On this guide you will learn how to insert images in your assignments following APA Style (7e)!
Are you new to using images in an assignment?
Start by viewing the videos below, which will walk you through the steps of finding, inserting and citing images in your assignments.
Also on this page:
The following feature open images and are listed in alphabetical order:
Content licensed with a Creative Commons or CC 0 License.
"Beautifully diverse stock photos" licensed under Creative Commons Zero (CC0).
It's possible your instructor has some requirements for using images in your assignments, so it's always a good idea to ask how they would like images to be cited.
If no instructions are given, APA Style has some guidance:
When referring to your image in the text of your paper, refer to it by the figure number.
For example:
Libraries subscribes to several image databases, including ArtStor and Britannica ImageQuest.
The images from these databases can be used in your assignments but should not be shared online, which is why there is no image in the example below!
In Your Paper
Figure 1
Sydney Opera House
(Image centred here)
Note. From Sydney Opera House by B. Bachmann, n.d., Britannica ImageQuest (https://quest-eb-com.centennial.idm.oclc.org/images/139_2006441?ref=shared). Copyright Photo Researchers.
References
Bachmann, B. (n.d.). Sydney Opera House [Photograph]. Britannica ImageQuest. https://quest-eb-com.centennial.idm.oclc.org/images/139_2006441?ref=shared
If there is no title for your image, provide a description in square brackets. If no date is available, enter: n.d. in the date field.
In Your Paper
Figure 1
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.
References
[Group meeting with person taking notes on a laptop] [Photograph]. (n.d.). PxHere. https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1431569
In Your Paper
Figure 1
Kids Playing With Bubbles
Note. From Bubbles! [Photograph], by C. McCorkle, 2006, Flickr (https://flic.kr/p/NRiRR7). CC BY-SA 2.0.
References
McCorkle, C. (2006). Bubbles! [Photograph]. Flickr. https://flic.kr/p/NRiRR7
In Your Paper
Figure 1
Example of Two-Tone Line Art
Note. From Cat icon grey [Clip art], by Katze2122, 2018, Open Clipart (https://openclipart.org/detail/308557/cat-icon-grey). CC0 1.0.
References
Katze2122. (2018). Cat icon grey [Clip art]. Open Clipart. https://openclipart.org/detail/308557/cat-icon-grey
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).
References
Perchance. (2023). AI Image Generator [AI image creator]. https://perchance.org/ai-text-to-image-generator
Unpublished images include images taken by you but not available publicly online or in a published form.
For images you took yourself, you do not need to include a figure number, note, or References entry. However, you may wish to add a note underneath the image to let your reader know it's your photograph (otherwise, your reader may assume you forgot to cite the image!)
In Your Paper
(Insert image here)
Note. Photograph by author.
No References entry is needed when the image is your own.
If you are quoting information from an image, table, graph or infographic only (and not inserting it into your paper) follow the guidelines on our APA guide for citing your sources.
For example, if you are citing information from a table you found in a journal article, follow the guidelines for citing Journal Articles.