A dataset is a source of information that is not our own, and thus if we use a secondary data source then we should acknowledge it as such. If the failure to properly cite a publication is an academic breach, then failure to cite data should be considered in the same way.
Why is this so important?
In addition to acknowledging the work of authorship or middle east rcs data ownership, there is another fundamental reason why poor levels of data citation is something that should concern the research community: impact. All parties in the research community must demonstrate their impact –individual researchers, research centres, data archives and the survey teams who collect and produce the data. Very simply – demonstrated impact equals continued funding!
Social surveys are a vital source of information – they inform policy and they highlight social inequalities and issues, but they are expensive and labour intensive to run.
One of the key ways that they can prove their impact is through demonstrating how many publications cite their data. And herein lies the problem: if data is not correctly and consistently cited, the ability of the survey team to prove their impact is greatly impaired and future levels of funding may be affected as a result. In an economy marked by tightened budgets, it is now more important than ever to ensure that researchers are citing the data they use.