Guide for Data Citation
CESSDA (Consortium of European Social Science Data Archives) has published a guide for data citation. The guide includes recommendations to make data citation easier and to promote the practice of data citation.
1. august 2025
CESSDA's guide for data citation was developed by a working group where Sikt participated. Like CESSDA, the working group consists of members from social science research archives across Europe.
The goal is to promote data citation, as citing research data is less common compared to citing other scientific publications.
Why should data be cited?
Collecting, processing, documenting, and sharing research data is time- and resource-intensive. Therefore this work should be recognized in the same way as other scientific publications – through proper citation.
Data citation is important in making data FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable). Proper citation ensures that data is easier to locate and promotes openness and transparency. This is essential for enabling data reuse or replicating research results.
Who is the guide relevant for?
CESSDA's guide for data citation includes a range of recommendations to promote data citation for the following stakeholders: research data archives, article authors, journals and publishers, research institutions, as well as research funding and policy organizations and research ethics committees.
The guide also provides information on why data citation is important and what components a data citation should include.
See CESSDA's guide for Data Citation