diff --git a/pygmt/src/select.py b/pygmt/src/select.py
index 2c8256cad6f..777ea58ea82 100644
--- a/pygmt/src/select.py
+++ b/pygmt/src/select.py
@@ -147,6 +147,19 @@ def select(data=None, outfile=None, **kwargs):
         - :class:`pandas.DataFrame` table if ``outfile`` is not set.
         - None if ``outfile`` is set (filtered output will be stored in file
           set by ``outfile``).
+
+    Example
+    -------
+    >>> import pygmt  # doctest: +SKIP
+    >>> # Load a table of ship observations of bathymetry off Baja California
+    >>> data = pygmt.datasets.load_sample_data(
+    ...     name="bathymetry"
+    ... )  # doctest: +SKIP
+    >>> # Only return the data points that lie within the region between
+    >>> # longitudes 246 and 247 and latitudes 20 and 21
+    >>> pygmt.select(
+    ...     data=ship_data, region=[246, 247, 20, 21]
+    ... )  # doctest: +SKIP
     """
 
     with GMTTempFile(suffix=".csv") as tmpfile: