Finding and Citing Online Images

Tables and Figures

Tables and figures differ in terms of how they convey information, but APA Style presents them in a similar format. For more information on formatting tables and figures in your APA Style paper, check out these guides:

Reproducing Images in Your Paper

If the license associated with the image you are using states that attribution is required, then provide a copyright attribution in the figure note (below the image) and a reference list entry for the image in the reference list. Many (but not all) images with Creative Commons licenses require attribution. Even if a work you use is in the public domain (like the painting below) it is advisable to provide attribution for the work.

To use the image as a figure in an APA Style paper:

• Provide a figure number and title and then the image.
• Below the image, provide a copyright attribution in the figure note.

The copyright attribution consists of the same elements as the reference list entry, but in a different order (title, author, date, site name, URL), followed by the name of the Creative Commons License or image Copyright if applicable.

Example of Image in Public Domain Requiring Attribution

Figure 1

Degas' The Dance Class

Note. From The Dance Class [Painting], by E. Degas, 1874, The Metropolitan Museum of Art (https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438817).

Reference List Entry for Image

Degas, E. (1874). The dance class [Painting]. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY, United States. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/438817

In-text Citations for Image

Parenthetical: (Degas, 1874)

Narrative: Degas (1874)

Example of Copyrighted Image Requiring Attribution

Figure 2

Production Still from Lovecraft Country

Note. From Jamie Chung, Michael K. Williams, and Aunjanue Ellis in the season one finale of Lovecraft Country [Production Still], by E. J. Adé, 2020, New Republic (https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/img/imageqv/actual/nrp/20210401/40924805.jpg?ephost1=dGJyMNLe80Sepq84yOvqOLCmsEmepq5Srqa4SK6WxWXS). Copyright 2020 by E. J. Adé/HBO.

Reference List Entry for Image

Adé, E. J. (2020). [Jamie Chung, Michael K. Williams, and Aunjanue Ellis in the season one finale of Lovecraft Country] [Production Still]. New Republic, 252(1), 47. https://imageserver.ebscohost.com/img/imageqv/actual/nrp/20210401/40924805.jpg?ephost1=dGJyMNLe80Sepq84yOvqOLCmsEmepq5Srqa4SK6WxWXS

In-text Citations for Image

Parenthetical: (Adé, 2020)

Narrative: Adé (2020)

References List

Examples of Common Image Types

Artwork in a Museum or on a Museum Website

Artist, A. (Year of release). Title of artwork [medium]. Name of museum, City, State, Country. URL of museum

Hopper, E. (1942). Nighthawks [Painting]. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/111628/nighthawks

Note: if the artwork is available via a museum website, cite that website at the end of the citation. If there is no associated website, simply omit the URL.

Photograph (not associated with a museum)

Photographer, P. (Year of publication). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Source. URL

Ryan, S. (2019). [Sea smoke on Lake Michigan] [Photograph] New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/world/year-in-pictures.html

Note: if the artwork does not have a title, briefly describe the work and put that description in square brackets.

See the APA Style Website for more common examples of Audiovisual Media citations.