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Images

Citing Images

How to Attribute your Public Domain Images

Your attribution should follow this format:

Title of work [linked to original image]

by Author

Public Domain

Click on the tabs above to see examples.

Use this Creative Commons Attribution Builder for assistance in building your attribution. 

Dinant 1649

Dinant. By Joan Blaeu, 1649. Public Domain

Degas Study of a Dancer

A Study of a Dancer. By Edgar Degas, n.d. Public Domain

Vergilius Vat Folio

Vergilius Vat Folio. By Vergilius Vaticanus, n.d. Used under Public Domain

How to Attribute your Creative Commons Images

Your attribution should follow this format, which adheres to Creative Commons best practices.

Title of image/video [linked to original image]

by Author [linked to profile page]

under License [linked to license deed]

Click on the tabs above to see examples.

Use this Creative Commons Attribution Builder for assistance in building your attribution. 

Citing Images - Requirements

Items obtained from the web or scanned from a print source should be attributed to the owner of the copyrighted work.

This includes photographs, paintings, or other works of art, tables, graphs, and other illustrations from primary or secondary source materials.

Most images from royalty free clip art, such as the clip art available from Microsoft Word or PowerPoint, do not need to be cited. Check carefully to make certain what attribution and/or citation requirements are listed for individual images.

As a general rule, the following elements are needed in the citation: 

  • artist's name, if known
  • title of image, if known (if not use a description)
  • institution where held, if known
  • URL, if applicable (hyperlink for ease in getting to the website for the artist, museum owner of the work, etc.)
  • Applicable License (Creative Commons, public domain, etc.)
  • Include these, when available and applicable:
    • title of article or book, if applicable
    • author of article or book, if applicable
    • title and date of journal, if applicable
    • database name, if applicable
    • date of access, if online
    • date of publication, if originally from print material

You may wish to use this Creative Commons Attribution Builder for assistance in building your attribution. 

Last updated on Feb 12, 2024 1:17 PM