"

14. Images including tables, figures, graphs, maps, charts and datasets

University of Southern Queensland

  • Irrespective of the image type or format, all images will be governed by usage rights, including:
  • Copyright images with All rights reserved
  • Creative Commons licensed images intended to be shared
  • Material from the Public Domain
  • Original content you have created.

These distinctions are important as they dictate the rules for using and referencing (both in-text, and in a List of References) the image. If you are unable to determine whether an image is copyrighted, assume that it is.

For the purposes of this chapter, the following definitions and scope notes apply:

  • In-text citation or In-text reference: The citation you provide to an author within the body of your paper.
  • Reference: The complete source details for a resource. This is provided at the end of your paper. When references are gathered and placed into a list according to APA requirements, they form your ‘Reference List’.
  • Referencing: The process of creating your reference list.
  • Copyright Statement: A statement provided in the ‘Note.’ of an All rights reserved image. This acknowledges both the source and the copyright holder.
  • Attribution (Statement): These are to be applied to Creative Commons images, Public Domain images, and stock images. As with the copyright statements, these are provided in the ‘Note.’ for these image types. They acknowledge the creator, title of the work, source and the Creative Commons or Public Domain licence the creator has applied to the image.

Images are often used for assessment items, and in this chapter can include the following:

In this chapter:  
All rights reserved (copyrighted) images Images (figures/tables) you created yourself
Reproducing with permission Personal photographs
Creative Commons (CC) licenced images Online photographs
Presentation slides

Basic Rules

All types of images other than Tables are considered Figures in the APA Style.  These include graphs, pie charts, photographs, drawings, maps, infographic and other illustrations. The basic rules for reproducing or adapting Figures and Tables in your work are covered below.

  • Provide an in-text reference and treat it as you would a direct quote and include the page number/s.
  • Number your images with the word ‘Table’ or ‘Figure’, followed by the table or figure number (in bold type and set flush left).
  • The table or figure title is presented in italics and title case. It is one double spaced line under the Table/Figure number.
    • If there is no title, create your own title to describe the table or figure. The description is in square brackets and not in italics. See Figure 1 below.
  • The table or figure (i.e. the image) is placed under the title.
  • A ‘Note.’ (in italics) is placed under the table or figure, followed by an ‘explanation’ if required. This is followed with a ‘copyright statement’ (i.e. for an ‘All rights reserved’ work) or ‘attribution statement’ (i.e. for a creative licencing work) at the end.
    • If there is no explanation, begin with the word ‘Note.’ and continue with ‘From or Adapted from or Data in column 1 are from’ and then the copyright or attribution statements.
  • Provide a reference for the image at the end of your assignment.
  • Below is an example of the ‘Basic Rules’ applied to an untitled picture. A created title is not italicised in the Note. or your reference entry. For more details and other possible examples go to the APA Style Guide’s treatment of Tables and Figures

Example:

In paragraph: … as seen in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1

[Untitled father supervising handwashing by daughter]

Note. Parental supervision can encourage handwashing skills in school aged children, reducing the spread or ingestion of pathogens and environmental pollutants. From [Father supervising handwashing by daughter] by C. Martin, 2009, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, https://phil.cdc.gov/Details.aspx?pid=11286. In the Public Domain.

Its reference:

Martin, C. (2009). [Untitled father supervising handwashing by daughter]. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Retrieved November 14, 2025 from https://phil.cdc.gov/Details.aspx?pid=11286

In-text

  • If you are mentioning an image but not reproducing or adapting it in your paper, follow the referencing guidelines for the type of source the image is displayed in (e.g. a journal article, video, web page etc).
  • In the text of your assignment, refer to tables and figures by their number (e.g. As shown in Table 7, the confidence limits…). Images are numbered in the order in which they are first mentioned in text.

In the Reference List

  • Provide a reference for the image at the end of your assignment. The guidelines below provide referencing guidance for a range of image usage.

Reproducing or adapting images

  • If you are reproducing or adapting an image, you have the right to use copyrighted material (often seen with an ‘All rights reserved’ statement) in assignments and other coursework, under the Fair Dealing provision of the Copyright Act. Fair Dealing allows you to copy ‘reasonable portions’ of material for research, study, criticism or review.
  • If you wish to use more than a reasonable portion of a copyrighted work, you must obtain written permission from the copyright owner.
  • Reproduced or adapted images (i.e. All rights reserved images): These must be accompanied by a copyright statement placed below the image (please refer to the ‘Basic rules’ above). The statement will vary slightly depending on the type of source, but in general, the information should appear in the following order:
    • Title, author, year of publication, source, year of copyright, name of copyright holder (permission statement if necessary).
  • Reproduced, revised, remixed images and tables licenced under Creative Commons licences: These must be accompanied by an attribution statement placed below the image (please refer to the ‘Basic rules’ above).
    • Follow guideline 3 if the image is gained from a book, journal or website.
    • Follow guideline 7 if the image is gained from a website whose main purpose is to provide access to stock images, CC and Public Domain images e.g. Flickr, Wikimedia, Unsplash, The Noun Project. The attribution statement will vary slightly depending on the type of source, but in general, the information should appear in the following order:
      • Title, Author, Date, Source, URL to work, Licence type.
  • Creative Commons licensed images or tables should also be provided with a reference in the reference list.
1.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED/COPYRIGHTED IMAGES

a) Book

b) Journal article

c) Website

d) Clip Art  – no referencing required

  • Clip Art from Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint can be used without attribution.
  • The medium or format can be entered after the title (before the full stop) in square brackets (for an example, see ‘Presentation Slides’ below).
  • The placement and treatment of the copyright statement depends on the presence of the explanation.
    • If the explanation is present treat as:
      • Note. Explanation. From [or Adapted from/Data in column 1 are from] Copyright statement.
    • If the explanation is absent then treat as:
      • Start with ‘Note.‘ and continue with From [or Adapted from/Data in column 1 are from] Copyright statement.
  • Locate the note below each image in a PowerPoint presentation.
  • Please visit the APA Style website to see example images of figures and tables
In-text

Refer to ‘Basic Rules’

a) Note. Explanation. From [or Adapted from/Data in column 1 are from] Title of Book (Edition or Volume, p. Page Number), by Author Initial. Surname, Year, Publisher (DOI or URL). Copyright Year by Copyright Holder First Name Surname.

b) Note. Explanation. From [or Adapted from/Data in column 1 are from] “Title of Article,” by Author Initial. Surname, Year, Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), p. Page Number (DOI or URL). Copyright Year by Copyright Holder First Name Surname.

c) Note. Explanation. From [or Adapted from/Data in column 1 are from] Title of Web Page, by Author Initial. Surname, Year, Website Name (DOI or URL). Copyright Year by Copyright Holder First Name Surname.

d) No in-text referencing required.

Examples:

a) Note. From Research Basics: Design to Data Analysis in 6 Steps (p. 69), by J. V. Spickard, 2017, SAGE (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/research-basics/book244998). Copyright 2017 by SAGE Publications.

b) Note. A commemorative sculpture acknowledging the trauma child migrants (post WWII) experienced in Australia before eventually providing valuable contributions to Australian society. From “Beyond the ANZAC Spirit: Commemorating Civilian Experience of War,” by A. Atkinson-Phillips, 2018, Studies in Western Australian History, 32, p. 142. Copyright 2018 by Alison Atkinson-Phillips.

c) Note. From Meticulous Style Guides Every Startup Should See Before Launching, by M. Stribley, n.d., Canva (https://www.canva.com/learn/50-meticulous-style-guides-every-startup-see-launching/). Copyright 2015 by Amanda Michiru.
Reference

Reference as usual for the source type where the image was taken.

Examples:

a) Spickard, J. V. (2017). Research basics: Design to data analysis in 6 steps. SAGE.

b) Atkinson-Phillips, A. (2018). Beyond the ANZAC spirit: Commemorating civilian experience of war. Studies in Western Australian History, 32, 135-147.

c) Stribley, M. (n.d.). 50 meticulous style guides every startup should see before launching. Canva. https://www.canva.com/learn/50-meticulous-style-guides-every-startup-see-launching/

d) No reference required.
2. REPRODUCING WITH PERMISSION
  • Follow guidelines as above, but include a permission statement, and comply with any attribution request from the copyright holder.
  • Only include a permissions statement if permission was sought and granted.
In-text

Refer to ‘Basic Rules’

Note. Explanation. From [or Adapted from/Data in column 1 are from] Title of Book (Edition or Volume, p. Page Number), by Author Initial. Surname, Year, Publisher (DOI or URL). Copyright Year by Copyright Holder First Name Surname. Reprinted/Adapted with permission.

Example:

Note. A table showing demographical comparisons between San Antonio’s and Portland’s MSAs. From Research Basics: Design to Data Analysis in 6 Steps (p. 69), by J. V. Spickard, 2017, SAGE (https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/research-basics/book244998). Copyright 2017 by SAGE Publications. Reprinted with permission.
Reference

Reference as usual for the source type where the image was taken.

Example:

Spickard, J. V. (2017) Research basics: Design to data analysis in 6 steps. SAGE.
3. CREATIVE COMMONS (CC) LICENCED IMAGES (FROM BOOKS, JOURNAL ARTICLES AND WEBSITES)
In-text

Refer to ‘Basic Rules
  • Use this guideline for CC licenced figures or tables gained from books, journal articles, and websites which do not mass supply CC licenced material.
  • Use guideline 7 on ‘Online Photographs …’ below for stock images and also images gained from websites whose purpose is solely to provide access to CC and Public Domain images e.g. Flickr, Wikimedia Commons, The Noun Project etc.
  • Follow guidelines as above for the appropriate source type, up to (not including) the Copyright statement. Instead of the Copyright statement, provide the Creative Commons license abbreviation.

Example:

Note. From National Drug Strategy 2017-2026, by Commonwealth Department of Health, 2017 (https://beta.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-drug-strategy-2017-2026). CC BY-4.0.
Reference

Example:

Commonwealth Department of Health. (2017). National drug strategy 2017-2016. https://beta.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-drug-strategy-2017-2026
4.PRESENTATION SLIDES
In-text

(Author Surname/Organisation, Year)

Example:

Correct usage … (OWL at Purdue University, n.d.).
Reference

Author Surname/Organisation, Author Initial. (Year). Title [Slide format]. Publisher. URL

Example:

OWL at Purdue University. (n.d.). Conquering the comma [PowerPoint slides]. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/punctuation/conquering_the_comma_presentation.html
5. IMAGES (FIGURES/TABLES) YOU CREATED YOURSELF
In-text

Refer to ‘Basic Rules
  • Your in-text citation consists of providing an accurate and detailed description of the image, usually in the form of a title.
  • Italicise the title as you have created the image.
  • Added explanations can be provided after the ‘Note.’
  • If you wish to identify the work as your own, use ‘Own Work’.

Example:

Within the paragraph: As seen in Figure 2, anxiety levels experienced by this author increased greatly due to her decision to begin referencing her LIB1001 assignment on the night it was due.

Figure 2

Anxiety levels over Referencing in the lead up to assignment submission

Note. A self-report of anxiety levels experienced when referencing was left too late for Assignment 1 LIB1001. Own work.
Reference
  • You do not need an entry in the reference list, but you must include detailed information with the image in-text.
6. PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHS
In-text

Refer to ‘Basic Rules’
  • If you have a personal photograph that you have created for the purposes of your work (or appearing only in this assessment/paper and nowhere else) treat as you would an ‘Image (Figure/Table) You Created Yourself’ i.e.:
    • Your in-text citation consists of providing an accurate and detailed description of the image, usually in the form of a title.
    • Italicise the title as you have created the image.
    • Added explanations can be provided after the ‘Note.’
    • If you wish to clearly identify the work as your own, add ‘Own Work’.

Example:

Figure 3

Waratah tree.

Note. Photograph of a Waratah tree taken on UniSQ’s Ipswich Campus in 2025. Own work.

  • If you are using your own image for an illustration in a PowerPoint presentation, you don’t have to cite it, but you can put ‘Own work’ on or under the image somewhere unobtrusive if you wish to avoid confusion.
Reference
  • A personal photograph is a form of Personal Communication and does not require an entry in the Reference List.
7. ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHS OR IMAGES (IMAGES WHICH ARE AVAILABLE IN THE PUBLIC DOMAIN, ARE CC LICENCED OR ARE STOCK IMAGES)
In-text
  • Use this guideline for:
    • Creative Commons (CC) licenced figures or tables gained from websites whose main purpose is to provide access to CC and Public Domain images e.g. Flickr, Wikimedia, Unsplash, The Noun Project etc.
    • Stock images that you pay for.
      • Commercially available Stock images transfer the usage rights, but not the creator rights to the buyer. Examples include ShutterStock and Getty Images. As such, usage of stock images requires a Note, and an entry in the Reference List.
    • Clip Art from Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint can be used without referencing.
  • If you need to attribute the image, follow the guidelines as per ‘Basic rules’. The guidelines vary slightly in the areas mentioned below.
    • Provide an in-text reference and treat it as you would a direct quote, no page number is required.
    • Provide a reference for the image at the end of your assignment. This is optional for an image available under the Public Domain. However, providing this reference will improve the quality of your assessment.
  • More information and sample images are provided on the APA Style Guide’s treatment of Clip Art or Stock Image References.

 

Two structural forms of the ‘Note.’ are available for use: The APA referencing style structure, and the Creative Commons Organisation’s structure.

  • The APA referencing style structure of the ‘Note.’:
    • Note. From [or Adapted from] Title [Image type], by Author, date, Source, URL to work. Licence type.
  • The Creative Commons structure of the ‘Note.’. If enrolled for a course where use of Creative Commons licenced material is embedded into your curriculum, and links are unlikely to break, for example, in PowerPoint slides or websites you are asked to create, consider using this alternate structure with your academic’s approval:
    • Note. From [or Adapted from] Title, by Author, Date, Source, Licence type.
    • Hyperlink the title, author, source and licence type to their respective sources.
    • The date while not required, according to the Creative Commons organisation, improves the quality of your assessment

Examples:

(a) If citing an image in a paragraph, without reproducing it no attribution is required. Provide an in-text citation for the image only. A reference list entry will still be required.

… (Meyers, 2019)

… Meyers (2019)

 

Examples of attributions (as notes) using The APA referencing style structure:

b) Images in the Public Domain.

Note. From Basepairs Graphic Public Domain [Image] by Zulujive, 2020, Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basepairs_Graphic_Public_Domain.png. In the Public Domain.

Note. From Scene in a British dockyard during the Second World War, [Photograph] by Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer, n.d., Imperial War Museums, https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205195863. In the Public Domain.

c) An image licenced under a CC-BY licence.

Note. From Energy [Icon] by Aditya D Nugroho, 2025, The Noun Project, https://thenounproject.com/icon/energy-7962822/. CC BY 3.0.

 

Examples of attributions (as notes) using The Creative Commons Organisation’s structure:

b) Images in the Public Domain.

Note. From Basepairs Graphic Public Domain by Zulujive, 2020, Wikimedia Commons, available in the Public Domain.

Note. From Scene in a British dockyard during the Second World War, by Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer, n.d., Imperial War Museums, available in the Public Domain.

c) Example of an attribution (as a note) underneath an image. The image has been licenced under a CC-BY licence.

Note. From Energy by Aditya D Nugroho, 2025, The Noun Project, licenced under a CC BY 3.0 Licence

 
Reference

Both the APA and Creative Commons Organisation styles will use the APA style for your reference list.

Creator Surname/Organisation, Initial. (Year, Month Day). Title of the work. Website Name. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from URL

Examples:

a) Meyers, D. (2019). Angle two of Zenith Vineyards outside Salem, Oregon [Online Photograph]. Unsplash. Retrieved November 20, 2025, from https://unsplash.com/photos/pile-of-leafed-plants-0AgtPoAARtE

b) Zulujive. (2020). Basepairs Graphic Public Domain [Image]. Wikimedia Commons. Retrieved November 14, 2025, from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basepairs_Graphic_Public_Domain.png 

b) Ministry of Information Photo Division Photographer. (n.d.). Scene in a British dockyard during the Second World War [Photograph]. Imperial War Museums. Retrieved November 10, 2025, from https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205195863

c) Nugroho, A. D., (2025, June 8). Energy [Icon]. The Noun Project. Retrieved November 10, 2025, from https://thenounproject.com/icon/energy-7962822/

License

14. Images including tables, figures, graphs, maps, charts and datasets Copyright © by University of Southern Queensland. All Rights Reserved.

Share This Book