LibGuides: APA Citation Guide: Figures and Images

Figures and Images in APA Papers

If you are using figures, graphics, and images from external sources within your paper, you need to include a References list entry for where the image came from.

Formatting Figures/Graphics

Above the figure, type Figure # in bold (with # being replaced a number), and then give the figure a title, in italics, on the next line, using Title Case (capitalize each important word). Underneath the figure, write Note. and then provide any relevant notes for your reader, a slightly edited version of the reference, and the copyright year and holder. Note that the titles in attributions are formatted in Title Case, as opposed to titles in the References list, which are in Sentence case.

Who Is the Copyright Holder?

The copyright holder is usually the publisher of a book/journal/website or the author/creator. Items created prior to 1929 or created by the federal government are in the public domain, which means there is no longer a copyright associated with the work. The copyright year is the year the work was created.

Self-Created Figure

If the figure or graph was created by you, then only include the Figure # and title, along with a Note explaining the content.

Figure 1

A Sample Budget Tracking Income and Expenses

Note. A sample budget with line items for income and expenses.

Screenshots and Stills

Screenshot from Website

Because websites can change, include the accessed date in your caption.

Figure 2

Lawrence W. Tyree Library Homepage

Santa Fe College. (n.d.). Lawrence W. Tyree Library. https://www.sfcollege.edu/library/.

Still from Film

Figure 3

Rick and Ilsa's Goodbye

Curtiz, M. (Director). (1942). Casablanca [Film]. Warner Bros. Pictures.

Still from TV Series

Figure 4

Don Draper in Mad Men

Note. Screenshot from "Person to Person" [TV series episode], by M. Weiner, May 17, 2015, Mad Men (season 7, episode 14), Warner Bros. Productions; Lionsgate Television. Copyright 2015 by Lionsgate Television.

Weiner, M. (Writer & Director) (2015, May 17). Person to person (Season 7, Episode 14) [TV series episode]. In M. Weiner (Executive producer), Mad men. Warner Bros. Productions; Lionsgate Television.

Still from Video Game

Figure 5

Stray Video Game

Koola, C., & Mermet-Guyenet, V. (Directors). (2022). Stray [Video game; Sony Playstation 5]. BlueTwelve Studio; Annapurna Interactive.

Screenshot of a Social Media Post

Figure 6

The "Ellen Selfie"

Note. Photograph from If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever #oscars [Image attached] [Post], by E. DeGeneres [@EllenDeGeneres], March 2, 2014, X (https://twitter.com/EllenDeGeneres/status/440322224407314432). Copyright 2014 by E. DeGeneres.

DeGeneres, E. [@EllenDeGeneres]. (2014, March 2). If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars [Image attached] [Post]. X. https://twitter.com/EllenDeGeneres/status/440322224407314432

Graphs, Maps, or Figures

Example 1: Graph from a Journal Article

Figure 7

Reasons for Playing Video Games

Note. From "Playing a Video Game Is More Than Mere Procrastination," by K. Nordby, R. A. Løkken, and G. Pfuhl, 2019, BMC Psychology, 7, Article 33, p. 8 (https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-019-0309-9). Copyright 2019 by Springer Nature.

Nordby, K., Løkken, R. A., & Pfuhl, G. (2019). Playing a video game is more than mere procrastination. BMC Psychology, 7, Article 33. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-019-0309-9

Example 2: Graph in Opposing Viewpoints

Figure 8

AI and Jobs

Tribune Content Agency. (2023). Majority of people polled believe AI will hinder, vs. help, American workers' job prospects [Graphic]. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints.

Example 3: Table in a CQ Researcher Report

Figure 9

Civilians Killed at High Rates in Recent Wars

Caldwell, Z. (2024, April 12). Civilians and war. CQ Researcher. https://doi.org/10.4135/cqresrre20240412.

Example 4: Graph on a Website

Figure 10

American Poll Responses on Sleep

Note. From Americans Sleeping Less, More Stressed, by S. Fiorini and D. Foy, April 15, 2024, Gallup (https://news.gallup.com/poll/642704/americans-sleeping-less-stressed.aspx). Copyright 2024 by Gallup.

Fiorini, S., & Foy, D. (2024, April 15). Americans sleeping less, more stressed. Gallup, https://news.gallup.com/poll/642704/americans-sleeping-less-stressed.aspx

Images from Books

Book Illustration

Figure 11

Illustration from Goodnight, Moon

Brown, M. W. (2005). Goodnight moon (C. Hurd, Illus.). Harper Collins.

Graph or Figure from a Book

Figure 12

Mindfulness-Based College

Note. Table shows how the components of self-regulation are linked to common determinants of young adult health. From The Mindful College Student, by E. B. Loucks, 2022, New Harbinger Publications, p. 17. Copyright 2022 by Eric B. Loucks and New Harbinger Publications.

Loucks, E. B. (2022). The mindful college student: How to succeed, boost well-being, and build the life you want at university and beyond. New Harbinger Publications.

Artwork or Photograph

Many older artworks are in the public domain.

Artwork

Figure 13

The Shepherd's Song

Note. From The Shepherd's Song [Painting] by P. Puvis de Chavannes, The Met, 1891 (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437344). In the public domain.

Puvis de Chavannes, P. (1981). The shepherd's song [Painting]. The Met, New York. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437344.

Artwork with Unknown Artist

Figure 14

Seated Scribe

Note. From The Seated Scribe [Sculpture], ca. 2500 B.C.E., The Louvre (https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010006582). In the public domain.

The seated scribe [Sculpture]. (ca. 2500 B.C.E). The Louvre, Paris. https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010006582.

Photograph

Figure 15

First Flight of the Wright Brothers

Note. From First Flight [Photograph] by J. T. Daniels, December 17, 1903, Wikimedia Commons (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:First_flight2.jpg). In the public domain.

Daniels, J. T. (1903, December 17). First flight [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:First_flight2.jpg.

AI-Generated Images

Cite the tool (e.g,. DALL-E; MidJourney) in your References list. Include the prompt as part of the note.

Figure 16

College Students Studying on the Moon

Note. The image was generated using DALL-E (OpenAI, 2023) with the prompt "College students studying on the moon."

OpenAI. (2023). DALL-E (Version 3) [Artificial intelligence system]. https://openai.com/product/dall-e-2