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MSA: Media and Culture: Finding and Citing Images

A starting point for the Missouri Scholars Academy class "Through Whose Eyes Do You See: How the Media Impacts Our Views of Different Cultures"

Citing Images

Citing Images

If you use an image you did not create, you must provide a citation. Image citations should include the following information at a minimum:

  • Title
  • Creator name
  • Repository information (museum, library, or other owning institution)
  • Image source (database, website, book, postcard, vendor, etc.)
  • Date accessed

APA Style Images Citation

General Format 

      In-Text Citation (Paraphrase): 
      (Artist Surname, Year)
     
      In-Text Citation (Quotation):
      (Artist Surname, Year)
 
      References:
      Artist Surname, First Initial. Second Initial. (Year). Title of the artwork [Format].
            Retrieved from URL (address of web site)

       Reference (No Author)
      Title of work [Type of work]. (Year image was created).
            Retrieved from URL (address of web site)

       Reference  (No Author, No Title, No Date)
      Many images found on the Web fall under this category.
      Try to locate the missing information by clicking on the image,
      and/or looking at the bottom of the image.
             [Subject and type of work]. Retrieved from URL (address of web site)

Example

      In-Text Citation (Paraphrase):
      (Baumel, 2010)
 
      In-Text Citation (Quotation):
      (Baumel, 2010)
 
      References (Basic):
      Baumel, A.  (2010). Cholera treatment center in Haiti [Online image].
             Retrieved October 2, 2010 from https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org
 
        Reference (No Author)
      Flu epidemic [Online image]. (1919).Retrieved November 6, 2010
             from http://www.history.net/photo/flu-epidemic-art/collections 
       Reference  (No Author, No Title, No Date):
       [Untitled illustration of a sleeping dog ]. Retrieved December 5, 2010
             from http://www.sleepinganimals/pix.com

Finding Images

As long as you cite it correctly, you can use any image in your presentation.

For other types of creative projects, you'll want to find images that allow fair use (copyright-free, public domain, creative commons licenses, etc. For those types of images, check out these resources:

Creative Commons Search and Resources

Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that enables the sharing and use of creativity and knowledge through free legal tools. Their search feature helps you look through different sites for images with Creative Commons licenses.

Open Access Photographs & Historical Images

Images from the Library of Congress, now in the public domain.

Historical and contemporary images contributed by participants. Millions of high-resolution images of art, architecture, design, people, historical events, diagrams, maps, and more.

Primarily historical images organized into 18 categories, including Women, Science, Cities, Natural World, Science, and more.

Over 180,000 images that are in the public domain. High-resolution downloads. No permission required... just go forth and reuse!

Primarily historical images organized into 18 categories, including Women, Science, Cities, Natural World, Science, and more.

Websites with Free Images

Over 10,000 images, browseable by category. Lots of clip art and clear photographs. Read each site's conditions carefully.

Search image tags or browse by category.

Stock photography contributed by members. Owned by Getty Images.

Public domain contemporary graphics contributed by users.

Open collection of icons.

Database of icons that can be used for free with attribution.