Step 4: Refer to your data¶

Once published, your dataset becomes a citable research output that can be referred to in articles, books, dissertations, reports, and other scholarly publications.

This step explains:

• What happens after publication.

• Why datasets should be cited.

• How to cite a published dataset.

• How to refer to datasets in a publication.

• How to refer to a dataset before publication.

• How versioning affects dataset citation.

After publication¶

When the dataset is published:

• The DOI becomes active.

• The dataset becomes publicly accessible.

• The dataset becomes searchable in DataverseNO and external discovery services.

• The dataset can be cited and shared as research output.

Why cite datasets¶

Research data should be cited in the same way as other scholarly outputs such as journal articles, books, software, or reports.

Data citation serves several purposes:

• It gives credit to dataset creators.

• It enables others to locate the exact data used.

• It supports transparency and reproducibility.

• It helps establish links between publications and underlying research data.

As a general rule, if a publication relies on a dataset, the dataset should be cited.

How to cite a published dataset¶

Once a dataset has been published, a recommended citation is displayed in the citation box on the dataset landing page. To find it:

• Open the dataset landing page.

• Locate the blue citation box near the top of the page.

• Copy the citation and adapt it if required by the citation style used by the publication venue.

How to refer to datasets in a publication¶

Datasets should normally be referred to in three ways:

In the reference list¶

Include a full dataset citation in the reference list, just as you would for an article, book, or other cited work.

Example, APA Style, 7th edition:

Hansen, L. M., Berg, S. E., & Nilsen, T. R. (2026). Bird observations from Northern Norway, 2018-2024 (Version 1) [Data set]. DataverseNO. https://doi.org/10.18710/ABCDE1

In the text¶

Refer to the dataset in the text using the citation style required by the publication venue.

Example, APA Style, 7th edition:

The underlying data are available in Hansen et al. (2026).

Example, parenthetical citation:

The underlying data have been published in DataverseNO (Hansen et al., 2026).

In the Data Availability statement¶

Many journals, publishers, and funders require a dedicated Data Availability Statement.

When a dataset has been published, the statement should normally refer to the dataset DOI. Where publisher requirements differ, follow the instructions provided by the publisher.

Example:

The data supporting the findings of this study are available in DataverseNO:

Hansen, L. M., Berg, S. E., & Nilsen, T. R. (2026). Bird observations from Northern Norway, 2018-2024 (Version 1) [Data set]. DataverseNO. https://doi.org/10.18710/ABCDE1

Referring to a dataset before publication¶

In some situations, a dataset may need to be referred to and shared before it has been published in DataverseNO, for example during manuscript review when providing access to editors, reviewers, or collaborators.

In these cases, DataverseNO can provide a preview URL that grants access to an unpublished dataset draft. If you need to share a dataset before publication, please contact your local user support.

The guidance below explains how to refer to draft datasets and how citations should be adapted when double-blind peer review requires author anonymity.

Draft datasets under review¶

At the draft stage:

• The DOI has been assigned.

• The DOI has not yet been activated.

• The dataset has not yet been published.

A draft dataset may therefore be referred to in manuscripts under review, but the reference must clearly indicate that the dataset is still a draft.

Double-blind peer review¶

If the manuscript is subject to double-blind review, identifying information must be removed.

In such cases:

• Inform the curator through the Related Publication field or directly.

• The curator can assist in creating an anonymized review version of the dataset.

• The manuscript should use an anonymized dataset citation.

After the manuscript is accepted, this citation should be replaced with the normal citation containing the authors' names.

Updating citations after publication¶

If a manuscript cites a draft dataset during peer review, the citation should be updated once the dataset has been published.

Typical changes include:

• Replace Draft version with Version 1.

• Restore author names if anonymization was used.

• Update the publication year if necessary.

Example:

Before publication, APA Style, 7th edition:
Anonymous. (2026). Bird observations from Northern Norway, 2018-2024 (Draft version) [Data set]. DataverseNO. https://doi.org/10.18710/ABCDE1

After publication, APA Style, 7th edition:
Hansen, L. M., Berg, S. E., & Nilsen, T. R. (2026). Bird observations from Northern Norway, 2018-2024 (Version 1) [Data set]. DataverseNO. https://doi.org/10.18710/ABCDE1

Dataset citation and versioning¶

Datasets in DataverseNO can be updated after publication. For information about updating datasets and dataset versioning, see Step 5: Modify your data.

When changes are approved and published:

• A new version of the dataset is created.

• Older versions remain available.

• The DOI remains unchanged.

• The version number may be updated.

The purpose of versioning is to allow readers to identify the exact version used in a study.

Version 1, APA Style, 7th edition:
Hansen, L. M., Berg, S. E., & Nilsen, T. R. (2026). Bird observations from Northern Norway, 2018-2024 (Version 1) [Data set]. DataverseNO. https://doi.org/10.18710/ABCDE1

Version 2, APA Style, 7th edition:
Hansen, L. M., Berg, S. E., & Nilsen, T. R. (2027). Bird observations from Northern Norway, 2018-2024 (Version 2) [Data set]. DataverseNO. https://doi.org/10.18710/ABCDE1

Need help?¶

If you are unsure how to cite a dataset, refer to a dataset during peer review, or handle dataset versioning, please contact your local user support.

Ready for the next step?¶

Datasets can be updated after publication when metadata, documentation, or files need to be corrected or expanded. Proceed to:

Step 5: Modify your data