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Locating and Using Images for Presentations and Coursework

  • How to Cite Images
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Copyright, Public Domain, and Fair Use

  • Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States from Cornell University Library
  • Copyright Overview from Purdue University
  • Fair Use Chart from the Visual Communication Guy
  • ALA Fair Use Evaluator
  • Creative Commons Licenses

Attribution

Attribution : the act of attributing something, giving credit (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.

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.

***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.

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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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / How to Cite a Picture or Image in APA

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
  • Block Quotes
  • et al Usage
  • In-text Citations
  • Multiple Authors
  • Paraphrasing
  • Page Numbers
  • Parenthetical Citations
  • Reference Page
  • Sample Paper
  • APA 7 Updates
  • View APA Guide

Citation Examples

  • Book Chapter
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  • Website (no author)
  • View all APA 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.

APA Citation Examples

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Citing tables, figures & images: APA (7th ed.) citation guide

On this page, introduction, general guidelines, examples for citing figures & images, examples for citing tables.

how do i cite pictures in a research paper

This guide is based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed. It provides selected citation examples for common types of sources. For more detailed information consult directly a  print copy  of the style manual.

Check out APA's Guide to what's new for APA 7 .

Keep track of your document references/citations and format your reference lists easily with Citation management software .

Tables and figures (includes images) follow similar set up and formatting. The guidelines below focus on common examples used by students for academic papers . For details on creating tables or figures for submission to journals or graduate theses, see APA's Tables and figures or consult the guide directly (Section 7, pp. 195–250).

Wondering if you can use that image you found online? Refer to SFU's Copyright and your coursework or the FAQ What is fair dealing? for guidelines on use.

  • All figures and tables must be mentioned in the text (a "callout") by their number. Do not refer to the table/figure using either "the table above" or "the figure below."
  • Assign table/figure # in the order as it appears, numbered consecutively, in your paper - not the figure # assigned to it in its original resource.
  • A note is added when further description, for example, definitions or copyright attribution, is necessary to explain the figure or table. Most student papers will require a general note for copyright attribution and acknowledgement whether it is reprinted or adapted from another source. Consult the guide directly for detailed instructions on formatting notes (Section 7.14, pp. 203–205).
  • For copyright attribution templates , consult Table 12.1 on page 390 of the guide (Section 12.18, pp. 389-390).
  • If permission is required for reprinting or adapting, at the end of the citation place: Reprinted with permission or  Adapted with permission followed by a period.
  • All the sources must have a full bibliographic entry in your Reference List .
  • Review your figure/table against the appropriate checklist found only in the guide (Sections 7.20, Table, p. 206 and 7.35, Figure, p. 232).

Order of components

Above the figure/table.

  • Write " Figure " or " Table " in bold font, flush left, followed by the number, for example, Figure 1 .
  • Write the figure/table title using italic case below the figure/table number,
  • Double-space the figure/table number and title,
  • Embed image.

Below the figure/table

  • On a new line below the figure/table, flush left, place Note. Provide further details/explanation about the information in the figure/table only if necessary. State if material is reprinted or adapted —use " From " if reprinted or " Adapted from " if adapted. Followed directly by the copyright attribution —this is basically the same information as found in the reference list entry but in a different order.
  • Separate figure/table from the text with one blank double-spaced line.

Placement in paper

  • embed in the text after it is first mentioned or,
  • place on a separate page after the reference list (an appendix).
  • When embedding all figures and tables are aligned with the left margin .
  • All examples in this guide show embedded figures and tables.

Refer directly to the guide for more detailed notes on placement (Section 7.6, p. 198).

Figures include: images found online, maps , graphs , charts, drawings, and photographs, or any other illustration or non-textual depiction in printed or electronic resources.

See APA's Figure set up for detailed information on the basic components of a figure, principles of creation, and placement in papers with formatting requirements, or consult the guide directly (Section 7.22–7.36, pp. 225–250).

Review APA's guide for Accessible use of colour in table/figures for best practices.

Exact copy from a single source (aka reprinted)

The following example is when it is reproduced in your paper exactly as it appears in another source : Same format or state, no reconfiguration or new analysis.

visualization of vision statement of Iskwewuk E-wichiwitochik (Women Walking Together)

Compiled from variety of sources

The following example is for citing a figure that you have created by compiling information from a variety of sources. For example, if you combined data from a database, a website , and a government report to create a new chart. Each source requires a copyright attribution in a general note and full bibliographic entry in the Reference List.

graph comparing meat consumption of Canada, USA, France, and Finland

See APA's Clip art or stock image references ,  Image with no attribution required ,  Image requires an attribution , or consult the guide directly (Section 12.14–12.18, pp. 384–390 ).

Citing but not reproducing the image? See Visual: Artwork in museum, PowerPoint slides, photographs, clipart/stock image, maps retrieved online in this guide for examples or consult the guide directly (Section 10.14, pp. 346–347).

Image with attribution

image of three stars aligned in the sky over observatory buildings in Chile known as syzygy

Reference list examples

Beletsky, Y. (2013).  Three planets dance over La Silla [Photograph]. European Southern Observatory. https://www.eso.org/public/images/potw1322a/

Euromonitor International. (2020). [Statistical data on market sizes of fresh food]. Passport . Retrieved January 21, 2021, from https://go.euromonitor.com/passport.html

FranceAgriMer. (2020, September). Consommation des produits carnes en 2019 . https://www.franceagrimer.fr/content/download/64994/document/STA-VIA-Consommation%20des%20produits%20carn%C3%A9s%20en%202019.pdf

Natural Resources Institute Finland. (2020). Consumption of food commodities per capita by year and commodity [Statistics database]. http://statdb.luke.fi/PXWeb/sq/d1b368d7-9c07-4efd-b727-13e57db90ee6

Okemasim–Sicotte, D. R., Gingell, S., & Bouvier, R. (2018). Iskwewuk E–wichiwitochik. In K. Anderson, M. Campbell, & C. Belcourt (Eds.), Keetsahnak /Our missing and murdered Indigenous sisters (pp. 243–269). University of Alberta Press.

Irish, J. (2019).  Sequoia National Park.  [Photograph]. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/united-states/61-national-parks-photos/#/giant-tree-trail-sequoia-national-park.jpg

Drewes, W. (n.d.).  Frog and insects (no.200) . [Painting]. The Smithsonian Institution. https://www.si.edu/object/saam_1968.9.50

  • See the General Notes in this guide for help with creating citations with missing information , e.g. using a description if no title—see Euromonitor International in the reference list above.
  • For figures compiled from multiple sources, identify individual source information using the following format in the "From" statement: Note . The data for Country Name are from [copyright attribution according to source]. End each copyright attribution with a period.
  • Use author-date in-text citation when the data is transformed (reconfigured or reanalyzed) to produce different numbers. (Section 12.15 Data subsection, p. 385).
  • If work is published or read online, use live links—check with your instructor for their preference.

Tables are characterized by a row-column structure. See APA's Table set up for detailed information on the basic components of a table, principles of creation, and placement in papers with formatting requirements, or consult the guide directly (Section 7.8–7.21, pp. 199–224).

Exact copy from a single source (aka reprint)

table showing percentage of males in female professions from 1990, 1980 and 1975

If you have compiled data from a variety of different sources and put it together to form your own table, you still need to cite where you got the information from. Each source requires a copyright attribution in a general note and full bibliographic entry in the Reference List.

table listing popular male and female baby names by province for 2019

British Columbia Ministry of Health. (2019). Baby’s most chosen names in British Columbia, 2019 . https://connect.health.gov.bc.ca/babynames?year=2019

eHealth Saskatchewan. (2019). Most popular baby names for 2019 . https://www.ehealthsask.ca/health-data/babynames/Pages/mostpopular2019.aspx

Government of Alberta. (2019). Alberta’s top baby names . https://www.alberta.ca/top-baby-names.aspx

Manitoba Vital Statistics Agency . (2020). Annual report 2019-2020 . https://vitalstats.gov.mb.ca/pdf/2020_vs_annual_report_en.pdf

Williams, C. L. (1992). The glass escalator: Hidden advantages for men in the "female" professions. Social Problems , 39 (3), 253-267. https://doi.org/10.2307/3096961

  • For tables compiled from multiple sources, in the "From" statement, identify each individual source information. e.g.: Note . The data for Country Name are from [copyright attribution according to source]. End each copyright attribution with a period.
  • ​If you have multiple kinds of data (population figures, consumer information, etc...) in one table you would describe each set of data. e.g.: Note.  Population figures for XYZ are from [ copyright attribution according to source ] and for ABC are from [ copyright attribution according to source ]. Data for pet ownership for XYZ are from [ copyright attribution according to source ] and for ABC are from [ copyright attribution according to source ]. End each copyright attribution with a period.
  • Use an author-date in-text citation when the data is transformed (reconfigured or reanalyzed) to produce different numbers. (Section 12.15 Data subsection, p. 385).
  • All the sources must have a full bibliographic entry in your Reference List even though the information in the Note  field uses a lot of the same information.
  • If work is published or read online, APA recommends using live links— check with your instructor for their preference.
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  • Image Reference
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APA Image Citation

APA does not have a written standard for images. There will be differences in how other Research Guides show you how to do them. You will want to talk with your professor or editor before turning in your work.

APA Original Artwork, Sculpture or Image Citation

A painting, sculpture, or photograph:.

Image Francisco de Goya. (1820-1823). Saturn Devouring One of his Sons. [mural painting transferred to canvas]. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain.

Fig. #. Artist Name. (date). Title of work . [medium]. Location of artwork. city, state/country.

Fig. 4. Francisco de Goya. (1820-1823). Saturn Devouring One of his Sons . [mural painting transferred to canvas]. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain.

In-Text Citation:

(last name, Date)

(Goya, 1820-1823)

Reference List:

last name, first initial. (date). Title of work . [medium]. Location of artwork. city, state/country.

de Goya, F. (1820-1823). Saturn Devouring One of his Sons . [mural painting transferred to canvas]. Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain.

APA Photographic Reproductions of Art

Image Celebration of the Modern City. From Art History (p. 1058), by Umberto Boccioni, 1911, New York, NY: Harry N Abrams, Inc. Copyright [1995] by M. Stockstad.

Fig. number . Description or title of image. From Title of Book (p. xxx), by Author, year, Place of Publication: Publisher. Copyright [year] by the Name of Copyright Holder.

Fig. 1 . Celebration of the modern city in abstract. From Art History (p. 1058), by Umberto Boccioni, 1911, New York, NY: Harry N Abrams, Inc. Copyright [1995] by M. Stockstad.

Artist or Author. (Year of image creation). Description or title of image [Image format]. Place artwork is located. From Author or Editor, Title of Book (pages). Location: Publisher, Year of book publication.

Boccioni, Umberto (1911). States of Mind: The Farewells [Oil on Canvas]. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. From M. Stockstad, Art History (p. 1058). New York, NY: Harry N Abrams, Inc., 1995.

APA Online Image Citation

advice from a caterpillar

Captions under illustrations/ figures: 

Figure 1. Alice and the Caterpillar [woodblock]. From "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" (p. 59), by john. Tennial 1865, London: Macmillian and Co. Copyright [1866] by Lewis Carroll. 

Reference List 

Tenniel, John (1865). Advice from a Caterpillar [Woodblock]. Gettysburg College, Musselman Library, Special Collections. Gettysburg, PA. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/alicesadventur00carr/page/58/mode/2up?view=theater` .  

In-Text 

(Fig. 1 Tennial, 1865) 

APA Image from Library Database

how do i cite pictures in a research paper

Creator (Last, First). (date). Title [medium]. Database. Retrieved from Web address.

Peters, J.L. (1872). Phrenological Waltzes [Print, Electronic resource].  Library of Congress: Music Division .  Retrieved from https://www.loc.gov/item/sm1872.06931/.

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APA Citation Style, 7th edition: Figures/Images

  • General Style Guidelines
  • One Author or Editor
  • Two Authors or Editors
  • Three to Five Authors or Editors
  • Article or Chapter in an Edited Book
  • Article in a Reference Book
  • Edition other than the First
  • Translation
  • Government Publication
  • Journal Article with 1 Author
  • Journal Article with 2 Authors
  • Journal Article with 3–20 Authors
  • Journal Article 21 or more Authors
  • Magazine Article
  • Newspaper Article
  • Basic Web Page
  • Web page from a University site
  • Web Page with No Author
  • Entry in a Reference Work
  • Government Document
  • Film and Television
  • Youtube Video
  • Audio Podcast
  • Electronic Image
  • Twitter/Instagram
  • Lecture/PPT
  • Conferences
  • Secondary Sources
  • Citation Support
  • Avoiding Plagiarism
  • Formatting Your Paper

Helpful Tip!

If you are unable to find the author/artist then use the title in your signal phrase or the first word or two of the title in the parentheses.

If there is no date available then use the abbreviation "n.d." (for "no date").

When possible, include the year, month, and date in references. If the month and date are not available, you may use the year of publication.

Situations this Section Covers

There are are many different types of figures, however, APA uses certain basic principles for all figure types.

Types of figures:

  • photographs/images

This section will cover the following examples:

  • Image from an Electronic Source

For more examples and information, consult the following publications:

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.)

Call Number:  BF76.7 .P83 2020

Locations:  Main Reference Collection 1st Floor (1 copy); Book Stacks (5 copies)

About Citing Works of Art

Online Map: Title of work [Map]. (Date or date of latest update {Year, Month Day }). Site name (if needed). URL

Online Image/Web site; Artist's last name, artist’s initials. (Year). Title of work [Online image]. Site name (if needed). URL

For each type of source in this guide, both the general form and an example   will be provided.

The following format will be used:

In-Text Citation (Paraphrase) - entry that appears in the body of your paper when you express the ideas of a researcher or author using your own words.  For more tips on paraphrasing check out The OWL at Purdue .

In-Text Citation (Quotation) - entry that appears in the body of your paper after a direct quote.

References - entry that appears at the end of your paper.

Information on citing and several of the examples were drawn from the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.).

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Images Research Guide: Citing Images

How to cite images.

There are many ways to cite images. Most important is to include all relevant information so others can locate, understand and evaluate any images you use.

Academic Styles of Citing Images:

APA Style (7th Edition)

MLA Style (9th Edition)

Non-Academic Style:

Image Credits

Cover Art

Reference List

General Format:

Creator, C. (Year of Production or publication). Title of work [Description, Medium, or other relevant information]. Source. Retrieval information or location of work.

Image Found on the Web Euloth, G. (2012). Sleepy Kitty, Purr, Purr, Purr [Photograph]. Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/bD838X

Image from a Database Sharkstar, A.J. (2014). Two Cats Bound Together By A Snake [Sticker]. A rtstor . https://library.artstor.org/public/SS7730635_7730635_12095826 

Image from a Book O’Keeffe, G. (1923). Alligator Pears in a Basket [Charcoal drawing]. In Sayre, H.M., Writing about art (6 th ed., pp. 39). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009.

Image from a Museum or Archive Website Lawrence, J. (1977). The Studio [Painting]. Seattle Art Museum, Seattle, WA, United States. https://art.seattleartmuseum.org/objects/10605/the-studio

Image in a Museum Mirra, H. (2016). Standard Incomparable [Textile]. Pasadena, CA: Armory Center for the Arts.

In-text Citations

(Creator Last Name, Year)

If there is no creator, use (Title, Year)

(Amero, 1951)

Figure Captions

Figure 1. Author, A. A. (Year). Title of material . [Description of material]. Retrieved from http://www.xxxx

Figure 1. Amero, E. (1951). Fiesta. [Print]. Retrieved from Artstor.

Image Credits (Non-Academic Style)

A credit statement can be an alternative to a full academic citation, and especially useful when writing for the Web. Provide a link to the image if you can.

Title by Creator, date (if available), via source (Creative Common License Type, if applicable).

Sleep Kitty, Purr, Purr, Purr by Glenn Euloth, 2012, via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

Open Attribution Builder:

If you are using an openly licensed image, try generating an image credit with the Open Attribution Builder .

Open Attribution Builder. Enter image info, then copy and paste text or code.

Why Cite Images?

There are many important reasons to cite images you use:

  • Give credit to the creator of the image.
  • Provide information so others can find and reuse the image
  • Participate in ongoing scholarly conversations about images

MLA Style (Ninth Edition, 2021)

Cover Art

Works Cited List

Previously, researchers made citations by following the MLA’s instructions for the source’s publication format (book, DVD, Web page, etc.). Now, there is one standard, universal format that researchers can use to create their citations:

Author. Title of source. Title of container, Other contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication date, Location.

Note: Containers are the elements that “hold” the source. For example, if a photo is posted on Flickr, Flickr is the container. Sometimes a source is nested inside of two separate containers, like an image found in a book read on an ebook platform like Ebook Library (EBL). Both the title of the source and its container (or multiple containers) are included in a citation.

Image Found on the Web Euloth, Glenn. Sleepy Kitty, Purr, Purr, Purr. 2012. Flickr , flic.kr/p/bD838X .

Image from a Database Amero, Emilio. Fiesta . 1951. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. Artstor , https://library.artstor.org/#/asset/external/8D5Jcj0oMloyLyw%2Ffzx%2FRHsp

Image from a Book O’Keeffe, Georgia. Alligator Pears in a Basket . 1923. Writing about Art by Henry M. Sayre, 6 th ed., Pearson Prentice Hall, 2009, pp. 39.

Image from a Museum or Archive Website Lawrence, Jacob. The Studio . 1977. Seattle Art Museum, Seattle. Seattle Art Museum, www1.seattleartmuseum.org/eMuseum/code/emuseum.asp?style=browse&currentrecord=1&page=search&profile=objects&searchdesc=90.27&quicksearch=90.27&newvalues=1&newstyle=single&newcurrentrecord=1.

Image in a Museum Mirra, Helen. Standard Incomparable . 2016, Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, CA.

In-text citations

(Creator Last Name, Page Number)

If there is no creator, use (“Title", Page Number)

For images found online, do not list a page number.

Fig 1. Ann Author, Title of Work , Museum and/or Publication information.

Fig 1. Emilio Amero, Fiesta , National Gallery of Art, 1951, Washington, D.C.

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Cite an Image | Photographs, Figures, Diagrams - Scribbr

    To cite an image, you need an in-text citation and a corresponding reference entry. The reference entry should list: The creator of the image. The year it was published. The title of the image. The format of the image (e.g., “photograph”) Its location or container (e.g. a website, book, or museum)

  2. How to Cite an Image in APA Style | Format & Examples - Scribbr

    An APA image citation includes the creator’s name, the year, the image title and format (e.g. painting, photograph, map), and the location where you accessed or viewed the image. APA format. Last name, Initials. (Year). Image title [Format]. Site Name. or Museum, Location. URL. APA reference entry. van Gogh, V. (1889).

  3. How to Cite Images - Locating and Using Images for ...

    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.

  4. How to Cite an Image or Photo in APA Format - Grammarly

    Knowing how to cite an image in APA format, whether it’s classic art or an infographic, is an essential part of writing a research paper. The seventh edition of APA Style requires that, for photos and images, you list the creator’s name , image title , year of origin , type of media , and location from which you accessed the image (such as ...

  5. How to Cite an Image in MLA | Format & Examples - Scribbr

    If you include an image directly in your paper, it should be labeled “Fig.” (short for “Figure”), given a number, and presented in the MLA figure format. Directly below the image, place a centered caption starting with the figure label and number (e.g. “Fig. 2”), then a period.

  6. How to Cite a Picture or Image in APA | EasyBib Citations

    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.

  7. Citing tables, figures & images: APA (7th ed.) citation guide

    The guidelines below focus on common examples used by students for academic papers. For details on creating tables or figures for submission to journals or graduate theses, see APA's Tables and figures or consult the guide directly (Section 7, pp. 195–250).

  8. APA 7th Ed. Image & Artwork Citation - Image Use & Citation ...

    If you use an image in your work, you must cite it. This includes papers, presentations, theses/dissertations, publications, blogs, etc. Learn to use and cite images correctly.

  9. Figures/Images - APA Citation Style, 7th edition - Research ...

    The following format will be used: In-Text Citation (Paraphrase) - entry that appears in the body of your paper when you express the ideas of a researcher or author using your own words. For more tips on paraphrasing check out The OWL at Purdue. In-Text Citation (Quotation) - entry that appears in the body of your paper after a direct quote.

  10. Images Research Guide: Citing Images - University of Washington

    How to Cite Images. There are many ways to cite images. Most important is to include all relevant information so others can locate, understand and evaluate any images you use. Academic Styles of Citing Images: APA Style (7th Edition) MLA Style (9th Edition) Non-Academic Style: Image Credits.