a primary research output rather than as a by-product of research.

If datasets are routinely cited they will start to achieve a validity and significance within the scholarly communications cycle.
Citation of data could enable recognition of scholarly effort in disciplines and organisations that want to acknowledge and reward data outputs.
Using DOIs will establish easier access to research data on the Internet, and
- Increase the acceptance of research data as legitimately citable contribution to the scientific record,
- Support data archiving thus permitting results to be verified and re-purposed for future study.
- Enable data citation metrics using DOIs to be tracked (as is done with articles) More>>

Benefits of Adding DOIs to
Finalised Datasets - Poster(PDF)

Data Citation benefits for Researchers

(Information from Oak Ridge / NASA poster)

Makes data publications more acceptable for CVs and creates more recognitions for data sharing
Provides a means of tracking publications who are using or citing researchers dataset
Can search for DOIs in search engines to find grey literature
Journals are more accepting of DOIs More>>

To be cited accurately and to ensure other researchers can find your dataset in the future, datasets need one or more identifiers (preferably a persistent identifier) to be attached to the dataset. Research data outputs don't stay in the one place: they have a lifecycle which involves the data moving around. Persistent identifier links to the data outputs shouldn't break, whether they are raw data or publications.

There are many types of persistent identifiers which can be used to uniquely identify data and datasets. Some institutions may use several different types of persistent identifiers. Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) are a robust persistent identifier which will be available through the ANDS Cite My Data Services from the end of 2011. More >>

A DOI Name is a Persistent Identifier, but also provides extra benefits.

DOI Names can be used to uniquely identify either digital or non-digital objects, whether or not they have any internet presence.
DOI Names are supported by the International DOI Foundation (IDF) and Registration Agencies infrastructure, which provides ongoing DOI services and allows for a high level of confidence in the quality and accuracy of DOI Names.
DOIs are used by CrossRef and other publishers to track citation metrics.

DOIs are intended to be persistent. The DOI name syntax is a NISO standard which also allows the incorporation of any form of existing identifier. The DOI name suffix can be any alphanumeric string that the Registrant chooses. This can simply be a sequential number, or it can make use of an existing (legacy) identifier.

Example DOIs for datasets: doi:10.4232/1.10079 -or- doi:10.1594/WDCC/dphase_mpeps

Note: Currently the Cite My Data service will mint DOI suffixes in the form of random digits. This policy will be revisited in future releases of the service. More >>

Data citation standards vary across disciplines. However, DataCite has undertaken some work in this area and recommends the following formats as appropriate.

Creator (Publication Year): Title. Publisher. Identifier

Denhard, Michael (2009): dphase_mpeps: MicroPEPS LAF‐Ensemble run by DWD for the MAP D‐PHASE project. World Data Center for Climate. doi:10.1594/WDCC/dphase_mpeps

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

ISSP Research Group: International Social Survey Programme 2007: Leisure Time and Sports (ISSP 2007). GESIS Data Archive, Cologne, Germany, ZA4850 Data file Vers. 2.0.0,doi:10.4232/1.10079

More >>

ANDS is a member of DataCite
ANDS has joined DataCite, a group of leading research libraries and technical information providers, that aims to make it easier for research datasets to be handled as independent, citable, unique scientific objects via the use of DOIs. ANDS is also participating in the DataCite Metadata Standards Working Group.

Cite My Data service
The ANDS Cite My Data service is offered to Australian research sector organizations who need to manage citations to their datasets. There is no charge for using this service. The Cite My Data service is built on the global DataCite data citation infrastructure . ANDS is currently the only Australian member of the DataCite Consortium

ANDS is keen to provide a service which helps Australian researchers, research organisations and discipline communities to address some of the policy, workflows and scholarly communications issues around data citation. The service would support research organisations to:
- Develop and implement policy
- Build consensus on citation practice
- Trial self- data citation in journal articles
- Track third party data citation
- Provide input into trials with automated data citation indexation services

ANDS is still exploring service provision opportunities in this area - we would appreciate your interest, feedback and input. Please email: contact@ands.org.au

ANDS has a wealth of material and services to support the use of DOI's in promoting reusability and connectedness of Australian research data:

Institutional policy and procedures. More >>
IT Tools & Infrastructure (software and hardware). More >>
Support services (people and advice). More >>

Data citation workshop at eResearch Australasia 2011. More>>

Information available elsewhere:

On the ANDS website:

Data management: planning, policies, procedures More>>
IT: the data Curation Continuum More>>
Licensing to encourage the reuse of data More>>
Research data policy and the Australian Code for the Resonsible Conduct of Research More>>

External:

QUT library blog post - link your publications to your data