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GEN / APA Citation Style: Images

Citing images

In APA Style, images are defined as the following: 

  • tables (numbers or text, usually arranged in columns and rows)
  • figures (include charts, graphs, photographs, drawing, artwork in museums, stock images, infographics, photographs)

The images that you include in your assignment or document may be your own or reproduced (or adapted) from a source.

 

General rules about tables and figures in APA Style:

  • Tables and figures should help the reader to understand your work or argument, rather than duplicate the content in the text.
  • Number the tables and figures in their order of appearance in your assignment or project, Eg. Figure 1, Figure 2, Table 1, Table 2, etc.
  • Mention the image by referring to the figure or table number, instead of "the figure (or table) above (or below)". 
  • There should be a brief title or description between the table or figure number and the table or figure.
  • If the table or figure is not entirely your own, indicate in the note that it is from or adapted from another source. The way of citing the source in the note is slightly different from how it will be cited in the reference list.
  • The note can also provide explanations or additional information to the table or figure.
  • Remember to cite your table or figure in the in-text citation and reference list.

If you are referring to a table or figure but do not reproduce or adapt it in your assignment or project, you can just cite it as usual in the in-text citation and reference list, using the style for the source (e.g. journal or webpage).

Example of table from journal article

The table number (e.g. Table 1) is in bold font. On the next line in double spacing, provide the title or a brief description in italics, with the important words in uppercase. Add a note below the table if additional information is needed. 

In-text citation (cite as you would normally and mention a table in your text)

...as shown in Table 1...

... (see Table 1).

 

Table number, title or description, table, and optional note

Table 1

Items in the Smartphone Addiction Proneness Scale

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Note. From "Development of Korean smartphone addiction proneness scale for youth" by D. Kim, Y. Lee, J. Lee, J. K. Nam, and Y. Chung, 2014, PLoS ONE, 9(5), p. 3 (https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0097920). Copyright 2014 by PLOS.

 

Reference

Kim, D., Lee, Y., Lee, J., Nam, J. K., & Chung, Y. (2014). Development of Korean smartphone addiction proneness scale for youth. PLoS One, 9(5), Article e97920. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0097920

Citing photographs

You may include a photograph if it is your own, reproduce it if it belongs to someone else, or only cite it in the in-text citation and reference list without including or reproducing the photograph. If you took the photograph yourself, no citation or copyright information is needed in the figure note.

Example of photograph taken by yourself

Figure number, title or description, figure

Figure 2

Cat with Clipped Ear Outside a Home in Singapore.

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Example of photograph found on webpage but not reproduced in your assignment:

In-text citation

... (Brandt, 2004)

 

Reference (if there is no official title for the photograph, use a description in square brackets, e.g. [Photograph of...]) 

Brandt, N. (2004). Elephant with exploding dust, Amboseli [Photograph]. https://www.nickbrandt.com/portfolio.cfm?nK=7617&nS=2#image-1

Example of figure (chart) from a government report

The figure number (e.g. Figure 1) is in bold font. On the next line in double spacing, provide the title or a brief description in italics, with the important words in uppercase. Add a note below the figure if additional information is needed. 

In-text citation (cite as you would normally and mention a figure in your text)

According to Ministry of Manpower (Figure 1)...

...(see Figure 1).

 

Figure number, title or description, figure, and optional note

Figure 1 

Unemployment Rate (Seasonally Adjusted)

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Note. From "Labour market report 2019" by Ministry of Manpower, 2020. Copyright 2020 by Ministry of Manpower. 

 

Reference

Ministry of Manpower (2020). Labour market report 2019. https://stats.mom.gov.sg/Pages/Labour-Market-Report-4Q-2019.aspx

Images & copyright

If you are using tables or figures for an assignment or project, you do not need to get copyright permission from the owner, although you do need to cite the source in your in-text citation and reference list.

If you are going to take/show your assignment or project off-campus to sell or exhibit your work, you will need to get copyright permission from the owner of any image you use.

For more information about using images in education, please check out this guide.

More examples

Need more examples of tables and figures in APA? Refer to the official APA webpages starting from https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/tables-figures.

If you need to cite artwork in museums, clip art and stock photos, refer to this webpage.