A practical guide
Take the context with the number.
A useful citation lets your reader find the evidence and understand exactly what it measures.
In November 2023, 76.4% of U.S. internet users aged 15+ were reported as using online social networks at least occasionally during the previous six months.
Source: NTIA / U.S. Census Bureau, Internet Use Survey Analyze Table, November 2023 / socialNetworkUser / adultInternetUser. Civilian noninstitutionalized population, 50 states and D.C. Value rounded to one decimal; source standard error 0.2645 percentage points.
A citation you can use
This reference keeps the original publisher, population, activity window, uncertainty and SocialUsage release together. Adapt its punctuation to your required style.
Keep three pieces together
The number & measure
76.4% · Social-network use at least occasionally in the previous six months
The people & place
Internet users aged 15+ · U.S. civilian noninstitutionalized population
The time & evidence
November 2023 · NTIA / Census aggregate table · Preserved release and source standard error
Example drawn from the preserved U.S. dataset release. The source reference and exact value remain available with the rounded display.
Common citation questions
Should I cite SocialUsage or the original source?
Credit the original data publisher beside the claim. If you used SocialUsage’s selected dataset, include its page and release version too. An NTIA estimate stays credited to NTIA and the U.S. Census Bureau when we select and present it.
If you use one of our calculations, name the analysis and source. For example, the U.S. platform age-gap report is SocialUsage analysis of Pew Research Center data. It links the original evidence and the calculation inputs.
Which date belongs in the sentence?
Use the reference period: this example describes November 2023. Its activity question looks back six months. Fieldwork, source publication, retrieval and editorial review are different dates; a check in 2026 does not update the underlying observation.
Include the source publication date, access date and version separately when your citation format calls for them.
Can I reuse a chart or download the numbers?
The U.S. explorer offers permitted original SVG charts and a versioned CSV from NTIA’s public federal aggregates. Keep the population, period, source, uncertainty and version with the export. The European explorer has separate Eurostat attribution and modification requirements.
Pew and company briefs contain limited attributed findings and offer no CSV or image exports. Public availability of a report does not grant unrestricted reuse. Check the source-specific rights.
How should I report uncertainty?
Retain the supplied standard error when the difference or precision matters. NTIA’s standard errors are expressed here in percentage points; they are not themselves 95% margins of error. Do not describe a small difference as statistically significant without an appropriate comparison.
The dataset methods distinguish sampling uncertainty from other possible survey errors.
What if the number is revised later?
Reference the immutable release you actually used. The current dataset page may move to a newer release, while its versioned URL and distribution preserve the earlier observations. Consult updates and corrections before republishing a figure whose accuracy is in question.
Can I shorten the claim?
Shorten the wording while keeping the population, place and period. “76.4% of Americans use social media” would lose the internet-user denominator, age range and six-month activity window. It would describe more than the evidence supports.