In this guide, you will find clear explanations and guidelines that will teach you how to identify appropriate images and other non-textual elements and cite them in your research paper.
Images and graphs can help readers follow a result when the visual communicates something the text alone cannot. Use them when they are relevant to your research paper, and follow the target journal’s figure and permission requirements.
An image or chart will make your research paper more attractive, interesting, explanatory, and understandable for the audience. In addition, when you cite an image or chart, it helps you describe your research and its parts with far more precision than simple, long paragraphs.
There are plenty of reasons why you should cite images in your research paper. However, most scholars and academicians avoid it altogether, losing the opportunity to make their research papers more interesting and garner higher readership.
Additionally, it has been observed that there are many misconceptions around the use or citation of images in research papers. For example, it is widely believed and practiced that using pictures or any graphics in the research papers will render it unprofessional or non-academic. However, in reality, no such legit rules or regulations prohibit citing images or any graphic elements in the research papers.
You will find it much easier once you know the appropriate way to cite images or non-textual elements in your research paper. But, it’s important to keep in mind some rules and regulations for using different non-textual elements in your research paper. You can easily upgrade your academic/research writing skills by leveraging various guides in our repository.
In this guide, you will find clear explanations and guidelines that will teach you how to identify appropriate images and other non-textual elements and cite them in your research paper. So, cut the clutter; let’s start.
Importance of citing images in a research paper
Cite an image or graph from another source when you discuss, reproduce, or adapt it. A figure you made from your own data still needs a clear title, caption, and explanation; cite any source data or borrowed design where applicable.
There are several reasons why you must cite images in your research paper like:
(i) A better explanation for the various phenomenon
While writing your research paper, certain topics will be comparatively more complex than others. In such a scenario where you find out that words are not providing the necessary explanation, you can always switch to illustrating the process using images. For example, you can write paragraphs describing climate change and its associated factors and/or cite a single illustration to describe the complete process with its embedded factors.
(ii) To simplify examples
To create an impeccable research paper, you need to include evidence and examples supporting your argument for the research topic. Rather than always explaining the supporting evidence and examples through words, it will be better to depict them through images. For example, to demonstrate climate change's effects on a region, you can always showcase and cite the “before and after” images.
(iii) Easy Classification
If your research topic requires segregation into various sub-topics and further, you can easily group and classify them in the form of a classification tree or a chart. Providing such massive information in the format of a classification tree will save you a lot of words and present the information in a more straightforward and understandable form to your audience.
(iv) Acquire greater attention from the audience
Including images in your research paper, theses, and dissertations will help you garner the audience's greater attention. If you add or cite images in the paper, it will provide a better understanding and clarification of the topics covered in your research. Additionally, it will make your research paper visually attractive.
Types of Images that you can use or cite in your research paper
Using and citing images in a research paper as already explained can make your research paper more understanding and structured in appearance. For this, you can use photos, drawings, charts, graphs, infographics, etc. However, there are no mandatory regulations to use or cite images in a research paper, but there are some recommendations as per the journal style.
Pictures
Before including any images in your research paper, you need to ensure that it fits the research topic and syncs with your writing style. As already mentioned, there are no strict regulations around the usage of images. However, you should make sure that it satisfies certain parameters like:
Try using HD quality images for better picture clarity in both print and electronic formats
Check the image’s license or permission terms before reproducing or adapting it. Attribution and a reference identify the source; they do not themselves grant reuse rights.
The image should satisfy the context of the research topic
Place each figure near the relevant discussion or where the journal requests it. Give it a figure number, a descriptive title or caption, and a source or credit when needed; refer to it in the text.
For a borrowed figure, identify the source in the caption or figure note as required by the style and check the license, permission, and any required attribution separately.
Graphs and Charts
You can earn an advantage by providing better and simple explanations through graphs and charts rather than wordy descriptions. There are several reasons why you must cite or include graphs and charts in your research paper:
To draw a comparison between two events, phenomena, or any two random parameters
Illustration of statistics through charts and graphs are most significant in drawing audience attention towards your research topic
Classification tree or pie charts goes best to show off the degree of influence of a specific event, or phenomenon in your research paper
With the usage of graphs and charts, you can answer several questions of your readers without them even questioning. With charts and graphs, you can provide an immense amount of information in a brief yet attractive manner to your readers, as these elements keep them interested in your research topic.
Providing these non-textual elements in your research paper increases its readability. Moreover, the graphs and charts will drive the reader’s attention compared to text-heavy paragraphs.
Make your own graph from reliable data and cite the data source, or reproduce an existing chart only where the license, permission, or applicable exception allows it. Explain the axes, units, sample and main comparison in the caption and surrounding text.
Similarly, like pictures or images, you can choose one of the three possible methods of placement in your research paper, i.e., either after the text or on a different page right after the corresponding paragraph or inside the paragraph itself.
How to Cite Images and Graphs in a Research Paper?
First identify who made the image, where it appeared, its date and any reuse terms. Then follow your chosen style for its reference, in-text mention and figure credit. Check the target journal’s submission requirements.
Usage or citation of pictures or graphs is not prohibited in any academic writing style, and it just differs from each other due to their respective formats.
Cite an Image/Graphs in APA (American Psychological Association) style
Most of the scientific works, society, and media-based research topics are presented in the APA style. It is usually followed by museums, exhibitions, galleries, libraries, etc. If you create your research paper in APA style and cite already used images or graphics, you need to provide complete information about the source.
In APA style, the list of the information that you must provide while citing an element is as follows:
Owner of the image (artist, designer, photographer, etc.)
Date of the work or publication, if known; use the format required by the style.
Location or repository only when relevant to the particular work and reference format; it is not a universal requirement.
Title or a descriptive bracketed label when the work has no title.
The museum, website, publisher or other source as applicable to the image you actually consulted.
For an online image, link to the page where the original work can be identified and supply the other reference elements required for that source type. An image-file URL alone may omit its creator and context.
The APA artwork reference examples show how details differ by source. For licensed stock images, the APA stock-image guidance explains when a figure note needs an attribution. Keep the full reference and figure note consistent with the work you actually used.
Format/Example of Image Citation:
An illustrative APA pattern is:
Creator. (Year). Title of work [Photograph]. Museum or website. URL
The exact elements depend on the type of image and the information available.
Cite an Image/Graphs in MLA (Modern Language Association) style
The MLA image guide gives examples for images seen online, in person and in print. Cite the site that hosts the image, not a search-results page.
MLA style is again one of the most preferred styles worldwide for research paper publication. You can easily use or cite images in this style provided no rights of the image owner get violated. Additionally, the format or the information required for citation or usage is very brief yet precise.
In the MLA style, the following are the details that a used image or graph must carry:
Creator of the image, if identified.
Title, Name, or the Description of the Image
Name of the site, museum, collection, or publication containing the version you consulted.
Other contributors, if relevant and identified.
Version or collection identifier, if relevant to the item.
Publisher information when MLA calls for it and it is distinct from the website name.
Date associated with the image or publication, if provided; use MLA date conventions.
URL for the source page when you viewed the image online.
Format/Example of Image Citation:
An illustrative MLA pattern is:
Creator. Title of Image. Date, Website or Collection, URL.
The exact format depends on the image and the information provided by its source.
Final Words
A clear image citation helps readers identify and locate the source. Depending on the image, you may also need a figure credit, attribution, or permission to reuse the material.
No matter which writing style you choose to write your paper, make sure that you provide all the details in the appropriate format. Once you have all the details and understanding of the format of usage or citation, feel free to use as many images that make your research paper intriguing and interesting enough.
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