APA Referencing (6th edition): Visual Media Images, Figures & Tables

Wintec Visual Media Guide

Page 1 of 4

Revised Dec 2017

APA Referencing (6

edition): Visual Media

Images, Figures & Tables

This is a Wintec guide to help you with referencing in the American Psychological Association (APA)

style for images, figures, and tables. For further information, please refer to the 6th edition of The

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2010), or see a staff member in the

Library, Student Learning Services or Te Kete Kōnae.

•

Images are a type of figure. They are visual depictions e.g. pictures, photographs etc.

•

Figures are charts, graphs, photographs, drawings or any other illustration.

•

Tables are numerical values or textual information displayed in columns and rows.

•

At times the difference between figures and tables can be unclear, but tables are almost

always displayed as row-column format. ANY other illustration is referred to as a figure.

Captions/Notes & Reference List

In-text citation

IMAGES - ONLINE

Figure 1. Shelves of language books in library (Source: ParentingPatch, 2013)

Reference list:

ParentingPatch. (2013, April 9). Shelves of language books in library [Photograph]. Retrieved

from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Shelves_of_Language_Books_in_Library.JPG

NB in the absence of a title, write a descriptive title and enclose in square brackets in the

reference list

Because the in-text

citation and all the

relevant

information is in the

captain below the

image, simply use

the numbered

figure in the body

of your assignment

as shown below:

Figure 1 shows

books suitable for

ESOL students.

There are many

language books in

the library (see

figure 1).

Figure 2. Dialysis machine (Source: San Fernando Valley Vascular Group, n.d.)

Reference list:

San Fernando Valley Vascular Group. (n.d.). [Dialysis machine] [Image]. Retrieved from

http://www.sfvvg.com/dialysis.html

Figure 2 shows a

basic diagram of a

dialysis machine.

Sometimes

patients need to be

hooked up to a

dialysis machine

(see figure 2) as

part of their

treatment.

The difference between images, figures, and tables

Wintec Visual Media Guide

Page 2 of 4

Revised Dec 2017

Captions/Notes & Reference List

In-text citation

IMAGES – BOOK – NOT CREDITED (Reference author of book)

Figure 3. Muscles of the head and neck (Source: Herlihy, 2014, p. 160)

Reference list:

Herlihy, B. (2014). The human body in health and illness. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.

NB reference the book from which the image was copied

Figure 3 shows the

basic muscles of

the head and neck.

There are many

muscles in the

head and neck

(see figure 3).

IMAGES – BOOK – CREDITED (Reference illustrator & author)

Figure 4. Three-dimensional mixing metaphor (Source: Fergusson, in Savage, 2014,

p. 24)

Reference list:

Savage, S. (2014). Mixing and mastering in the box: The guide to making great mixes and

final masters on your computer. (I. Fergusson, Illus.). Oxford, England: Oxford

University Press.

NB reference the book from which the image was copied

Figure 4 shows the

difference

components of a

mixer.

You can input a

number of different

instruments into a

mixer (see figure

4).

Wintec Visual Media Guide

Page 3 of 4

Revised Dec 2017

IMAGES – BOOK – MAJOR PART

A. Illustrations all by one creator

Figure 5. Lebanese children play outside at lunch time (Source: Brown-Martin &

Tavakolian, 2014, p. 158)

Reference list:

Brown-Martin, G., & Tavakolian, N. (Photographer). (2014). Learning {re}imagined: How the

connected society is transforming learning. London, England: Bloomsbury.

NB reference the book from which the image was copied

Figure 5 pictures a

crowd of Lebanese

children playing

outside at

lunchtime.

Despite living

through times of

trouble, these

children still find

time to play

together (see figure

5).

B. Illustrations by many different creators (such as in an art history book)

Figure 6. Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci (Source: Gombrich, 1983, p. 117)

Reference list:

Da Vinci, L. (1983). Mona Lisa [Image]. In E. H. Grombich (Ed.), Vision and painting: The

logic of the gaze. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

NB reference both the image itself and the book from which the image was copied

Figure 6 is of

course the famous

Mona Lisa.

One of the most

instantly

recognizable

paintings of all time

would have to be

da Vinci’s Mona

Lisa (see figure 6).

Wintec Visual Media Guide

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Revised Dec 2017

FIGURES

Figure 7 provides an illuminating

picture of the correlation of

different occupational groups and

their smoking habits.

Smoking can be linked broadly to

different occupational groups (see

figure 7).

Figure 7. Crude smoking prevalence in 2006 census by occupational

group (bars, with 95% CI) (Source: Edwards et al., 2012, p. 332)

Reference list:

Edwards, R., Peace, J., Stanley, J., Atkinson, J., Wilson, N., & Thomson, G.

(2012). Setting a good example? Changes in smoking prevalence

among key occupational groups in New Zealand: Evidence from the

1981 and 2006 censuses. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 14(3), 329-

337. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database.

TABLES

Tables reproduced and referred to in assignment

Table 1

Success Rates of Planned and Unplanned Quit Attempts

Note.

* Most recent attempt to stop smoking. † Percentage (95% confidence

interval). Reproduced from “Catastrophic pathways to smoking

cessation: Findings from national survey,” by R. West, 2006, British

Publishing Group. Reprinted with permission.

NB: This is an example from APA showing the full reference and copyright

information for publishing purposes. For your unpublished or

undergraduate assignments you can treat the table as a direct quotation

eg. (West, 2006, p.459).

Reference list:

West, R. (2006). Catastrophic pathways to smoking cessation: Findings from

national survey. British Medical Journal, 332(7539), 458-460. doi:

10.1136/bmj.38723.573866.AE

Table 1 contrasts the success

rates of planned and unplanned

quit attempts.

Planned attempts to quit smoking

are much more effective than

unplanned attempts (see Table 1).

Table numbers are written

sequentially and should not be

followed by a full stop. When

referring to each table in text, then

use a capital T.

Table Titles are placed

immediately under the table

number and above the table. Titles

are written in italics and should

provide a brief explanation of the

table. Use capitals for main words,

but no full stop after the title.

Notes are written directly under the

table with the word Note in italics

with a full stop. Notes include

explanations of abbreviations,

symbols and acknowledgement

that the table has been reproduced

from another source.

Table referred to but NOT reproduced in assignment

In-text citation

West, R. (2006). Catastrophic pathways to smoking cessation: Findings from

national survey. British Medical Journal, 332(7539), 458-460. doi:

10.1136/bmj.38723.573866.AE

The percentage of planned …

(West, 2006).

Smokers and ex-

smokers: 6

months to 5

years before

(n=611)

Smokers and-ex-

smokers: 6-12

months before

(n=191)

Current

smokers: 6

months to 5

years before

(n=391)

Lasted Total

≥6 %

months

†

(No)

Lasted Total

≥6 %

months

†

(No)

Lasted Total

≥6 %

months

†

(No)

Unplanned

65.4

45.8

50.0

35.6

38.1

39.6

(59.8 to

(280)

(37.6 to

(68)

(30.4 to

(155)

70.1)

62.4)

45.7)

Planned

42.3

54.2

28.5

64.4

20.6

60.4

(37.0 to

(331)

(20.5 to

(123)

(15.6 to

(236)

47.6)

36.4)

25.9)