How to properly cite World Bank data in a thesis report.

When writing research papers, economic or political essays, many people often turn to World Bank data because of its reliability and up-to-date nature. However, correctly citing World Bank data in a way that is accurate, clear, and academically appropriate is a problem that confuses many. This article will help you quickly understand how to accurately cite World Bank data, easily applying common citation standards such as APA, MLA, or Chicago, thereby enhancing the academic quality and credibility of your writing.

Method 1: World Bank data citation template using MLA standard

Step 1: How to credit the author

Identify the World Bank as the data author.

• In the MLA standard, when citing data, you use the World Bank as the author or data compilation unit .

• This is a common and widely accepted approach in economic and financial research.

Apply the online source citation rules.

• MLA does not have specific guidelines for statistical data.

• Since World Bank data is published online , you should apply the standard MLA rules for citing electronic sources.

How to record in the Works Credt category

• Start with World Bank (write the name correctly, without adding "the" in front).

• After the author's name, place a period to end this section.

• The remaining information (dataset name, website, publication year, etc.) will be recorded in subsequent steps.

Simple example

• World Bank.

Step 2: How to write data headers

Identify the page title, dataset, or data table.

• Use the name of the page, dataset, or data table you are citing from the World Bank.

• This title directly reflects the data content, making it easy for readers and instructors to verify the source.

Place the title in quotation marks.

• The entire title must be enclosed in quotation marks “ ” .

• The period at the end is placed inside quotation marks , which is standard MLA.

Write a title using the Title Case method.

• Capitalize the first letter of:

  • Noun

  • Verb

  • Adjective

  • Adverb

  • pronouns

• Avoid using lowercase letters indiscriminately, as this is a very common mistake when citing World Bank data.

Handle subheadings (if any).

• If the data has subheadings, place a colon (:) immediately after the main heading.

• Subheadings are also written in the same Title Case as the main heading.

Standard MLA example

• World Bank. "C02 Emissions (Metric Tons Per Capita)."

Step 3: How to record publication information and URL

Add the publication name World Development Indicators

• After the data header, write World Development Indicators in italics .

• This is the official index of the World Bank, which helps to clearly identify the source of the data.

List the issuer as World Bank Group

• Switch back to regular font, place a comma , then write The World Bank Group , and then another comma .

• This method of recording accurately reflects the role of the data-publishing entity.

Add data publication dates.

• Record the date in the format day-month-year .

• Month names with more than four letters need to be abbreviated according to the MLA standard.

• After the publication date, place a comma to move to the URL section.

Insert a direct link to the data.

• Copy the direct URL of the dataset or data table.

• Remove the “http://” part from the beginning of the link.

• End the URL with a dot (. ).

Example of a complete, standard MLA citation.

• World Bank. "C02 Emissions (Metric Tons Per Capita)." World Development Indicators , The World Bank Group, 2015, data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC.

How to find the exact publication date

• Access data tables or charts on the World Bank.

• Click on the “Details” section at the top.

• Make the most of the available date information , even if only the year of publication is known.

Step 4: How to record the data access date

Add the date you accessed the data page.

• After the period at the end of the URL , continue writing the word Accessed .

• This is an important step when citing World Bank data online , as the data may be updated over time.

Record the access date in the correct MLA format.

• Format: day-month-year .

• Month names with more than four letters must be abbreviated (for example: Jan., Feb., Sept.).

• Do not skip this step, especially for academic research papers or financial reports.

Complete example citation with access date

• World Bank. "C02 Emissions (Metric Tons Per Capita)." World Development Indicators , The World Bank Group, 2015, data.worldbank.org/indicator/EN.ATM.CO2E.PC. Accessed 24 Jan. 2019.

MLA Works Cited Standard Template for Quick Application

• World Bank. "Title of Page/Table." World Development Indicators , The World Bank Group, Day-Month-Year of Publication, URL. Accessed Day-Month-Year.

Step 5: How to cite in-text content

The purpose of citations in content

• This helps readers quickly link information in the article to its full source in the Works Cited section.

• Increase academic credibility by using World Bank data in research papers.

Basic citation techniques when page numbers are unavailable.

• World Bank data does not have page numbers , so the page numbering rules used in printed books do not apply.

• In parentheses, you just need to write World Bank .

• Place quotations at the end of sentences that use data.

Simple example of a quote

• (World Bank)

Cases where multiple World Bank data sources are used

• When an article uses multiple pages or tables from the World Bank, a heading should be added to distinguish the sources.

• This helps the reader know exactly which dataset you are referencing.

Example of a quotation with a title

• (World Bank, "CO2 Emissions")

When can we omit quotation marks in parentheses?

• If you have explicitly mentioned the World Bank in the sentence , there is no need to repeat it in parentheses.

• If you have already specified the page or data table name in the content, there is no need to repeat the title in parentheses.

• If both the World Bank and the data name already appear in the sentence , you don't need to cite the in-text at the end of the sentence.

Method 2: Instructions for citing World Bank data according to APA standards

Step 1: How to record the author and database name

Start with the author, World Bank

• When citing World Bank data in your list of references, always list the World Bank as the author .

• After the author's name, place a comma to move to the next section.

Name the World Development Indicators database.

• Immediately after the comma, write World Development Indicators – this is the official name of the database published by the World Bank.

• This section helps the reader clearly identify the data source you are using.

End with a period.

• After the database name, place a period to complete the citation according to standard practice.

Example of a correctly presented document.

• World Bank, World Development Indicators.

Step 2: How to record the data publication year

Determine the publication year of the data page.

• Find the publication year in the publication information section of the World Bank data page.

• If the specific year is not visible, the most recent year for which data is available can be used.

How to properly present the year.

• After the period at the end of the database name, leave a space .

• Write the year of publication in parentheses .

• Place a period outside the parentheses to end the sentence.

Example of a correctly presented document.

• World Bank, World Development Indicators. (2017).

Step 3: How to write data page headers and descriptions according to standards.

Record the specific data page header.

• Use the exact title of the data page you are citing from the World Bank.

• The title is written in italics to distinguish it from the rest.

Write a title using sentence case.

• Capitalize only the first letter of the first word in the title.

• Proper nouns (names of countries, organizations, etc.) are still capitalized.

• Avoid using all capital letters like in Title Case to prevent writing that violates formatting rules.

Add a brief description for the document type.

• Change to a regular font , leaving a space after the title.

• Write a description of the document in square brackets .

• For World Bank data, the commonly used description is [Data file] .

• Place a period after the square brackets to end the sentence.

Example of a correctly presented document.

• World Bank, World Development Indicators. (2017). Individuals using the internet (% of population) [Data file].

In cases where the data has a version number

• If the dataset has a version number , write the version number in parentheses immediately after the header .

• The [Data file] part is still placed after the version number.

For example, there is a version number.

• Individuals using the internet (% of population) (Version 2) [Data file].

Step 4: How to end your World Bank citation with a URL

Add a direct link to the data page.

• At the end of the references section, paste the full URL of the World Bank data page you accessed.

• The URL must be copied exactly as it appears in the browser's address bar to ensure accuracy.

Do not put a period after the URL.

• Although this is the end of the quote, do not add a period after the URL.

• This helps avoid confusion, as readers can understand the dot as part of a link.

How to record in the correct APA order.

• After the description [Data file] , add a space.

• Write " Retrieved from" (if required in the old APA format or as instructed by the instructor).

• Paste the direct URL of the data page.

Complete example of a quotation

• World Bank, World Development Indicators. (2017). Individuals using the internet (% of population) [Data file]. Retrieved from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.USER.ZS

APA Reference List template for quick implementation.

• World Bank, World Development Indicators. (Year). Title of page in sentence case [Data file]. URL

Step 5: How to cite in-text content

Basic citation principles

• Citations in APA-compliant content use the author's name and year of publication , enclosed in parentheses and separated by commas .

• With World Bank data, the author is always the World Bank .

How to place quotations in a sentence

• When a sentence uses data, the quotation is usually placed at the end of the sentence .

• Standard format: (World Bank, Year) .

Example of a standard citation

• (World Bank, 2017)

The World Bank was mentioned in the sentence.

• If you have already mentioned the World Bank in the sentence , there is no need to repeat the name in parentheses.

• Then, simply write the year , placing it right after the phrase "World Bank".

Example

• According to the World Bank (2017), the global internet user rate continues to increase.

When using multiple growth indicators in the same year

• If an article uses multiple World Bank indicators published in the same year , the indicator titles should be added in parentheses for differentiation.

• This method helps the reader know exactly which data you are referencing.

Examples of distinguishing data sources

• (World Bank, 2017, Internet use)

• Or clearly explain the index topic right in the sentence, and then just leave (2017) after it.

Method 3: Chicago-style World Bank data citation template

Step 1: How to properly credit the World Bank as an author.

Identify the World Bank as the primary author.

• With all data compiled by the World Bank , the World Bank is considered the author of the data source .

• This is a default principle in academic citation, especially with economic and financial data.

Place the author's name in the first position.

• According to Chicago Style , the author's name is always listed first in the bibliography.

• This helps readers quickly identify the source of the data.

Proper presentation methods

• Recorded by the World Bank .

• Place a period at the end to conclude the author section.

Standard example of Chicago Style

• World Bank.

Step 2: How to write the page title and publisher

Record the data page header.

• Use the exact title of the data page on the World Bank website.

• Place the title in quotation marks “ ” .

• Write according to Title Case : capitalize the first letter of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns .

• The period is placed inside quotation marks to end the title.

List the publisher of the website.

• After the title, list The World Bank Group as the publisher .

• Put a period at the end to complete this section in Chicago Style.

Example of a correctly presented document.

• World Bank. "Firms Using Banks to Finance Working Capital (% of Firms)." The World Bank Group.

Step 3: How to record the date of access to the data page

Add access date information (Accessed)

• After the page title and publisher, write the word " Accessed" to indicate when you last accessed the data .

• This step is crucial when citing World Bank data , as the data may be updated over time.

Date format according to Chicago standard

• Record the date in the order of month – day – year .

• Do not abbreviate the names of the months (write them in full: January, February...).

• Place a period at the end of the date to conclude the citation.

Example of a correctly presented document.

• "Firms Using Banks to Finance Working Capital (% of Firms)." The World Bank Group . Accessed January 24, 2019.

Step 4: How to end your World Bank citation with a URL

Add a direct link to the data page.

• At the end of the citation, paste the URL that leads directly to the World Bank data page you used.

• The URL must be copied exactly as it appears in the browser's address bar to avoid source misrepresentation.

Prioritize permalinks or use original links.

• If the URL is a permalink (permalink), use that link.

• If you are unsure whether the URL is fixed, use the original World Bank URL so that readers can find the data page again by title.

Place a period at the end of the URL.

• Unlike APA, according to Chicago Style , URLs are terminated with a dot .

• This helps to complete the citation structure in the bibliography.

How to check if a URL is a permalink

• Copy the URL and try opening it with a different browser .

• If you're only using one browser, clear your history and then access the URL again to check for stability.

Complete example of a quote in Chicago Style

• World Bank. "Firms Using Banks to Finance Working Capital (% of Firms)." The World Bank Group . Accessed January 24, 2019. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IC.FRM.BKWC.ZS .

Chicago Style template for quick application.

• World Bank. "Title of Page or Table." The World Bank Group. Accessed Month Day, Year. URL.

Step 5: How to add footnotes/endnotes

Use a comma instead of a period.

• When citing the World Bank using footnotes or endnotes , you should still use all the information as in the bibliographic citation.

• The key difference: separate the elements with commas , not periods .

Single Dot Rule

• Place only a period at the end of the entire comment .

• This helps to clearly distinguish footnotes from bibliographic entries.

How to write "accessed"

• The word " accessed" is written in lowercase because it comes after a comma (not a period).

• The date format remains Month Day, Year , and does not abbreviate the month .

The order of presentation in footnotes

• World Bank,

• "Page or table header,"

• The World Bank Group ,

• accessed Month Day, Year,

• URL.

Example of Chicago Style (footnote)

• World Bank, "Firms Using Banks to Finance Working Capital (% of Firms)," The World Bank Group, accessed January 24, 2019, https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IC.FRM.BKWC.ZS

References

1. https://data.worldbank.org/
2. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/
   mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_electronic_sources.html
3. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/
   mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html
4. https://guides.library.ucsc.edu/citedata
5. https://libguides.du.edu/c.php?g=90296&p=3586753
6. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/
   apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
7. https://library.mcmaster.ca/sites/default/files/businesscitation.pdf

Translated by: Lesley Collins Tran .