Referring to an image only (but NOT copying it into your assignment)
Use the in-text citation when you are citing (referring to) the image in the body of your work and add a reference list entry for your reference list at the end.
An image can include a photograph, table, diagram or infographic etc.
Reproducing (copying) an image into your assignment
To reproduce (insert) an image into your assignment you must also include an attribution in the form of locators and a caption as well.
Locators & Captions
Locator x Title or [Description of Image]
from Author Surnamex Licence.
The superscript number used in the caption is the number that corresponds to the source, if the source has not been referred to in-text yet, then the superscript number is the next superscript number following the previous number use in-text.
Locators are used to identify images, tables or graphs that are included as part of the assignment. Diagram 1. (use for diagrams), Graph 1. (use for charts & graphs), Table 1., Image 1. (use for images & photograph).
The caption includes the following elements: Description, Source & Licence information.
Description= Includes the title. If there is no title for the image include a description in brackets [Description] instead.
Source= Author and details of where image is from.
Licence = ie creative commons CC BY 2.0, Copyright by author, CC0 1.0 (for public domain).
For more information about attributing creative commons licencing material go to the Smartcopying website.
Best practice is that the caption is under the relevant image/table etc.
However if you are creating a poster you can put the caption information with the reference list entries information in small print at the bottom or side margin of your poster.
For a slide presentation, put the caption around the image or at the bottom of the slide the image is on. Add a final slide with reference list entries.
Locator & Caption
Locator x Title or [Description of Image]
Diagram 1 Components of the Nursing Process
from Author Surnamex Licence.
from Koutoukidis and Stainton3 Copyright 2021 Elsevier Australia.
In-text citations
The components of the nursing process diagram shows a five-step process.3
Reference List
Cite No. Title of image. Locator x from: Author AA, Author BB. Book Title. x ed. Publisher; Year. Accessed Month DD, YYYY. URL or DOI
3. Components of the nursing process. Diagram 1 from: Koutoukidis G, Stainton K. Tabbner's Nursing Care: Theory and Practice. 8th ed. 2021. Elsevier Australia. Accessed February 5, 2025. https://www-clinicalkey-com-au.tafeqld.idm.oclc.org/nursing/#!/browse/book/3-s2.0-C20180047842
For a print book omit the accessed date and URL.
Locator & Caption
Locator x. Title or [Description of Image]
Table 2. Comparative Grid of the Seven Levels of Evidence
from Author Surnamex Licence.
from Ingham-Broomfield5 Copyright 2016.
In-text citations
Level of evidence number two in Table 2 is identified as Critically Appraised Topics and is considered very highly reliable.5
Reference List
Cite No. Title of image. Locator x from: Author AA. Title of article. Journal Abbreviation. Year;volume(issue):pp-pp or e-locator. Accessed Month DD, YYYY. URL or DOI
5. Comparative grid of the seven levels of evidence. Table 2 from: Ingham-Broomfield R. A Nurses’ Guide to the Hierarchy of Research Designs and Evidence. Aust J Adv Nurs. 2016:33(3):38-43. doi:10.37464/2016.333.1554
Locator & Caption
Locator x Title or Description of Image
Image 3. Different Types of Thermometers
from Author Surnamex Licence.
from Healthdirect Australia6 Copyright 2024.
In-text citations
Image 3 shows three types of digital thermometers: ear, probe and temporal artery.6
Reference List
Cite No. Title of image. Locator x from: Author AA, Author BB. Title of page: subtitle. Name of Website. Month DD, YYYY (Published date). Updated (date) Month DD, YYYY. Accessed (date) Month DD, YYYY. URL
6. Different types of thermometers. Image 3 from: Types of thermometer for fever. Healthdirect Australia. 2024. Accessed February 6, 2025. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/types-of-thermometer
If the author and website name are the same omit the author.
Locator & Caption
Locator x Title or [Description of Image]
Image 4. [Photo of abdominal binder]
Author Surnamex Licence.
ClinicalKey for Nursing7 Copyright 2024 Elsevier.
In-text citations
Image 4 clearly shows the positioning and tensioning of an abdominal binder.7
Reference List
Cite No. Title of Image. Locator x from: Title of page: subtitle. Description. In: Title of Database. Publisher. Month DD, YYYY (Published date). Updated (date) Month DD, YYYY. Accessed (date) Month DD, YYYY. URL
.
7. [Photograph of abdominal binder]. Image 4 from: Abdominal binder- CE/NCPD. Clinical skills. In ClinicalKey for Nursing. Elsevier. Updated June 27, 2024. Accessed May 14, 2024. https://www-clinicalkey.com.au.tafeqld.idm.oclc.org/nursing/#!/content/nursing_skills/63-s2.0-GN_39_2A
If the image does not have a title use a description in square brackets instead.
Example of Caption around the image.
Example of Caption at the bottom of the slide.
Example of a Reference List on the last slide.