Using images, tables & other visual material in your work

Example 1: own original image with figure number and description. Caption underneath figure.

Figure 1. Foxgloves (digitalis purpurea) in Rivelin Valley, Sheffield

Example 2: own original table with table number, title and specific note. Caption underneath figure.

Table 1. Number of reported sightings of raptor species 2020-2024 at site B.
^a Data collection begun February 2020. ^b Number of sightings impacted by reduction in visitor numbers due to COVID restrictions. ^c Data collection ends November 2024.

Example 3: Own original figure based on, or inspired by, an existing source, with figure number, title and multiple citations. Caption above figure. References included (Magazine/ Podcast/ Webpage).

Figure 2. Fundamental principles of Universal Design for Learning. (Merry, 2021, 2022; Queen Mary Academy, n.d.)

References:

Merry, K. (2021). Adopting universal design for learning- it's just good teaching. AHEAD Journal. (13). https://www.ahead.ie/journal/Adopting-Universal-Design-for-Learning-Its-Just-Good-Teaching 
Merry, K.(Host).(2022, February 16). All things UDL with Katie Novak (Episode 9) [Audio podcast episode]. In Talking Learning & Teaching. https://drkevinl.wixsite.com/drkevinlmerry/podcast/episode/2a077219/episode-9-all-things-udl-with-katie-novak
Queen Mary Academy. (n.d.). Universal design for learning. Queen Mary University of London. Retrieved July 17, 2025 from https://www.qmul.ac.uk/queenmaryacademy/educators/resources/inclusive-curriculum/universal-design-for-learning/

Example 4: Public Domain image with figure number, title, citation, and rights attribution. Caption above figure. Reference included (Edited edition or Republished book).

Figure 3. "Somebody has been at my porridge, and has eaten it all up!" Illustration by Arthur Rackham. (Steel, 1918/ 2005, p. 22). Public Domain.

Reference:
Steel, F.A. (2005). English Fairy Tales (A. Rackham, Illus., S. Shell & J. Blenkinsop, Eds.). Macmillan & Co.; Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/17034/17034-h/17034-h.htm#illus-1 (Original work published 1918).

Example 5: Creative Commons image with figure number, title, citation and rights attribution in full. Caption underneath figure. Reference included (Webpage)

Figure 4. Bull elephant, Loxodonta Africana, in Kruger National Park, South Africa. (Andrews, 2005). Felix Andrews. Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported

Reference:
Andrews, F. (2005). Elephant side-view Kruger. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elephant_side-view_Kruger.jpg 

Example 6: Adapted Open Government graph with figure number, title, citation, rights attribution and key. Caption underneath figure. Reference included (Report).

;

Figure 5.  Annual CPIH and CPI inflation rates eased in February 2025: CPIH, owner occupiers' housing (OOH) costs component and CPI annual inflation rates, UK, February 2015 to February 2025 [Adapted]. (Office for National Statistics, 2025, p.4). Open Government Licence 3.0

Reference:
Office for National Statistics. (2025). Statistical bulletin: consumer price inflation, UK: February 2025. https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/inflationandpriceindices/bulletins/consumerpriceinflation/february2025

Example 7: AI-generated artist's impression with figure number, description, and citation (Rights attribution not necessary in this case). Caption above figure. Reference included (AI).

Figure 6. Artist's impression of proposed new building [AI-generated]. (Microsoft, 2025).

Reference:
Microsoft. (2025). Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat [Large language model]. https://copilot.cloud.microsoft/ 

Example 8: Copyrighted image with figure number, title, citation,  rights attribution and general note. Caption above figure.  Reference included (webpage).

Figure 7. Sheffield College of Art. Group of students in the modelling studio of the School of Art, Arundel Gate. (SHIMMER, 1905).  © Sheffield Hallam University. 

Note. This photograph was obtained from SHIMMER, the digital image archive of Sheffield Hallam University. The identity of the photographer is unknown.

Reference:
SHIMMER (1905). Sheffield College of Art (Image ID 81-4556). https://shimmer.shu.ac.uk/luna/servlet/s/bl2m53

Example 9: decorative Creative Commons image with abbreviated rights attribution. Caption underneath figure.

Randall Monroe. CC BY-NC 2.5

Example 10: Own original decorative image- no need for caption

Captions can either go above or underneath a figure. Because of this, our examples include a mix of figures with both the caption above and underneath them. This is to help you understand how the captions would look and work in the two different locations.

However, in your own work, you should choose just one location for your captions. You should either have all your captions above the figures or all your captions underneath the figures.

Whichever location you use, any notes your figure has always go underneath the figure.

Any reference will always go in your reference list.