how to give credit to website in an essay

Using Sources Correctly

Crediting and Citing Your Sources

Now that you’ve just summarized or paraphrased or directly quoted a source, is there anything else you need to do with that source? Well, it turns out there is. There are some standard ways of using sources that let your readers know this material is from other texts rather than original ideas from your own brain. Following these guidelines also allows us, your readers, to locate those sources if we are interested in the topic and would like to know more about what they say.

 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Giving credit to the sources you used creating a text is important (and useful!) for several reasons.

• It adds to your own credibility as an author by showing you have done appropriate research on your topic and approached your work ethically.
• It gives credit to the original author and their work for the ideas you found to be useful, and in giving them credit it helps you avoid unintentionally plagiarizing their work.
• It gives your readers additional resources (already curated by you in your research process!) that they can go to if they want to read further your topic.

What Does It Mean to Credit or Cite Your Sources?

For college-level work, this generally means two things: in-text or parenthetical citation and a “Works Cited” or “References” page. What these two things look like will be a little different for different types of classes (for example, it’s likely your writing class will use MLA—Modern Language Association—format, while a psychology class is more likely to use APA—American Psychological Association—format). The specific details required and the order in which they appear changes a little between different formats, but practicing one of them will give you a general idea of what most of them are looking for. All of the information we are looking at here is specific to MLA, which is the format you will use for your writing classes (and some other humanities classes).

Citing: Identifying In-Text Sources

Once you have brought source material into your writing (via quotation, summary, or paraphrase), your next task is to cite or identify it. This is essential because giving credit to the creator of the source material helps you avoid plagiarism. Identifying your sources also helps your reader understand which written content is from a source and which represents your ideas.

When you cite or identify source materials, you make it absolutely clear that the material was taken from a source. Note that if you don’t do that, your reader is left to assume the words are yours—and since that isn’t true, you will have committed plagiarism.

In-Text Citation

Every time you use an idea or language from a source in your text (so every time you summarize, paraphrase, or directly quote material from a source), you will want to add an in-text citation. Sometimes you can accomplish this simply by mentioning the author or title of a source in the body of your writing, but other times you’ll handle in-text citation differently, with a parenthetical citation. Parenthetical means that the citation appears in parentheses in the text of your essay.

A starting point for parenthetical citations is that they include the author’s last name and the page number where the borrowed information came from. For example, let’s say I’m using material from an article written by Lisa Smith. It’s in a physical magazine and spans pages 38-42. If, on page 41, she says something like, “While most studies have shown that Expo dry erase markers have superior lasting power, erasability, and color saturation than other brands on the market, their higher cost is a concern for some consumers,” I might incorporate that into a paper like this:

By most measurable standards, Expo markers are clearly the favored option (Smith 41).

However, you don’t always need both components (last name and page number) in the parenthetical citation. If I introduced the source material in the sentence above a little differently, introducing the author before delivering the material, I wouldn’t need to repeat the author’s name in that same sentence in the parenthetical citation. In that case, my sentence would look something like this: According to Lisa Smith, Expo markers are clearly the favored option by most measurable standards (41).

In this section, we’ll discuss three ways to cite or identify written source materials in your own writing.

1. Introduce the Author and/or the Title of the Source

By introducing the author or the material, you make it clear to the reader that what you’re talking about is from a source. Here’s an example of a quotation that is identified by introducing the author and the title of source (which are highlighted):

In the article, “Grooming Poodles for Fun and Profit,” Jonas Fogbottom explains , “Poodle grooming is a labor of love. It takes years of practice to be good at it, but once learned, it’s a fun and worthwhile career.”

Here’s an example of a paraphrase that is identified in the same way:

In the article, “Grooming Poodles for Fun and Profit,” Jonas Fogbottom says that although it takes a long time to become a skilled poodle groomer, it’s well worth the effort and leads to a good career.

Note that, in the example above, (1) if there are no page numbers to cite and (2) if the name of the author is signaled in the phrase that introduces the bit of source material, then there is no need for the parenthetical citation. This is an example of a situation where mentioning the author by name is the only in-text citation you’ll need. And sometimes, if the name of the author is unknown, then you might just mention the title of the article instead. It will be up to you, as a writer, to choose which method works best for your given situation.

The first time that you mention a source in your writing, you should always introduce the speaker and, if possible, the title of the source as well. Note that the speaker is the person responsible for stating the information that you’re citing and that this is not always the author of the text. For example, an author of an article might quote someone else, and you might quote or paraphrase that person.

Use the speaker’s full name (e.g. “According to Jonas Fogbottom . . .”) the first time you introduce them; if you mention them again in the paper, use their last name only (e.g. “Fogbottom goes on to discuss . . .”).

2. Use Linking or Attributive Language

Using linking language (sometimes called attributive language or signal phrases) simply means using words that show the reader you are still talking about a source that you just mentioned.

For example, you might use linking language that looks something like this:

• The author also explains . . .
• Fogbottom continues . . .
• The article goes on to say . . .
• The data set also demonstrates . . .

By using this kind of language, you make it clear to the reader that you’re still talking about a source. And while you’ll use this type of language throughout any researched essay whether you’re also using parenthetical citations or not, as we mentioned above, sometimes this linking language will be all you need for in-text citation.

Let’s look back at the last Fogbottom example from above, and imagine you wanted to add two more sentences from the same source. The linking language is highlighted :

In the article, “Grooming Poodles for Fun and Profit,” Jonas Fogbottom says that although it takes a long time to become a skilled poodle groomer, it’s well worth the effort and leads to a good career. Fogbottom goes on to explain how one is trained in the art of dog and poodle grooming. The article also gives a set of resources for people who want to know more about a dog grooming career.

Using the linking language makes it absolutely clear to your reader that you are still talking about a source.

3. Use a Parenthetical Citation

A parenthetical citation is a citation enclosed within parentheses.

The classic parenthetical citation includes the author’s name and, if there is one, a page number. To learn more about parenthetical citation and see some examples, see the Purdue OWL article on “ MLA In-Text Citations: The Basics ” (available from owl.english.purdue.edu).

Here’s an example :

(Fogbottom 16)

If there are two authors , list both (with a page number, if available):

(Smith and Jones 24)

If there are three or more authors , list the first author only and add “et al.”* (with a page number, if available):

(Smith et al. 62)

* et al means “and others.” If a text or source has three or more authors, MLA style has us just list the first one with et al .

But my source doesn’t have page numbers!

If you are using an electronic source or another kind of source with no page numbers, just leave the page number out:

(Fogbottom)

If you’re quoting or paraphrasing someone who was cited by the author of one of your sources , then that’s handled a bit differently. For example, what if you quote Smith, but you found that quote in the article by Fogbottom. In this case, you should introduce the speaker (Smith) as described above, and then cite the source for the quote, like this:

(qtd. in Fogbottom)

But my source doesn’t have an author!

This happens sometimes. Many useful documents, like government publications, organizational reports, and surveys, don’t list their authors. On the other hand, sometimes no clearly listed author can be a red flag that a source is not entirely trustworthy or is not researched well enough to be a reliable source for you.

If you encounter a source with no author, do look for other indicators that it is a good (or poor) source—who published it, does it have an appropriate list of references, is it current information, is it unbiased?

If you determine that this source is an appropriate source to use, then, when you create your in-text citation for it, you will simply use the title of the source (article, chapter, graph, film, etc.) in the place where you would have used the author’s name. If the title is long, you should abbreviate by listing the first one or two words of it (with a page number, if available).

Let’s imagine you’re working with a newspaper article entitled, “What’s New in Technology,” enclosed in quotation marks to indicate that this is an article title, and with no known author . Here’s what that would look in a parenthetical citation:

(“What’s New” B6)

If there is no author and you’re working with an electronic article, use the first one or two words in your parenthetical citation, again, enclosed in quotation marks. Let’s imagine you’re working with a web article entitled, “Pie Baking for Fun and Profit” and with no author. Here’s what that would look in a parenthetical citation:

(“Pie Baking”)

The parenthetical citation should be added at the end of the sentence that contains the source material. Let’s go back to the Fogbottom example and see how a parenthetical citation would work:

“Poodle grooming is a labor of love. It takes years of practice to be good at it, but once learned, it’s a fun and worthwhile career” (Fogbottom).

Here’s what it would look like if we used it with a paraphrase instead of a quotation:

Although it takes a long time to become a skilled poodle groomer, it’s well worth the effort and leads to a good career (Fogbottom).

Note that the citation is placed at the end of the sentence; the period comes after the parentheses. Misplacing the period is one of the most common formatting errors made by students.

Using parenthetical citation makes it crystal clear that a sentence comes from source material. This is, by far, the easiest way to cite or identify your source materials, too.

If using parenthetical citations is easy, why would we bother with using introduction or linking language to identify sources?

Good question! There would be nothing wrong with only using parenthetical citations all the way through your writing—it would absolutely do the job of citing the material. But, it wouldn’t read smoothly and would feel somewhat rough because every time a parenthetical citation popped up, the reader would be “stopped” in place for a moment. Using a combination of introduction, linking language, and parenthetical citation, as needed, makes the writing smoother and easier to read. It also integrates the source material with the writer’s ideas. We call this synthesis, and it’s part of the craft of writing.

Works Cited Entries

At the end of texts that have drawn from existing sources, you will often find a Works Cited page. This page gives more information than the parenthetical citations do about what kinds of sources were referenced in this work and where they can be found if the reader would like to know more about them. These entries all follow a specific and consistent format so that it is easy for readers to find the information they are looking for and so the shape and type of that information is consistent no matter who is writing the entries.

Until recently, the MLA required a slightly different format for every type of source—an entry for a Youtube video required certain information that was different from an entry for a book that was different from an entry for an online article. The most recent version of MLA, though—MLA 8—has simplified this so there is just one format rather than many.

You can learn how to create works cited entries in MLA 8 format, and see an example, in the “ Creating a Works Cited Page ” appendix to this text.

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ENGR 231: Introduction to Technical Writing: Giving Credit: Citing your Sources!

Why is it so important to give credit to my sources.

• Giving credit to your sources is called Citing or Referencing a source. This is important so that someone who is reading your paper can go back and find the sources you have used in your research. They may want to verify that you reported the accurate information or data that was discussed in the article or they may want to read more about it.  
• Citations are an integral and vital part of the Scientific Research Publication Cycle . In other words, researchers or scientists base their work on what their colleagues have done. The ability to follow the trail to see what others are doing in their field is crucial to the advancement of the research, whether it be science, humanities research theory or social science theories.  
• Below is a list of the most commonly used citation styles used in Engineering fields and links to their Style Manual. A style manual will tell you exactly how to format your citations, whether it's a scholarly article, a magazine article, an online resource, or a YouTube video! Using the correct format ensures the citations are consistent across the literature so that anyone can follow someone else's research and advancing and developing the field.

What is APA Citation Style?

APA (American Psychological Association) Style is widely used in the social sciences, business, and some of the life sciences.

There are two parts to referencing: the citations within the text of your paper ("in-text citations") and the reference list at the end of your paper.

The APA referencing style is an "author-date" system, so the citation in the text consists of the author(s) and year of publication given wholly or partly in round brackets.

This guide gives example citations for the most common information formats used in APA Style, as well as links to all types of sources used in a Reference List and specific formatting examples . Examples are based on the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association .

For more examples of APA citations, check out the APA Example Citation Guide . 

For more APA formatting guidelines, check out the APA Formatting Guide . 

Online APA Resources & Examples

APA Style Guide Based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 6th ed. [BF76.7.P82 2010].

APA Style Guide to Electronic Resources Extensive guide to citing all types of electronic resources

APA Formatting and Style Guide  From the Purdue OWL, the Online Writing Lab

APA Style Blog  Official blog of the APA, with answers to tricky citation questions.

Scientific Research Publication Cycle

What is IEEE Citation Style?

The 2018 editorial style manual of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) , a style commonly used in technical fields like computer science.

The complete IEEE Editorial Style Manual  (PDF) is free to download from IEEE and contains a formal set of editorial guidelines for IEEE Transactions, Journals, and Letters.

The IEEE Reference Guide  (PDF) is also free to download from IEE and outlines how to cite different types of references in IEEE style.   

More Citation Management Resources

The UW main Citation Styles and Tools Guide has links to more citation styles in addition to free software you can use to manage  your research citations.

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17 Giving credit and citing sources 101

Learn more about citations with our “What are citations” online tutorial . The UMN Center for Writing also has online help and consultations.

Do your best to avoid google stitching!

What is google stitching you ask? It is something your instructors all know about (and don’t really like). It is copying half of one sentence and pasting it with half of another sentence. Instead, in academic writing, you should try to quote, paraphrase, or summarize (from University of Connecticut). We recommend checking out our Academic Integrity Canvas page if you want to know more.

What about EasyBib? ‘Cause I love EasyBib! 

Tools like EasyBib are good but the UMN Libraries online databases (or tools like Google Scholar) will do it for you (#EvenEasier). After you find a source, look for quotes or a link that says “cite.” Here are a couple of screenshot examples:

• Example from Academic Search Premier article database

2. Example from Google Scholar

Got lots and lots of sources? 

If you have a research paper or assignment with 10+ sources you might want a fancier tool. We recommend Zotero or Mendeley. These free, online tools that you download will organize your PDFs, automatically insert the in-text citation with a plug-in with Word or Google Docs, and then create the bibliography in seconds in which ever citation style you need for your assignment.

What’s your style?

If you aren’t sure what “citation style” your instructor wants, check your assignment or ask. It could be APA or MLA or Chicago or Turabian or Science citation style or something else.

Choose an option to move forward.

Option 1: Wow! That was a load of info. To the end, please.

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How to Give Credit to Sources When Writing a Research Paper

When writing a research paper, finding and citing appropriate sources are the most important aspects of backing up your thesis. Proper sourcing can make the difference between strong and weak arguments in your paper. The two most commonly used writing and citation styles in research writing are the American Psychological Association (APA) and Modern Language Association (MLA) guidelines. While APA style is most commonly used to cite sources for research papers within the social sciences, MLA is more often used for liberal arts and humanities work.

Cite sources on the reference page of your research paper by organizing sources alphabetically by the authors' last names. Each source should be cited beginning with the author's name, listed last name first, followed by the initials of the first name. Any additional authors for the same source should be added after a comma. Do not list more than six authors for a single source. For sources with seven or more authors, use ellipses after the sixth author's name.

Miller, F. H., Choi, M. J., Angeli, L. L., Harland, A. A., Stamos, J. A., Thomas, S. T., . . . Rubin, L. H. (2009). Web site usability for the blind and low-vision user. Technical Communication, 57, 323-335.

Begin the second line of your reference with a one-half inch indent from the left margin. Place the publication date of your source in parenthesis, followed by a period. Follow with the name of the article cited, followed by a period. Next, write the title of the publication where you found the source in italics, followed by a comma, followed by the issue number of the periodical or journal, also in italics. Place a comma after the issue number and list the pages where the article was found within the publication.

Harlow, H. F. (1983). Fundamentals for preparing psychology journal articles. Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology, 55, 893-896.

Cite sources in text by using the name of the first author listed in the source, followed by the publication date in parenthesis. You may begin your citation by referencing your source in the sentence, with the publication date in parenthesis, followed by the page number in parenthesis at the end of the sentence. If you use the title of a source within your paper, capitalize all words that are four letters or longer within the title of a source.

According to Jones (1998), "Students often had difficulty using APA style, especially when it was their first time" (p. 199).

Begin your reference page on a separate page at the end of your research paper. It should have the same one-inch margins and last name, page number header as the rest of your paper. Double space all citations, but do not skip spaces between entries.

Begin your citation with the author's last name. Spell out the author's first name and follow with additional authors, separated by commas. End author citations with a period. Follow with the article cited, placed in quotation marks, ending with a period. Italicize the publication name and follow with the date of publication and a colon followed by the pages cited. End the reference by listing the medium of publication. Remember to indent the second line of the citation one-half inch from the left margin.

Author(s). "Title of Article." Title of Periodical Day Month Year: pages. Medium of publication.

Cite sources in text by placing the last name of the first author cited with the page number where the quote or information is found in the publication at the end of the sentence. Place the author name followed by the page number in parentheses.

• You need to follow different citation guidelines depending on what source materials you are citing -- such as a book, journal article, or online article -- so if you are unsure of the proper format, consult the appropriate style guide.
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: Reference List; Basic Rules

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Giving Credit to Sources

Documentation

What is documentation?

Documentation , sometimes called  citing , is the process by which you acknowledge the use of another person’s words, ideas, conclusions, information, data, graphics, and products. It involves keeping careful records of your sources and using a format specified in a  style guide .  Students, writers, researchers, and other professionals are all expected to use proper documentation to acknowledge the use of and give credit to the work of others. 

Documentation is important because it

Is a vital component of practicing academic integrity 

Adheres to copyright law

Creates a path, helping readers see your ideas and conclusions

Avoids confusion about which ideas are yours and which ideas you are using as supporting evidence from a source

Key Takeaway

Writers must learn how to properly document the sources they use in order to give credit to the creator of the original material.  

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Table of Contents: Online Guide to Writing

Chapter 1: College Writing

How Does College Writing Differ from Workplace Writing?

What Is College Writing?

Why So Much Emphasis on Writing?

Chapter 2: The Writing Process

Doing Exploratory Research

Getting from Notes to Your Draft

Introduction

Prewriting - Techniques to Get Started - Mining Your Intuition

Prewriting: Targeting Your Audience

Prewriting: Techniques to Get Started

Prewriting: Understanding Your Assignment

Rewriting: Being Your Own Critic

Rewriting: Creating a Revision Strategy

Rewriting: Getting Feedback

Rewriting: The Final Draft

Techniques to Get Started - Outlining

Techniques to Get Started - Using Systematic Techniques

Thesis Statement and Controlling Idea

Writing: Getting from Notes to Your Draft - Freewriting

Writing: Getting from Notes to Your Draft - Summarizing Your Ideas

Writing: Outlining What You Will Write

Chapter 3: Thinking Strategies

A Word About Style, Voice, and Tone

A Word About Style, Voice, and Tone: Style Through Vocabulary and Diction

Critical Strategies and Writing

Critical Strategies and Writing: Analysis

Critical Strategies and Writing: Evaluation

Critical Strategies and Writing: Persuasion

Critical Strategies and Writing: Synthesis

Developing a Paper Using Strategies

Kinds of Assignments You Will Write

Patterns for Presenting Information

Patterns for Presenting Information: Critiques

Patterns for Presenting Information: Discussing Raw Data

Patterns for Presenting Information: General-to-Specific Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Problem-Cause-Solution Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Specific-to-General Pattern

Patterns for Presenting Information: Summaries and Abstracts

Supporting with Research and Examples

Writing Essay Examinations

Writing Essay Examinations: Make Your Answer Relevant and Complete

Writing Essay Examinations: Organize Thinking Before Writing

Writing Essay Examinations: Read and Understand the Question

Chapter 4: The Research Process

Planning and Writing a Research Paper

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Ask a Research Question

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Cite Sources

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Collect Evidence

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Decide Your Point of View, or Role, for Your Research

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Draw Conclusions

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Find a Topic and Get an Overview

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Manage Your Resources

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Outline

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Survey the Literature

Planning and Writing a Research Paper: Work Your Sources into Your Research Writing

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Human Resources

Research Resources: What Are Research Resources?

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found?

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Electronic Resources

Research Resources: Where Are Research Resources Found? - Print Resources

Structuring the Research Paper: Formal Research Structure

Structuring the Research Paper: Informal Research Structure

The Nature of Research

The Research Assignment: How Should Research Sources Be Evaluated?

The Research Assignment: When Is Research Needed?

The Research Assignment: Why Perform Research?

Chapter 5: Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity

Giving Credit to Sources: Copyright Laws

Giving Credit to Sources: Documentation

Giving Credit to Sources: Style Guides

Integrating Sources

Practicing Academic Integrity

Practicing Academic Integrity: Keeping Accurate Records

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Paraphrasing Your Source

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Quoting Your Source

Practicing Academic Integrity: Managing Source Material - Summarizing Your Sources

Types of Documentation

Types of Documentation: Bibliographies and Source Lists

Types of Documentation: Citing World Wide Web Sources

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - APA Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - CSE/CBE Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - Chicago Style

Types of Documentation: In-Text or Parenthetical Citations - MLA Style

Types of Documentation: Note Citations

Chapter 6: Using Library Resources

Finding Library Resources

Chapter 7: Assessing Your Writing

How Is Writing Graded?

How Is Writing Graded?: A General Assessment Tool

The Draft Stage

The Draft Stage: The First Draft

The Draft Stage: The Revision Process and the Final Draft

The Draft Stage: Using Feedback

The Research Stage

Using Assessment to Improve Your Writing

Chapter 8: Other Frequently Assigned Papers

Reviews and Reaction Papers: Article and Book Reviews

Reviews and Reaction Papers: Reaction Papers

Writing Arguments

Writing Arguments: Adapting the Argument Structure

Writing Arguments: Purposes of Argument

Writing Arguments: References to Consult for Writing Arguments

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Anticipate Active Opposition

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Determine Your Organization

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Develop Your Argument

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Introduce Your Argument

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - State Your Thesis or Proposition

Writing Arguments: Steps to Writing an Argument - Write Your Conclusion

Writing Arguments: Types of Argument

Appendix A: Books to Help Improve Your Writing

Dictionaries

General Style Manuals

Researching on the Internet

Special Style Manuals

Writing Handbooks

Appendix B: Collaborative Writing and Peer Reviewing

Collaborative Writing: Assignments to Accompany the Group Project

Collaborative Writing: Informal Progress Report

Collaborative Writing: Issues to Resolve

Collaborative Writing: Methodology

Collaborative Writing: Peer Evaluation

Collaborative Writing: Tasks of Collaborative Writing Group Members

Collaborative Writing: Writing Plan

General Introduction

Peer Reviewing

Appendix C: Developing an Improvement Plan

Working with Your Instructor’s Comments and Grades

Appendix D: Writing Plan and Project Schedule

Devising a Writing Project Plan and Schedule

Reviewing Your Plan with Others

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to Cite an Essay in MLA

How to Cite an Essay in MLA

The guidelines for citing an essay in MLA format are similar to those for citing a chapter in a book. Include the author of the essay, the title of the essay, the name of the collection if the essay belongs to one, the editor of the collection or other contributors, the publication information, and the page number(s).

Citing an Essay

Mla essay citation structure.

Last, First M. “Essay Title.” Collection Title, edited by First M. Last, Publisher, year published, page numbers. Website Title , URL (if applicable).

MLA Essay Citation Example

Gupta, Sanjay. “Balancing and Checking.” Essays on Modern Democracy, edited by Bob Towsky, Brook Stone Publishers, 1996, pp. 36-48. Essay Database, www . databaseforessays.org/modern/modern-democracy.

MLA Essay In-text Citation Structure

(Last Name Page #)

MLA Essay In-text Citation Example

Click here to cite an essay via an EasyBib citation form.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Sample Paper
• Works Cited
• MLA 8 Updates
• MLA 9 Updates
• View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Website (no author)
• View all MLA Examples

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To cite your sources in an essay in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the author’s name(s), chapter title, book title, editor(s), publication year, publisher, and page numbers. The templates for in-text citations and a works-cited-list entry for essay sources and some examples are given below:

In-text citation template and example:

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author on the first occurrence. For subsequent citations, use only the surname(s). In parenthetical citations, always use only the surname of the author(s).

Citation in prose:

First mention: Annette Wheeler Cafarelli

Subsequent occurrences: Wheeler Cafarelli

Parenthetical:

….(Wheeler Cafarelli).

Works-cited-list entry template and example:

The title of the chapter is enclosed in double quotation marks and uses title case. The book or collection title is given in italics and uses title case.

Surname, First Name. “Title of the Chapter.” Title of the Book , edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Year, page range.

Cafarelli, Annette Wheeler. “Rousseau and British Romanticism: Women and British Romanticism.” Cultural Interactions in the Romantic Age: Critical Essays in Comparative Literature , edited by Gregory Maertz. State U of New York P, 1998, pp. 125–56.

To cite an essay in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the author(s), the essay title, the book title, editor(s), publication year, publisher, and page numbers. The templates for citations in prose, parenthetical citations, and works-cited-list entries for an essay by multiple authors, and some examples, are given below:

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author (e.g., Mary Strine).

For sources with two authors, use both full author names in prose (e.g., Mary Strine and Beth Radick).

For sources with three or more authors, use the first name and surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues” (e.g., Mary Strine and others). In subsequent citations, use only the surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues” (e.g., Strine and others).

In parenthetical citations, use only the author’s surname. For sources with two authors, use two surnames (e.g., Strine and Radick). For sources with three or more author names, use the first author’s surname followed by “et al.”

First mention: Mary Strine…

Subsequent mention: Strine…

First mention: Mary Strine and Beth Radick…

Subsequent mention: Strine and Radick…

First mention: Mary Strine and colleagues …. or Mary Strine and others

Subsequent occurrences: Strine and colleagues …. or Strine and others

…. (Strine).

….(Strine and Radick).

….(Strine et al.).

The title of the essay is enclosed in double quotation marks and uses title case. The book or collection title is given in italics and uses title case.

Surname, First Name, et al. “Title of the Essay.” Title of the Book , edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Year, page range.

Strine, Mary M., et al. “Research in Interpretation and Performance Studies: Trends, Issues, Priorities.” Speech Communication: Essays to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Speech Communication Association , edited by Gerald M. Phillips and Julia T. Wood, Southern Illinois UP, 1990, pp. 181–204.

MLA Citation Examples

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How to Cite a Website in 4 Ways: Explanation With Examples

Whenever you write a research paper or any other written document which uses references of others' works, you need to cite the reference to give the individual his/her due credit. Read along this Penlighten article to get a low-down on how to cite a reference or a website.

Whenever you write a research paper or any other written document which uses references of others’ works, you need to cite the reference to give the individual his/her due credit. Read along this Penlighten article to get a low-down on how to cite a reference or a website.

Research papers, as all of us know, are extensive and consequently, a lot of hard work is put in by the researcher. The researcher, however, has a lot of references and citations that he needs to give credit to and acknowledge them as well. Rather, the study and the document cannot be replete and powerful without these citations. Knowing the correct way of referring a website is important because if you fail to do so, you may infringe certain copyright laws and face legal issues.

Hence, it is essential to mention or allude to those studies in that particular area. In case you are working on a research paper or a document and are pondering over the correct way to cite a website, you have hit the right place! In the below sections, we shall tell you about ways of citing or referring a website in your paper.

How to Cite a Website in a Research Paper?

Citing a website wasn’t that tough, right? We’re sure now that the next time you write a research paper or a bibliography, you know now how to cite reference and acknowledge the people who helped you.

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How to Cite a Quote

Last Updated: October 5, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. There are 18 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,264,017 times.

According to Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary, the word "plagiarize" can mean trying to pass off someone else's ideas, work or words as your own, or using those ideas, work or words without giving due credit to the source. You can avoid either misdeed by simply giving credit where credit is due. The three primary citation styles are APA, MLA, and CMS.

Sample Citations

Cite a Quote in APA Style

Example: Smith (2013) states that citing quotes can be challenging.

The author remarks on the "difficulty of citing quotes," (Smith, 2002, p. 32) but does not go into depth. or Smith (2002) mentions the "difficulty of citing quotes" (p. 32) but does not go into depth.

These scholars agree that "quotes are useful" (Hu, Koller, and Shier, 2013, p. 75). or Hu, Koller, and Shier agree that "quotes are useful" (p. 75).

In a study, it was determined that “the sky is in fact blue” (“Obvious Observations,” 2013).

Another study showed that “clouds are white” (“More Obvious Observations,” n.d., para. 7).

The message affirmed that “the sky is in fact blue” (John Smith, email, August 23, 2013).

Book with one or more authors: Lastname, First Initials (year published). Title of Book . Location: Publisher. Book with no author: [7] X Trustworthy Source APA Style Definitive source for current APA style writing and citation guidelines Go to source Title of Book. (Year). Location: Publisher. Web page: Lastname, First Initials (date of publication). Title of document. URL. If there is no date, write n.d. If there is no author, start with "Title. (date)." [8] X Research source

Cite a Quote in MLA Style

The meat factory workers of Chicago “were tied to the great packing-machine, and tied to it for life” (Sinclair, 99). or Upton Sinclair described the workers as "tied to the great packing-machine, and tied to it for life” (99).

Two or three authors The authors state, “citing quotes can be annoying” (Hu, Koller, and Shier 45). More than three authors: The authors state, “citing different sources can be confusing” (Perhamus et al. 63). [11] X Research source

Citing How to Cite Like a Champion and Be Better Than Other Writers : Citing sources can get annoying because “it can take a while” (Cite like a Champion 72).

The sky is blue but “clouds are white” (Obvious Observations Online).

An email message confirmed that “the sky is indeed blue” (Smith).

Book with one author: Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book . City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication. Note: The Medium of Publication is "Print" for paper books. Other media include Web and Radio. Book with multiple authors: Lastname, Firstname of first alphabetical author, then Firstname Lastname for other authors. Title of Book . City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication. Book with no known author: Title of publication . City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication. Medium of Publication. Web page: [16] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source “Name of Article.” Name of Website. Name of website owner, date of publication. Web. Date of access. Note: Write n.d. if no publishing date is listed. Personal interview: Lastname, Firstname of interviewee. Personal interview. Date. Published interview: Lastname, Firstname of interviewee. Interview with (Name of Interviewer). Publication or program (year): page numbers if applicable. Medium of publication. Personal message: Lastname, Firstname of sender. “Title of Message.” Medium. Date.

Cite a Quote in CMS

The people who worked in the meat factories of Chicago at the turn of the century “were tied to the great packing-machine, and tied to it for life.” 1

1 Upton Sinclair, The Jungle (Doubleday, Page & Company: 1906), 99.

With an author: John Doe, “Citing Sources,” Organization of Writing Fanatics, last modified August 23, 2013, www.blahcitingblahblah.com Page without an author: “Citing Sources,” Organization of Writing Fanatics, last modified August 23, 2013, www.blahcitingblahblah.com

Unpublished interview: John Doe, (musician) in discussion with the author, Aug 23, 2013. Published interview: John Doe, interviewed by Jane Doe, Music Lovers, Aug 23, 2013. Personal communication: John Doe, email to the author, Aug 23, 2013.

' Book with one author: Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication. Book with two authors: Lastname, Firstname and Lastname, Firstname. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication. Book with no known author: Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of publication. Web page with author: Lastname, Firstname. “Title of Web Page.” Publishing Organization or Name of Website in Italics. Publication date and/or access date if available. URL. Web page without an author: “Title of Web Page.” Publishing Organization or Name of Website in Italics. Publication date and/or access date if available. URL. Published Interview: Lastname, Firstname of interviewee, place where interview was held, by Interviewer's Firstname Lastname, date.

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• ↑ https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/apaquickguide/intext
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_author_authors.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_electronic_sources.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html
• ↑ http://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/cite-book-no-author.aspx
• ↑ https://libguides.jcu.edu.au/apa/reference-list
• ↑ https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/mlacitation/intext
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_electronic_sources.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_works_cited_other_common_sources.html
• ↑ https://research.wou.edu/c.php?g=551307&p=3785495
• ↑ https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-2.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/books.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/web_sources.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/interviews_personal_communication.html
• ↑ https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide/citation-guide-1.html

About This Article

To cite a quote using APA, put parentheses with the citation directly after the quoted material. For a citation with one or more authors, include their last names, the year of publication, and page number preceded by a "p.” If you're citing something but don't know the author, put the title of the publication and its date in parentheses. You can follow the same author-date format to cite web pages, but if you don't know the author or the date, use a shortened version of the web page title and write "n.d." after for "no date." To learn how to cite a quote using MLA or CMS, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Content, Attribution, and Plagiarism: How to Give Credit Where Credit Is Due

October 24, 2018

By Joe Gillespie

In 2018, after about a quarter-century of easily accessible internet, the question must be asked: Is there anything truly original on the web?

Think about it. Wikipedia became the go-to source to learn about almost everything, but it requires (well, strongly recommends) citations to back up the information. More officially, news organizations and bloggers write articles, which are linked to, expanded upon by others, analyzed, and debated. Content inspires other content, but finding a topic’s starting point can be challenge.

Original ideas are out there, and even in originality’s absence, marketers can get creative in putting a new spin on something. Yet, in 2018, marketers writing content—really, anybody writing anything—need to beware of an unfortunate side effect of the internet age: borrowing content too frequently.

Properly attributing sources for your inbound content not only is good marketing strategy, but also is ethical and builds your brand’s reputation. The practice seems simple enough, but many people erroneously believe that just because something is online, it’s fair game to use in any way they want. Here’s a guide for producing inbound blogs, e-books , and other content that correctly cites sources, properly credits the work of others, and doesn’t plagiarize.

Don’t Believe Everything on the Internet

Facts and figures on the web are used, reused, cited, and casually tossed around so much that determining the original source can be difficult—if those statistics are even accurate in the first place.

A classic example of this is the talking point that 90 percent of new restaurants fail in the first year. This stat has been around for years and regularly pops up in internet articles … but it has been thoroughly debunked, including in this smackdown from Forbes . Yet, writers still see the figure online and assume that, because it’s online and perhaps even linked, it must be true.

If you do see a fact or statistic that speaks to the subject of your content, strive to find its original source. Often, you’ll find something cited that is linked to another website, which linked it from somewhere else, which linked it from somewhere else … and so on. Or the link takes you to a website that cited the fact without any attribution, and you hit a dead end.

Cite Others’ Work Properly

You have found facts or opinions that perfectly support the message of your content. That’s great, but you must be sure to correctly attribute the source of what you want to use. Some best practices in this effort:

• If you’re taking text directly from another source, without any paraphrasing or rewording, place in quotes, name the source, and link to its website.
• If you’re rewording—and sometimes you do this to achieve brevity and clarity out of context of the original source—name the source and link.
• If you’re highlighting something small or simply want readers to visit the external website to learn more, at least link to that source (but preferably, you want to include the name of the source).
• Unless you’re writing highly technical/scientific content with dozens of sources, you don’t have to get too deep into naming the source for your blog posts (i.e., cite the publication but not necessarily the author unless there is a compelling reason to do so).

Here are a couple examples of good sourcing, from the same source:

• You’re citing a statistic but not exactly quoting it: “ According to HubSpot in its State of Inbound 2018 Global Report , 54 percent of respondents say blog content creation is a top priority for inbound marketing.” The report is 72 slides long (and great reading for inbound marketers!), but you don’t necessarily need to point out precisely where the stat is at—this isn’t formal footnoting, but rather, just a link that attributes and acknowledges the info you are using.
• You are quoting another source: “ According to HubSpot in its State of Inbound 2018 Global Report , 'Marketers today are investing more in video channels, social networks such as Instagram, and messaging applications such as Facebook Messenger, in a bid the reach customers and prospects where they prefer to be online.’ ” Here, you are using someone’s words verbatim, and the quotation marks and leave no room for doubt that this is another’s creativity that you’re citing.

Another consideration: When is something truly someone else’s work and when it is so common that you don’t have to cite a source? Use your best judgment. To say “The sky is blue” is obvious, is factually scientific, and won’t need to be attributed. Saying “The sky is blue, and, according to one scientist, is getting bluer every day,” needs a link to the what the scientist is saying. When in doubt (and consider your industry and your thought leadership when making a decision), err on the side of attribution.

Professional writers take plagiarism seriously—their reputations depend on creating original content and respecting the work of other writers. Marketers should pursue the same diligence with inbound content . However, many marketers don’t know where the line is drawn on plagiarism. Copying and pasting large sections of copy and passing them off as your own is obviously bad, but taking existing content and simply rewriting it—without bringing anything original to the table—also meanders into unethical.

And then, some plagiarism is accidental, such as forgetting to attribute a source or pulling in text just as a reference that somehow gets into the finished copy (which is why copying and pasting from another document just to have on your screen is usually never a good idea, even without malicious intent). The Visual Communication Guy put together an impressive “Did I Plagiarize?” flow chart to help writers determine if they’ve run afoul of plagiarism best practices. Although the chart is more geared toward professional and academic writing, it still gives marketers a good frame of reference when developing inbound content.

The Benefits of Originality

Besides maintaining your—and your organization’s—reputation, guaranteeing inbound content is original and correctly attributes sources offers many advantages, including:

• Thought leadership: For many businesses, the inbound content you create will highlight and promote your organization’s thought leadership. When that thought leadership is unique—no matter how common in your industry—the content impresses prospects even more. (And if you can’t find stats or data to support your thought leadership, develop and conduct your own research! In this way, you become the source others turn to for insight and guidance.)
• Google prefers originality: Search engines can penalize websites that contain content that is similar to other pages. Staying original gives Google’s algorithms reason to rank your content higher—and your inbound efforts can do the rest.
• Not plagiarizing yourself: The idea that you can plagiarize yourself might seem absurd on the surface, but reusing content verbatim, although perhaps not unethical from a marketing standpoint, does throw the same copy at prospects without bringing anything new to the table (plus, again, Google doesn’t like it). Some of your marketing messaging will (and should) remain consistent, but resist the urge to copy and paste everything when repurposing or reimagining content.
• Expanding on others’ content: If you are properly attributing sources, you can expand on those ideas with fresh content of your own. This HubSpot blog post explores ways to innovate others’ content into new, non-plagiarized offerings. For example, another company’s “5 Things to Avoid in Widget Production” can be reimagined into “5 Ways to Maximize Widget Production.” Creativity is at the heart of being original, so if you see content you wish you could have written first, don’t copy it—improve upon it.

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About the author

Joe Gillespie is Director of Inbound Copy for SmartBug Media. He graduated from Marquette University with a B.A. in journalism and, before coming to SmartBug, was a two-decade veteran of the newspaper industry. Read more articles by Joe Gillespie .

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Research Guides

Gould library, how to cite your sources.

• Tools and Handbooks
• Chicago Manual of Style
• Citing Government Documents
• Citing Rare Books
• Citing Archival Material
• Image Credits and Captions

Elements of an Image Caption

Captioning creative commons media, find the original image, resources for learning more about image captions.

• Informal Attribution

The purposes of an image caption are to:

• Give credit to the creator
• Provide basic identification or description of the image
• Clarify the permissions or rights under which you are using the image

Due diligence

Before you decide to use the image, make sure you have done the following:

• Know who the creator is. Because other people have not captioned their images well does not give you license to do so as well. Dig to find who created the image.
• Dig to find the original. It is easy to discover images on social media, but usually those images were originally posted elsewhere. Do not settle for the most convenient location. Look for the most stable and authoritative original version. See the resources on this page for help.
• Determine whether you have the right to redistribute the image in this way. Remember that fair use does not extend to redistribution outside the classroom. If the image is copyrighted, ask for permission. If the image is license free, make sure. If the image is yours, say so. If the image is CC-licensed, you have less to worry about. 

Provide the following elements in this order:

• The phrase "Image source" or "Source"
• Author/Creator
• URL where accessed
• "Used with permission" - in the case of a copyrighted image where you have contacted the creator
• Text of the Creative Commons license - copy the language directly (ex. CC BY-SA, or CC BY 4.0 DEED Attribution 4.0 International, etc.)
• "Public domain" - when you have determined the image is not under copyright or licensed
• "Original photo" or "Author photo" - when you are the creator of the image
• **If the image is Copyrighted or Licensed, you can't reuse it on a public website or document without author permission.

The adorable face of a hedgehog. Image source: Mark Fletcher, "Hedgehog," 2009. Accessed via https://www.flickr.com/photos/fletchthemonkey/3807893972. CC BY-NC 2.0.

Remember...

The practice of image caption formatting changes depending on context. Different kinds of publications require more and less documentation. Different disciplines also vary. The elements listed above are suggestions based on the most common elements necessary to describe an image, make it possible to find again, and clarify why you get to share it. Take additional cues from good examples in the context where you are publishing. Finally, be responsible. Someone put work into the production of this image and they deserve credit. 

• Chicago Manual of Style: Caption formatting. 3.30: Placement of credit lines. How to format a caption that has content and a citation in it.
• Captioning Creative Commons Images and Media When you caption Creative Commons media (including images), you should include 4 major parts (TASL). You may need to modify the order or add more information based on the citation style you are using. Title : What is the name of the work? Author : Who allows you to use the work? Source : Where can people find the work? License : How can you use the work?

"Creative Commons 10th Birthday Celebration San Francisco" by  Timothy Vollmer  is licensed under  CC BY 4.0

• TinEye Reverse Image Search Find all the other places online where this image has been posted. Great way to find the original source.
• Jeffrey Friedl's Image Metadata Viewer This tool shows you all the metadata hidden in an image file, which might help you determine date of creation as well as basic attributes.
• Google Images - Search by Image Click the camera icon in the search box and search by the image you have in hand (either by URL or by dragging in). Like TinEye, it finds other places online where the image has been posted.

Check the source's "Terms of Use," Image Credits," or "Image Permissions" section to make sure you know whether the image is under license or copyright or other terms of use.

• Adding Photo Credits to Talk Slides (blog post) A helpful overview of writing image captions for presentations with many good tips. By Colin Purrington, photographer and former professor at Swarthmore.
• Harder to Find Than Nemo: The Elusive Image Citation Standard (journal article) An article about the inconsistencies in the current standards for citing and captioning images. By Jennifer Yao Weinraub.
• << Previous: Citing Archival Material
• Next: Informal Attribution >>
• Last Updated: Apr 9, 2024 2:01 PM
• URL: https://gouldguides.carleton.edu/citation

Questions? Contact [email protected]

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How to Cite Sources

Published: August 23, 2023

The best content marketers aren't afraid to share. Share content. Share links. Share ideas. Share data.

Below is a quick guide to help you navigate citing sources in essays and across the internet.

• Citing Sources in Essays
• Citing Sources in Blog Posts
• Citing Sources in Social Media
• Citing Images & Visual Content

Commonly Used Citation Styles

If you’re already working within a marketing team or educational institution, it’s possible they already have designated formats they’d like you to use for citing sources. Otherwise, you’ll need to choose one and stick with it consistently throughout the materials you’re publishing. Below are some of the types of citation styles you’ll find.

• MLA : Created by the Modern Language Association, MLA style is a set of writing standards and guidelines primarily used for citations in the humanities field and academic writing.
• APA : This format is based on the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. The style is meant for professionals and academics in behavioral and social sciences.
• Chicago Style : Chicago style citations have two methods — One for notes and bibliography, which is often used by those in the humanities. The other for author-date citations which is the preferred method for those in the sciences.

How to Cite Sources in an Essay

When tasked with writing an essay, you’ll likely be using one of the citation styles above. Let’s look at a few examples to show you just how to do it. For simplicity, we’ll stick to formatting for in-text citations.

For citing sources in-text, MLA style is marked by using parentheses containing either the author of the quote or reference and the page number the reference is pulled from.

This example is pulled from an essay featured on MLA's website .

The NYT link should head to the article they published on the subject, and the Twitter link should head to their blog post or press release announcing the news.

Make sense? Alright, on to social media.

How to Cite Sourcesin Social Media

When you‘re sharing someone else’s content in social media, the approach you take to give proper credit changes depending on the social network. Here's the breakdown:

To Cite Someone's Content on X (Formerly Twitter):

Simply include a “via @username” somewhere in the post. If you‘re reposting someone’s content but you edit their original, be sure to change “RT” to “MT,” which stands for “modified tweet.”

To Cite Someone's Content on Facebook:

Facebook makes it pretty easy to give credit when you‘re sharing someone else’s content right from their own timeline — they have a ‘Share’ button ready and waiting for you, and they make it easy to see the originating URL, originating sharer, as well as the names of people who shared it.

And marketers, beware. If you include your link in the “Description” section of your pin, you may get flagged as a spammer.

How to Give Credit to Guest Authorsand Ghost Writers

Maintaining a blog takes help, sometimes from guest authors orghost writers. If you‘re using a ghost writer, you don’t have to give credit to that author. That‘s the whole point. They’re ghosts. You can't see them.

But if you‘re publishing a post from a guest blogger, you certainly should be giving them credit for their efforts. In a few ways, actually. Here’s what you should be doing to give an e-nod to those writers:

• Provide space somewhere for the guest blogger to get not just their name mentioned (as a byline, ideally), but also the company they work for.
• Give them space to include a short bio that describes what their company does — this usually accompanies their byline or a separate author profile page. Many sites allow guest authors to include an inbound link to their website within that byline, too.
• Let them include at least one contextual link within the body of their blog content, too. Some sites allow more than one link within the body of the content, but the minimum should certainly be one.

Some companies also outline very detailed guest blogging policies. If you're concerned about mitigating the differences of opinion on some of these issues, make sure you write out your own detailed guest blogging policies for your website so expectations are set up front.

How to Cite Images and Visual Content

If you‘re a regular reader of this blog, you know we’re behind sharing the wealth when it comes to visual content marketing — and we love it even more if you can give credit to the original artist properly. Here‘s when you need to give credit, when you don’t, and how to do it.

To Cite Visualizations, SlideShares, and Infographics:

If you‘ve found an infographic or visualization on another site that you’d like to feature on your website, you should treat it similar to how you‘d treat citing any other content on your website. Simply include a link to the original source’s website where that visual lives, and include their name in the text.

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How do I credit myself as the author of a photograph?

How you credit yourself as the author of a photograph depends on the accessibility of the photograph. If your paper discusses a photograph that is publicly accessible, such as on a personal blog or other public site, create a works-cited-list entry for the photograph. Cite the photograph as you would cite any image viewed online. Give your name in the Author element, followed by either a description of the photograph or, if applicable, the title. Give the name of the website where the photograph can be viewed in the Title of Container element, followed by a URL in the Location element. The following shows an example of a works-cited-list entry for a photograph published on a photographer’s personal website: 

Mulligan, Lauren. “Fishermen at a Lake in Limpopo, South Africa.” Lauren Mulligan , www.laurenmulligan.com/2016/6/25/fishermen-at-a-lake-in-limpopo-south-africa. 

If the photograph is not publicly accessible, you might choose to reproduce it in your paper. In this case, create a label and caption for the photograph and place them directly below the photograph. With the exception of tables, all visual material included in your paper should be labeled Figure and assigned an arabic numeral (e.g., Figure 1 ). For instance, if you are writing a paper on architecture in New York City and want to include a photograph you’ve taken of the Oculus, the label and caption for the photograph might look something like this: 

Figure 1. Oculus. New York City.

Having created an identifying label and a caption for the photograph, you can refer to the photograph in your essay either parenthetically or in prose. Note that figure is abbreviated as fig. in parenthetical references but   should be spelled out in prose. For example:

Figure 1 shows the exceptional design created by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, the Oculus is a structural tour de force (fig. 1).

In this instance there is no need to credit yourself as the author of the photograph. Unless otherwise indicated, the reader should assume that you are the author of the images included in your paper. Since the caption provides sufficient information, no works-cited-list entry is needed.

When including images in your paper, be mindful of potential copyright issues. While it is acceptable to cite your own work—for example, a photograph you’ve taken of the Oculus—other images may be protected by copyright. To reproduce an image that is not your own and that is protected by copyright, permission needs to be obtained from the individual or entity who holds the rights to that image.

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How to Credit a Photo Correctly in 2024 (+ Examples)

Learning how to credit a photo correctly is essential whether you're a photographer or anyone who shares images online. Here's how to do it properly.

Learn | By Ana Mireles

Do you know how to credit a photo correctly?

Thanks to online platforms, social networks, and other media we have access to more images than ever before. It’s very easy to share them too.

This gives many people the idea that all you have to do to use or distribute a photo you like is download it or click the Share button. However, this isn’t the case.

To use a photo that you didn’t create, you need permission and in many cases, give credit to the author.

So, here’s a quick guide that explains how to do it.

I also tell you what not to do, and some tips to recognize when you need to do it.

I’ve also included some examples of how to credit images from many popular photo websites.

Ready? Let’s go!

Table of Contents

How Do You Give Credit to a Photo?

All photographs have at least one author. Giving credit to a photo means that you’re saying who the author is when you share it on a publication, social media account, and any other digital or printed media.

This is very important not only because it’s the author’s right, but also because it’s often part of their livelihood.

Many authors get part of their income by selling the license to their photographs.

Other photographers choose not to charge for the license.

This is because it will be useful to get their work known by the public attracting paying clients. However, without credit, this purpose would be lost.

Also, the credit is useful so that other users know who to contact if they want to use the photo themselves.

So, now that you know why it’s important to give credit – let’s see what you need to consider.

• It’s important to know that giving credit doesn’t substitute for the author’s permission. Before using a photograph, you need to know if it’s OK to do so – this isn’t necessarily linked with you giving credit or not. This has to do with the license of use, which is something I’ll talk about further on.
• Once you know it’s OK to share an image, get informed about the information you need to include. The author might want to use the given name, but they may prefer a pseudonym. You may need to include a link to the license type, or the author’s website. Sometimes you only need to credit the author – others, you need to credit the collector or the website.
• Make sure you put the credit in a visible place, traditionally it’s placed underneath the photograph. Otherwise, it can be added at the end of the article or the book. In these cases, you need to include a reference that links which image belongs with which credit if you’re using more than one.

How to Credit a Photo Correctly: Example of Proper Photo Credit

This is an example of a very traditional photo credit line:

Author, Title of the photograph, Title of the series (if applicable), Date of creation, License type, via X (X=website, collection, platform, etc.)

While this is a very complete photo credit line, it’s not always necessary to include all this information.

If the attribution is optional, or the author agrees, you may only add their name as a photo credit line.

In most cases, the website where you find the image or the authors themselves will provide you with their preferred photo credit line.

I’ll show you some of these examples at the end of the article.

How You Should NOT Credit a Photo

If you scroll through your social media, you’ll find several disclaimers people add when they use copyrighted material without permission.

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Even if this isn’t done with malice, it doesn’t substitute the author’s permit.

So, you’ll be risking legal repercussions despite using these disclaimers. Here are a few examples that you’ll commonly see but shouldn’t use.

• All rights belong to the author(s).
• DM for credit/removal.
• No copyright infringement intended.
• I do not own the rights to this photograph.
• This image isn’t mine.

Also, giving proper credit doesn’t necessarily grant you the right to use or distribute the photograph. It depends on the type of license associated with the image.

• How to copyright your photos (protect your images online)
• How to check image copyright

How Do You Know If You Should Credit a Photo?

As I mentioned before, permission and credit are not the same thing.

You might see a photo with credit but the person didn’t have permission to use it.

You’ll also find images without photo credit that are perfectly legal – for example, the ones that fall into the public domain.

So, how do you know when you’re legally required to give credit to a photo?

In most cases, you’ll find the terms of use on the website that holds the photo.

Here are some of the most common terms that can help you navigate the legal jargon.

• Royalty Free – This is a type of license used commonly on stock photography websites both free and paid. In most cases, a Royalty Free photo doesn’t require attribution. However, some paid stock websites do ask for credit when they release an asset for free.
• Copyright / All Rights Reserved – In most cases, any of these terms means that you need permission to use the photo. When you ask for it, the right’s owner will let you know the requirements for granting this consent. Here, they’ll let you know how to behave regarding the credit.
• Public Domain – Many people don’t know that the copyright has an expiration date. If there have been enough years after the author’s death, the photo falls into the public domain. The number of years may vary according to the country. In any case, once the image belongs to the public domain, attribution is no longer required.
• Creative Commons – Creative Commons (CC) is a nonprofit organization that has released a series of licenses. CC licenses are the international standard to grant different levels of use to your images. The intention is to create a way where people have free access to creative works while still protecting the authors. While each license sets a variety of conditions to grant use, they all require attribution to the author.

When there’s no information about the license or restrictions, it usually means that it’s not free to use.

In such cases, you should write to the author and request consent and ask whether or not you should give photo credit.

The best advice I can give you is that it’s better to be safe than sorry. So, ask the photographer, agency, or website if you’re not sure whether you should credit a photo or not. If you can’t reach anyone who can give consent, it’s best to find another photo.

On a personal note, I believe that ‘sharing is caring’ is a good guideline.

If you have the chance, credit the author (photographer) even if it’s not legally required.

How To Credit a Photo – Examples

As I mentioned before, most platforms and agencies have a photo credit line that you can copy and paste.

Otherwise, you can find their preferred template on the terms and conditions page.

Here are some photo credit examples from some of the most common photography websites.

Wikimedia Commons

On Wikimedia Commons, you’ll find images from the public domain or photos with a Creative Commons license.

If you want to use one of these photos, you can scroll down the page to the Licensing section.

Here, you’ll see which type of license the image has and what you’re allowed to do.

Don’t assume that two images will have the same type of license, always check before you use them.

Also, next to the image you can click on the “Use this file” link to open a pop-up window where you’ll find the photo credit line.

It will also tell you if you’re legally required to use it or not.

Credit: Touhid biplob, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Unsplash is a stock photography website that belongs to Getty Images. You can use the free version or Unsplash+.

Either way, you don’t need permission from the author and you don’t need to credit them. Of course, attribution is always appreciated.

If you decide to give photo credit, the suggested format is Photo by X on Unsplash.

Photo by Mike Hindle on Unsplash

Just like Unsplash, Pexels offers images that are free to use without permission or photo credit.

However, since the authors aren’t earning anything from the use of their images, it’s courteous to at least give them credit.

You can also donate, by the way.

As soon as you download the image, you’ll get a pop-up window with the credit line that you can copy and paste if you decide to do so.

Image Source: Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh

Depositphotos

This stock photography website mainly works with paid licenses that don’t require attribution.

However, it has a selection of free photos which you may use but you need to give credit.

In this case, they’re not asking you to credit the author but the website.

If you’re planning to use them on the web, video, apps, or games – you’ll receive a link to copy and paste when you download the photo.

For offline use, you can simply type Image Resource: Depositphotos.

Instagram / Facebook / Other Social Media Sites

While it’s easy to think that you can just share anything you find on social media, this isn’t the case.

You should always ask for permission before you repost someone’s content.

On Instagram and Facebook, the most common way to credit someone is by tagging them.

This way, other people can see their accounts and follow them.

To tag them, simply type an @ followed by their handle.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Pixabay (@pixabay)

• What images can you legally use on social media sites?

Here’s a helpful illustration created by Hootsuite on using images on social media and giving photo credits to image owners:

Note that it’s fine to reshare images within a social media platform using native sharing tools.

Retweets, reshares, repins, or content reshared to an Instagram story , for example automatically credit the creator.

Flickr is one of the platforms that most respect the author’s rights.

When users upload their photographs to Flickr, they can choose the type of license they prefer from the ones supported .

Most of them are Creative Commons licenses, although, there are the All Rights Reserved and some Public Domain ones where you don’t need to credit any image owner.

So, make sure you check which type of license the image has before using it.

In the following example, the author chose an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs license.

According to these terms, you must give appropriate credit which means: the author’s name, copyrights notice, license notice, disclaimer notice, and link to the material.

Credit: Stephen Murphy, Seascape 1, Some Rights Reserved, CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0 , No changes were made, via Flickr .

Giving photo credits in a blog post can be done in a few ways:

• Caption : You can include the credit in the caption of the photo. This is often done in the format “Photo by [Photographer’s Name]” or “Image courtesy of [Photographer’s Name or Source]”.
• End of the Post : You can list all photo credits at the end of the blog post. This is a good option if you have multiple photos from different sources.
• Within the Text : If the photo is being discussed in the blog post, you can include the credit within the text itself, such as “This photo, taken by [Photographer’s Name], shows…”
• On the Photo : In some cases, you might put the credit directly on the photo, usually in a corner, in small text. This is less common in blog posts but can be a good option for certain types of images.

Occasionally on websites (such as this one), it’s not possible to include image credits in the featured image (aka showcase images) due to limitations of the website theme.

In this case, the photographer’s credit can be given elsewhere in the article, or creative commons images should be used which do not legally require a photo caption or for the image owner to be credited.

What About Laws on Giving Proper Credit?

Laws about photo credits vary by country and can be complex, but they generally fall under copyright law.

In many jurisdictions, photographers automatically hold the copyright to their photos as soon as they’re taken, and others need permission to use these photos in certain ways.

Giving photo credit does not necessarily give you the right to use a photo. Even if you credit the photographer, you could still be infringing on their copyright if you use their photo without permission.

This is especially true for commercial use, but it can also apply to non-commercial use depending on the jurisdiction and the specific circumstances.

In some cases, a Creative Commons license or other type of license might allow you to use a photo without asking for permission, as long as you follow the terms of the license, which often include giving credit.

Failing to give credit or using a photo without permission can result in legal consequences, including fines. If you’re unsure about the laws in your country or the terms of a specific license, it’s a good idea to consult with a legal professional.

US Image Copyright Law on Image Credits

In the United States , copyright law protects original works of authorship, including photographs, as soon as they are created in a fixed form. This means that the photographer automatically holds the copyright to any photos they take.

Under U.S. copyright law, it’s generally illegal to use someone else’s copyrighted work without their permission.

This applies even if you give them credit, and even if you’re not using the photo for commercial purposes.

There are some exceptions, such as fair use, but these are complex and depend on the specific circumstances.

FAQs on Giving Photo Credit

Why is giving photo credit important?

Giving photo credit is important because it acknowledges the work of the photographer. It respects their intellectual property rights and can also provide exposure for their work.

How do I give photo credit?

Photo credit can be given by mentioning the photographer’s name and, if applicable, the source of the image. This can be done in a caption or description of the image, or directly on the image itself.

Is it always necessary to give photo credit?

While it’s always good practice to give credit, it’s especially important when using someone else’s work under a Creative Commons license or similar agreement. If you’re unsure, it’s best to ask for permission and give credit to avoid potential copyright issues.

Can I use a photo without giving credit if it’s from a free stock photo site?

While some free stock photo sites don’t require you to give credit, it’s still considered good practice to do so. Always check the site’s terms of use to be sure.

What happens if I don’t give photo credit?

Not giving photo credit can lead to copyright infringement issues, which can result in legal action. It’s also disrespectful to the photographer who put time and effort into creating the image. What’s the difference between image credits and photo credits?

“Image credits” and “photo credits” are terms that are often used interchangeably. Both refer to the practice of acknowledging the creator of an image or photograph.

However, there can be a slight difference in usage based on the type of visual media being credited.

“Photo credit” is typically used when referring specifically to photographs, while “image credit” might be used in a broader sense to include other types of images, such as illustrations, graphics, or digital artwork.

How can you get the owner’s permission to use an image?

To get the owner’s permission to use an image, you first need to identify and contact the copyright holder, which is typically the photographer or the agency that represents them.

You can then send them a request detailing how and where you plan to use the image and ask for their permission.

If they agree, they may provide you with a license or written agreement, which could involve a fee or other conditions, or they might simply give you permission to use the image for free.

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Ana Mireles is a Mexican researcher that specializes in photography and communications for the arts and culture sector.

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March 19, 2021

Image Credits 101: How To Give Image Credits [With Examples]

Giving credit where credit is due is always the respectful way to say thanks, and is sometimes a requirement to use an image. Depending on the license terms set by the creator, they may give you special permission to use their image as long as you follow the terms. This is most common in a Creative Commons (CC) type license, where the creator grants permission at no cost, but requires something in return, e.g., attribution, no modifications, or non-commercial use.If you wish to give credit, or comply with a CC license, this guide will cover everything you need to know about image credit and give you practical tips and actual examples.

Image credits 101

It’s important to know that giving credit on its own does not entitle you to use an image . For instance, an image published under an “ All Rights Reserved ” license (the default copyright grant, unless stated otherwise), means no rights are granted for any use. You must get explicit permission from the rights-holder, and/or secure a license before you use the image. In the event therefore that you properly credited a work but never received permission from the image owner, you can find yourself in legal trouble. As there are some misconceptions in this topic, it’s important to clarify the ins and outs of image crediting.

What is image credit?

Image credit is where the image user gives attribution to the image owner. It serves two main purposes:

• It transparently showcases that the image does not belong to the user but is the visual property of a certain image owner.
• It gives a fair warning to others that they too must follow the image owner’s terms and conditions if they would like to use that piece of work.

More often than not, the presented information will only be the image owner’s name and a copyright notice. That on its own should signal who to contact in the event of re-use. Since 1989, it’s not required to attach a copyright notice to images in the USA , therefore you might find one without any information regarding attribution — although, photographers and all image owners are more than likely to still share that so they can protect their images online .

With that said, if you encounter an image without credit or contact information for the image owner, always remember that someone is likely the copyright holder and it cannot be used without permission or a license. If you cannot find the owner, you must consider not using that image and look for another one that you can clearly license from the image owner.

Why is it important to give image credit?

Giving credit where credit is due could be the simple answer to why giving credit is important. For a more detailed explanation, let’s look at the perspective of both the image owner and the image user. From the perspective of the image owner:

• The image owner will feel appreciated for their work
• It’s a way to advertise their work and thus a possible source of new business
• In some cases it clearly displays the terms of a license, for example with Creative Commons (CC) images, and informs other viewers of the possible terms of re-use

From the perspective of the image user: It’s the law-abiding behavior (in some countries image owners have the legal right to be attributed to their work)

• In some cases it makes a use legally compliant with the terms of a license, for example with Creative Commons images, and again, informs other viewers of the possible terms of re-use

Variations for image credit

To understand how to give credit and the terms and conditions set for a given image here are some commonly used terms:

• Copyright: Copyright is the right to “(1) distribute the work, (2) reproduce (or make copies of) the work, (3) display the work (for example, a painting that you want to allow a museum to publicly display), (4) perform the work, and (5) create Derivative Works based upon the original work”, and it’s also often referred to with the copyright symbol ©
• Image license: Image license is referring to what license the image owners are giving the potential users (see the next points for commonly used licenses)
• All Rights Reserved: All Rights Reserved signals the potential image user that they can only use that specific visual work if they received permission personally or directly from the image owner who has “all rights reserved” for it
• Some Rights Reserved: Some Rights Reserved refers to the fact that image owners can move on a spectrum of choices when it comes to the types of rights they reserve for their work — if you see this, make sure to read the set terms extra carefully to get to know every little detail about how you must give credit
• Creative Commons: Creative Commons (CC) license is a legal framework for enabling the copyrighted work to be distributed under certain conditions, set by the image owner — you can learn about the seven types of Creative Commons licenses here

• Fair Use: Fair use means that the copyrighted photo can only be used for educational, personal or research purposes or if it’s beneficial to the public — a common misunderstanding is that fair use rules out all commercial uses, however, courts always balance “the purpose and character of use” against a number of factors, meaning that there is a possibility that a “fair use” image would be allowed to get used for commercial purposes but you must clarify that with the image owner
• Public Domain: Public Domain is the absence of copyright, meaning that the given work is not subject to copyright or other legal restrictions — this can happen if the owner of the work died or abandoned all rights related to it which is called the relinquishment of copyright

These are some of the common terms that will navigate you in the direction of image credits related to the given visual work online. However, as mentioned above, be prudent and do everything in your power to be law-abiding by asking for permission and then following the rules for use set by the image owner. If you cannot find them or you’re not sure about the terms and conditions set, ask the image owner. If you cannot contact them for any reason, move on and find an image that you can credit with confidence.

How to give image credits

• Make sure you can use the image in the first place. In some cases, the image owner won’t give permission to use their work in any form, or in other instances, as mentioned, you might not be able to use it because the image credits are missing, you cannot contact the owner to clarify the rules and there is just no legally safe option to use the image and give credit
• If the image owner and the image credits allow you to use the image, take time to learn in what way you can actually use it. Some image owners or photographers restrict usage by platform, i.e., online vs print or others may let you use the image online but with the exception of using it in an advertisement.
• Place the image credits adjacent to the photo which usually means below it or positioned somewhere along one edge.
• Make the image credit noticeable and readable. Besides placing it near the image it refers to, use a font style and size that is easy to see and understand.
• Follow this image credit template unless it has to be modified specifically because of the image owner’s required terms and conditions for the given image you would like to use:

[Image owner’s name] [Title of work] [Date of creation] [Link to the image owner/ source] Example: Photographer Penny, “Rockefeller Center”, 2021, via www.pennyphotos.co.uk

Image credit rules of popular platforms

Once again, whatever site policies and image crediting recommendations you may run into online, it’s advised to always contact the image owner and ask for their permission to use the image (unless you share something you created). Naturally, on some platforms, i.e., social media sites, where millions of pictures are in circulation without image credits, this can be extremely difficult — but that only raises the importance of the matter.

1. Image credit rules of Facebook and Instagram

Facebook and Instagram have the exact same copyright policy due to the fact that both are owned by Facebook. While stock sites, for example, as a collection of images have the intent to either only showcase images or help them get sold, Facebook and Instagram focus on (social) sharing which brings its own challenges when it comes to the practice of image crediting.

‍ The basic rules of Facebook and Instagram to avoid image crediting issues:

• You can only post content to these platforms that don’t violate anybody’s intellectual property right or copyright.
• Only post images or other works (e.g., text or audio, too) that you created as it’s fairly easy to walk into copyright issues with other types of content on these platforms.

Common image crediting misbeliefs in social media:

• You think you modified or added your own original material to the work to a “sufficient” extent so it wouldn’t count as copyright infringement — FALSE .
• Found the content “available on the internet” and posted it thinking that if it wasn’t credited there, you don’t have to do it either — FALSE .
• You saw that others posted the same content as well and believed it was all right for you to do the same, without thinking of any possible legal requirements — FALSE .
• You believe if you embed the post into your site, without actually hosting the image, that you are protected — FALSE.

A recent court case found that the website is still liable for copyright infringement when embedding without the creator’s permission. Instagram also updated their Terms and Conditions to require the embedder to have the creator's permission and/or a license before embedding a post.

‍ Due to the nature of social media sites, it’s advised to give image credit to image owners the same way you would do it anywhere else which is following what they asked for on their platforms. In addition, you can use the extra functions provided by these platforms, tagging the image owner with the @ symbol if they are present there but that should be a plus. On the other hand, if the image was originally posted on the artist’s Facebook profile or Instagram account, a tagging may be all you need — after asking for permission and discussing the image owner’s wishes before posting.

2. Image credit rules of GIPHY

GIFs, as part of today’s meme culture, have the potential to go viral and with that, lose image credits along the way (if they had any to begin with). However, let’s state it first and foremost: yes, GIFs are subject to copyright as well. On the other hand, as Lexology points out, they are actually not always 100% original work but contain “snippets of existing copyright material (e.g., a short sequence from a film or similar motion video)” — in fact, the most popular GIFs do.

Therefore, GIFs certainly present a unique problem regarding their creator who works with unlicensed material and the person who shares the GIF, not being authorized to do so. This means that currently, the legality of using GIFs is still not a clear issue.

GIPHY, as the world’s first and largest GIF search engine, home to more than 10 million GIFs, stickers and animated content, acknowledges this the following way in their community guidelines :

• “Credit the Community”: a guideline to use GIPHY’s share tools to give credit to the original creator of the work
• “Sharing”: highlighting the importance of properly sharing and embedding GIFs on blogs and social media accounts, being aware that the use complies with “any laws applicable where you’re located”

Illustration: via GIPHY

It can also happen that a GIF gets uploaded on GIPHY’s platform that is already a clear subject of copyright infringement — in that case, GIPHY acts in accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) .

3. Image credit rules of WordPress

WordPress, first and foremost acts as a blog engine that helps people share their own work, yet, creators can easily turn into image users on the platform if they wish to use illustrations for their posts.For such cases, WordPress has a “Prevent Content Theft” section where they encourage content producers to include a clear copyright notice on their site with a full name, a site name and the current year, plus a statement of rights that they advise to put in the sidebar or footer. Besides they follow the DMCA process to protect images.

Other than that, WordPress advises to first ask for the permission of the image owner to use their content and then, according to the general practice, placing the image credit beneath the image, stating the name of the creator with a link to the source if possible. Nevertheless, in the first place, don’t forget to comply with the image licensing rules of the image owner and the image source itself when phrasing the attribution.It’s good to know that in the WordPress editor, content creators are now specifically prompted to give image credits. When a user uploads an image to a post, below it a “Write a caption” title will appear — this is a perfect placement for image credits.

4. Image credit rules of Flickr

Flickr supports a total of 11 image license types from “All Rights Reserved” to “No known copyright restrictions”.

Photographers usually praise Flickr as its default license setting of uploaded images is “All Rights Reserved”. This means, even if the creator forgets about this option when sharing their picture on the platform, they will be able to easily defend their work if any legal problems would occur later as they never gave permission for use in the first place (“just” by sharing it).

As an image user, make sure to check what license to follow for the Flickr image you would like to use and make sure to give credits accordingly. Besides “All Rights Reserved” (where you cannot use the creator’s image without their explicit permission), you’ll see that Flickr’s system relies on the CC licenses, e.g., the “Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)” which says:

“You must give appropriate credit , provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made . You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.”

‍ Appropriate Flickr image crediting, in this case, means providing:

• Name of the creator and attribution parties
• Title of the material
• Copyright notice
• License notice
• Disclaimer notice
• Link to the material

5. Image credit rules of Unsplash

To look at a different example or the other end of the spectrum, there’s Unsplash, “the internet’s source of freely-usable images ”, where you can download and use all photos for free, even for commercial and non-commercial purposes and without any permission needed.With that said, there are permitted actions for photos found on Unsplash as well:

• You cannot sell photos: learn more here
• You cannot compile photos to replicate a similar or competing service

Furthermore, although attribution is not required, as discussed, it’s always nice to give credit to the photographer and Unsplash provides a concrete example as well: “Photo by Jeremy Bishop on Unsplash ”.

When a user clicks on the “Download free” button next to a photograph, they’re even prompted to give a shout-out to the creator or copy the image credit text already written for them which they can paste to the platform where they will use the picture.

+1: How do you give credit to Google or Pinterest images?

If you want to use an image you found on Google or Pinterest, it’s important to know that simply referring to Google or Pinterest as the source, will not be satisfactory. Google is a search engine and although Pinterest is mostly perceived as a social platform, it also shares a similar functionality. Therefore, none of these can be accepted and signalled as the original source of an image and you must track the actual creator and/or owner to get their permission. As with other platforms, if you cannot find the person, don’t gamble: find another image that you can properly credit.

Image credits: ask for permission, follow the rules

The easiest way to give image credit would be if it wasn’t needed at all because you purchased the work of the image owner and are free to use it. However, even in some of those cases, the scope of use could be limited, depending on the arrangement.

All in all, giving image credit as an image user must always start with asking for the owner’s permission and following the image crediting rules they set for the given work.

For more practical tips and advice around copyright, visit the Pixsy Academy and learn about your rights as a visual property user.

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