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MLA Citation Guide

Best practices for images

  • The Fair Dealing provision of the Canadian Copyright Act allows students to reproduce images (such as photographs, illustrations, cartoons and paintings) from other sources in school assignments
  • Label the image Figure (abbreviated Fig.)
    • Number it
    • Give the figure a caption
      example:  Fig. 3. Among the Firs by Emily Carr
  • Provide an entry for the image in the works-cited list

Image, viewed online

Carr, Emily. Among the Firs. Circa 1931, Glenbow Museum Collection, http://www.glenbow.org/collections/art/1969.cfm.

Tip:  The term circa indicates that the publication date is unknown.  Alternately, a ? can be used to indicate an uncertain publication date (e.g. 1931?)

Untitled image

Rinaldi, Jessica. Photograph series of a boy who finds his footing after abuse by those he trusted. 2016. The Pulitzer Prizes,  https://www.pulitzer.org/winners/jessica-rinaldi.

Tip:  If an image is untitled, provide a description.  Do not use quotation marks or italics for the description, and capitalize it like a phrase in prose.

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