• A table is a clear presentation of facts, usually in the form of numbers, in rows and columns.
• According to APA, a figure is any image that is not a table, such as diagrams, illustrations, drawings, photographs, maps and infographics.

Sometimes you may want to refer to a specific figure, table or image in a book without including the image itself in your text. You can add information that makes it easier for the reader to find the specific image, for example, the page number.

In-text citation:

• (American Psychological Association, 2020, Figure 2.3)
• The American Psychological Association illustrates what an author note can look like (2020, Figure 2.3) and...

Reference example:

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000 

Tables and figures have the same overall setup, according to the 7th edition of APA. Follow these steps:

• The tables and figures should be numbered in bold. This is placed above the title.
• Tables and figures should have headings in italics, placed below the number.
• Tables and figures may have an explanatory note to describe the content in the table/figure which needs clarification (e.g. explanations of abbreviations or asterisks). Start the note with the word Comment in italics.
• Tables and figures should have a note below, with a complete source citation if the table/figure is taken from another source. Copyright attribution should also be included. Copyright could for example be owned by the publishing company. 
• Tables and figures should also have complete references in the reference list.

You can find templates for what should be written about the source under the table or figure on APA Style Blog: Navigating Copyright for Reproduced Images: Part 4. Writing the Copyright Statement

Example of a table from a publication or web page

In-text citation:

• (See Table 1)
• In Table 1...

In the reference list: 

Andersson, A., & Bailey, B. (2019). Reading and understanding. Journal of Reading, (5), 29.

Example of a figure from a publication or web page

Figure 1

Narrower and broader search terms

Note. From "How to search - step by step," by Jönköping University Library, n.d., (https://guides.library.ju.se/how-to-search/choosing-search-terms). Used with permission.

In-text citation:

• (See Figure 1)
• In Figure 1...

In the reference list:

Jönköping University Library. (n.d.). How to search - step by step. https://guides.library.ju.se/how-to-search/plan-your-search

Example of your own figure

In-text citation:

• (See Figure 1)
• In Figure 1...

• If you are using an AI tool to create, for example, a figure, it is a good idea to look at the terms of use of your AI tool. They state what you are allowed to do with the image you create.
• We recommend that you write which AI tool you have used in the figure's comment.

Example of your own AI-created figure or table:

Figure 1

The proportion of printed and electronic books at Jönköping University Library

Note. Statistics from the library's collection in 2024. The figure was created using Microsoft Copilot.