How should I cite datasets and services from The National Map?

The USGS does not require a specific format when citing data obtained through The National Map. You should follow the citation guidelines provided by instructors or publication editors as appropriate. The following should help you find the information that you need: 

Citation for Datasets

• Author: U.S. Geological Survey

• Release date: the first four numbers of <pubdate> from dataset metadata for the year of the release date. For example, if the <pubdate> is 20190426, the year is 2019.

• Title: depends on the dataset. Examples include: National Hydrography Dataset, 3D Elevation Program 1-Meter Resolution Digital Elevation Model, Watershed Boundary Dataset, or 3D Elevation Program Lidar Point Cloud. 

• Version: <title> from dataset metadata

• Access information: date accessed and URL for webpage used to access the data

Dataset examples:

U.S. Geological Survey, 2019, National Hydrography Dataset (ver. USGS National Hydrography Dataset Best Resolution (NHD) for Hydrologic Unit (HU) 4 - 2001 (published 20191002)), accessed October 23, 2019 at URL https://www.usgs.gov/national-hydrography/access-national-hydrography-products

U.S. Geological Survey, 2019, 3D Elevation Program 1-Meter Resolution Digital Elevation Model (published 20200606), accessed October 23, 2019 at URL https://www.usgs.gov/the-national-map-data-delivery  

Citation for Web services

• Author: U.S. Geological Survey

• Release date: the date listed in the Copyright Text in the REST service description available at https://apps.nationalmap.gov/services/

• Title of the data: the Title listed in the Document Info in the REST service description available at https://apps.nationalmap.gov/services/

• Access information: Date accessed and URL for the map service

Web service examples:

U.S. Geological Survey, 2019, USGS TNM Hydrography (NHD), accessed June 7, 2019 at URL https://apps.nationalmap.gov/services/.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2019, USGS 3D Elevation Program Digital Elevation Model, accessed June 7, 2019 at URL  https://elevation.nationalmap.gov/arcgis/rest/services/3DEPElevation/ImageServer. 

Learn more:

• USGS Data Citation
• USGS Data Citation FAQs