how to put an image in a research paper

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Using Images and Non-Textual Materials in Presentations, Papers, Theses, and Dissertations

• Documenting and Citing Images
• Finding Images - Select Sources

Documenting and Citing Images/Photographs and Their Sources

Please note that this is advice on best practices and considerations in documenting and citing images and non-print materials. It does not represent legal advice on obtaining permissions.

Generally, images copied from other sources should not be used without permissions in publications or for commercial purposes. Many American academic institutions require graduate students to archive their finished and approved theses/dissertations in institutional electronic repositories and/or institutional libraries and repositories, and/or to post them on Proquest's theses database. Unpublished theses and dissertations are a form of scholarly dissemination. Someone else's images, like someone else's ideas, words or music, should be used with critical commentary, and need to be identified and cited. If a thesis/dissertation is revised for publication,  waivers or permissions from the copyright holder(s) of the images and non-textual materials must be obtained. Best practices also apply to materials found on the internet and on social media, and, properly speaking, require identification, citation, and clearance of permissions, as relevant.

Use the following elements when identifying and citing an image, depending on the information you have available . It is your responsibility to do due diligence and document as much as possible about the image you are using:

• Artist's/creator's name, if relevant;
• Title of the work/image, if known, or description;
• Ownership information (such as a person, estate, museum, library collection) and source of image;
• Material, if known, particularly for art works;
• Dimensions of the work, if known.

The Chicago Manual of Style online can be searched for norms on appropriate ways to caption illustrations, capitalize titles of visual works, or cite print materials that contain images.

Including images/photographs in a bibliography:

Best practice is to not include images within a bibliography of works cited. It is common, instead, to create a separate list of images (or figures) and their source, such as photographer (even if it's you) or collection. It may be useful to also include location, e.g., museum, geographic reference, address, etc.

Examples of Documenting Images

The image below is scanned from a published book. It can be used in a critical context within a presentation, classroom session, or  paper/thesis, as follows:

[ Figure 1. This photograph from 1990 shows the Monument against Fascism designed by Jochen Gerz and Esther Shalev-Gerz, Hamburg, 1986-1993. Image from James Young, ed.,  Art of Memory: Holocaust Memorials in History (New York: Prestel, 1994), 70]

If you need to use this image in a published work, you will have to seek permission. For example, the book from which this image was scanned should have a section on photo credits which would help you identify the person/archive holding this image.

The image below was found through Google Images and downloaded from the internet. It can be used in a critical context within a presentation,  classroom session, or paper/thesis, as follows:

[Figure 2. This image shows the interior of Bibliotheca Alexandrina designed by the Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta in 2001. Image downloaded from https://mgkhs.com/gallery/alexandria in March 2016.]

If you want to use this image in a published work, you will have to do your best to track down its source to request permission to use. The web site or social media site where you found the image may not be an appropriate source, since it is common for people to repost images without attribution. Just because "everyone does it" does not mean that you should be using such materials without attribution or documentation. In this specific example, you may need to write to the photographer or to the architecture firm. If you have done due diligence and were unable to find the source, or have not received a response, you may be able to use an image found on the internet with appropriate documentation in a publication.

The image below was downloaded from a digitized historic collection of photographs held by an institutional archive. It can be used in a critical context within a presentation,  classroom session, or paper/thesis, as follows:

[Figure 3. In the 1920s the urban landscape of Los Angeles started to change, as various developers began building multi-family apartment houses in sections previously zoned for single family dwellings. Seen in this photograph by Dick Whittington is the Warrington apartment building, which was completed in 1928, surrounded by older single family structures. Downloaded from the USC Digital Library in February 2016]

I f you plan to use this photograph in a publication, seek permission from the library/institution from whose digital archive you downloaded the image. Contact information is usually found in the record for the image.

The image below was taken by the author. It can be used in a critical context within a presentation, classroom session , paper/thesis, or a publication* as follows:

[Figure 4. Genex Tower, also known as West City Gate, is a residential tower located in New Belgrade. This example of late 20th century brutalist-style architecture was designed in 1977 by Mihajlo Mitrović. Photographed by the author in 2013.]

*Please note, if you re-photographed someone else's photograph or a work of art, or if you re-photographed a published image, you may not be able to publish your photograph without first seeking permission or credit for its content.  If you have done due diligence and were unable to find the source or have not received a response, you may be able to use your image with appropriate documentation.

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• Last Updated: Jan 19, 2023 3:12 PM
• URL: https://libguides.usc.edu/fair_use

Using Images in Publications

Many scholarly publications are enhanced with images, ranging from reproductions of fine art to graphs showing the results of scientific research. Including images in books and articles can complement the text, visually demonstrate the author's analysis, and engage the reader. Using images in publications, however, raises copyright issues, which can be complex, time-consuming, and expensive. To help authors navigate this process, publishers often provide specific guidance, including what rights must be requested, acceptable file formats, image resolution, etc. See Requesting 3rd party Permissions  from Oxford Journals or Image Guidelines from Johns Hopkins University Press as examples. 

The primary issues that you need to aware of when incorporating images in your publication are: 

The right to publish a copyrighted image is controlled by the copyright owner, so each copyrighted image that you use must have permission or fall within an exception to the general copyright statue, such as public domain, fair use, or open access. Copyright permission fees are sometimes waived or reduced for scholarly publications; if not, however, they can be quite expensive as well as time-consuming to obtain. We recommend that you begin the permissions process early to avoid any last-minute complications that may delay publication of your work. In addition to copyright permission, some museums and other providers of images charge a fee for the production or use of a digital image from their collections, even if the underlying work is in the public domain. Like permissions fees, use fees are sometimes waived or reduced for scholarly publications.

High resolution images

Publishers will require a high resolution image for publication (usually at least 300 ppi). These may come from museums, archives, other collections, your own work, or suppliers of stock photos. There may be a fee assessed for use, the amount of which can vary significantly depending on who is supplying the image and how you are using it.

Printing costs

The cost of printing images can be substantial for the publisher, so be sure to discuss with your editor how many images they will publish, whether they will be in color, and whether a subvention will be required if the manuscript contains a large number of images.

Privacy and publicity rights

If you have a photograph with people in it, there may be privacy or publicity rights that need to be addressed.

• Susan Bielstein,  Copyright Clearance: A Publisher's Perspective  (2005) (article begins on page 19)
• Susan Bielstein,  Permissions, A Survival Guide: Blunt Talk about Art as Intellectual Property  (2006) (ebook - Georgetown NetID required for off-campus access)
• Lois Farfel Stark, Obtaining Image Permissions for Your Book: An Author’s Perspective (2018)

Copyright Principles

Public domain.

If you can find a usable image in a book or journal article published before 1927, it will be in the public domain , and therefore free of any copyright restrictions. Certain images published between 1927 and 1989 may also be in the public domain, depending on if they were published with a copyright notice and if the copyright was renewed. For more information, use this public domain chart or contact [email protected] .

Works of the United States government are also in the public domain and may be used freely.

Some museums, libraries, and archives make public domain images freely available with few or no restrictions. Read more in the Finding Images  section.

Open Access / Creative Commons

Wikimedia Commons has a large collection of images that are licensed using the Creative Commons licensing system . Restrictions, if any, are listed with the image. It is important to recognize that if you use Wikimedia, you are relying on copyright information provided by the person uploading the image. You should review the copyright information carefully to be sure it appears to be accurate.

Many of the licenses in Wikimedia permit noncommercial uses only. The definition of noncommercial for purposes of the CC BY-NC license is, “NonCommercial means not primarily intended for or directed towards commercial advantage or monetary compensation.” Creative Commons provides some further guidance on how to  interpret  the NC license. 

Under certain circumstances, publishers may be comfortable with relying on fair use when publishing images accompanying scholarly works.

The guidelines in the College Art Association’s Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual Arts set out the fair use arguments for using art for educational purposes: 

PRINCIPLE In their analytic writing about art, scholars and other writers (and, by extension, their publishers) may invoke fair use to quote, excerpt, or reproduce copyrighted works, subject to certain limitations:

Limitations

• The writer’s use of the work, whether in part or in whole, should be justified by the analytic objective, and the user should be prepared to articulate that justification.
• The writer’s analytic objective should predominate over that of merely representing the work or works used.
• The amount and kind of material used and (where images are concerned) the size and resolution of the published reproduction should not exceed that appropriate to the analytic objective.
• Justifications for use and the amount used should be considered especially carefully in connection with digital-format reproductions of born-digital works, where there is a heightened risk that reproductions may function as substitutes for the originals.
• Reproductions of works should represent the original works as accurately as can be achieved under the circumstances.
• The writing should provide attribution of the original work as is customary in the field, to the extent possible.

Your own work

If you have your own high resolution photograph, you may use it freely since you own the copyright in your photograph. If, however, your photograph is of a copyrighted work of art, permission of the artist will be required unless it is a fair use . Note that many museums do not allow photography of works in their collections, so obtaining your own image of a work of art may not be an option. While architectural works are subject to copyright protection, photographs of publicly viewable buildings may be used. 17 U.S.C. § 120(a) .

If your image does not fall into any of the above categories, you will need to request permission from the copyright holder for use of the image. You may be able to obtain permission from one of the sites listed in the next section, or you may need to request permission from the artists or their representatives. The Artists Rights Society represents the intellectual property rights interests of visual artists and their estates worldwide and covers works in private collections as well as museums and galleries. ARS has a request form for permissions requests. Note that ARS handles permission requests only and does not supply images of the works.

For more general information on requesting permission, visit our Requesting Permission page.

Finding Images

Museums, libraries, and archives.

Some museums, libraries, and archives have collections of public domain images available for use in scholarly publications. The content of the collections and the permitted uses vary among institutions. Many do not allow images to be used as cover art since that is usually considered to be a commercial use, and some limit use to print publications. Below is a list of libraries and museums that make works available with few or no restrictions. 

• British Library  - The British Library’s collection on flickr allows access to millions of public domain images from the Library's collections. Higher quality images, if required, are available for purchase through the British Library. For more information, visit the Library's Images Online page.  
• J. Paul Getty Museum  - The Getty makes available, without charge, all available digital images to which the Getty holds the rights or that are in the public domain to be used for any purpose. More information about the content of the collections is available on their  Open Content Program  page.
• Library of Congress - Prints and Photographs - This collection has over 1,200,000 digitized images from the Library's collections. Rights information is available for each image - look for the field marked "Rights Advisory." Many collections have no known restrictions on use. For further information about using the collection, read the Copyright and Other Restrictions That Apply to Publication/Distribution of Images . Information on restrictions on use by collection is also available.
• National Gallery of Art  - NGA Images is a repository of images  presumed to be in the public domain  from the collections of the National Gallery of Art. Users may download— free of charge and without seeking authorization from the Gallery— any image of a work in the Gallery’s collection that the Gallery believes is in the public domain and is free of other known restrictions.
• New York Public Library  - This collection contains more than 180,000 photographs, postcards, maps and other public-domain items from the library’s special collections in downloadable high-resolution files. High resolutions downloads are available with no permission required and no restrictions on use.
• Victoria & Albert Museum - These images of art from the collections of the V&A are available for academic publishing with some limitations (print runs up to 4,000 copies or 5 years online use). Read the full  terms and conditions  to see if your use qualifies.

Stock image sites

There are many companies that provide both a high quality image for publication and a license for publication. These sites usually have good selection of images, the images are high quality, and the search features are sophisticated. Licensing fees vary considerably and can be high, though you may be able to negotiate a discount for use in a scholarly publication.

For some of the sites listed below, the price will vary depending on which rights you need for publication: print/electronic, region of the world, number of languages, number of books, where the image will be placed (inside/cover), and size of the image. After entering that information, a license fee will display based on your use. The license fee is not automatically available for some images; for those, you will usually receive an email message after submitting your request. You should consult with your editor when selecting options to be sure you have selected the appropriate options for your book or article.

• Art Resource (license fee based on rights needed)
• Bridgeman Images (license fee based on rights needed)
• Getty Images (license fee based on rights needed)
• iStock (flat fee)
• Shutterstock (flat fee)

Artstor (Georgetown NetID required for off-campus access) is a subscription database that includes some images specifically licensed for academic publishing. These images are identified with “IAP” (Images for Academic Publishing) under the thumbnail image in your search results. Details of the use, including size of print run and credit line, vary among IAP images. You can view these by clicking on the IAP icon under the thumbnail image. The Terms and Conditions agreement displays when you download the image. Most Artstor images, however, are not in the IAP program and are not licensed for use in scholarly publishing. To use a non-IAP image in a book or article, you will usually need to request permission or go through a fee-based stock photo archive, often Art Resource, for a license. Artstor provides contact information for permissions in the "Rights" section of image information page.

You may also find usable images for publication on the sites listed on.

Additional options

• College Art Association's list of image sources
• Georgetown Library's Copyright and Multimedia: Images page
• Georgetown Library's Images LibGuide

Specific Uses

Cover images.

Images that appear on the cover of a book often require specific permission for that use and a higher fee.

Film frames

The Association of University Presses has this statement on fair use and film frames in their Permissions FAQ :

You may use frame enlargements and publicity stills (both from films and from television shows) when you can justify their inclusion in the work under fair use guidelines—for example, when it can be argued that the illustration serves as a quote from the filmic “text” to illustrate a point. Be conservative in selecting material—if the still or frame illuminates a point you are making or is specifically discussed, then the use may qualify as fair use. Where possible, limit the number of frames reprinted from any one film and from different films that represent the subject of your work. If your use is decorative, you must seek permission from the rightsholder to include it. When purchasing material from a photo agency, read the conditions stated on the agreement and on the back of the photo very carefully (particularly the fine print). In all cases, acknowledge the original copyright holder. For a more in-depth analysis of fair use as related to stills and frame enlargements, the fair use section of the Society for Cinema and Media Studies website offers a number of policy statements and disciplinary guidelines that may be useful.

If your use goes beyond fair use, or if your publisher has a more restrictive policy, you will need to get permission from the copyright owner. Most major film studios have a licensing division where you can submit a request –  MGM ,  Sony ,  Warner Brothers , Paramount Pictures ,   Universal , and Walt Disney Studios , for example. For smaller producers, you will need to contact them directly with your request.

Charts, graphs, and figures

There are differences among publishers with respect to what permissions they require for graphs, so a good first step is to consult with your editor on their policies. A few sample policies are:

• Princeton University Press - "Where a chart, graph, or table is being reproduced in a critical study of the work or to buttress an argument of the writer, no permission is needed. Data is not copyrightable. Unless there is a creative element to data depiction that is being reproduced without alteration, fair use can be asserted, with attribution."
• Harvard University Press - "Data is not protected by copyright. However, graphics like tables and charts are copyright protected if the data is organized or presented in a unique way or if the graphic provides interpretation of the data. If you plan to reprint a graphic from another source that is protected by copyright, please clear permission. If you plan to reprint existing tables and charts, adapt existing tables and charts, or create your own tables and charts that will not be subject to copyright protection, please refer to the following guidelines for credit: The standard way to credit tables and charts you are reprinting is: Source: Credit."
• Oxford University Press - "As a guide, you should always seek permission for:  . . . Pictures (paintings, drawings, charts, engravings, photographs, cartoons, and so on); Figures and maps; Tables."

There are permissions guidelines that many STM publishers use in setting policies for the reuse of images from their publications. The guidelines include gratis permission for the use of limited numbers of figures/tables/images from journal articles or books, though note that not all members have adopted policies exactly as written in the guidelines.

Many publishers who follow the STM guidelines, or who have similar policies, provide free permissions through the Copyright Clearance Center's Marketplace  so those requests are usually quick, easy, and free. The Marketplace system requires information about your publication and exactly what rights you are seeking. For charts, graphs, or figures that fall outside the guidelines, the license fees are often in the $20-$50 range, although that depends on many factors and could be higher or lower.

If you have questions about using images in a scholarly publication, please email [email protected] .

• Subject guides
• Citing and referencing
• Images / Figures

Citing and referencing: Images / Figures

• In-text citations
• Reference list
• Books and book chapters
• Journals/Periodicals
• Newspapers/Magazines
• Government and other reports
• Legal sources
• Websites and social media
• Audio, music and visual media
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• Theses/Dissertations
• University course materials
• Company and Industry reports
• Patents and Standards
• Tables and Figures
• Abbreviations used in referencing
• Medicine and Health sources
• Foreign language sources
• Music scores
• Journals and periodicals
• Government sources
• News sources
• Web and social media
• Games and apps
• Ancient and sacred sources
• Primary sources
• Audiovisual media and music scores
• Images and captions
• University lectures, theses and dissertations
• Interviews and personal communication
• Archival material
• In-Text Citations: Further Information
• Reference List: Standard Abbreviations
• Data Sheets (inc. Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS))
• Figures & Tables (inc. Images)
• Lecture Materials (inc. PowerPoint Presentations)
• Reports & Technical Reports
• Theses and Dissertations
• Reference list guidelines
• Journal articles
• Government and industry publications
• Websites, newspaper and social media
• Conference papers, theses and university material
• Video and audio
• Images, graphs, tables, data sets
• Personal communications
• In-text Citations
• Journals / Periodicals
• Encyclopedias and Dictionaries
• Interviews and lectures
• Music Scores / Recordings
• Film / Video Recording
• Television / Radio Broadcast
• Online Communication / Social Media
• Live Performances
• Government and Organisation Publications
• Medicine & health sources
• Government/organisational/technical reports
• Images, graphs, tables, figures & data sets
• Websites newspaper & magazine articles, socia media
• Conferences, theses & university materials
• Personal communication & confidential unpublished material
• Video, audio & other media
• Generative AI
• Indigenous knowledges

Turabian Contents

• Introduction to Turabian Style
• Websites / Blogs
• Audiovisual
• Exhibitions
• Magazines / Newspapers
• Citing a source within a source
• University course materials / Theses / Exegeses

Rules for images

1. If you include any images in your document, also include a figure caption. See the "Positioning images in your document" box for more information.

2. If you refer to any visual material, i.e. art, design or architecture, you have seen in person and you are not including an image of it in your document, provide a detailed in-text citation or footnote. See the "Art, design and architecture you have seen in person" box for more information. 

3. If you have sourced an image from the web or a publication:

a) Notes Bibliography style: you need to include the publication information or web address in the footnote. See the "Images from the web" or "Images from books or other published sources" for more information. 

b) Author Date style: you need to include a brief in-text citation AND a full bibliography entry. See the "Images from the web" or "Images from books or other published sources" for more information. 

Positioning images in your document

• Author-Date (Parenthetical citations)

Positioning images in your document 

Figures are any images that you include in your document, i.e. illustrations, diagrams, graphs, photographs, images of artworks and etc. Whenever you include a figure in your document, you also provide a caption. Captions give concise descriptions, explanations, legends, or identify elements—depending on the type of figure. Position a caption below each figure.

Begin each caption with a figure number. And in your text, refer to the particular figure as you introduce it, spell out the word 'figure' if its in your sentence, or abbreviate to 'fig.' if it's written in parenthesis i.e. "in figure 1 you can see..." or (see fig. 1).

You may be the author of a figure in your document or you may have sourced it from elsewhere. If figures aren’t your work, captions can provide reference information, i.e. authors, titles and sources. Some assessments may require you to include a courtesy line acknowledging the name of the source organisation, archive or database, followed by an access date and the web address. 

Example:  In his painting The Banquet of Cleopatra (see fig. 1), Venetian artist Giambattista Tiepolo portrays a famous contest where Cleopatra wins a wager with Mark Antony by dissolving a pearl earring in a glass of vinegar and drinking it.  Tiepolo stage this scene amid columns of the composite order (see fig. 2), which visually underline links to ancient Rome (see fig. 3). 

Figure 1. Giambattista Tiepolo,  The Banquet of Cleopatra , 1743-44, oil on canvas, 250 x 357 cm. Courtesy of the National Gallery of Victoria, accessed 12 March, 2020, https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/work/4409/.

Figure 2. The composite order, showing a , the entablature and b , the column capital. Courtesy of OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay, accessed 12 March, 2020, https://pixabay.com/vectors/column-capital-composite-antiquity-148231/.

Figure 3. The Arch of Septimius Severus, 203 ce., Roman Forum, Rome. Courtesy of Artstor, accessed 12 March, 2020, https://library-artstor-org.ezproxy.lib.monash.edu.au.

Example:  In his painting  The Banquet of Cleopatra  (see fig. 1), Venetian artist Giambattista Tiepolo portrays a famous contest where Cleopatra wins a wager with Mark Antony by dissolving a pearl earring in a glass of vinegar and drinking it. Tiepolo stage this scene amid columns of the composite order (see fig. 2), which visually underline links to ancient Rome (see fig. 3). 

Figure 2. The composite order, showing  a , the entablature and  b , the column capital. Courtesy of OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay, accessed 12 March, 2020, https://pixabay.com/vectors/column-capital-composite-antiquity-148231/.

Figure 3. The Arch of Septimius Severus, 203 ce., Roman Forum, Rome. Courtesy of Artstor, accessed 12 March, 2020, https://library-artstor-org.ezproxy.lib.monash.edu.au.

Art, design and architecture you have seen in person

If you are referring to art, design or architecture and you are not including the image in your document, you only need to provide a detailed footnote.

Include the following information:

• artist or designer
• title of the work
• year of creation of work
• type of materials (optional)
• dimensions of the work (optional)
• location of item, e.g. name of the institution that houses the work, or city the building is in

Footnote     1. Giambattista Tiepolo, The Banquet of Cleopatra , 1743-44, oil on canvas, 250.3 x 357.0 cm, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.

If you are referring to the actual artwork and you are not including the image in your document, you only need to provide a detailed in text citation. 

• location of item, e.g. name institution that houses the work,  or city the building is in

Parenthetical (In Text)     (Georgia O'Keeffe, The Cliff Chimneys , 1938, Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin )

Images from the web

• Author-Date (Parenthetical citations)

If you found the image online you will need to include in your footnote:

• title of work
• access date

1. Giambattista Tiepolo, The Banquet of Cleopatra , 1743-44, oil on canvas, 250.3 x 357.0 cm, accessed 24 May, 2012, http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/col/work/4409 .

2. Max Dupain, The Sunbaker , 1937, gelatin silver photograph, 38.0 x 43.1 cm, accessed 24 May, 2012 , http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/col/work/7621 .

If you found the image online you need to include a brief parenthetical (in text) citation and a bibliography entry that includes:

​ Examples:

Parenthetical (In Text)

(Tiepolo 1743-44)

(Dupain 1937)

Bibliography

Tiepolo,  Giambattista. 1743-44.  The Banquet of Cleopatra. Oil on canvas. A ccessed 24 May, 2012.   http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/col/work/4409 .

Dupain, Max. 1937. The Sunbaker . Photograph. A ccessed 24 May, 2012.  http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/col/work/7621 .

Images from books or other published sources

If you found the image in a book or other published source you will need to include in the footnote:

• date of creation of work
• author of book
• title of book
• place of publication
• date of publication
• figure or plate number of the reproduction (optional)

1. Giambattista Tiepolo, The Banquet of Cleopatra , 1743-44, in Ted Gott and Laurie Benson, Painting and Sculpture before 1800 in the International Collections of the National Gallery of Victoria (Melbourne: National Gallery of Victoria, 2003), 102.

2. Max Dupain, "The Sunbaker", 1937, in Isobel Crombie, Body Culture: Max Dupain, Photography and Australian Culture 1919-1939 (Images Publishing Group in association with National Gallery of Victoria, 2004), 150, 17.1.

If you found the image in a book or other published source you will need to include an in text citation as well as a bibliography entry that includes:

(Georgia O'Keeffe, The Cliff Chimneys , 1938, in Lynes, Poling-Kempes, and Turner 2004, 25)

Lynes, Barbara Buhler, Lesley Poling-Kempes, and Frederick W. Turner. 2004. Georgia O'Keeffe and New Mexico: A sense of place . Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

Research Guides

Gould library, how to cite your sources.

• Tools and Handbooks
• Chicago Manual of Style
• Citing Government Documents
• Citing Rare Books
• Citing Archival Material
• Image Credits and Captions

Elements of an Image Caption

Captioning creative commons media, find the original image, resources for learning more about image captions.

• Informal Attribution

The purposes of an image caption are to:

• Give credit to the creator
• Provide basic identification or description of the image
• Clarify the permissions or rights under which you are using the image

Due diligence

Before you decide to use the image, make sure you have done the following:

• Know who the creator is. Because other people have not captioned their images well does not give you license to do so as well. Dig to find who created the image.
• Dig to find the original. It is easy to discover images on social media, but usually those images were originally posted elsewhere. Do not settle for the most convenient location. Look for the most stable and authoritative original version. See the resources on this page for help.
• Determine whether you have the right to redistribute the image in this way. Remember that fair use does not extend to redistribution outside the classroom. If the image is copyrighted, ask for permission. If the image is license free, make sure. If the image is yours, say so. If the image is CC-licensed, you have less to worry about. 

Provide the following elements in this order:

• The phrase "Image source" or "Source"
• Author/Creator
• URL where accessed
• "Used with permission" - in the case of a copyrighted image where you have contacted the creator
• Text of the Creative Commons license - copy the language directly (ex. CC BY-SA, or CC BY 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International, etc.)
• "Public domain" - when you have determined the image is not under copyright or licensed
• "Original photo" or "Author photo" - when you are the creator of the image
• **If the image is Copyrighted or Licensed, you can't reuse it on a public website or document without author permission.

The adorable face of a hedgehog. Image source: Mark Fletcher, "Hedgehog," 2009. Accessed via https://www.flickr.com/photos/fletchthemonkey/3807893972. CC BY-NC 2.0.

Remember...

The practice of image caption formatting changes depending on context. Different kinds of publications require more and less documentation. Different disciplines also vary. The elements listed above are suggestions based on the most common elements necessary to describe an image, make it possible to find again, and clarify why you get to share it. Take additional cues from good examples in the context where you are publishing. Finally, be responsible. Someone put work into the production of this image and they deserve credit. 

• Chicago Manual of Style: Caption formatting. 3.30: Placement of credit lines. How to format a caption that has content and a citation in it.
• Captioning Creative Commons Images and Media When you caption Creative Commons media (including images), you should include 4 major parts (TASL). You may need to modify the order or add more information based on the citation style you are using. Title : What is the name of the work? Author : Who allows you to use the work? Source : Where can people find the work? License : How can you use the work?

"Creative Commons 10th Birthday Celebration San Francisco" by  Timothy Vollmer  is licensed under  CC BY 4.0

• TinEye Reverse Image Search Find all the other places online where this image has been posted. Great way to find the original source.
• Jeffrey Friedl's Image Metadata Viewer This tool shows you all the metadata hidden in an image file, which might help you determine date of creation as well as basic attributes.
• Google Images - Search by Image Click the camera icon in the search box and search by the image you have in hand (either by URL or by dragging in). Like TinEye, it finds other places online where the image has been posted.

Check the source's "Terms of Use," Image Credits," or "Image Permissions" section to make sure you know whether the image is under license or copyright or other terms of use.

• Adding Photo Credits to Talk Slides (blog post) A helpful overview of writing image captions for presentations with many good tips. By Colin Purrington, photographer and former professor at Swarthmore.
• Harder to Find Than Nemo: The Elusive Image Citation Standard (journal article) An article about the inconsistencies in the current standards for citing and captioning images. By Jennifer Yao Weinraub.
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Guide to Using Science Images for Research Papers

One easy way to include science images in your manuscripts is to download and customize them for your figures..

When downloading images from the internet to use in your scientific papers and presentations, you need to be careful that they match the copyright, resolution, and sizing rules that allow them to be used in academic journals. This science image guide provides tips to help you choose the right kinds of files that you can use to create your own impressive designs.

Which image format is best for research papers?

There are two categories of images that can be used for scientific publications: editable and uneditable. Editable images that can be fully customized and scaled without losing resolution are called vector files. Uneditable images don't allow you to adjust the design or color and come in wide range of formats from low to high resolution. Both of these image types can be used in scientific papers as long as you follow the proper copyright and resolution rules. Learn more about these image types and the different uses below.

1. Editable Images

The best kind of science images are editable vector files that allow you to customize the designs to best match the main points of your research. These include image file types such as Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg), Adobe Illustrator (.ai), Affinity Designer (.afdesign), Encapsulated PostScript (.eps), and some files in PowerPoint (.pptx) if they were drawn using PowerPoint shape tools.

Editable Image Tips:

• Editable images are important because some scientific journals, such as Science, require that you provide them with figures that are formatted using editable vector files.
• Be cautious of using images and database tools that only offer limited design customization options such as BioRender. Partially editable images can be difficult to make an illustration that looks professional and seamless with your data and other designs.
• Vector images have customizable sizes, resolution and transparent backgrounds, so you can always scale the image and insert it into any background.
• Make sure you follow the copyright rules associated with your image download. Some vector image databases require attribution and others allow you to use them for any purpose.

How to Find Editable Images

The easiest ways to find editable images is to explore science image databases or use Google search. I recommend using the search terms "drawings", "vector art", or "vector images" paired with the image type keyword.

The example below shows the Google Image search results for "cancer cell drawings" with a variety of different options for downloading different types of science images. You will still need to make sure that the image is available as a vector file type to be fully editable (e.g. SVG, AI, or EPS file types). Most vector images will require some sort of payment or subscription to download the high resolution files and use without copyright issues.

1. Uneditable Images

The second best format is uneditable images. Common uneditable image types are PNG, TIFF, or JPEG formats and these can be incorporated into your scientific figures and presentations as long as they have high enough resolution and have copyright rules that allow you to use them in academic publications. 

Uneditable image tips:

• Check the resolution of downloaded images to make sure they are high enough to use in scientific publications without looking grainy or unclear (see the "How to check image resolution" instructions in the section below). 
• Try to find PNG images with transparent backgrounds to make it easier to incorporate into your scientific figures and posters.
• Be very careful in checking the source of uneditable images and follow all copyright rules associated with the image. Uneditable image are more likely to have copyright rules associated with them that do not allow their use in scientific journals.

How to Find High Resolution and Transparent Images

The easiest ways to find high resolution and transparent images is to explore science image databases or use Google search. I recommend using the search terms "transparent background" and using the Google "Tools" feature to limit the search for "Large" images. 

The examples below shows the Google Large Image search results for "plant cell diagram transparent background" that show a variety of different options for downloading high resolution and transparent science images.

What image sizes are best for scientific publication?

Size and resolution are important because images need to be high resolution enough to show sharp shapes and lines when it is used in a printed or digital figure. Below are tips on how to choose the right image sizes and resolutions.

Image Resolution

Resolution is the most important aspect of a downloaded image or scientific figure and affects the sharpness of the details. A low-resolution image will have around 72 PPI and high resolution images are at least 300 PPI.

• Most scientific journals require images and figures to be at least 300 PPI/DPI.
• The "PPI" stands for Pixels Per Inch and is used when referring to digital file resolution and "DPI" stands for Dots Per Inch and is used for printing resolution.

How to Check Image Resolution:

• Windows computer: Right-click on the file, select Properties, then Details, and you will see the DPI in the Image section, labeled Horizontal Resolution and Vertical Resolution. 
• Mac computer: Open the image in Preview and select Tools, then Adjust Size, and find the label Resolution.

The size requirements will depend on how you plan to use the image. Most scientific journals use a maximum figure width of 180mm, so if you only plan to use images in scientific publications, then you only need them large enough to look sharp within a 180 mm wide figure (~600 pixels wide).

If you plan to use the image in presentation or posters slides, you will need to have much larger images to not have resolution issues when shown on a big screen that is 1280 x 720 pixels or printed on a poster that is approximately 48 x 36 inches.

How Can I Find Copyright-Free Images?

Copyright laws ensure that an image is only used in a way that is approved by the image creator. The best way to ensure that you download images with copyright rules that allow you to use them for academic journal submissions is to read the fine print on the image source. The summary below describes how to find images that are allowed for use in scientific papers.

Copyright License Review

Anyone who creates their own original artwork has the right to be acknowledged as the creator of that image. They automatically own the copyright for the image, which means that legally, they have the right to decide where and how that image can be used. In order to be able to use images in scientific papers, you will need to know what kind of copyright license is being used, which you can usually find by looking for the original source of the image or by reading the fine print of the image database.

Types of copyright licenses for scientific use:

• Public Domain  - Images generally become public domain after 70 years after the creator's death. If the copyright is not renewed on the creator's behalf, the image can become part of the ‘public domain’, and the copyright no longer applies.
• Creative Commons 4  - You can adapt and share the image in anyway you like, but this license requires attribution, so you will need to include the original creator in the acknowledgements of the research paper, posters, and acknowledged on your presentation slides.
• Stock Images  - Image databases that allow you to license the designs. Make sure to read the fine print on how you are allowed to use the image (e.g. personal and commercial uses). 

How to Find Copyright-Free Images:

Look for image databases that have copyright licenses that allow you to use the images "For personal, academic, and commercial projects and to modify it" such as: 

• FreePik  
• Simplified Science
• Wikimedia Commons

NOTE: Some copyright-free image databases may still require that you attribute the illustration to the original author in your scientific publication. Read the fine print to make sure you are using the image correctly!

Here is an example of Simplified Science Usage Rules for comparison to other image databases.

How to Use Downloaded Images in Publications?

After downloading images, the next step is to format them into your scientific designs. Two of the most common software tools that scientists use for figure formatting are Adobe Illustrator and PowerPoint. Below is a link to free online courses that show you how to use the downloaded images in your scientific publications and graphical abstracts.

Create professional science figures with illustration services or use the online courses and templates to quickly learn how to make your own designs.

Interested in free design templates and training.

Explore scientific illustration templates and courses by creating a Simplified Science Publishing Log In. Whether you are new to data visualization design or have some experience, these resources will improve your ability to use both basic and advanced design tools.

Interested in reading more articles on scientific design? Learn more below:

Scientific Presentation Guide: How to Create an Engaging Research Talk

Data Storytelling Techniques: How to Tell a Great Data Story in 4 Steps

Best Science PowerPoint Templates and Slide Design Examples

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How to include pictures in a research paper

It is often said that a picture can speak more than a thousand words. In all kinds of research papers, pictures are essential in adding to the richness of the literature and analysis because of the valuable insight they can offer. For example, pictures of measured data from statistical applications are very important additions to the “Data presentation and analysis” chapter or section of any research paper.

This is because they help to complement verbal discussions or analysis by offering a visual presentation of the statistical technique used to measure the variables of interest. However, where the researcher is not the originator of such pictures, it is very important to cite the source of the picture according to the prescribed format. In the case of statistical applications mentioned above, for example, be sure to disclose which application generated the picture or printout as well as the version of such an application (e.g., SPSS version 27).   

What is a research paper?

A research paper is a form of academic writing which involves formally investigating a field of knowledge or topic of interest in order to add to the existing stock of knowledge in that field and/or solve a particular problem. Educational research is formal because it is not based on the subjective discretions of the researcher but on an accepted and objective standard such as the scientific method of inquiry. Research papers can be of different types. These include term papers, seminar presentations, undergraduate projects, post-graduate thesis or dissertations, conference/workshop papers, and journal entries, among others.

Though these highlighted papers and others can be structured in diverse ways, conducting research in this context basically requires that the researcher identifies a problem or area of interest; formulates research questions and/or hypothesis; reviews the existing literature in the field; collects, measures and analyzes relevant data; discusses the findings; makes conclusions and recommendations based on the findings and then suggests possible directions for future research.

Some things to consider before including pictures in a research paper

As noted above, pictures can complement words to make a research paper richer in terms of providing more insight. However, the researcher must ensure that such pictures are optimally included to generate the desired effects. To this end, some of the tips below can help.

Ensure the picture adds value to your research paper

Pictures may be a necessary aspect of some research papers but this does not imply that they should not be selected meticulously and meritoriously. The researcher must critically evaluate all pictures he or she intends to include in their paper and select only the most relevant, i.e., those that will help illuminate verbal discussions/analysis and consequently deepen the understanding of readers.   

Proper labeling and citation

Research papers are formal documents with rules on how each of them should be written, structured, or formatted. Therefore, ensure that your pictures are labeled according to the rules provided by whoever the paper is meant for (such as a university department or a print journal). The rules are usually determined by Style Guides like the Modern Language Association (MLA), the American Psychological Association, etc. Properly citing the sources of any picture you have borrowed is necessary to enable you avoid plagiarism.

Pictures should be suitably located

After toiling hard to gather the pictures needed for his or her research, the researcher should ensure that the selected pictures are appropriately inserted into the desired areas of the paper. In some social science projects and theses, for example, a tabular presentation of the data used for the research is located on the first page of the fourth chapter titled “Data presentation and analysis.”

Sometimes the researcher may have several pictures that cannot all be accommodated in the main body of a project or thesis/dissertation. In such instances, it will be appropriate to attach such pictures in the “Appendices” section at the end of the paper.

Carry the images along

The pictures do not serve as mere decorations but have been selected to help provide more insight and thus enrich the research paper. To this end, the researcher should ensure that the pictures are properly integrated into the verbal discussions or analysis in the paper.  For example, “Figure 1.0 is a graphical representation of all the differenced variables in the time series.” etc.

Citing pictures in a research paper

There are many kinds of pictures as well as picture sources and they can also be cited in a variety of ways. For simplicity, the examples in this article will focus entirely on how to cite digital (internet) pictures.

Format: Image Creator’s Last Name, First Name. “Image Title.”  Website Name , Day Month Year Published, URL.  

Example: Jones, Daniel. “The Hope Creek nuclear plant.” LearnersHub ,  9 November 2017, www.learnershub.net/2017/09/11/nuclear-technology-explained.html.

Chicago style

Format: Last Name, First Name. M [initials]. “Title.” Digital image. Website Title. Month Date, Year published. Accessed Month Date, Year. URL.

If the picture has no title, then a description can be used instead.

Date Accessed should only be included if the publication date is unavailable.

Example: Jones, Daniel R. “The Hope Creek nuclear plant.”Digital image. LearnersHub ,  Accessed 9 November 2017. www.learnershub.net.

Format: Author’s last name. First initial. (Publication or creation date). Title of image [Type of image]. Name of publisher. Museum or university. URL.

Example: Jones,  R. 2017.   The Hope Creek nuclear plant .[Photo]. National Science Museum. https//:www.nationalsciencemsuem.org/nuclearscience/2017/11/the-hope-creek-nuclear-plant.jpg.

Pictures of all kinds (including tables, charts, graphs, figures, photographs, etc) are useful components in a research paper. This is because of the insight they can bring by complementing verbal discussions and analysis. However, pictures should not be included in a research paper arbitrarily but follow some guidelines such as those presented above.

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Including Pictures in a Research Paper: Pros & Cons

The inclusion of visual elements such as images, diagrams, and graphs can be a powerful tool in effectively communicating the main points of a research paper. In this article, we discuss both the potential benefits and drawbacks to consider when deciding whether or not to include pictures within one’s research paper. Through an examination of the evidence that exists on this topic, along with highlighting perspectives from experts in various fields, we will provide readers with pertinent information for making decisions about using visuals as part of their written work.

I. Introduction

Ii. the benefits of including pictures in a research paper, iii. factors to consider when inserting an image into a research paper, iv. negative aspects of images in research papers, v. strategies for finding appropriate and legitimate sources for pictures used within academic writing, vi. techniques for citing images correctly in mla formatting style, vii conclusion.

When embarking on any academic journey, it’s important to consider the importance of an introduction . Introductions not only offer a way for readers to grasp the main idea of a paper quickly and easily, but they also provide an opportunity for authors to draw in their audience through engaging writing.

Including images is one way that research papers can effectively engage readers. Adding visuals can help break up long passages or enhance explanations of key concepts throughout a text. For example, if discussing complicated processes related to biology or chemistry, diagrams may be included within the body of work as visual aids which explain more complex information.

• Pictures : adding relevant imagery can be extremely helpful when attempting to demonstrate difficult topics.

A picture is worth a thousand words. This saying applies to research papers as well, which can be greatly enhanced by incorporating the right visuals. There are several benefits of including pictures in a research paper.

• Gives Your Paper Depth: Incorporating relevant photos and diagrams into your paper allows you to provide more detail about the topic than just words alone could accomplish. Pictures can help break up long sections of text, adding visual interest for readers who may not have time or energy to devote solely to reading your entire piece. Plus, since most humans process images faster than they do language-based content, it’s likely that your audience will gain a better understanding of what you’re trying to convey with an image instead.
• Can Enhance Understanding: The addition of meaningful images alongside scientific data helps readers comprehend complex topics more quickly and easily without having any prior knowledge on those subjects; this makes them particularly helpful when discussing difficult concepts like thermodynamics or quantum mechanics.

When incorporating an image into a research paper, there are several factors to consider. First , one must determine if the chosen image is relevant to the argument being made in the paper. For example, inserting a photograph of an historic building alongside evidence about its past inhabitants will add clarity and visual interest to this discussion. Moreover, readers can draw further connections between ideas or learn more about certain topics simply by viewing associated images.

Second , it is important that any visuals used within a research paper are properly cited according to style guidelines established by the academic institution or journal publishing outlet – plagiarism rules still apply! This ensures proper attribution for artistic work included in your writing and prevents readers from misinterpreting where source material has come from.

• Can a research paper have pictures? Absolutely – as long as they have been sourced responsibly.

Lastly, always ensure that images complement rather than distract from text; while some visuals may be striking on their own, too many colorful diagrams or photographs could create confusion around main points being conveyed in written form. Remember: it’s not enough just to include an image—it should also provide clear value when paired with related content throughout your document.

One of the key considerations when producing a research paper is the use of images. While photographs and illustrations can add value to written content, it’s important that researchers understand both the positive and negative implications they may bring.

• Lack of Detail

In many cases, photos used in research papers provide an overall idea or concept but don’t offer much detail. It’s possible that using additional figures would be beneficial for illustrating certain aspects not fully understood from just one image. In other words, if you’re aiming to explain a complicated concept, relying solely on pictures could cause readers to misinterpret your intentions – something which should be avoided at all costs!

• Can You Include Pictures?

When writing up research papers with any kind of visual aid such as diagrams or charts – there are two main options available: including them within the text body itself or linking out to external sources like websites hosting these resources online. The former requires more effort due to formatting requirements; while links take users away from reading material so must only be used where appropriate. Despite this though, providing visuals still has its place within academic literature; giving readers greater understanding into complex topics being discussed throughout by complementing theoretical ideas with tangible evidence presented via imaging tools.

Using Online Databases In the digital age, much of our research material is found on online databases. While these are incredibly useful for finding accurate and legitimate information from reliable sources, they can also be used to locate appropriate images. Many academic journals and other publications provide access to an array of photographs or diagrams which support their text. When searching through any online database, it’s important to ensure that whatever photos you use are permitted for educational purposes; often websites will contain a disclaimer specifying what usage rights have been granted.

Reputable Publishers & Digital Image Banks Another way of obtaining pictures related to your topic is by accessing reputable publishers’ collections or using digital image banks such as Getty Images and Unsplash which offer free downloads (under certain conditions). Using books specifically written about the subject matter may help too – some authors include illustrations in their writing so they could act as great visual aids when discussing a particular issue within your paper! Additionally, can a research paper have pictures? Yes – providing each photo is appropriately cited according to acceptable academic referencing standards alongside being labeled correctly with captions describing its context in relation to the given text.

Correctly Citing Images

Citations are a critical part of all academic writing, and it is essential to know how to cite an image correctly in MLA format. In the same way that you would include information from a book or journal article, citing images provides credit for visual sources so readers can track down the originals.

• Images taken from websites require both copyright and permission statements when published online. Include links with each image citation as well as any relevant source details such as author name or publisher.
• Image files like photos, illustrations and charts should be labeled with captions that identify them as figures along with titles or descriptions.

In this paper, we explored the potential of using pictures in research. To summarize:

• Pictures can be valuable elements to a successful research study.
• Images used should have educational value and not solely decorative use.

When considering images for inclusion in one’s work, it is important to carefully consider their impact on the message being delivered. When included thoughtfully they can contribute significantly by conveying an idea with more clarity than text alone ever could. But when selected poorly or abused too frequently, they may detract from a reader’s overall understanding and experience of your work – ultimately damaging its effectiveness as persuasive evidence.

The inclusion of visual elements in a research paper can often times be beneficial to its content. Through the integration of pictures, graphs and diagrams, authors are able to more effectively communicate their ideas while also providing readers with additional insight into the topic at hand. However, it is important for researchers to understand both the pros and cons associated with incorporating visuals into their work so that they may make an informed decision regarding how best to utilize them within their own papers. In this way, not only does including images add value from a narrative perspective but also helps elevate overall scholarship standards by ensuring sound conclusions are drawn based on tangible evidence whenever possible.

Designing High-Quality Images for Research Papers and Theses: The Available Tools

Manuscripts express data collected from months or years of careful experimentation. However, raw data or narratives alone don’t make good journal articles. Data visualization tools and free drawing software enable scientists to explain their scientific story. By using tools to perfect scientific illustration, your manuscript can grab reviewers’ attention. More importantly, it will help your readers understand data quickly, increasing the likelihood of citing and sharing your research paper .

Why Image Quality Matters

  Journals have strict guidelines regarding figure/image quality (e.g. “dots per inch”/DPI or number of pixels per image). Editors and their staff will turn down manuscripts prior to review if the images are of insufficient quality. Furthermore, poor figure quality can leave a bad impression on readers and reviewers. So, when editing and creating scientific images, be sure to use scientific illustration software or drawing tools to make your data clear and understandable!

Tables can help communicate data quickly to readers, who are often short on time. For this reason, when you have a well-designed table, your paper can have a far greater impact. For this reason, your tables should have clear and descriptive titles, well-defined headings , aligned data entries in each cell, and clearly defined units for all data entries. Meanwhile, when designing figures, there are many tools available to researchers to create publication-ready images.

Related: Creating images for your research paper? Check out these resources and avoid image manipulation now!

Uses and Limitations of Common Tools

There is a myriad of tools available for scientists. Picking which one to work with depends on your computer literacy, budget, and desired outcomes.

R is a free statistics computing program that also facilitates graphics development. It works on a variety of operating systems. Furthermore, the default design choices for image rendering were made to generate publication-quality plots with ease. While it is free, it is not as user-friendly as subscription services, such as Prism, which allows for both data analysis and figure development.

ImageJ is a freely available software developed by the National Institutes of Health . In short, it is an image-processing program that allows users to edit, analyze, process, save, print, modify colors, and quantitate images . One of the more exciting features is its ability to generate stacks (a series of images) from videos or convert photos into videos. This is helpful for live cell imaging.

Inkspace is a quality vector graphics editor that is open sourced and provides flexible drawing tools . It has broad file format compatibility and a powerful text tool.

GIMP is a free image manipulation program that can be combined with plugins to enhance features. It requires greater computer literacy than most other image formatting tools.

Cytospace is an open source network for complex network analysis that helps users integrate, analyze, and visualize data. While it is free to use, it is not as user-friendly as Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, which allows for pathways to be designed and rendered artistically with great ease (for a fee, of course).

ImageMagick is another tool that can be used to read and write images in many commonly used formats (e.g., PNG, JPEG, FIG, TIFF, PDF, etc). For this reason, it can modify images in nearly any manner. It allows users to composite images, animate, manage color, decorate, draw, and delineate image features (e.g., edges of colors). Furthermore, it is compatible with multiple coding languages.

• While creating figures can be a fun process, it’s important to always do it correctly. First, check the required format for images prior to submitting. If you have to convert the image file, check to ensure that your DPI is still at least 300.
• Once ready to submit, carefully review figures for errors prior to publishing. One method of doing this is to print your figures in color and review them manually. This will help you spot oddities that may have otherwise been missed by an electronic review.
• When modifying your images for publication, never manipulate your images in a manner that is fraudulent. Western blots are often the most suspicious images available that will carefully be scrutinized by your reviewers.
• Finally, while a lot of data is helpful to have, be sure to reduce the presence of “chartjunk” – the unnecessary visual elements that distract the reader from what really matters…your data!

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Image Research

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Image Research Tips & Best Practices

• Still Have Questions?
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• Where do I look for images?
• How do I search for images?

Just getting started with finding images for your research? Here are some key considerations and tips!

• Cast a wide net : As you can see on the Finding Images page, there are multiple resources and formats that support image research. Don't limit yourself! And keep in mind that not all images can be found online -- you may need to  explore physical , non-digitized image collections. 
• Be sure to  evaluate  the source of your images.
• Be sure to  verify permissions  before sharing images or using them in your work.
• If you have found an image that's free to use, you will still need to  provide a citation .
• This is an interdisciplinary  research guide that should serve as a launching point for your image research. It's possible you will need to consult with  subject specialist librarians  or additional  subject-specific research guides . 

Try a tutorial!

• Finding Images with the UCLA Library, a short interactive comic that covers finding image databases and online exhibits, as well as image citation.
• Image Research Training Workshop  slides from a presentation prepared for UCLA Library Workshop offered in April 2021.
• Finding Images: Image Research at the UCLA Library  slides from a presentation prepared for a UCLA Library Workshop offered in May 2020.

Start by considering

Who might have collected images relevant to your topic? Perhaps an institution, organization, profession, or expert has worked to gather images that could aid your research. Do they provide access to their collections?

Where might relevant images have been published or distributed? This could be an interdisciplinary or subject-specific database, online image repository, professional group's website, or more! There are many places to look. Where might you expect to find them?

Has a book, encyclopedia article, exhibition catalog, or dissertation, been published on the topic? If so, check their bibliographies and lists of illustration citations for possible image sources.

Has a  research guide  been created on the topic? Subject-specific research guides could lead you to more image sources. For example, the  Film and Television guide  or  Gender Studies guide  provide more specific image resources pertaining to those topics. Look at the many available research guides on the  Browse all Research Guides page . 

There are several types of places to search -- databases, online web resources, books/e-books, archives, and more! You may be able to search resources that specialize in your topic or you may need to look at more general interdisciplinary resources. Be sure to search in multiple!

Selecting a Database for your Image Research

Factors to consider:

• Subjects  included 
• Time periods  covered
• Descriptive Information  provided (and the reliability or sources of this information)
• How  comprehensive  or how  selective  the collection might be
• Special  features  that allow you to refine searches
• Display, download resolution , or  citation  generation options
• Rights and Permissions

How is finding and using images similar to, and different from, a text-based research process?

• Whether you are search for images or text sources, there will likely be similar Advanced Search option and the ability to filter within the databases
• Search capabilities will be similar to searching for text resources
• Thinking of broader terms, narrower terms, related terms, etc. when you search so you can increase or decrease your search results
• Keep in mind that images may still need to be accessed via a physical location (special collections, archive, etc.)
• You will likely choose different web resources, databases, journals, etc. when searching for images vs. text sources
• Keep in mind what you are searching, as image metadata can differ from text metadata (e.g. image catalogs often include format/medium, dimensions, classification, rights, and reproduction metadata)
• Even if you are still using MLA, Chicago, etc., the image citations will look different from text citations
• Different types of licenses and use permissions (see " Using Images " section in the guide)
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The generated references can be copied into a reference list or bibliography, and then collectively appended to the end of an academic assignment. This is the standard way to give credit to sources used in the main body of an assignment.

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🙌 Why should I use a Harvard Referencing Generator?

A Harvard Referencing Generator solves two problems:

• It provides a way to organise and keep track of the sources referenced in the content of an academic paper.
• It ensures that references are formatted correctly -- inline with the Harvard referencing style -- and it does so considerably faster than writing them out manually.

A well-formatted and broad bibliography can account for up to 20% of the total grade for an undergraduate-level project, and using a generator tool can contribute significantly towards earning them.

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's Harvard Referencing Generator?

Here's how to use our reference generator:

• If citing a book, website, journal, or video: enter the URL or title into the search bar at the top of the page and press the search button.
• Choose the most relevant results from the list of search results.
• Our generator will automatically locate the source details and format them in the correct Harvard format. You can make further changes if required.
• Then either copy the formatted reference directly into your reference list by clicking the 'copy' button, or save it to your MyBib account for later.

MyBib supports the following for Harvard style:

🍏 What other versions of Harvard referencing exist?

There isn't "one true way" to do Harvard referencing, and many universities have their own slightly different guidelines for the style. Our generator can adapt to handle the following list of different Harvard styles:

• Cite Them Right
• Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU)
• University of the West of England (UWE)

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.