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Cite images in APA 7

Learn how to cite images in APA 7 style. Use correct templates for authors and formats to reference sources accurately in your writing.

In APA 7, 'figure' is used to refer to all images, graphs, charts and visual material. Images are cited differently from text sources. In addition to the required in-text citation and reference list entry, figures require copyright attribution.

Images must be acknowledged in three places:

  1. In an in-text citation, when referring to the image.
  2. In the body of your paper, with a figure number and description.
  3. In a reference list entry.

You must cite images included in the body of your work or presentation. Only include figures in your work that:

  • are readable and of good image quality
  • are necessary or add important context or information
  • you can cite accurately, including being able to locate relevant copyright and reuse licences.

For more information regarding open access images, see the Open Education Resource (OER) subject guide.

In-text citations

  • Within the written body of your paper, cite the figure as you would for a normal in-text reference. Use the author of the article or book you found the image in.
  • Refer to the figure by its assigned number. Do not refer to the figure as 'the Figure above/below', or 'the Figure on page 17'.
  • If there is no artist recorded for the image, use the title in place of the author.
  • Reference the figure in your list according to the source you found it. If you retrieved it from a journal article, reference the article as normal.
Citation format Example
Paraphrase As shown in Figure 1 . . .

Figure and figure notes

Figure format Example

Template

 

Figure number

Figure title

<FIGURE> 

Note. From Title of source [Form], by Author, Year, Site name (URL or DOI). Copyright status. Permission statement (only required for publication).
Figure entry

Figure 1

Student nurses learning anatomy"Black-and-white photograph of student nurses gathered around a cadaver, observing an anatomy lesson at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, 1943." (Photograph by A. Rosner, courtesy of the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/resource/fsa.8d31908/) Note. From Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland. Student nurses learning anatomy [Photograph], by A. Rosner, 1943, Library of Congress (https://www.loc.gov/resource/fsa.8d31908/).

Figure note template

Source Reprinted or adapted status Form Source information Copyright status Permission status
Journal, magazine, newspaper or blog    

From

Or

Adapted from

[Form]

e.g.

[Photograph]

Or

[Image]

 “Title of article,” by Author and Author, year, Title of periodical, Volume(Issue), p. xx (DOI or IRL)    

Copyright year by Name of Copyright holder

Or

In the public domain

Or

CC BY-NC

Reprinted with permission.

Or

Adapted with permission.
Authored book or report

From

Or

Adapted from

[Form]

e.g.

[Photograph]

Or

[Image]

 Title of book or Report (p. xx), by Author and Author, year, Publisher (DOI or URL)    

Copyright year by Name of Copyright holder

Or

In the public domain

Or

CC BY-NC

Reprinted with permission.

Or

Adapted with permission.
Edited book chapter    

From

Or

Adapted from

[Form]

e.g.

[Photograph]

Or

[Image]

 “Title of chapter,” by Author, in Editor and Editor (Eds.), Title of book (edition or volume number, p. xx), year, Publisher (DOI or URL)

Copyright year by Name of Copyright holder

Or

In the public domain

Or

CC BY-NC

Reprinted with permission.

Or

Adapted with permission.
Webpage or website    

From

Or

Adapted from

[Form]

e.g.

[Photograph]

Or

[Image]

Title of webpage, by Author, year, Site name (DOI or URL).

Or

Title of webpage, by group author same as site name (DOI or URL).  

 

Copyright year by Name of Copyright holder

Or

In the public domain

Or

CC BY-NC

Reprinted with permission.

Or

Adapted with permission.

Reference list

Reference format Example
Template Author. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, vol(issue), xx–xx. DOI or URL
Reference list entry

Rosner, A. (1943). Johns Hopkins Hospital Baltimore Maryland. Student nurses learning anatomy [Photograph]. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/resource/fsa.8d31908/

Check with your teacher or lecturer before including this material as a reference source.

Images not requiring attribution

Clip art and stock images have special requirements and should be considered carefully before being included in APA 7 style papers and presentations.

Each image may have distinct requirements according to the individual licence. Common sources for stock images are iStock, Getty Images, Adobe Stock, Shutterstock, Pixabay, and Flickr.

Images that do not require attribution:

  • Clip art/stock images labelled "no attribution required" or images in the public domain (CC0).
  • Stock images available in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
  • Personal photographs or images (that are not published online or in print). See Personal photos for advice referencing personal photographs taken by another person.
  • If an image or figure meets the following requirements, it does not require a reference list entry, in-text citation or copyright attribution. However, it is still best practice to include these elements in your work.

See the Images from a web page section of FedCite for information on how to reference images that require attribution.

In-text citations

No in-text citation required.

Figure and figure notes

Figure format Example

Template

 

Figure number.

Figure title.

<FIGURE>

Note. Adapted from/From Database/Page name, by Author, Year, Site name (URL). Copyright/licence. Permission if required (eg. for thesis or publication).
Figure entry

Figure 1.

European shorthair cat"Close-up of a European Shorthair cat with striped fur, sitting outdoors and looking directly at the camera." (Image by guvo59, 2024, from Pixabay, https://pixabay.com/photos/european-shorthair-cat-animal-8601492/)

Note. Image from Pixabay, by guvo59, 2024, (https://pixabay.com/photos/european-shorthair-cat-animal-8601492/) In the public domain. 

Reference list

No reference entry required.

Figures in presentations

  • Figure numbers, titles and notes are optional in PowerPoint or video presentations, however, it is still best practice to include these elements as well as a full reference list entry at the end of the presentation.
  • Check with your lecturer or teacher for guidelines and advice on when and how to best incorporate images into your presentations.

In-text citations

Citation format Example
Paraphrase As shown in Figure 1 . . .
Paraphrase Figure 1 illustrates . . .

Figure and figure notes

Image from a print book

Figure format Example

Template

 

Figure number.

Figure title.

<FIGURE>

Note.  Adapted from/From Book Title (page number), by Author, Year, Publisher. (DOI or URL). Copyright/licence. Permission (if required eg. for thesis or publication).
Figure entry

Figure 1.

Winnie-the-Pooh opening a present"Illustration of Winnie-the-Pooh opening a wrapped present." (Illustration by E. H. Shepard, from Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne, 1926, McClelland and Steward. Public domain. https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/67098/pg67098-images.html)

Note. From Winnie-the-Pooh, by A. A. Milne and E. H. Shepard (Illus.), 1926, McClelland and Steward (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/67098/pg67098-images.html). In the public domain.

Reference list

Reference format Example
Template Author. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, vol(issue), xx–xx. DOI or URL
Reference list entry

Milne, A. A. (2022). Winnie-the-Pooh (E. H. Shepard, Illus.). McClelland and Steward. (Original work published 1926). https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/67098/pg67098-images.html

In-text citations

Citation format Example
Paraphrase As shown in Figure 2 . . .
Paraphrase Figure 2 illustrates . . .

Figure and figure notes

Figure format Example

Template

 

Figure number.

Figure title.

<FIGURE>

Note.  Adapted from/From “Journal Article Title” , by Author, Year, Journal name, Volume(Issue), p. xx. (DOI or URL). Copyright/licence. Permission (if required eg. for thesis or publication).
Figure entry

Figure 2.

Brain activity during working memory"Composite image of a human brain shown from six angles, highlighting regions of neural activity during encoding and decoding phases of working memory." (From “Brain activity during working memory in patients with autoimmune Addison's disease,” by A. van’t Westeinde et al., 2024, Psychoneuroendocrinology, 170, Article 107195, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107195. CC BY 4.0)

Note. From "Brain activity during working memory in patients with autoimmune Addison's disease", by A. van't Westeinde, N. Padilla, S. Fletcher-Sandersjoo, O. Kampe, S. Bensing, and S Lajic Nareskog, 2024, Psychoneuroendocrinology, 170, Article 107195. (http://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107195). CC BY 4.0.

Reference list

Reference format Example
Template Author. (Year). Article title. Journal Name, vol(issue), xx–xx. DOI or URL
Reference list entry

van't Westeinde, A., Padilla, N., Fletcher-Sandersjoo, S., Kampe, O., Bensing, S., & Lajic Nareskog, S. (2024). Brain activity during working memory in patients with autoimmune Addison's disease. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 170, Article 107195.  http://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2024.107195

In-text citations

Citation format Example
Paraphrase As shown in Figure 2 . . .
Paraphrase Figure 2 illustrates . . .

Figure and figure notes

Figure format Example

Template

 

Figure number.

Figure title.

<FIGURE>

Note. From or Adapted from Title of webpage [Form], by Author, Year, Site name (URL). Copyright/licence. Permission (if required eg. for thesis or publication).
Figure entry

Figure 1.

Our journeys.

"Illustration titled 'Our Journeys' depicting interconnected pathways and symbolic representations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ experiences with cancer care, using traditional motifs and vibrant colours." (From For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People [Graphic], by J. Lovegrove (Ngarrindjeri), 2016, Cancer Australia. https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/key-initiatives/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people)

Note. From For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People [Graphic], by J. Lovegrove, (Ngarrindjeri), 2016, Cancer Australia (https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/key-initiatives/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people).

Reference list

Include the image type in square brackets, e.g. [Photograph].

Reference format Example
Template Author. (Year). Title [Form]. Website name. URL
Reference list entry

Lovegrove, J. (Ngarrindjeri). (2016). Our journeys [Graphic]. Cancer Australia. https://www.canceraustralia.gov.au/key-initiatives/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-people

APA 7 does not have a formal template for referencing visual artworks included in the body of your text. Please check with your lecturer for advice before including it in your assignment.

In-text citations

Citation format Example
Paraphrase Figure 3 depicts ….. (Rackham, 1904).
Paraphrase The artwork by Rackham (1904)….

Figure and figure notes

Figure format Example

Template

 

Figure number.

Figure title.

<FIGURE>

Note. Author. (Year). Title of work. [Medium]. Gallery, City, Country OR URL.
Figure entry

Figure 3.

The Thundershower (study for painting)

"Abstract composition featuring two nude figures in motion, surrounded by swirling organic shapes and geometric patterns, evoking a dynamic thundershower scene." (H. Lyman Sayen, The Thundershower (study for painting), 1916, tempera, pencil, and printed paper on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, DC, USA. https://americanart.si.edu/artwork/thundershower-study-painting-21724)

Note. H. Lyman Sayen. (1916). The Thundershower (study for painting). [Painting]. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington DC, USA.

Reference list 

Original artwork as seen in person

Give the name of the artist, the year the artwork was created, the title of the artwork in italics, the medium in square brackets, and the location and name of the museum or gallery you saw the artwork at.

Reference format Example
Template Artist. (Year). Title of artwork [Medium]. Gallery, City, Country OR URL.
Reference list entry

Brack, J. (1955). The fish shop [Oil on composition board]. Museum of Modern Art, Melbourne, Australia. https://www.si.edu/object/thundershower-study-painting:saam_1968.19.6

Online reproduction

Give the artist, year, title, medium, and URL. 

Reference format Example
Template Artist. (Year). Title of artwork [Medium]. Gallery, City, Country OR URL.
Reference list entry

Brack, J. (1955). The fish shop [Oil on composition board]. National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/johnbrack/education/zoom_EXHI008478.html

Print reproduction

  • Use this template to reference artwork in a museum or on a museum website.
  • If the work is a reproduction, give a reference entry for the print source (e.g. book) containing the reproduction, not the artwork itself. Name the artist and artwork in the text and add the page or plate number to the in-text citation for the print source; e.g. ‘(Bryant, 1993, p. 46)’.
Reference format Example
Template Artist. (Year). Title of artwork [Medium]. Gallery, City, Country OR URL.
Reference list entry

Bryant, H. (Ed.). (1993). Australian artists. Larwitt.

Check with your teacher or lecturer before including this material as a reference source.

In-text citations

  • Within the written body of your paper, cite the figure as you would for a normal in-text reference.
  • Refer to the figure by its assigned number. Do not refer to the figure as 'the Figure above/below', or 'the Figure on page 17'.
Citation format Example
Paraphrase As shown in Figure 2 . . .
Paraphrase Figure 2 illustrates . . .

Figure and figure notes

A personal photo taken by you

Figure format Example
Template

Figure number.

Figure title

<FIGURE>

Note. Title or image description. From a personal photograph, by Author, Year. Copyright Year by author.
Figure entry

Figure 1.

De Adriaan Windmill, Haarlem, Netherlands, 2019.Photograph of the De Adriaan Windmill in Haarlem, Netherlands, taken in 2019.

Note. De Adriaan Windmill, Haarlem, Netherlands. From a personal photograph by author, B. Smith, 2019. Copyright 2019 by author.

A personal photo taken by someone else

Figure format Example
Template

Figure number.

Figure title.

<FIGURE>

Note. Title or image description. From personal photograph, by Author, Year. Copyright Year by author. Reprinted with permission.
Figure entry

Figure 2.

One of many canals in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2019.

Photograph of the view of a canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands, lined with moored boats and traditional Dutch buildings, taken in 2019.

Note. One of many canals in Amsterdam, Netherlands. From a personal photograph, by P. Johnson, 2019. Copyright 2019 by P. Johnson. Reprinted with permission.

Reference list

You do not need to include personal photos in the reference list because they are not retrievable by anybody else.

In an assignment, you may need to create a table that combines information from multiple sources. How you cite the sources will depend on how you present your table. There are several different ways, so choose the option that best suits your needs.

Remember that each source you cite in the table will need to be in the reference list as well. The authors appear in the standard format for one, two, or three or more authors.

The table needs:

  • a label
  • a title in italics
  • headings for the rows and/or columns
  • to be easy to read and understand.

A column or row of standard author-date citations

The order of the citations in the column or row is alphabetical.

Table 1

Summary of studies included in the literature review

Study Participants Mean participant age
Atkinson et al. (2020) 1793 70.3 years
Farina et al. (2016) 71 81.5 years
Raji et al. (2005) 2381 72.1 years

Cite each piece of data using brackets

Table 2

Considerations of medication rights relating to the case study

Medication right

Salbutamol: Schedule 3- Pharmacist Only Medicine (MIMS Australia, n.d.-a)

Panadol: Schedule 1 and 2- Unscheduled or Pharmacy medicine (MIMS Australia, n.d.-b)

Right Patient

Ensure you are providing medication to the correct person (DeLaune, 2019).

 Check the patient’s identification, using two identifiers (DeLaune et al, 2019).

Right Medication

Administrating the correct medication, checking the medication is correct three times (DeLaune, 2019).

Mr Sloan’s prescription of Salbutamol is a metered dose inhalation, which can be administrated through a nebuliser and is used in patients diagnosed with COPD or asthma (MIMS Australia, n.d.-a).

Mr Sloan’s prescription of Panadol is used for reducing his pain and discomfort because of his rheumatoid arthritis (MIMS Australia, n.d.-b).

Right Route

Ensuring the route of medication is specified in the order is being followed (DeLaune, 2019).

In the case of Mr Sloan, the route of Salbutamol medication delivery is through a nebuliser. A nebuliser is described as an inhaler, which is used to deliver a fine mist which contains medication droplets (DeLaune, 2019). Bonini and Usmani (2015) outline that inhalation therapy is the most effective treatment for COPD.

MIMS Australia (n.d.-b) indicates an effective method for administrating Panadol is orally with water.

An explanatory note below the table

Table 3

Comparison of medications

Generic name Drug group Side effects Nursing considerations
Atenolol Beta adrenergic blocking agents Progression of heart failure, dyspnea, hypotension

Advise the patient to monitor blood pressure and heart rate regularly.

Advise the patient to monitor for early signs of heart failure like dyspnea, oedema and consult the prescriber immediately if any.
Furosemide oral Loop diuretic Electrolyte imbalances, hypotension due to excessive diuresis.

Advise the patient to take the medication regularly early during the daytime and avoid scheduling it to later in the evening to manage symptoms associated with increased urination.

Advise the patient to monitor blood pressure, heart rate, body weight and oedema in the extremities daily.

Note. Atenolol is from MIMS Australia, n.d.-a; Furosemide oral is from MIMS Australia, n.d.-b.

Multiple specific notes below the table with letters in superscript corresponding to the data

  • The citations in the note appear in the same order as they do in the table, not alphabetically.
  • To insert superscript in Microsoft Word on a Windows device, highlight the letter, and press Control, Shift, and + at the same time. For a Mac, highlight the letter, and press Command, Shift, and + at the same time.

Table 4

Characteristics of frog distribution

Species Status Distribution
Eupsophus migueli Endangereda Chileb
Hyla arborea Least concernc Eastern Franced
Eupsophus altor Endangerede Chileb

aCuevas and Sanhueza, 2020. bCorrea and Duran, 2019. cAmphibiaWeb, 2021. dClauzel et al., 2013. eASG Assessment Workshop, 2009.

In-text citations

  • When citing figures in the text of your work, you need to acknowledge them in two places:
    • within the written body of your paper, as you would for a normal in-text reference, and
    • below the figure.
  • If there is no author or artist recorded for the image, use the title in the position the author would normally be in. 
  • Please note, in APA the word “figure” is used to refer to all images, graphs, charts, and visual material.
  • Reference the figure in your list according to the source you found it. So if you retrieved it from a journal article, just reference the actual article as normal.

Within the written body of your paper

  • Within the written body of your paper, cite the figure as you would for a normal in-text reference.
  • Refer to the figure by its assigned number. Do not refer to the figure as “the Figure above/below”, or “the Figure on page 17”.
Type Example
Author and year citation The city of Casey as shown in Figure 4 …
Author prominent (in sentence) citation The Victorian Electoral Commission published a very useful map, shown in Figure 4 …

Below the figure

Type In-text citation example

Template: Above the figure

 

Figure number.

Figure title.

<FIGURE>

Note. Adapted from/From Source Name, by Author, Year, Site name (URL). Copyright/licence. Permission (if required eg. for thesis or publication).
Example

Figure 2.

Map of Victoria.

"Historical map of Victoria, Australia, from 1916, showing state boundaries, major towns, railways, and geographic features." (From The Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Historical maps of Australia and the Pacific, by McCarron, Bird and Co., 1916, University of Texas Libraries. https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/australia_1916_victoria.jpg. Public domain.)

Note. From The Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection: Historical maps of Australian and the Pacific, by McCarron, Bird and co., 1916, University of Texas Libraries (https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/australia_1916_victoria.jpg). In the public domain.

Reference list

Online

  • Give the author and the year of publication. If the author is the same as the publisher, there is no need to state a publisher before the URL.
  • Then the title of the item (no italics) and add the form (e.g., ‘Map’, ‘Photograph’) in square brackets. If no title or caption, give a short description in the same square brackets as the form.
Type Online
Template Author. (Year). Title [Form]. Publisher. DOI/URL
Example

Victorian Electoral Commission. (2016). Electoral structure of Casey City Council [Map]. Casey City Council.https://www.vec.vic.gov.au/electoral-boundaries/local-councils/casey-city-council

Print

Give an in-text citation and reference entry for the print source containing the item, not the item itself. The title should be in italics. Add the identifying number to the in-text citation: ‘… (Timms, 2006, Figure 2)’.

Type Print
Template Author. (Year). Title [Form]. Publisher.
Example

Timms, P. E. (2006). Colonial settlement in Tasmania. Tiger Press.