  We present an analysis of data citation practices based on the Data Citation
Index from Thomson Reuters. This database launched in 2012 aims to link data
sets and data studies with citations received from the other citation indexes.
The DCI harvests citations to research data from papers indexed in the Web of
Science. It relies on the information provided by the data repository as data
citation practices are inconsistent or inexistent in many cases. The findings
of this study show that data citation practices are far from common in most
research fields. Some differences have been reported on the way researchers
cite data: while in the areas of Science and Engineering and Technology data
sets were the most cited, in Social Sciences and Arts and Humanities data
studies play a greater role. A total of 88.1 percent of the records have
received no citation, but some repositories show very low uncitedness rates.
Although data citation practices are rare in most fields, they have expanded in
disciplines such as crystallography and genomics. We conclude by emphasizing
the role that the DCI could play in encouraging the consistent, standardized
citation of research data; a role that would enhance their value as a means of
following the research process from data collection to publication.
