How to Cite Images, Figures, and Tables (APA/MLA/Chicago)

Using images, figures, charts, and tables from other sources is common in academic writing. A graph from a journal article can strengthen your argument. A photograph from an archive can illustrate a historical point. A table of statistics from a government report can ground your analysis in data. But every visual element you borrow needs proper attribution – both in the caption and in your reference list.

This guide covers how to handle visual citations in APA, MLA, and Chicago, including the two-part citation requirement that trips up most students.

The Two-Part Rule

Citing a visual source requires attribution in two places:

1. In the caption (directly below the figure or table) – This tells the reader where the visual came from.
2. In the reference list (at the end of your paper) – This provides the full citation details.

Skipping either one is incomplete. The caption without a reference list entry doesn’t give enough information to find the source. A reference list entry without a caption doesn’t tell the reader which figure came from which source.

Numbering and Labeling

Before getting into citation formats, here’s how numbering works across styles:

• Figures include photographs, graphs, charts, diagrams, maps, and drawings. They’re labeled sequentially: Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3.
• Tables are their own category. They’re numbered separately: Table 1, Table 2, Table 3.
• Numbering is sequential throughout the paper, not per section.
• Every figure and table needs a number, a title (or caption), and a source note if it came from somewhere else.

APA 7th Edition

APA has specific formatting for figure and table notes.

Citing a Figure from a Journal Article

Place a note below the figure:

Figure 1

Distribution of Response Times Across Age Groups

Note. From “Cognitive decline and response variability in older adults,” by Rosa M. Torres and Lina K. Patel, 2024, Journal of Experimental Psychology, 53(2), p. 118 (https://doi.org/10.1234/jep.2024.0042). Copyright 2024 by the American Psychological Association.

The reference list entry follows standard journal article format:

Torres, R. M., & Patel, L. K. (2024). Cognitive decline and response variability in older adults. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 53(2), 112–130. https://doi.org/10.1234/jep.2024.0042

Citing an Image from a Website

Figure 2

Satellite View of Amazon Deforestation, 2023

Note. From Amazon deforestation monitoring dashboard, by National Institute for Space Research (INPE), 2023 (https://www.inpe.br/example). CC BY 4.0.

Reference list entry:

National Institute for Space Research. (2023). Amazon deforestation monitoring dashboard Image. https://www.inpe.br/example

Include the format descriptor Image, Photograph, Map, Chart, etc. in square brackets when the source is a standalone visual rather than part of a larger work.

Citing a Table You Adapted

If you modified a table (combined data from multiple sources, added calculations, reformatted), use “Adapted from” instead of “From”:

Table 1

Enrollment Trends by Region, 2020–2025

Note. Adapted from Higher education enrollment report (p. 24), by U.S. Department of Education, 2025 (https://ed.gov/example).

When you adapt data from multiple sources:

Note. Adapted from Higher education enrollment report (p. 24), by U.S. Department of Education, 2025, and Global university rankings, by QS World Rankings, 2025 (https://www.topuniversities.com/example).

Each source still needs its own reference list entry.

APA Key Rules

• Figure labels and titles go above the figure (as of APA 7th edition)
• Table labels and titles go above the table
• Source notes go below the figure or table, starting with “Note.”
• Use “From” for reproduced visuals, “Adapted from” for modified ones
• Include copyright information when applicable

MLA 9th Edition

MLA handles visual citations through its container system, with the caption serving as the bridge between the image and the works cited entry.

Citing a Figure from a Journal Article

Caption below the figure:

Fig. 1. Distribution of response times across age groups; from Torres and Patel, p. 118.

Works cited entry:

Torres, Rosa M., and Lina K. Patel. “Cognitive Decline and Response Variability in Older Adults.” Journal of Experimental Psychology, vol. 53, no. 2, 2024, pp. 112–30. doi.org/10.1234/jep.2024.0042.

Citing an Image from a Website

Caption:

Fig. 2. Satellite view of Amazon deforestation, 2023; from National Institute for Space Research.

Works cited entry:

National Institute for Space Research. “Amazon Deforestation Monitoring Dashboard.” INPE, 2023, www.inpe.br/example.

Citing a Table

MLA uses “Table” labels rather than “Fig.” for tables:

Table 1. Enrollment trends by region, 2020–2025; adapted from U.S. Department of Education, p. 24.

MLA Key Rules

• Use “Fig.” (abbreviated) for figure labels in captions
• Captions go below the figure
• The caption includes a brief source attribution that points the reader to the full works cited entry
• Use semicolons to separate the description from the source information
• MLA doesn’t require copyright statements in captions, but acknowledge the source

Chicago 18th Edition

The configured Chicago notes and bibliography system uses notes for source attribution. This changes how visual citations work.

Notes-Bibliography System

For a figure from a journal article, the caption includes the source:

Figure 1. Distribution of response times across age groups. From Rosa M. Torres and Lina K. Patel, “Cognitive Decline and Response Variability in Older Adults,” Journal of Experimental Psychology 53, no. 2 (2024): 118.

A corresponding footnote provides the full citation:

1. Rosa M. Torres and Lina K. Patel, “Cognitive Decline and Response Variability in Older Adults,” Journal of Experimental Psychology 53, no. 2 (2024): 118, https://doi.org/10.1234/jep.2024.0042.

Bibliography entry:

Torres, Rosa M., and Lina K. Patel. “Cognitive Decline and Response Variability in Older Adults.” Journal of Experimental Psychology 53, no. 2 (2024): 112–30. https://doi.org/10.1234/jep.2024.0042.

Citing a Standalone Image

Figure 2. Satellite view of Amazon deforestation, 2023. National Institute for Space Research, “Amazon Deforestation Monitoring Dashboard,” INPE, 2023, https://www.inpe.br/example.

Chicago 18th Edition Key Rules

• Captions go below figures and above tables (tables get a title above)
• Source information can go in the caption, in a footnote, or both
• Reproduced figures should note “From” or “Source:” followed by the citation
• Adapted figures should note “Adapted from” followed by the citation

Creative Commons and Public Domain Images

If you’re using images from the web, you’ll need to understand licensing:

• Creative Commons (CC) licenses allow reuse with specific conditions. Always check which CC license applies:
  • CC BY – You can use it; just give credit
  • CC BY-SA – Give credit and share your work under the same license
  • CC BY-NC – Give credit; non-commercial use only
  • CC0 / Public Domain – No restrictions, but citation is still good academic practice
• Copyright protected – You generally need permission to reproduce these in published work. For classroom assignments, fair use usually applies, but you still must cite.
• Stock photos – Check the license. Many require attribution even for “free” images.

Include the license type in your figure note when using Creative Commons images:

Note. From Title of work, by Author, Year (URL). CC BY 4.0.

Even public domain images should be cited in academic work. The citation isn’t about legal obligation – it’s about giving your reader enough information to find and verify the source.

Where to Find Citable Images

Good sources for images you can use in academic papers:

• Wikimedia Commons – Large collection of CC and public domain images
• Flickr Creative Commons – Photographs with various CC licenses
• Government agency websites – U.S. government works are typically public domain
• Journal articles – Figures from published research (cite the article)
• Library digital collections – Many universities host digitized archives

Common Mistakes

Citing only in the caption or only in the reference list. You need both. The caption tells the reader which visual came from where; the reference list provides the full details.

Using “Figure” and “Table” interchangeably. Tables have rows and columns of data. Everything else (graphs, photos, charts, diagrams) is a figure. They’re numbered in separate sequences.

Forgetting to cite adapted or modified visuals. If you rebuilt a chart using someone else’s data, or combined two tables into one, you still need to cite the original source(s). Use “Adapted from” instead of “From.”

Not including page numbers. When a figure or table comes from a specific page in a larger work, include the page number in the caption note. This helps your reader find the original.

Ignoring Creative Commons license requirements. If an image has a CC BY-SA license, you’re required to share your work under the same license. For a class paper this rarely matters, but for a thesis or publication it might.

For a broader overview of formatting pitfalls, our common citation mistakes guide covers issues beyond visual sources.

Style Comparison

If you’re unsure which style to use for your paper, our APA vs MLA vs Chicago comparison can help you determine what’s appropriate for your field.

Try It with CiteTools

Formatting the reference list entry for an image or figure source follows the same rules as any other citation. Paste the image source’s URL or DOI into CiteTools.io to generate the reference list entry, then add the appropriate caption note using the guidelines above. CiteTools handles the reference list side – you handle the caption formatting to match your style guide.