How to Cite an Image in MLA Style
Citing Images in MLA 9th Edition
Citing an image in MLA requires identifying the creator, title, and the source container. To cite an image correctly, you must format the Works Cited entry with the artist's name, the title of the work in italics, and the hosting platform or museum. This guide covers citing digital images, physical artwork, and untitled graphics.
Step 1: Identify the Creator and Title
Start your citation with the creator's name. Use the format: Last Name, First Name. If the image is a photograph, the photographer is the creator. If it is a painting, use the artist. If the image has a formal title, place it in italics. For untitled images found online, provide a short, descriptive phrase such as "Photograph of a golden retriever" without italics or quotation marks. Always use sentence case for your own descriptions but title case for formal titles provided by the source.
Step 2: List the Container and Publisher
The container is the larger work that hosts the image. For a digital image, this is usually a website like Flickr, Instagram, or a digital museum archive like The Met. Italicize the name of the container. If the image was published by an entity different from the container, include the publisher after the title. For most websites, the website name serves as both the container and the publisher. Follow the container name with a comma before adding the publication date or URL.
Step 3: Provide the Location and Date
For online images, the location is the URL. Copy the direct link to the image page but remove the "https://" prefix. If the image has a clear publication or upload date, include it in Day Month Year format (e.g., 14 Oct. 2023). If no date is provided by the source, include an access date at the end of the citation to indicate when you viewed the material. This is formatted as: Accessed Day Month Year.
Step 4: Create the In-Text Citation
When referring to the image within your essay, use a parenthetical citation. This typically consists of the creator's last name. If you have embedded the image directly into your paper, label it as Fig. 1 (or the corresponding number) and include a caption below the image. The caption should include the full citation or a shortened version if the full details appear in your Works Cited list. Ensure the figure number in your text matches the label on the image.
MLA Image Citation Examples
Use these templates for common image types found in academic research. **Digital Image from a Website:** `Adams, Ansel. The Tetons and the Snake River. National Archives, 1942, catalog.archives.gov/id/520472. Accessed 12 May 2024.` **Untitled Image from Social Media:** `@NatGeo. Photograph of a coral reef. Instagram, 5 Feb. 2024, www.instagram.com/p/example123/.` **Artwork in a Museum:** `Gogh, Vincent van. The Starry Night. 1889, Museum of Modern Art, New York.`
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using Google Images as the source: Never cite Google Images. Click through to the original website hosting the image and cite that source.
- Including https://: MLA 9th edition requires you to omit the protocol from URLs.
- Forgetting italics: Ensure the formal title of the image and the name of the website (container) are always italicized.
- Missing the creator: If an artist is known, you must include them. Do not skip to the title unless the creator is truly anonymous.
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