When including illustrations of diagrams, graphs, maps, photographs, and etcetera within texts, a caption provides a description or an explanation of the contents of the illustration. Captions are usually positioned below the illustration and include a figure number. Spatial indicators such as “clockwise from left”, “left to right” or “top to bottom” are italicised within parentheses.
You can also include a list of figures, in bibliography format, providing the full details. References to visual material consulted online can include a URL here.
To refer to these illustrations within in the text of your paper, write the figure number in parentheses (abbreviated as fig.).
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Rule for Caption |
Figure Number. Description or explanation. (Include a title or year where possible). |
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Example of Caption entry |
Figure 1. Palace of the Governors, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Undated photograph, circa 1900. Figure 2. Schematic block diagram showing upper plate (top) and lower plate (bottom) of the Battle Lake thrust-tear fault system. |
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Text references to illustrations |
Refer to illustrations that are introduced in the text by the figure number abbreviated as fig. For example: "As can be seen in the Palace of the Governors (fig. 1) ... " |
When illustrations of artworks are included within texts, a caption provides a reference to the artwork. Captions are usually positioned below the illustration and preceded by a figure number. To refer to illustrations as they are introduced in the text, cite the figure number in parentheses (abbreviated as fig.).
You can also include a list of figures in bibliography format, providing the full details such as medium, dimensions, URL etc.
For photographs showing details, artwork documentation, film stills or exhibition installations follow the second example in the "rule for caption" section of the table below.
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Rule for Caption |
Figure Number. Artist’s Full Name, Title of Artwork, Year of production. Figure Number. Artist’s or Artists’ Full Name or Names, Description of documentation or representation Title of Artwork, Artworks or Exhibition, Year of production. |
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Example of Caption entry |
Figure 1. Rose Nolan, Give or Take, 2017. Figure 2. Yayoi Kusama with Infinity Mirror Room: Phalli's Field, 1965, Castellane Gallery, New York. Figure 3. Eija-Liisa Ahtila, production still from The House, 2002. |
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Text references to illustrations |
Refer to illustrations as that are introduced in the text by the figure number abbreviated as fig. For example: "Rose Nolan’s Give or Take is a feature piece of the Caulfield Library (fig. 1) ... " |
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Rule for List of Figures |
Figure Number. Artist’s Full Name. Title of Artwork. Year of production. Medium, dimensions. Collection, Place of collection. Acquisition details. Courtesy line. Photographic credit. Figure Number. Artist’s or Artists’ Full Name or Names. Description of documentation or representation Title of Artwork or Artworks or Exhibition. Year of production. Medium, Relevant details including duration. Collection, Place of collection. Acquisition details. Courtesy line. Photographic credit. Copyright information. |
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Example of List of Figures entry |
Figure 1. Rose Nolan, Give or Take, 2017. Red and white ceramic tiles, 300 x 1,385 cm. Monash University Collection, Melbourne. Monash University Public Art Commission, 2017. Photograph: Andrew Curtis. Figure 2. Yayoi Kusama with Infinity Mirror Room: Phalli's Field, 1965. Castellane Gallery, New York. Image courtesy: Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo. © Yayoi Kusama, Yayoi Kusama Studio inc. Figure 2. Eija-Liisa Ahtila, production still from The House, 2002. Super 16 mm colour film transferred to a 3-channel video, 14 minute loop. Edition five of five. Jointly acquired by The Art Institute of Chicago, Contemporary Art Discretionary Fund and W.L. Mead Endowment; and the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art, purchased with funds provided by the Acquisition and Collection Committee and Bob Tuttle, 2004. © 2002 Crystal Eye, Helsinki. |
References to works of art, design and architecture are commonly presented within the text and include the artist’s or designer’s name, the full title of the work and the year it was created. Other details including media, exhibitions and collections can be narrated where relevant. When visual material of this kind is the focus of discussion or analysis, an illustration is commonly included with an accompanying caption (see rules above).
If a citation is needed, follow the patterns below. The dimensions of artworks are conventionally ordered by height, width, depth. References to visual material consulted online can include a URL.
If the artwork is produced in another publication, cite the figure number and give the full publication details in the reference list.
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Rule for Citation |
(Artist’s Surname Year of production) |
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Example of Citation entry |
"Elements of this can be seen in works like The House (Ahtila 2002) ... " (Breuer 1925) (Kusama 1965) (Liebovitz 2002, fig. 6) (Mies van der Rohe 1929) (Nauman 1970) (Nolan 2017) |
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Rule for Reference list |
Artist’s Surname, Artist’s Given Name. Year of production. Title of Artwork. Medium, dimensions. Collection or exhibition, Place of collection or exhibition. |
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Example of Reference list entry |
Ahtila, Eija-Liisa. 2002. The House. Super 16mm colour film transferred to a 3-channel video, 14 minute loop. The Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago. Breuer, Marcel. 1925–26. Club Chair (Wassily Chair or B3). Chrome-plated tubular steel and canvas upholstery, 72 x 78 x 71 cm. Kusama, Yayoi. 1965. Infinity Mirror Room: Phalli’s Field. Sewn stuffed fabric, mirrors, 250 x 455 x 455 cm. Castellane Gallery, New York. Liebovitz, Annie. 1990. Robert La Fosse, New York City. In Annie Liebovitz. 2002. Dancers: Photographs by Annie Liebovitz. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. Mies van der Rohe, Ludwig. 1929. Barcelona Pavilion. Barcelona. Nauman, Bruce. 1970. Live-Taped Video Corridor. Wallboard, video camera, two video monitors, videotape player, videotape, dimensions variable. Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. Nolan, Rose. 2017. Give or Take. Red and white ceramic tiles, 300 x 1,385 cm. Monash University, Melbourne. |
When citing illustrations sourced from publications, refer to the publication itself and then state the type and the figure number of the illustration within the source. Only list the publication in the reference list.
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Rule for Citation |
(Author’s or Editor’s Surname Year of publication, page number, illustration type and number) |
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Example of Citation entry |
(Sobel 1993, 87, table 5.3) |
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Rule for Reference list |
Author’s or Editor’s Surname, Given Name their role. Year of publication. Title of Publication: Subtitle of Publication. Place of publication: Publisher’s name. |
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Example of Reference list entry |
Sobel, Richard ed., 1993. Public Opinion in US Foreign Policy: The Controversy over Contra Aid. Boston: Rowman and Littlefield. |