Including images in a research paper can help support and enhance the main points and findings. It is important to properly cite any images that are not your own original work. The source of each image must be properly documented to avoid plagiarism. In this article, we will discuss best practices for writing image sources in a research paper and APA citation style guidelines.
When including images in a research paper, it is necessary to cite the source for each non-original image. This attribution should occur both in the body of the paper near where the image appears, as well as in a list of full citations. For in-text citations of images, follow the basic APA format of including the author’s last name and year of publication in parentheses. If the author is mentioned in the text itself, only include the year in parentheses.
For example, you may write something like “As seen in Figure 1, major cities around the world are experiencing rising average temperatures (Smith, 2020).” Or if you stated the author earlier, you could say “As seen in Figure 1, major cities around the world are experiencing rising average temperatures (2020).” This in-text citation lets the reader know the source of the non-original image and they can then find the full reference in the reference list.
For the reference list, include the citation in an References section at the end. The full APA citation for images includes the author, year of publication, title of the image in quotation marks, where it was retrieved from, and date when it was retrieved. For example:
Smith, J. (2020). “Changing global temperatures 1990-2020” [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Changing_global_temps.png. Accessed Date.
Be sure to include as much information as possible about the image source. Some key things to include are:
Author’s name (individual, organization, etc. as it appears on the source)
Date published or copyright date
Title of the image in title case and within quotation marks
Indication that it is an image in brackets ([Photograph], [ map], etc.)
Where it was retrieved from (e.g. Wikipedia, Flickr, Pixabay)
URL or DOI as applicable
Date you retrieved it as this can change over time
For images retrieved from library databases, government websites, or other scholarly sources, include the URL if it is a static link or the database name if no permalink is available. If no author is listed, move the title to the author position.
Ensure reference list citations are formatted appropriately with hanging indents and in alphabetical order. Check with your instructor for any differences based on the specific journal or publication you are submitting to, but the above APA style is standard.
In addition to citations, you may want to include brief image captions below each figure callout. Captions should include basic identifying information like the author, date, and title if not identical to the figure number. For example:
Figure 1
“Changing global temperatures 1990-2020” by John Smith (2020)
Captions are not replacements for full citations, but provide an at-a-glance source for readers. Images should also be of high visual quality and large enough sizes that viewers can easily discern any relevant details. Low resolution or blurry photos distract rather than enhance a research paper.
You will also need permission or a license to use any non-original copyrighted images in a published paper. For photos, graphics, or other multimodal elements from sources other than yourself, always check the publisher’s policies regarding scholarly reuse. Many sites provide images under Creative Commons licenses explicitly allowing nonprofit educational use with attribution. If unclear on permissions, it is best to seek alternative media or get direct consent from the creator when possible.
Overall, properly citing image sources with both in-text references and reference list citations is necessary for research integrity, avoiding plagiarism accusations, and giving due credit to original content owners. Clear attribution also allows readers to quickly find more context or supporting information about visual components enhancing your research. With care taken in aspects of sourcing, formatting, and permissions, images can help strengthen research papers in a legal and ethical manner.