A chart or graph in APA is classified as a figure, and citing one follows the same logic as any other figure: if you embed it in your paper, you format it with a figure number, title, and copyright note; if you only discuss it in the text, you cite the source it came from. The reference format depends on where the chart originated — a bar chart from a journal article, a pie chart from a government report, and an infographic from a website each require different reference structures.
Two Ways to Cite a Chart or Graph
1. Embedding the Chart as a Figure
When you include the chart directly in your paper, format it as an APA figure:
Figure 2
Annual Carbon Emissions by Sector, 2015–2023
Note. From Global Carbon Budget 2023 (p. 42), by P. Friedlingstein et al., 2023, Earth System Science Data (https://doi.org/10.xxxx/essd-2023). Copyright 2023 by Copernicus Publications. CC BY 4.0.
2. Discussing the Chart in Text
When you reference a chart without embedding it:
Friedlingstein et al. (2023) reported a steady increase in transportation-sector emissions between 2015 and 2023 (see Figure 3, p. 42).
Or:
Transportation-sector emissions rose steadily over the period studied (Friedlingstein et al., 2023, Figure 3).
Reference Format by Source Type
Chart From a Journal Article
Cite the article itself — the chart is part of the article:
Author(s). (Year). Title of article. Title of Journal, Volume(Issue), Page range. https://doi.org/xxxxx
Example:
Friedlingstein, P., O'Sullivan, M., Jones, M. W., Andrew, R. M., & Hauck, J. (2023). Global carbon budget 2023. Earth System Science Data, 15(12), 5301–5369. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5301-2023
Chart From a Report or White Paper
Author(s) or Organization. (Year). Title of report. Publisher. URL
Example:
World Health Organization. (2024). Global tuberculosis report 2024. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240000000
Chart From a Website
Author(s) or Organization. (Year, Month Day). Title of page or chart [Chart]. Site Name. URL
Example:
Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2024, January 5). Consumer Price Index summary [Chart]. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm
Chart From a Database (e.g., Statista, Our World in Data)
Author(s) or Organization. (Year). Title of chart [Chart]. Database Name. URL
Example:
Ritchie, H., & Roser, M. (2024). CO₂ emissions by fuel type [Line graph]. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions
Infographic
Creator(s) or Organization. (Year). Title of infographic [Infographic]. Site Name. URL
Example:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). How flu spreads [Infographic]. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/spread/infographic.htm
Creating Your Own Chart From Someone Else's Data
When you build your own chart or graph using data from another source, you don't need a "Reprinted from" or "Adapted from" note — but you must credit the data source:
Figure 4
Unemployment Rate by Education Level, 2020–2024
Note. Data from Current Population Survey, by Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024 (https://www.bls.gov/cps/). In the public domain.
The phrase "Data from" signals that the chart design is yours, but the numbers come from an external source.
Format Descriptors for Charts and Graphs
Use the most specific descriptor that fits:
- [Chart]
- [Bar chart]
- [Line graph]
- [Pie chart]
- [Scatter plot]
- [Histogram]
- [Area chart]
- [Infographic]
- [Graph]
- [Flow chart]
In-Text Citations
In-text citations for charts follow standard APA rules based on the source type:
| Scenario | Parenthetical | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| Article with authors | (Friedlingstein et al., 2023) | Friedlingstein et al. (2023) |
| Organization as author | (World Health Organization, 2024) | World Health Organization (2024) |
| Website with no individual author | (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2024) | Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024) |
When referring to a specific chart within a source, you can direct readers to the exact figure:
(Friedlingstein et al., 2023, Figure 3)
Copyright Notes for Embedded Charts
Reprinted Exactly
Note. From "Title of article or report" (p. Page), by A. Author, Year, Source Name (URL). Copyright Year by Copyright Holder. Reprinted with permission.
Adapted
If you modified the chart (changed colors, combined categories, added annotations):
Note. Adapted from "Title of article or report" (p. Page), by A. Author, Year, Source Name (URL). Copyright Year by Copyright Holder.
Open License
Note. From "Title," by A. Author, Year, Source Name (URL). CC BY 4.0.
Your Own Chart, External Data
Note. Data from Title of data source, by A. Author, Year (URL). Copyright Year by Copyright Holder.
Common Chart Citation Mistakes
- Citing only the chart, not the source. A chart from a journal article is cited as the article, not as a standalone image.
- Using the wrong format descriptor. Be specific — [Bar chart] is better than [Chart] when the type is clear.
- Forgetting "Data from" for self-created charts. When you build the chart from external data, the figure note must credit the data source.
- Citing a secondary source. If a blog post republishes a WHO chart, cite the WHO report — not the blog.
- Using title case for axis labels. Axis labels on charts you create should use sentence case.
- Missing the in-text reference. Every figure must be mentioned by number in the body of your paper.
What's Next
- APA Figures — complete figure formatting rules
- How to Cite an Image in APA — broader rules for citing visual sources
- APA Tables — formatting rules for data presented in rows and columns
Archivero helps you focus on your research while keeping the formatting consistent — so you can present data visually without worrying about whether to cite the chart, the article, or the dataset.
