HOW TO CITE COMPUTER FILES (Draft 18 Oct 1994 version)
Bibliographic citations for computer files.
Authors:
Laine G.M. Ruus
Data Library Service
University of Toronto
(laine@vm.utcc.utoronto.ca)
Anna Bombak
Data Library
University of Alberta
(abombak@vm.ucs.ualberta.ca)
5th. draft ed. 17/10/94
Introduction
Increasing use is being made of computer-readable information in academic
research, whether it be in the form of statistical analysis of
research data, the use of software to aid analysis,
or the use of electronic periodicals, monographs,
papers, texts, reference or bibliographic databases, or even
electronic mail as primary or secondary source material. As with
any other physical form of published or unpublished information
(manuscripts, audio recordings, etc.), computer files used as
primary or secondary sources in research, or mentioned in scholarly
writing of any sort, should be acknowledged in bibliographies and
references.
To do so ensures that authors of computer-readable works, such
as data files, etc., receive due acknowledgement.
Often the creation of a clean data file, with comprehensive
documentation and usable by other researchers is as much if not
more work than producing a monograph or periodical article, as
is the work involved in the creation of a unique software product.
Citing computer-readable works also ensures that readers have all
relevant information needed to obtain a copy of the same source(s)
for further information or for independent judgement or analysis.
A third function of creating citations for computer-readable
works is to ensure that these citations are included in
citation indices.
There is no universal standard for citing computer files as yet.
The purpose
of this document is to outline and provide examples of the fields
of information which will unambiguously identify computer files in
citations. The order of fields, and punctuation, are normally
specified by individual style manuals, some of which are listed in
the references which follow.
In compiling the following recommended fields and examples, a
number of sources were consulted. Most sources currently available
focus on the citation of reference materials (e.g. bibliographic
databases) in computer-readable form, and do not adequately treat
research data. Hence this document.
Citations generally have two components: a set of fields which serve
to identify the work uniquely, and additional fields which
provide the information needed to locate a copy of the same work.
The fields which should be used to cite a computer
file are much the same as those used to cite other formats.
The problem with computer files is often identifying this
information. You should include all relevant information, taking it
from either the file or resource itself (if given), or from the
accompanying codebook, manual or other documentation where
appropriate. Other possible sources of identifying
information fields are listings or catalogues of data files or
electronic resources by the same producer or distributor, or even
labels on the outside of a cd-rom or floppy disk. Wherever
possible, give the information as provided by the author, the
producer, or the distributor.
N.B. When citing a computer-readable work which is accompanied
by documentation (e.g. a
codebook, or user manual, etc.), cite the computer
file, not the accompanying documentation, unless it is only the
accompanying documentation that you have used.
Basic Identifying information
1. Who is the author? Give the full name of the author(s),
principal investigator(s), or corporate body or issuing agency
responsible for the intellectual content of the file(s), if known.
E.g. Environment Canada. Atmospheric Environment Service
Davis, James Allan, et al.
2. What is it called? Give the full title, including subtitle(s),
descriptive phrases, dates, geographic information, etc.
If it does not have a discernible title, create as descriptive a
title as you can, and give it in brackets. Give sufficient detail
to uniquely identify the item you are citing; e.g. electronic
mail messages can be uniquely identified by giving the sender's
computer account and domain name (or Internet Protocol) address,
the recipient's computer account and domain name (or Internet
Protocol) address, the date and time, if necessary.
E.g. (Electronic mail message from chumphre@ualtavm.bitnet to
laine@utorvm.bitnet)
(NOAA-11 AVHRR image 23404/001)
If the title is an acronym or initialism, give it followed by
the expanded title:
E.g. CANSIM : Canadian socio-economic information
management system
If the work is part of a larger work, give the title of the
specific work you are refering to, the prefix "in:" followed
by the title of the larger work of which it is part. This might
occur, for example, if you have used only one 'sub-database' of
a larger database.
E.g. Fama T-bill term structures on ask, in: CRSP government
bond files: monthly data.
3. What is it? Provide an indicator of the type of resource
(medium). Follow the title by a descriptive label
to indicate the function of the computer-readable resource.
Use either '[computer file]', '[computer program]' or '[computer
file and program]' as appropriate.
E.g. CANSIM : Canadian socio-economic information management system
[computer file]
Digital chart of the world [computer file and program]
N.B.: This field is the one in which citation and style
manuals differ most widely. Most recommend the indication of the
physical medium (online database, cd-rom, diskette, tape,
etc.). The authors of this document feel that this information
is too transitory to be of use in distinguishing a work
uniquely. We recommend the use of a function-based
nomenclature (e.g. computer file, computer program) which will
further serve to identify the work, as well as provide additional
information to the reader.
4. Which version is it? If relevant, give the
edition, version, level, release, or issue of the work
that indicates that it is different from other editions,
versions, etc. of the same item.
E.g. Version 8.1
ORACLE ed.
5. Who is responsible for the creation of the physical file(s)? The
producer is that person or institution responsible for the creation
of the physical computer file(s). Give the place in which the
producer is located (city followed by province
or state where appropriate), followed by the name of the producer.
You may optionally include a statement of function (ie.
'[producer]') following the name to clarify the role played.
E.g. Prince Albert, Sask.: Prince Albert Satellite Station
[producer]
N.B. In the case of most other forms of material, the publisher
acts as both producer and distributor. However, in the case
of electronic works, it is fairly common for these two
functions to be carried out by separate individuals or
institutions. In order to uniquely identify an electronic work,
both must be indentified.
6. Who is responsible for distributing the work? The distributor
is that person or institution that has the right to disseminate
copies of the file(s) or provide access to the file(s), e.g. an
online database. If the file(s) was distributed by someone
other than the producer or the author, give the place (city,
followed by province or state if appropriate) and the name of the
distributor. You may optionally include a statement of function
(ie. '[distributor]') following the name, to clarify the role
played. If the producer and distributor are one and the same,
follow the name by a joint statement of function (i.e. '[producer
and distributor]').
E.g. Ottawa, Ont.: Canada Centre for Remote Sensing [distributor]
Ottawa, Ont.: Statistics Canada [producer and distributor]
Washington, DC: American Society of Hospital Pharmacists
[producer]; Palo Alto, Ca: Dialog Information Services, Inc.,
[distributor]
7. When was the work produced or 'published'? Give the date the file
was produced, or the year copies of the version or edition you have
were first distributed or made generally available, or another
relevant date, such as a copyright date if present.
E.g. Ottawa, Ont.: Statistics Canada [producer and distributor],
May 1993.
Additional information:
Additional information may be added to aid others in locating the
work, or to aid them in evaluating whether or not they will
be able to use the file(s). These include:
8. Series information. If the computer file is part of a series,
give in parentheses the title of the series and, if present, any
relevant part numbers by which the file is permanently identified.
E.g. (ICPSR study no. 25)
(Census of Canada, 1991)
If the work is an item in a reference or bibliographic database,
whether available on-line or on CD-ROM, give the
name of the database, and any accession number or other identifying
number assigned the item within the database; the name of the
database vendor should be identified as the distributor (see above).
E.g. (Canadian Business and Current Affairs, 24736298)
9. Internet location. If the file(s) is available via the Internet,
give the access method, the network address of the host site, and
the path and file name(s) to access the resource(s) as appropriate,
using international or de facto standards, such as the Uniform
Resource Locator (URL) format.
E.g. (E-mail listserv@uhupvm1.bitnet, message: get coombs prv1n1)
10. File size. You may give an indication of the size of
the computer file(s), by giving the number of physical files and,
in parentheses, the number of logical records or the size in
kilobytes, megabytes, etc.; use the measure which provides most
information, such a logical records for a quantitative data file,
megabytes for system-dependent databases, etc.
If documentation accompanies the file(s), add the
phrase 'and accompanying documentation' followed by an indication
of the size of the documentation in brackets (measured in pages,
physical records, or bytes). Alternatively, you may
give a brief description of the number and type of physical
carriers (e.g. diskettes, cd-roms, etc.) on which the file(s) was
received, but this is not generally recommended, since this is
information that changes often and isn't usually relevant.
E.g. 1 data file (14,826 logical records) and accompanying
documentation (189 pp.)
3 data files (7.2, 5.6, and 7.6 megabytes) and accompanying
documentation (9 computer files, size varies)
1 cd-rom and accompanying documentation
11. Hardware requirements. If you feel it is necessary, and if
the information is relevant to evaluating the appropriateness
of a reference, you may give a brief listing of the hardware and
software environment required to use the work, including type of
computer, operating system, peripheral hardware requirements, etc.
E.g. (Requires DOS 2.0 or higher, 640k RAM, hard disk)
Examples:
NOAA-11 AVHRR image 23404/001 [computer file]. Prince Albert, Sask:
Prince Albert Satellite Station [producer]; Ottawa, Ont.: Canada
Centre for Remote Sensing [distributor], April 9, 1993.
Converse, Philip et al. 1965 Canadian national election study
[computer file]. ICPSR ed. Ann Arbor, Mi: Inter-University
Consortium for Political Research [producer and distributor], 1972.
1 data file (14,826 logical records) and accompanying documentation
(189 pp.)
Canadian Institute of Public Opinion. The Gallup poll: CIPO 398
[computer file]. Roper Center ed. Toronto, Ont.: Canadian Gallup
Poll Ltd. [producer], March 1977; Storrs, Ct.: The Roper Center
[distributor]. 1 data file (2068 logical records) and accompanying
codebook (566 logical records)
Uchitelle, Daniel. (Electronic mail message from mlaod@cuvms.bitnet
to Humanist Discussion, no. 3.174 (humanist@utoronto.bitnet))
[computer file]. April 22, 1989.
Humphrey, Charles K. (Electronic mail message from
chumphre@ualtavm.bitnet to Laine Ruus (laine@utorvm.bitnet))
[computer file]. October 18, 1993.
Coombs, Norman. Electronic access to library systems for users with
physical disabilities [computer file]. Public-access computer
systems review vol. 1(1):43-47, 1990. (e-mail to listserv@uhupvm1.
bitnet, message: get coombs prv1n1)
Schomer, Howard. South Africa: beyond fair employment. Harvard
business review, May-June 1983: 145+. [computer file] New York, NY:
John Wiley
& Sons, Inc. [producer]; Palo Alto, Ca: Dialog Information Services,
Inc. [disseminator]. (Dialog file 122, item 119425 8331260)
WordPerfect [computer program]. Version 4.2. Orem, Utah:
WordPerfect Corporation, 1987. 5 diskettes (3.5 in., dd) and
accompanying documentation.
References and style manuals:
Achtert, Walter S. The MLA style manual. New York, N.Y.:
Modern Language Association of America, 1985. [pp. 145-146]
Berners-Lee, T. Universal resource identifiers in WWW: a unifying
syntax for the expression of names and addresses of objects on
the network as used in the World-Wide Web. (RFC 1630) June 1994.
Berners-Lee, T., L. Masinter, M. McCahill eds. Uniform resource
locators (URL). (Internet draft, expires March 13, 1995) Sept. 7, 1994.
Chicago manual of style: for authors, editors, and copywriters.
14th ed. Chicago, Il.: University of Chicago Press, 1993. [pp.
633-634]
Dodd, Sue A. Bibliographic references for numeric social science
data files: suggested guidelines. American Society for
Information Science. Journal. 30(2):77-82, March 1979.
Dodd, Sue A. Bibliographic references for computer files in the
social sciences: a discussion paper. IASSIST quarterly 4(2), Summer
1990.
Garner, Diane L. The complete guide to citing government
information resources: a manual for writers and librarians. Rev. ed.
Bethesda, Md: Congressional Information Service, Inc., 1993
[pp. 151-194]
Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA handbook for writers of research papers. 3rd
ed. New York, N.Y.: Modern Language Association of America,
1988. [pp. 135-137, 195]
Information and documentation - bibliographic references -
electronic documents or parts thereof = Information et
documentation - references bibliographiques - documents
electroniques ou leurs parties. (ISO/RC46/SC9 N 163) July, 1993.
Igartua, Jose. Normes de citation de donnee informatisees dans
les revues historiques canadiennes. Societe historique du Canada,
9 juin, 1993. [4 pp.]
Li, Xia and Nancy B. Crane. Electronic style : a guide to citing
electronic information. Westport: Meckler, 1993.
Parish, William, L. Editor's note. American journal of
sociology 93(1):[vi-ix], July 1987.
Patrias, Karen. National Library of Medicine recommended formats
for bibliographic citation. 1991. [ch. 12, pp. 101-161]
N.B. Note that not all formats in this manual are recommended.
Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. 3rd
ed. Washington, D.C.: The Association, 1983. [p. 133]
Thibault, Danielle. Bibliographic style manual. Ottawa, Ont.:
National Library of Canada, 1990. [pp. 102-103]
Turabian, Kate L. A manual for writers of term papers, theses and
dissertations. Chicago, Il.: University of Chicago Press, 1987. [p.
155, 201]
van Leunen, Mary-Claire. A handbook for scholars. Rev. ed. New
York: Oxford University Press, 1992. [pp. 230, 235-236]
Webster's standard American style manual. Springfield, Mass.:
Merriam-Webster, 1985. [p. 209]
(citation prt)
(17/10/94)