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How to Cite a Picture or Image in APA

Referencing visual media in your research paper, thesis, or dissertation can be an engaging and effective way to support your argument. Photographs, paintings, infographics, and maps are only a few examples of the many types of visual content that can be included.

In this guide, you will learn how to create accurate APA citations for digital images, infographics, maps, and even artwork from museums. The information from this guide comes from the 7th edition of Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (Chapter 10, Section 10.14).

Looking to cite a different type of media, like an audio recording or a radio interview? EasyBib.com has citing tools that can help! There are also other guides on these different media types, like how to cite a movie in APA and how to cite a YouTube video in APA .

Guides Overview

Here is an overview of everything this page includes:

• Citing vs. ‘Reproducing’

Citing a digital image or photograph

Citing an image from a museum or a museum website, citing an infographic, citing a map, citing a map from google maps, citing powerpoint slides, citing lecture notes, citing clip art or a stock image.

• What you need

Citing vs. ‘reproducing’

This guide provides information on how to cite images and photographs. However, reproducing the image inside of your essay or research paper might require additional permissions and/or attributions. Section 12.15 of the Publication Manual provides more information on reproducing images and graphics.

Creating an APA 7 citation for a digital image is easy. In the following example, we are going to show you how to cite a digital image found online.

Note: In the above example, the photograph is not presented with a title. For untitled photographs, a description of the photo is included inside of square brackets in the place of the title. 

The following citation structure can be used for all types of museum artwork, including paintings, photographs, drawings, and even sculptures.

Note: If you accessed an image through a museum’s website or online collection, then include the URL at the end of the reference entry.

According to APA 7, infographics are treated identically to any other type of image or photograph. Infographics tend to include all the necessary reference information within the image itself, usually in the bottom corner.

Dynamically created maps like those generated by Google Maps do not have titles, so  the map must be cited with a clear description in brackets, as well as a retrieval date ( Publication manual , p.347).

Note: Some Google Maps links can get unnecessarily long. Link shortener services like Bitly and Ow.ly allow users to create shortened links that will make your references list cleaner and easier to look at. 

Note: Include the learning management system name and URL when you are writing for an audience that does not have 

Note: No citation is necessary for clip art from Microsoft Word or Microsoft PowerPoint ( Publication manual , p. 346)

Here’s a quick video overview of how to cite an image or picture in APA:

What You Need

The guidelines for citing visual works are detailed in section 10.14 of the APA handbook and include a number of different images and source types. In every case, the following information is required:

• Name of author, artist, or photographer
• Date of publication or creation
• Title of work
• A bracketed description of media type (e.g., [Photograph] or [Painting])
• Publisher, production company, or museum name
• Location of publisher (if it is from a museum or university)
• URL if accessed online

For most images sourced online, the above information is easily accessible and usually provided alongside the image.

For digital images, using Google’s reverse image search is an effective way to determine the creator and creation date of a particular image.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

Cambridge University Press. (1912). Historical map of the religious divisions of Germany c. 1610 [Map]. Emerson Kent. https://www.emersonkent.com/map_archive/germany_1610.htm

Google. (n.d.). [Google Maps directions for driving from Auckland to Wellington, New Zealand]. Retrieved June 13, 2020 from https://bit.ly/37wTTvx

Lutz, E. (2014). An animated chart of 42 North American butterflies [Infographic]. Tabletop Whale. https://tabletopwhale.com/2014/08/27/42-butterflies-of-north-america.html

Monet, C. (c. 1900) Waterloo bridge [Painting]. Denver Art Museum, Colorado, United States.

Stone, M. (2020). [Picture of fireflies at night in Congaree National Park] [Photograph]. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/2020/06/synchronous-fireflies-rare-look-congaree-national-park/#/fireflies-congaree-1994.jpg

Published 20, 2012. Updated June 23, 2020.

Written and edited by Michele Kirschenbaum and Elise Barbeau . Michele Kirschenbaum is a school library media specialist and the in-house librarian at EasyBib. You can find her here on Twitter. Elise Barbeau is the Citation Specialist at Chegg. She has worked in digital marketing, libraries, and publishing.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
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• et al Usage
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• Multiple Authors
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Parenthetical Citations
• Reference Page
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Citation Examples

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You will need the name of the image creator, the image title or an image description, the year of publication, the name of the publisher or website, and the URL (if it’s online). Here are two examples:

MLA : Johnson, Herbert. Critical Moments . 1921. Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/resource/acd.2a09222/.

APA : Johnson, H. (1921). Critical moments [Photograph]. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/resource/acd.2a09222/

See this guide for more information on citing an image in APA .

To cite an image in APA style, it is important that you know some basic information such as the name of the photographer or artist, title of the image, publisher/museum/gallery, and/or URL (uniform resource locator). The templates for in-text citations and reference list entries of an image along with examples are given below:

In-text citation template and examples:

Author Surname (Publication Year)

Watkins (1867)

Parenthetical:

(Author Surname, Publication Year)

(Watkins, 1867)

Reference list entry template and example:

Author Surname, F. M. (Publication Year). Title of the image [Medium]. Name of the Museum, location of museum. URL

Watkins, C. E. (1867). View on the Columbia, cascades [Photograph]. The Met, New York, NY, United States. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/262612

You need to set the title of the image in italics and sentence case. The medium of the image should be set inside square brackets after the title. Do not give a period after the URL.

To cite an image with no author in APA style, it is important that you know some basic information such as the title of the image, publication year, publisher/museum/gallery, and/or URL (uniform resource locator). The templates for in-text citations and reference list entries of an image along with examples are given below:

If the work does not have an author, cite the source by its title or a shortened version using the first word or two. For example, a parenthetical citation might look like this:

( Title of the Image , publication year)

( Parliament, Vienna, Austro-Hungary , ca. 1890)

Title of the image . (Publication Year). [Medium]. Name of museum/gallery, location. URL

Parliament, Vienna, Austro-Hungary. (ca. 1890). [Photograph]. Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., United States. https://www.loc.gov/item/2002708394/

You need to set the title of the image in italics and sentence case. The medium of the image should be set inside square brackets after the date. Do not give a period after the URL.

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Images: Referencing & Captioning in APA 7th

This page provides information on referencing images in the APA 7th referencing style . For help referencing images in other referencing styles, ask a librarian. 

If you are using Indigenous content or works, please note there are additional sensitivities and legal/cultural issues  and care should be taken in reusing or repurposing Indigenous work in your studies. Please check with the Library for assistance. 

Referencing images in APA 7th

When you mention, describe or analyse an image or artwork in the text of your work, you are referring to the image and therefore you will need to reference it .

If you are copying an image and placing it in your work, then the rules can vary, depending on whether you are a student submitting an assignment or whether you are writing for publication, for example writing a PHD dissertation or a journal article. If you are submitting a work for publication, then you will have to write a copyright note beneath the image you are reproducing. You can find more information on how to do this on pp164-167. of the Library's APA 7th Referencing Guide (linked below this box)

Rules for Copying/Reproducing an image in your work: 

• APA 7th Guide
• Referencing & captioning your own work

If you created an image and used it in your assessment, you are required to caption it, even though it’s your own creation.

Your caption should include: 

• A Figure number
• A title or description

You do NOT need to include a copyright attribution.

However, you should make it clear in the text of your assessment that the image was created by you.

Images referencing: Hints & tips

• For photographs or images taken of an artwork or other creative work, reference the date of the work depicted in the image (e.g. for a photograph of the Mona Lisa, the date referenced should be the date the Mona Lisa was created, NOT the date the Mona Lisa was photographed). 
• When including images in your work, these can go either in the body of your work, or after the reference list but before any Appendices.
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• How to Find Images (Planning)
• Where to Find Images
• Evaluating Images
• Referencing Images in APA 7th
• Images referencing: Hints & Tips

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Referencing style - APA 7th: Images, tables and figures

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APA examples: Images, tables and figures

All images, figures and tables referred to in the text or reproduced in an essay, assignment or presentation, must be cited and included in your reference list. 

See this guides images, figures and tables tab to view how the attribution of these examples below are treated within the text. 

See  APA Style examples, Clip Art Image and  Artwork References  for general notes and more examples. 

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CUE Library Essentials

Everything you need to know about Concordia University of Edmonton Library

How To Cite & Format Images in APA (7th Edition)

References list & in-text citations.

Follow these examples when citing museum artworks, graphics or stock images in your paper or presentation. 

Artwork (From A Museum or on a Museum Website):

• Artist last name, First initial. Middle initial. (Year). Title of artwork [Format]. Museum Name, Location. URL
• Renoir, A. (1883). By the seashore [Painting]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art,  New York.  https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437430
• In-Text Citation: (Renoir, 1883) 

Graphics or Stock Photographs (Not From a Museum or Museum Website):

• Author. (Year). Title of image [Format]. Website. URL
• Ungaro, F. (2019). Brown turtle underwater [Photograph]. Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-turtle-underwater-3150271/
• In-Text Citation: ( Ungaro, 2019)

For untitled stock photographs or graphics, include a description in square brackets in place of a title. Please note that images from clip art programs like Microsoft Word or PowerPoint do not require citations.

Google Images:

• Click through to the original website image and cite it using one of the formats above.

Formatting Images in Your APA Style Research Paper

Follow the steps and example listed below to properly format an included image in APA style paper:

• Center the image in the center of your page
• Create a figure number in bold type
• Create a title for the image below the figure number in italics
• Insert your image below the image title
• Notes can be included below the image to give a copyright attribution.

Portrait of a cat playing

Copyright Permissions & Attributions:

Please note that when including actual images in a paper, poster, or presentation, author permissions and/or a copyright attributions may be required. Please note that images from clip art programs like Microsoft Word or PowerPoint do not require copyright attributions.

Search for freely-useable images in the websites listed below:

• Creative Commons Search

Reference List Entries:

Most included images need to have their own entry in your reference list.

For details on which reference entry format to use, follow the examples as listed above. Please note that images from clip art programs like Microsoft Word or PowerPoint do not require a reference list entry but they should still be formatted properly when included in your paper.

Referring to Your Included Images:

When you refer to an included image in your text, make sure to refer to it using the figure number you created for the image:

• “As you can see in Figure 1, …”

For more information, please look at the citation guides found on the CUE Library website.

Photo by Pauline Loroy on Unsplash

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Inserting Images into Your Assignment

Image from a website, known photographer, image from a website, unknown photographer and no date, ai generated images, image from a library database, artwork in a museum or on a museum website, stock image or clip art, image from an online journal article, unpublished image: your own photos or artwork, welcome to the images page.

• Video and Audio
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Any images used in your paper should be copyright free .

Always ask your instructor on how images should appear in your paper. If no instructions are given, APA has some guidance:

• Start by labelling the image with a Figure number (any visual display that is not a table is considered a figure).
• Enter a title for your image and italicize it. The title should be brief, clear and explain the content of the image. It does not have to be the same title as the image title.
• Finish with a Note, with the image title, author, and date listed, along with the title of the website, hyperlinked url for image, and a license statement.
• Make sure to include a References entry in your References as well.
• If you are including the image in the body of your paper, APA recommends the image be placed at the top or the bottom of the page (not the middle). Centre the image as well, with the note left justified.
• If you are citing information from the image, include an in-text citation and References entry.

When referring to your image in the text of your paper, refer to it by the figure number.

For example:

• As shown in Figure 2.
• As compared in the image (See Figure 7).

In Your Paper

Insert the image in your paper following the format, below.

Example of an image with no known creator, title or date

Productive Group Meeting

Note . From [Group meeting with person taking notes on a laptop] [Photograph], n.d., PxHere ( https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1431569 ). CC0 Public Domain.

Example of an image with a known photographer, title and date

Kids Playing With Bubbles

Note . From Bubbles! [Photograph], by C. McCorkle, 2006, Flickr ( https://flic.kr/p/NRiRR7 ). CC BY-SA 2.0.

Include a References entry for the image in your References as well (please see examples below).

More sample figures can be found on APA Style .

Use this example when:

• Citing information from an image (Reference and in-text citation examples)
• Creating a References entry for an image (Reference example only)

For information on how to include an image in your paper, please see the "Inserting Images into Your Assignment" box at the top of this page.

Photographer Last Name, Initials. (Year). Title or description of image in italics [Image format]. Website name. Hyperlinked URL

Tierney, S. (2013). Transporter bridge: Middlesborough [Photograph]. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/stephentierney/9997909524

In-text Citation

(Photographer Last Name, Year).

If the creator is unknown, begin the reference with the image title. If there is no date, enter: n.d. in the date field.

[ Title or description of image ] [Format]. (Date). Website name. Hyperlinked URL

[Golden Gate suspension bridge] [Photograph]. (n.d.). Pexels. https://www.pexels.com/photo/sea-city-mountains-landmark-2042/

([Title or description of image], Year).

Author(s) or Developer(s) (Year). Model name  (Version of model, if applicable) [Type of AI used]. Link to AI model.

Perchance. (2023). AI Image Generator  [AI image creator].  https://perchance.org/ai-text-to-image-generator

Example of an AI generated image

Note.  Image generated using the prompt "Fall trees" by Perchance,  AI Image Generator,  2023 ( https://perchance.org/ai-text-to-image-generator ).

Refer to your image in the text of your paper using the figure number. For example:

• As shown in Figure 2
• As depicted in the image (see Figure 2).

Libraries subscribes to several image databases, including Artstor and Britannica ImageQuest.

List the name of the database where you found the image. Do not include a link to the image in the database.

Photographer Last Name, Initials. (Year).  Title or description of image in italics  [Image format]. Database name. 

Dominguez, C. (n.d.).  Sydney Opera House [Photograph]. Britannica ImageQuest.

(Photographer last name, Year).

Artist’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given. (Year). Title of work [Format of work]. Museum Name, Museum Location. Hyperlinked URL

Mackintosh, C. R., & Macdonald, M. (1901). Design for a fireplace wall [Drawing]. Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY, United States. https://www.moma.org/calendar/exhibitions/1258

(Artist's Last Name, Year).

It is not necessary to cite clip art taken from Microsoft Word or PowerPoint.

Artist’s Last Name, First Initial. Second Initial if given or username. (Year). Title of work [Image format]. Publisher. Hyperlinked URL

Katze2122. (2018). Cat icon grey [Clip art]. Openclipart. https://openclipart.org/detail/308557/cat-icon-grey

(Artist Last Name or username, Year).

Photographer Last Name, Initials. (Year photo was taken). Title or description of image [Image format]. In Article Author's Initials. Article Author's Last Name. (Year article was published). Title of article: Capitalize first word in title and subtitle. Title of Journal: Capitalize all Major Words, Volume number in italics (issue number), page range. Hyperlinked DOI or URL, if applicable

Emanuel, F. (n.d.) Young man being bullied [Photograph]. In K. VanderVen. (2011). From the bully pulpit: A child and youth work approach to bullying. Relational Child & Youth Care Practice, 24 (1/2), 86.

Unpublished images include photographs taken by you but not available publicly online or in a published form.

These types of unpublished images do not need to be cited.

However, you may wish to add a note underneath the photograph to let your reader know it's your photograph (otherwise, your reader may assume you forgot to cite the image!)

Note . Photograph by author.  

Many of your assignments will require you to find and cite images in your assignment.

On this page we've provided:

• Videos that explain how to find free images and how to cite them;
• Examples of how to cite 
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Finding and Citing Online Images

• Finding Free Images Online
• Citing Images in MLA
• Citing Images in APA
• How to Cite Creative Common Images

Acknowledgement

Information on this page reproduced in part from SFU's Finding and Using Online Images LibGuide.

Citing images in APA [7th ed.]

Tables and figures.

Tables and figures differ in terms of how they convey information, but APA Style presents them in a similar format. For more information on formatting tables and figures in your APA Style paper, check out these guides:

• Tables and Figures from APA Style Website A guide from APA Style website detailing setup of tables and figures with samples of both.
• Tables and Figures from Purdue OWL A guide covering APA formatting of tables and figures with examples.
• How to format tables and figures in APA Style A guide from Scribbr detailing APA table and figure formatting, placement, and FAQ. With examples.

Reproducing Images in Your Paper

If the license associated with the image you are using states that attribution is required, then provide a copyright attribution in the figure note (below the image) and a reference list entry for the image in the reference list. Many (but not all) images with Creative Commons licenses require attribution. Even if a work you use is in the public domain (like the painting below) it is advisable to provide attribution for the work.

To use the image as a figure in an APA Style paper:

• Provide a figure number and title and then the image.
• Below the image, provide a copyright attribution in the figure note.

The copyright attribution consists of the same elements as the reference list entry, but in a different order (title, author, date, site name, URL), followed by the name of the Creative Commons License or image Copyright if applicable.

Example of Image in Public Domain Requiring Attribution

Reference list entry for image.

Degas, E. (1874). The dance class [Painting]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, United States. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438817

In-text Citations for Image

Parenthetical : (Degas, 1874)

Narrative : Degas (1874)

Example of Copyrighted Image Requiring Attribution

Adé, E. J. (2020). [Jamie Chung, Michael K. Williams, and Aunjanue Ellis in the season one finale of Lovecraft Country] [Production Still]. New Republic, 252 (1), 47. https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/img/imageqv/actual/nrp/20210401/40924805.jpg?ephost1=dGJyMNLe80Sepq84yOvqOLCmsEmepq5Srqa4SK6WxWXS

Parenthetical : (Adé, 2020)

Narrative : Adé (2020)

References List

Examples of common image types, artwork in a museum or on a museum website.

Artist, A. (Year of release). Title of artwork [medium]. Name of museum, City, State, Country. URL of museum

Hopper, E. (1942). Nighthawks [Painting]. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/111628/nighthawks

Note: if the artwork is available via a museum website, cite that website at the end of the citation. If there is no associated website, simply omit the URL.

Photograph (not associated with a museum)

Photographer, P. (Year of publication). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Source. URL

Ryan, S. (2019). [Sea smoke on Lake Michigan] [Photograph] New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/world/year-in-pictures.html

Note: if the artwork does not have a title, briefly describe the work and put that description in square brackets.

See the APA Style Website for more common examples of Audiovisual Media citations.

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APA 7th Edition Style Guide: Images

Find how to reference an image using the American Psychological Association (APA) 7 th  edition style.

APA 7 th  edition style guidelines for images

Image reproduced in a document.

According to APA style, when any kind of visual display (other than a table) is reproduced in a work, it should be treated as a figure. This includes photographs, drawings, bar graphs, infographics and other illustrations. The reference details are displayed with the figure and also included in the reference list.

The components of a figure are:

• Number:  The figure number (e.g. Figure 1) appears above the figure in bold.
• Title:  The figure title appears one double-spaced line below the figure number, in italics and capitalised
• Legend (only relevant if reproducing a chart or other image containing symbols that need to be explained)
• Note:  This appears below the figure and the purpose is to describe the contents of the figure that cannot be understood from the figure title or image. This is also where the copyright attribution is placed. A reproduced or adapted image requires a copyright attribution. 

Reference list

Please note: 

• Authors intending to publish their work  (including theses) must, before publication, obtain permission from the copyright owner or comply with any stated licencing conditions (such as a Creative Commons licence).
• Students using images in assignments  submitted as part of their course do not need to ask permission from the copyright owner under  Fair Dealing for Research or Study  in Australian copyright law. However, “fair dealing” does not apply if the images are made available to anyone outside the course of study. This includes sharing your work (if the images are included) online or with potential employers. Otherwise you will need to obtain the copyright owner’s permission or omit the images.

Referencing a reprinted image when permission is not necessary

In the body of the paper, for example:

Figure 1 shows the highly ornate…

Springthorpe Memorial  

Note.  From  Cemetery Architecture of Australia  by D. Eade, 2020, p.18. Copyright by Art Architecture Books.

Referencing an image when permission to reproduce it has been obtained from the copyright holder

For example:

The ceiling of the Springthorpe Memorial, as seen in Figure 2, provides a colourful contrast to the sober, neoclassical elements of the building.

Stained Glass Ceiling, Springthorpe Memorial  

Note. Reprinted from Stained Glass Ceilings in Australian Architecture , by A. B. Light, 2018, ( http://ahas.org.au/stainedglassceilings_image1 ). Copyright 2020 by Australian Historic Architecture Society. Reprinted with permission.

Referencing an image you created yourself (i.e. your own work) such as photograph

A figure or image created by you, and reproduced in your paper, would not need a figure note as no copyright attribution would be required. However, if the image requires more description or explanation than that provided by the title, you may wish to include a figure note. No reference list entry is required.

Please note that an exception to this is where an author seeking to publish wishes to use an image they created that has already been published as the copyright may now reside with the publisher (see the note for  Figure 1 ).

For further information, go to the  Academic Writer database  and look at  Figure components  or  Sample figures , or check out APA’s webpage  Figure setup .

Image not reproduced in your work 

When you refer to an image without including a copy of it in your work, include it in the reference list and insert an in-text citation.

In-text citation

Images of Cathy Freeman’s distinctive, green and gold, running suit (Munday 2000), worn at the Sydney Olympics in 2000…

For further examples, go to  Sample references  in the Academic Writer database and select 'Audiovisual material', or check out APA’s webpage  Audiovisual media .

Swinburne Design students

In some Design units, the preference is for the figure number and reference details to be displayed in the note below the figure and also in the reference list .

As demonstrated in Figure 1, cemetery architecture at that time…  

Figure 1. Syme Memorial. Reprinted from “Edwardian Melbourne and Cemetery Architecture,” by J. J. Lintel, A. Corbel, and P. T. Rafter, 2019,  Cemetery Art and Architecture, 20 (1), p.5 ( https://doi.org/10.1030/yho0000359 ). Copyright 2019 by Doodle, Quiff & Co.

Looking for a different referencing style guide?

Australian guide to legal citation 4th edition (aglc4), harvard referencing style guide, need more information.

Ask us a question or leave us feedback by emailing  [email protected]  or calling  1300 794 628 . Alternatively,  complete this form  so our team members can get in touch with you. 

Tables, Images, & Appendices in APA Style

In some of the assignments, you may find it practical to add a table or an image. In addition, you may need to include an appendix at the end of your writing. Both figures and appendices help to convey data to the reader in a more detailed or visual form. Use this guide to understand how to create and properly integrate tables, images, and appendices in your paper.

How to Create a Table in Microsoft Word

A table puts numerical or textual information into rows and columns. You may use tables if you need to give precise values for complex structured data. It is possible to create a table using Microsoft Word, where you may either insert table and enter the desired number of rows and columns, or draw table by dragging the pencil to make horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines. In addition, a table may be copied from the original source. Each table should have:

• a number according to the order in which it is presented in the text
• a descriptive title so that a reader can immediately understand what information the table contains
• a complete citation, if you are presenting data produced by someone else.

How to Format a Table in APA Style

• Number the table. Example: Table 1
• Give a meaningful and understandable title in italics.

Factors contributing to nurses’ involvement in setting health policy

• Include a “ Note ” to give any additional information regarding the table or give a full citation.

Note : Reprinted from Shariff, N. (2014). Factors that act as facilitators and barriers to nurse leaders’ participation in health policy development. BMC Nursing, 13(20) . doi:10.1186/1472-6955-13-20

• Refer to the table by its label (for example, Table 1) rather than by its name.

“The factors contributing to greater involvement of nurses in the development of health policy and agenda setting can be seen in Table 1.”

Table 1 The factors contributing to nurses’ involvement in setting health policy

Note : Reprinted from Shariff, N. (2014). The factors that act as facilitators and barriers to nurse leaders’ participation in health policy development. BMC Nursing, 13(20) . doi:10.1186/1472-6955-13-20

When to Use and How to Incorporate Images

Use a graph or an image to present a specific object or a drawing within the body of your work. Figures should add to the reader’s understanding of the content of a paper. An image or a graph may be copied from the original source. All figures must be of good quality, informative, and fit on one page. An image should have a number, a title, and a full reference citation.

How to Format an Image in APA Style

• Label an image as Figure and give it a corresponding number. Example: Figure 1
• Give your image a meaningful title. Example: Figure 1: Current vehicle license plate in Georgia
• After writing a title, include a full reference citation to indicate the original source of the image
• Refer to an image by its label. Example: “Refer to Figure 1 to learn about the standard format for license plates in Georgia.”

What Is an Appendix in a Paper?

An appendix includes supplemental materials that are inappropriate for the body of the paper as they may distract a reader. For example, these may be questionnaires or surveys, raw statistical data, or interview transcripts. The information presented in an appendix is not required to understand the main argument of your work. Therefore, an appendix or appendices should be presented at the end of your work after a Works Cited or References page.

How to Create and Integrate an Appendix

• The appendix heading should begin on a separate page and be in upper case.
• If the work has one appendix, it should be labeled “APPENDIX.” If a paper has two or more appendices, they should be labeled “APPENDIX A,” “APPENDIX B,” and so on.
• Label appendices in the order in which they are presented in the text.
• Each appendix should be referred to by its name in the body of the paper.

“For additional information about the statistical data, see Appendix A.”

• An appendix may include citations, which should be included in the reference list.
• An appendix label should be centered at the top of a page.

To sum up, tables, images, and appendices may help you to provide a comprehensive representation of the data, as well as give readers additional information about the topic. This guide has discussed how to create and integrate each one of these features into your paper. In addition, it has explained how to properly format tables, figures, and appendices according to the rules of APA style.

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Locating and Using Images for Presentations and Coursework

• Free & Open Source Images
• How to Cite Images
• Alt Text Image Descriptions

Copyright Resources

• Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States from Cornell University Library
• Copyright Overview from Purdue University
• U.S. Copyright Office
• Fair Use Evaluator
• Visual Resources Association's Statement of Fair Use of Images for Teaching, Research, and Study
• Creative Commons Licenses

Attribution

Again, the majority of images you find are under copyright and cannot be used without permission from the creator. There are exceptions with Fair Use, but this Libguide is intended to help you locate images you can use with attribution (and in some case, the images are free to use without attribution when stated, such as with stock images from pixabay). ***Please read about public domain . These images aren't under copyright, but it's still good practice to include attribution if the information is available. Attribution : the act of attributing something, especially the ascribing of a work (as of literature or art) to a particular author or artist. When you have given proper attribution, it means you have given the information necessary for people to know who the creator of the work is.

Citation General Guidelines

Include as much of the information below when citing images in a paper and formal presentations. Apply the appropriate citation style (see below for APA, MLA examples).

• Image creator's name (artist, photographer, etc.)
• Title of the image
• Date the image (or work represented by the image) was created
• Date the image was posted online
• Date of access (the date you accessed the online image)
• Institution (gallery, museum) where the image is located/owned (if applicable)
• Website and/or Database name

Citing Images in MLA, APA, Chicago, and IEEE

• Directions for citing in MLA, APA, and Chicago MLA: Citing images in-text, incorporating images into the text of your paper, works cited APA 6th ed.: Citing images in-text and reference list Chicago 17th ed.: Citing images footnotes and endnotes and bibliography from Simon Fraser University
• How to Cite Images Using IEEE from the SAIT Reg Erhardt Library
• Image, Photograph, or Related Artwork (IEEE) from the Rochester Institute of Technology Library

Citing Images in Your PPT

Currently, citing images in PPT is a bit of the Wild West. If details aren't provided by an instructor, there are a number of ways to cite. What's most important is that if the image is not a free stock image, you give credit to the author for the work. Here are some options:

1. Some sites, such as Creative Commons and Wikimedia, include the citation information with the image. Use that citation when available. Copy the citation and add under the image. For example, an image of a lake from Creative Commons has this citation next to it:  "lake"  by  barnyz  is licensed under  CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 .

2. Include a marker, such as Image 1. or Figure 1., and in the reference section, include full citation information with the corresponding number

3. Include a complete citation (whatever the required format, such as APA) below the image

4. Below the image, include the link to the online image location

5. Hyperlink the title of the image with the online image location

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• AUT Library
• Library Guides
• Referencing styles and applications

APA 7th Referencing Style Guide

• Figures (graphs and images)
• Referencing & APA style
• In-text citation
• Elements of a reference
• Format & examples of a reference list
• Conferences
• Reports & grey literature

General guidelines

From a book, from an article, from a library database, from a website, citing your own work.

• Theses and dissertations
• Audio works
• Films, TV & video
• Visual works
• Computer software, games & apps
• Lecture notes & Intranet resources
• Legal resources
• Personal communications
• PowerPoint slides
• Social media
• Specific health examples
• Standards & patents
• Websites & webpages
• Footnotes and appendices
• Frequently asked questions

A figure may be a chart, a graph, a photograph, a drawing, or any other illustration or nontextual depiction. Any type of illustration or image other than a table is referred to as a figure.

Figure Components

• Number:  The figure number (e.g., Figure 1 ) appears above the figure in bold (no period finishing).
• Title: The figure title appears one double-spaced line below the figure number in Italic Title Case  (no period finishing).
• Image: The image portion of the figure is the chart, graph, photograph, drawing, or illustration itself.
• Legend: A figure legend, or key, if present, should be positioned within the borders of the figure and explain any symbols used in the figure image.
• Note: A note may appear below the figure to describe contents of the figure that cannot be understood from the figure title, image, and/or legend alone (e.g., definitions of abbreviations, copyright attribution). Not all figures include notes. Notes are flush left, non-italicised. If present they begin with Note. (italicised, period ending). The notes area will include reference information if not an original figure, and copyright information as required.

General rules

• In the text, refer to every figure by its number, no italics, but with a capital "F" for "Figure". For example, "As shown in Figure 1, ..." 
• There are two options for the placement of figures in a paper. The first option is to place all figures on separate pages after the reference list. The second option is to embed each figure within the text.
• If you reproduce or adapt a figure from another source (e.g., an image you found on the internet), you should include a copyright attribution in the figure note, indicating the origin of the reproduced or adapted material, in addition to a reference list entry for the work. Include a permission statement (Reprinted or Adapted with permission) only if you have sought and obtained permission to reproduce or adapt material in your figure. A permission statement is not required for material in the public domain or openly licensed material. For student course work, AUT assignments and internal assessments, a permission statement is also not needed, but copyright attribution is still required.
• Important note for postgraduate students and researchers: If you wish to reproduce or adapt figures that you did not create yourself in your thesis, dissertation, exegesis, or other published work, you must obtain permission from the copyright holder/s, unless the figure is in the public domain (copyright free), or licensed for use with a Creative Commons or other open license. Works under a  Creative Commons licence  should be cited accordingly. See Using works created by others for more information. 

Please check the APA style website for an illustration of the basic figure component & placement of figure in a text.

More information & examples from the   APA Style Manual , s. 7.22-7.36,    pp. 225–250

Figure reproduced in your text

Note format - for notes below the figure

In-text citation:

Reference list entry:

Referring to a figure in a book

If you refer to a figure included in a book but do not include it in your text, format the in-text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way, citing the page number where the figure appears.

Note format -  for notes below the figure

Referring to a figure in an article

If you refer to a figure in an article but do not include it in your text, format the in-text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way for an article, citing the page number where the figure appears.

Note format - for notes below the figure

Reference list:

Referring to a figure on a webpage

If you refer to a figure on a webpage and do not include it in your text, format the in-text citation and the reference list entry in the usual way for a webpage,

Not every reference to an artwork needs a reference list entry. For example, if you refer to a famous painting, as below, it would not need a reference.

Finding image details for your figure caption or reference

• clicking on or hovering your mouse over the image
• looking at the bottom of the image
• looking at the URL
• If there is no title, create a short descriptive one yourself and put it in square brackets e.g. [...]
• For more guidance, see Visual works

If it has been formally published reference your work as you would any other published work.

If the work is available on a website reference it as a webpage (see examples in the webpage section ).

Citing your own figures, graphs or images in an assignment:

• Include the title
• Add a note explaining the content. No copyright attribution is required.
• You can, if you wish, add a statement that it is your own work
• You do not need an in-text citation or add it to your reference list
• See example in APA manual p.247, Figure 7.17 Sample photograph

Great Barrier Island 

Note. Photo of Great Barrier Island taken from Orewa at sunrise. Own work.

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• Last Updated: Apr 15, 2024 3:37 PM
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• Free Tools for Students
• APA Citation Generator

Free APA Citation Generator

Generate citations in APA format quickly and automatically, with MyBib!

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An APA citation generator is a software tool that will automatically format academic citations in the American Psychological Association (APA) style.

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Formatted citations created by a generator can be copied into the bibliography of an academic paper as a way to give credit to the sources referenced in the main body of the paper.

👩‍🎓 Who uses an APA Citation Generator?

College-level and post-graduate students are most likely to use an APA citation generator, because APA style is the most favored style at these learning levels. Before college, in middle and high school, MLA style is more likely to be used. In other parts of the world styles such as Harvard (UK and Australia) and DIN 1505 (Europe) are used more often.

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Like almost every other citation style, APA style can be cryptic and hard to understand when formatting citations. Citations can take an unreasonable amount of time to format manually, and it is easy to accidentally include errors. By using a citation generator to do this work you will:

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In academia, bibliographies are graded on their accuracy against the official APA rulebook, so it is important for students to ensure their citations are formatted correctly. Special attention should also be given to ensure the entire document (including main body) is structured according to the APA guidelines. Our complete APA format guide has everything you need know to make sure you get it right (including examples and diagrams).

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Our APA generator was built with a focus on simplicity and speed. To generate a formatted reference list or bibliography just follow these steps:

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• MyBib will automatically locate all the required information. If any is missing you can add it yourself.
• Your citation will be generated correctly with the information provided and added to your bibliography.
• Repeat for each citation, then download the formatted list and append it to the end of your paper.

MyBib supports the following for APA style:

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

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Reference List: Textual Sources

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Basic Format for Books

Edited book, no author, edited book with an author or authors, a translation.

Note : When you cite a republished work, like the one above, in your text, it should appear with both dates: Plato (385-378/1989)

Edition Other Than the First

Article or chapter in an edited book.

Note : When you list the pages of the chapter or essay in parentheses after the book title, use "pp." before the numbers: (pp. 1-21). This abbreviation, however, does not appear before the page numbers in periodical references, except for newspapers. List any edition number in the same set of parentheses as the page numbers, separated by a comma: (2nd ed., pp. 66-72).

Multivolume Work

Articles in periodicals.

APA style dictates that authors are named with their last name followed by their initials; publication year goes between parentheses, followed by a period. The title of the article is in sentence-case, meaning only the first word and proper nouns in the title are capitalized. The periodical title is run in title case, and is followed by the volume number which, with the title, is also italicized. If a DOI has been assigned to the article that you are using, you should include this after the page numbers for the article. If no DOI has been assigned and you are accessing the periodical online, use the URL of the website from which you are retrieving the periodical.

Article in Print Journal

Note: APA 7 advises writers to include a DOI (if available), even when using the print source. The example above assumes no DOI is available.

Article in Electronic Journal

Note :  This content also appears on Reference List: Online Media .

As noted above, when citing an article in an electronic journal, include a DOI if one is associated with the article.

DOIs may not always be available. In these cases, use a URL. Many academic journals provide stable URLs that function similarly to DOIs. These are preferable to ordinary URLs copied and pasted from the browser's address bar.

Article in a Magazine

Article in a newspaper.