View print version
APA (American Psychological Association) 7th is an author-date referencing style where you have an in-text citation and a related entry in a reference list at the end of your document.
A figure can refer to something that you have produced yourself (e.g., a chart, or graph) or something that you are reproducing from another source (e.g., an artwork, a photograph, a map).
Reference list
Add a reference list entitled References at the end of your essay, citing all sources used in the body of your writing, except for personal communications.
The reference list should be in alphabetical order by the first author's surname (last name).
The first line of each reference should be aligned with the left margin. Second and subsequent lines should be indented seven spaces (1.27cm).
Original visual works
If you are including a visual work (e.g., chart, photograph, drawing, etc.) that you have produced yourself, you do not need to reference this work.
Reproduced visual works
For visual works the author is the producer of the work, e.g., artwork - artist, photograph - photographer. If the author is unknown, place the title in the author position followed by the date.
Format (Electronic)
Artist. (Year of work). Title of work [Medium]. Museum/Institution/collection/source where the work is held: City, Country. https://xxx
Note: For clipart, Infographic, Map and Photograph, the City and Country are not required.
Format (Print)
Artist. (Year of work). Title of work [Medium]. Museum/Institution/collection/source where the work is held: City, Country.
Note: use this format for all types of artwork, e.g., photographs, prints, maps, clip art, infographic and paintings. After the title always include a description of the type of medium in square brackets, e.g., [Sculpture].
Examples
Bouchardon, E. (1750). Cupid cutting his bow from the club of Hercules [Sculpture]. The Louvre, Paris, France. https://www.louvre.fr/en/oeuvre-notices/cupid-cutting-his-bow-club-hercules
Cheyrou, B. (2012). Mother and nurse with newborn baby [Photograph]. Alamy Stock Photo. https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-mother-and-nurse-with-newborn-baby-55270116.html
Department of Lands & Survey. (1968). [Map of the North Island showing county boundaries, NZMS 139]. National Library of New Zealand. https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE39960095
j4p4n. (2020). Book frame [Clip art]. Openclipart. https://openclipart.org/detail/318870/book-frame
Lorrain, C. (1648). Pastoral Caprice with the Arch of Constantine and the Colosseum [Painting]. Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Note: If there is no title for the artwork, include a description in square brackets in the title place.
In-text citation
When you are reproducing a whole work, you must include details of the copyright owner.
Publically available works
You must also seek permission from the copyright owner if your writing will be made publicly available (e.g., a digital copy is uploaded to the University's research repository, ResearchSpace, or it is published in a journal). When permission is granted, add ‘Reprinted with permission’.
Non-published works
The University's copyright licence allows you to use images retrieved from a Library database, without seeking permission from the copyright holder, as long as your essay is not made publicly available. In this case, you may omit the information on the copyright holder and permission. However, you must still give credit to the creator of the work and reference your source.
Note: Works in the public domain may be reproduced without permission. Works with a Creative Commons licence should be used according to the terms of its licence. In both of these cases still acknowledge the creators of the work and reference the source. For more on the use of copyright materials, see About Copyright and Copyright for staff and students.
Captioning
Place the figure near your in-text citation. The Figure number appears above the figure in bold font (e.g., Figure 1). The Figure Title appears (in italics and in Title Case) one double-spaced line below the figure number. The caption below the figure begins with the word ‘Note.’ in italics. If you created the figure from data that was sourced elsewhere, use ‘Adapted from’. Number figures separately from tables in the order that they are mentioned in your text.
Figures - copyright permission needed
Format for Figure a book
Figure no
Figure Title
Figure data
Note. Description about the figure contents that cannot be understood from the figure title or body alone. From Title of Book (p. page number), by Author/s, Copyright date, Publisher (https://doi.org/xxx). Copyright year by Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission.
Example
Tracey Emin's portfolio includes her controversial Tate Gallery installation, My Bed (see Figure 1).
Figure 1
Tracey Emin, My Bed
Figure data
Note. This figure shows an installation at the Turner Prize Exhibition, Tate Gallery, London from 20 October 1999-23 January 2000. Photographed by Stephen White, provided courtesy of White Cube/Jay Jopling. From Contemporary Art and Memory: Images of Recollection and Remembrance (p. 23), by J. Gibbons, 2007, I.B. Taurus. Copyright 2007 by Joan Gibbons. Reprinted with permission.
Format for Figure from a book chapter in an edited book
Figure no
Figure Title
Figure data
Note. Description about the figure contents that cannot be understood from the figure title or body alone. From "Title of Book Chapter" by Author/s, in Editor/s (Ed/s.), Title of the Book (edition ed., p. page number), Copyright date, Publisher. Copyright year by Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission.
Example
Naples and Ufberg (2019) figure images of the Stimson Maneuver depict a relatively less painful technique (see Figure 1).
Figure 1
Stimson Maneuver
Figure data
Note. From “Management of Common Dislocations,” by R. M. Naples and J. W. Ufberg, in J. R. Roberts (Ed.-in-Chief), Roberts and Hedges’ Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care (7th ed., p. 991), 2019, Elsevier. Copyright 2019 by Elsevier. Reprinted with permission.
Format for a Figure from a journal article
Figure no
Figure Title
Figure data
Note. Description about the figure contents that cannot be understood from the figure title or body alone. From "Title of Article," by Author/s, Year of publication, Journal Title, Volume(Issue), p. page number (https://doi.org/xxx). Copyright year by Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission.
Example
Figure 2 shows the proportional reporting ratios for lactic acidosis and metformin from 2015 to 2018.
Figure 2
Characteristics of LA Case Reports With Metformin Present as Either Primary Suspect or Incident Drug
Figure data
Note. This figure differentiates between the US domestic cases and the European cases. From "Reports of Lactic Acidosis Attributed to Metformin 2015-2018," by J. H. Flory, S. Hennessy, C. J. Bailey, and S. E. Inzucchi, 2020, Diabetes Care, 43(1), p. 245 (https://doi.org/10.2337/dc19-0923). Copyright 2019 by American Diabetes Association. Reprinted with permission.
Format for a Figure from a webpage/website
Figure no
Figure Title
Figure data
Note. Description about the figure contents that cannot be understood from the figure title or body alone. From Title of Webpage/Website, by Author, Publication date or last updated (https://xxx). Copyright year by Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission.
Example
Figure 3 shows how journey mapping can improve the customer ...
Figure 3
Journey Map Considerations
Figure data
Note. From Experience to Value: 2019 KPM New Zealand Customer Experience Excellence Report (p. 31), by S. Hunter, B. McConnell, and H. Baird, 2019 (https://home.kpmg/nz/en/home/insights/2019/07/customer-experience-excellence.html). Copyright 2019 by KPMG. Reprinted with permission.
Format for a Figure from a music score
Figure no
Figure Title
Figure data
Note. Description about the figure contents that cannot be understood from the figure title or body alone. From Title of the Book, by Author, Copyright date, Publisher (https://doi.org/xxx). Copyright year by Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission.
Example
Figure 4 shows the use of bracketed slurs to indicate phrasing rather than bowing and articulation.
Figure 4
Manutaki, Page 1
Excerpt from a musical score
Note. From Manutaki: Flute/Piccolo, Clarinet, Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano (p. 1), by G. Whitehead, 1993, Waiteata Press. Copyright 1993 by Waiteata Press. Reprinted with permission.
Figures - no copyright permission needed
Use the following format when you have adapted the figure.
Format for a Figure from a book
Figure no
Figure Title
Figure data
Note. Description about the figure contents that cannot be understood from the figure title or body alone. Adapted from Title of book (p. page number), by Author/s, Copyright date, Publisher (https://doi.org/xxx). Copyright year by Copyright Holder.
Example
... illustrates the rotation of the planets around the sun using Kepler's (1995, as cited in DeWitt, 2010) system (see Figure 1).
Figure 1
Illustration of Kepler's Second Law
Figure data
Note. This figure highlights the speed of Mars orbiting the sun. Adapted from Worldviews: An Introduction to the History and Philosophy of Science (p. 140), by R. DeWitt, 2010, Wiley-Blackwell. Copyright 2010 by Richard DeWitt.
Format for Figure from a book chapter in an edited book
Figure no
Figure Title
Figure data
Note. Description about the figure contents that cannot be understood from the figure title or body alone. From "Title of Book Chapter" by Author/s, in Editor/s (Ed/s.), Title of the Book (edition ed., p. page number), Copyright date, Publisher. Copyright year by Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission.
Example
Naples and Ufberg (2019) figure images of the Stimson Maneuver depict a relatively less painful technique (see Figure 1).
Figure 1
Stimson Maneuver
Figure data
Note. From “Management of Common Dislocations,” by R. M. Naples and J. W. Ufberg, in J. R. Roberts (Ed.-in-Chief), Roberts and Hedges’ Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care (7th ed., p. 991), 2019, Elsevier. Copyright 2019 by Elsevier. Reprinted with permission.
Format for a Figure from a journal
Figure no
Figure Title
Figure data
Note. Description about the figure contents that cannot be understood from the figure title or body alone. Adapted from "Title of article," by Author/s, Year of publication, Journal Title, Volume(Issue), p. page number (https://doi.org/xxx). Copyright year by Copyright Holder.
Example 1
Figure 2 shows the primary questions established to help guide an oral interview.
Figure 2
Questions Guiding Interviews
Figure data
Note. Adapted from "The Power of Interim Chief Nursing Officers," by G. Wetsel, J. Batcheller, and J. M. Adams, 2019, Nurse Leaders, 17(4), p. 336 (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mnl.2019.04.006). Copyright 2019 by Elsevier.
Example 2 (Creative Commons)
Figure 3 indicates the number of participants involved ...
Figure 3
Flowchart of Participants
Figure data
Note. Adapted from "Angiogenic Factors During Pregnancy in Asian Women With Elevated Blood Pressure in Early Pregnancy and the Risk of Preeclampsia: A Longitudinal Cohort Study," by J. Zhu, J. Zhang, M. J. Ng, B. Chern, G. S. H. Yeo, and K. H. Tan, 2019, BMJ Open, 9, p. 2 (https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-032237). CC BY-NC.
Format for a Figure from a webpage/website
Figure no
Figure Title
Figure data
Note. Description about the figure contents that cannot be understood from the figure title or body alone. Adapted from Title of Webpage/Website, by Author, Publication date or last updated (https://xxx). Copyright year by Copyright Holder.
Example (In the public domain)
Figure 4 demonstrates the effect of temperatures increasing ...
Figure 4
The Effect of Increasing Mean Temperature on the Extremes
Figure data
Note. This graphs show the increased variance between the lows and the highs in the temperature. From New Zealand’s Changing Climate and Oceans: The Impact of Human Activity and Implications for the Future (p. 9), by Office of the Chief Science Advisor, 2013, Office of the Prime Minister’s Science Advisory Committee (https://www.pmcsa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/New-Zealands-Changing-Climate-and-Oceans-report.pdf). In the public domain.
Format for a Figure from a music score
Figure no
Figure Title
Figure data
Note. Description about the figure contents that cannot be understood from the figure title or body alone. Adapted from Title of Webpage/Website, by Author, Publication date or last updated (https://xxx). Copyright year by Copyright Holder.
Example (In the public domain)
Figure 5 is an excerpt from this romantic piece showing the depth of feeling towards New Zealanders involved in World War I.
Figure 5
A Belgian Lament
Excerpt from a musical score
Note. This is a violin and piano sonata. From A Belgian Lament, Op. 34 (p. 2), by W. E. Thomas, 1917, Arthur Eady & Co. Copyright 1917 by A Eady & Co. In the public domain.
This material is based on the Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (2020). For further information, please consult the manual directly.
Edit page 
