When doing research and writing for your college courses, you will be expected to cite your sources, including print or digital images. This page offers a basic introduction. For more information, visit our Citing Sources Guide.
A citation is a reference to an outside source. In other words, you are acknowledging that you found this information from someone or somewhere else - it is not your own original creation, thought, or research.
It gives credit to the person whose idea or creation you are referencing.
It leads readers to your sources.
It helps you avoid plagiarism.
When you find information in another source, someone else "owns" their own creation and ideas, whether or not they have published them. Not giving that person credit when you borrow their ideas or words is called plagiarism, which is a very serious academic infraction. Intentionally or accidentally claiming someone else's work as your own may also violate copyright law. For more information about how image copyright applies to students, please see our Images and Copyright for Students page.
The guidelines you use to format your citation - the citation style - will depend on several factors, including your field of study and your professor's preferences.
Some image banks will provide a ready-made citation for you. If not, you will need to create the citation yourself.
You will most commonly use one of the styles listed below. However, you should always check with your professor first.
When in doubt, visit the official citation manual to check your formatting.
MLA Style refers to the standards published by the Modern Language Association. This style is most commonly used in humanities disciplines such English, modern languages, and cultural studies.
An MLA citation (8th edition) for a digitized painting might look like:
How do I cite an image reproduced in a book?
For more guidance, visit:
MLA Handbook by
The Modern Language Association, the authority on research and writing, takes a fresh look at documenting sources in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook, the official guide to MLA format. Works are published today in a dizzying variety of ways: a novel, for example, may be read in print, online, or as an e-book--or perhaps listened to as an audiobook. Writers of research papers routinely need to know how to cite works on Web sites, videos on platforms like YouTube, interviews and other works created by multiple authors, journal articles contained in databases, online images, posts on social media sites, song lyrics, and more. Instead of providing separate instructions for each format, the MLA's unique, innovative approach recommends one set of guidelines that writers can apply to any type of source. This groundbreaking edition of the MLA's best-selling handbook is short and designed for easy use. It guides writers through the principles behind evaluating sources for their research and thus focuses on the key skills of information and digital literacy. It then shows writers how to cite sources in their writing, offering detailed guidance on in-text citations, quoting and paraphrasing, avoiding plagiarism, and more. Intended for students, teachers, librarians, and advanced scholars, the handbook is an indispensable resource in composition, communication, literature, language arts, film, media studies, digital humanities, and related fields.
Chicago Style refers to standards published by the University of Chicago Press. This style is most commonly used in disciplines such as history, literature, and the arts. It is unique in that it offers two sub-styles:
You may also see the term Turabian Style, which refers to a simplified version of Chicago.
A sample Chicago style citation (17th edition, bibliography) for a digitized painting might look like:
For more guidance, visit:
The Chicago Manual of Style, 17th Edition by
Technologies may change, but the need for clear and accurate communication never goes out of style. That is why for more than one hundred years The Chicago Manual of Style has remained the definitive guide for anyone who works with words. In the seven years since the previous edition debuted, we have seen an extraordinary evolution in the way we create and share knowledge. This seventeenth edition of The Chicago Manual of Style has been prepared with an eye toward how we find, create, and cite information that readers are as likely to access from their pockets as from a bookshelf. It offers updated guidelines on electronic workflows and publication formats, tools for PDF annotation and citation management, web accessibility standards, and effective use of metadata, abstracts, and keywords. It recognizes the needs of those who are self-publishing or following open access or Creative Commons publishing models. The citation chapters reflect the ever-expanding universe of electronic sources--including social media posts and comments, private messages, and app content--and also offer updated guidelines on such issues as DOIs, time stamps, and e-book locators. Other improvements are independent of technological change. The chapter on grammar and usage includes an expanded glossary of problematic words and phrases and a new section on syntax as well as updated guidance on gender-neutral pronouns and bias-free language. Key sections on punctuation and basic citation style have been reorganized and clarified. To facilitate navigation, headings and paragraph titles have been revised and clarified throughout. And the bibliography has been updated and expanded to include the latest and best resources available. This edition continues to reflect expert insights gathered from Chicago's own staff and from an advisory board of publishing experts from across the profession. It also includes suggestions inspired by emails, calls, and even tweets from readers. No matter how much the means of communication change, The Chicago Manual of Style remains the ultimate resource for those who care about getting the details right.
APA Style refers to the standards published by the American Psychological Association. This style is most commonly used in disciplines such as psychology, sociology, business, economics, nursing, social work, and criminology.
A sample APA citation (7th edition) for a digitized painting might look like:
For more guidance, visit:
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Seventh Edition is the official source for APA Style. With millions of copies sold worldwide in multiple languages, it is the style manual of choice for writers, researchers, editors, students, and educators in the social and behavioral sciences, natural sciences, nursing, communications, education, business, engineering, and other fields. Known for its authoritative, easy-to-use reference and citation system, the Publication Manual also offers guidance on choosing the headings, tables, figures, language, and tone that will result in powerful, concise, and elegant scholarly communication. It guides users through the scholarly writing process-from the ethics of authorship to reporting research through publication. The seventh edition is an indispensable resource for students and professionals to achieve excellence in writing and make an impact with their work. The seventh edition has been thoroughly revised and updated to reflect best practices in scholarly writing and publishing. All formats are in full color, with a new tabbed spiral version Improved ease of navigation, with many additional numbered sections to help users quickly locate answers to their questions Resources for students on writing and formatting annotated bibliographies, response papers, and other paper types as well as guidelines on citing course materials Dedicated chapter for new users of APA Style covering paper elements and format, including sample papers for both professional authors and student writers New chapter on journal article reporting standards that includes updates to reporting standards for quantitative research and the first-ever qualitative and mixed methods reporting standards in APA Style New chapter on bias-free language guidelines for writing about people with respect and inclusivity in areas including age, disability, gender, participation in research, race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality More than 100 new reference examples covering periodicals, books, audiovisual media, social media, webpages and websites, and legal resources More than 40 new sample tables and figures Expanded guidance on ethical writing and publishing practices, including how to ensure the appropriate level of citation, avoid plagiarism and self-plagiarism, and navigate the publication process Guidelines that support accessibility for all users, including simplified reference, in-text citation, and heading formats as well as additional font options