While a lot of attention is paid to finding and using datasets, it is just as critical to attribute the information properly and cite it. Each discipline or publication seems to have its own convention for citing either in reference lists or in text.
Here are some sources that may provide assistance:
Data repositories and scholarly data sites may also provide a preferred citation for a dataset. Here are few that are core in policy sciences:
Different citation styles will also offer guidance on how to cite data:
The US Census is the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy. They collect data through the Decennial Census of Population and Housing, Economic Census, Census of Governments, American Community Survey and other programs.