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APA Style

Your guide to citing and referencing in APA Style (7th edition)

Inserting Images into Your Assignment

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 the title of the image, italicized.
  • Finish with a Note, with the title, author, and date listed, along with the url 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).
  • 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 how to include an image with an no known photographer, title or date

Figure 1

Padlock

Note. From Padlock, n.d. (http://clipart-library.com/clipart/pcqd8Gn9i.htm). Licensed for non-commercial use.

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

Figure 1

Bubbles!

Note. From Bubbles!, by C. McCorkle, 2006 (https://flic.kr/p/NRiRR7). Licensed under 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.

 

Image from a Website, Known Photographer

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.

Reference

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).

(Tierney, 2013).

Image from a Website, Unknown Photographer and No Date

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.

If the creator is unknown, begin the reference with the image title:

Reference

[Title or description of image] [Image format]. (n.d.). Website name. Hyperlinked URL

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

In-text Citation

(Title or description of image, Year).

(Golden Gate suspension bridge, n.d.). 

AI Generated Images

Reference

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


In Your Paper

Figure 1

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).

Image from a Library Database

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.

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.

Reference

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.

In-text Citation

(Title or description of image, Year).

(Dominguez, n.d.). 

Artwork in a Museum or on a Museum Website

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.

Reference

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

In-text Citation

(Artist's Last Name, Year).

(Mackintosh & Macdonald, 1901). 

Stock Image or Clip Art

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.

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

Reference

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

In-text Citation

(Artist Last Name or username, Year).

(Katze2122, 2018). 

Image from an Online Journal Article

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.

Reference

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.

In-text Citation

(Photographer Last Name, Year).

(Emanuel, n.d.).

Unpublished Image: Your Own Photos or Artwork

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.
 

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