Authors should attribute the exact dataset version used in the analysis by citing that version's DOI, because each DOI name resolves through the Handle System to the current information supplied for the identified object, commonly a landing page maintained by the registrant. When several versions share a title, the title alone cannot tell a reader which object you used; the version-specific DOI identifies the object itself.
To find and confirm the right DOI, work through these steps:
- Retrieve the candidate DOI records. DataCite's REST API exposes DOI metadata and supports queries and filters for works, repositories, providers, clients, and related entities, so you can pull the records for the datasets that share the title.
- Compare the version and relationship metadata in each record. Fields such as version and related identifiers let you distinguish one version from another and see how versions relate to each other.
- Match the record to the dataset you actually analyzed. Select the DOI whose metadata corresponds to the version used in your analysis, then cite that DOI.
- Check the resolution target. Resolving the DOI should lead to the landing page for that version, so a reader can retrieve the same data object.
Citing a different version's DOI points readers to a different object, which can prevent them from retrieving the data behind your results. For citation formatting, follow the rules and examples in Citing Medicine, which covers datasets among other publication types.