Properly acknowledging the R software environment is essential when utilizing it for statistical computing and graphics in research or publication. This involves citing both the core R system and any packages employed. The citation usually includes the authors (the R Core Team or package developers), the publication year, the title (R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing, or the package name), and the publisher (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, or CRAN). An example would be: R Core Team (2023). R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria.
Giving appropriate credit to the creators of statistical software promotes ethical research practices, acknowledges intellectual contributions, and ensures reproducibility. Failure to acknowledge the software used can be perceived as plagiarism and undermines the transparency of the research process. Historically, consistent citation practices have been adopted as statistical software has become increasingly central to data analysis and interpretation across numerous disciplines. This consistency benefits the open-source community by providing recognition and potentially encouraging further development and support.