How should I cite images in my thesis or dissertation?

Answer

The library's requirements do not specify a specific size or resolution for images, but we do require that images are labeled and numbered as figures in the text. You'll need to create a List of Figures that appears in the preliminary pages, directly following the Table of Contents. The images themselves may be placed within the text or collated together at the end (before the Bibliography/References/Works Cited).

Each image should be captioned with the label and number, and a brief title of the image. If you are reproducing images that you did not take or create yourself, you will need to cite them according to your citation style. This is often referred to as a credit line. For assistance in constructing credit lines for a variety of sources, consult the Chicago Manual of Style 4.102 (17th ed.). If you took the photo or created the image yourself, indicate that in the caption (e.g., "Photo by author").

The MLA provides examples of various figure captions in Chapter 1.7 of the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (free chapter online).

You may wish to also consult the library's guide on citing social media and digital images. If you include a full citation in the caption you do not need to include the source in your Bibliography. You may also choose to simply use an in-text citation in the caption (parenthetical or footnote, depending on your style guide), in which case you would include a full source citation in your Bibliography.

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  • Last Updated Aug 28, 2023
  • Views 4263
  • Answered By Roxanne Shirazi

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