Citing sources is a crucial aspect of academic and professional writing, ensuring you give credit where it’s due and avoid plagiarism. When it comes to visual content, knowing How To Cite A Photo In Apa (American Psychological Association) format is essential. This guide will walk you through the process of creating accurate and effective APA 7th edition citations for photographs and other audiovisual media.
Citing Photographs in APA 7th Edition
The APA 7th edition provides clear guidelines for referencing various types of sources, including photographs. Whether you’re using a photograph from a website, a book, or a museum, the core elements of the citation remain consistent. Here’s the basic format for citing a photograph not associated with a museum:
Photographer, P. (Year of publication). Title of photograph [Photograph]. Source. URL
Let’s break down each element with examples to illustrate how to cite a picture in APA:
- Photographer, P. Start with the photographer’s last name, followed by a comma and their first initial (and middle initial if available). If the photographer’s name isn’t available, you might use the organization or website as the author if they are clearly responsible for the photograph.
- (Year of publication). Provide the year the photograph was published or created. If the exact year isn’t available, use “n.d.” (no date).
- Title of photograph. Include the title of the photograph in italics. If the photograph doesn’t have an official title, create a brief descriptive title in square brackets. For example,
[Close-up of a blooming sunflower]. - [Photograph]. Indicate the format of the source in square brackets. In this case, it’s
[Photograph]. - Source. Specify the source where you found the photograph. This could be the name of a website, a newspaper, a book, or other publication.
- URL. If you accessed the photograph online, include the direct URL where the photograph is located.
Example:
Ryan, S. (2019). Sea smoke on Lake Michigan [Photograph]. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/world/year-in-pictures.html
This example clearly demonstrates how to properly cite a photo in APA when it’s sourced from an online news publication.
Citing Artwork in a Museum or on a Museum Website
When citing artwork, including photographs of artwork found in museums, the format slightly adjusts to include museum details:
Artist, A. (Year of release). Title of artwork [Medium]. Name of museum, City, State, Country. URL of museum
- Artist, A. Use the artist’s name instead of photographer.
- [Medium]. Specify the medium of the artwork, such as
[Painting],[Sculpture], etc. - Name of museum, City, State, Country. Provide the museum’s name and location.
Example:
Hopper, E. (1942). Nighthawks [Painting]. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/111628/nighthawks
This example shows how to cite an image in APA when it’s a photograph of an artwork housed in a museum and accessed through the museum’s website.
Citing Other Audiovisual Media in APA
APA style covers a wide range of audiovisual media. Here are examples of how to cite other common types:
Film or Video
Director, D. D. (Director). (Date of publication). Title of motion picture [Film]. Production company.
Example:
Loyd, P. (Director). (2008). Mamma mia! [Film]. Universal Pictures.
TV Series Episode
Writer, W. W. (Writer), & Director, D. D. (Director). (Original air date). Title of episode (Season number, Episode number) [Tv series episode]. In P. Executive Producer (Executive Producer), Series title. Production company(s).
Example:
Korsh, A. (Writer & Director). (2019, September 25). One last con (Season 9, Episode 10) [TV series episode]. In D. Liman & D. Bartis (Executive Producers), Suits. Untitled Korsh Company; Universal Content Productions; Open 4 Business Productions.
YouTube Video
Person or group who uploaded video. (Date of publication). Title of video [Video]. Website host. URL
Example:
Tasty. (2018, March 7). 7 recipes you can make in 5 minutes [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_5wHw6l11o
Music Album
Recording artist. (Year of release). Title of album [Album]. Record label.
Example:
The National. (2019). I am easy to find [Album]. 4AD.
Podcast Episode
Executive Producer, E. P. (Executive Producer). (Date of publication). Title of podcast episode (Episode number) [Audio podcast episode]. In Title of podcast. Production company. URL
Example:
Koenig, S. (Host). (2014, October 3). The alibi (No. 1) [Audio podcast episode]. In Serial. WBEZ Chicago. https://serialpodcast.org/
Key Considerations for APA Photo Citations
- Consistency: Maintain a consistent citation style throughout your work.
- Accuracy: Double-check all details, including names, dates, titles, and URLs.
- Completeness: Include all the necessary elements for each citation type.
- In-Text Citations: Remember to include in-text citations whenever you refer to or use a photograph in your text, following APA guidelines for in-text citations (Author, year).
Conclusion
Mastering how to cite a photo in APA format and other audiovisual media is vital for academic integrity. By following these guidelines and examples, you can ensure your citations are accurate, complete, and adhere to APA 7th edition standards. For more detailed information and examples, always refer to the official APA Publication Manual or resources like the Purdue OWL website.
