Harvard Referencing · Diagram
How to Cite A Diagram in Harvard Edition
Harvard author–date referencing cites a diagram with the creator and year in the text, then a reference-list entry that typically includes Available at: and an Accessed date for online sources. Diagram citations belong to the textbook or manual that published the figure, not a scraped study-guide mirror.
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Harvard formula for a diagram
Creator, A.A. (Year) Title of image [Diagram]. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).
Italics: Italicize the image title; place the medium in square brackets in roman type. Year position: In parentheses immediately after the creator name.
Worked example
In-text citation
(National Institutes of Health, 2020)
Template: (Creator, Year) or Creator (Year)
Figure caption
Figure 1 National Institutes of Health (2020) Structure of a neuron [Diagram]. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Special rules for diagrams
- Name the diagram title and the chapter or figure number when the source uses one.
- If you redraw a process diagram, mark it as adapted and cite the original.
- For scientific schematics, keep labels consistent with the source terminology.
Source of truth: The textbook, paper, or technical manual that published the diagram.
Common mistakes
- Citing a study-guide site that scraped the diagram instead of the textbook.
- Dropping figure numbers that readers need to find the original.
- Calling a flowchart a photograph in the format field.
FAQ
How do you cite a diagram in Harvard?
Build one Harvard reference from creator → date → title → “Diagram” → host. Then paste the finished string into your reference list; do not leave the format field blank or point to a search-results URL.
What is the in-text citation for a diagram in Harvard?
Match the creator spelling used in the reference entry and apply (Creator, Year) or Creator (Year). If the diagram is labeled as a numbered figure in the paper, add that figure number only where your instructor’s Harvard handout allows.
Do I need a figure caption when I include a diagram in my paper (Harvard)?
Only if you reprint the visual. A mention in prose needs in-text + reference list; a reproduced diagram also needs a numbered caption so readers can connect the picture on the page to the bibliography entry.
Where should I look for source details for a diagram?
Start on the object or article page that displays the diagram, then read the credit line, about panel, or download metadata. Skip aggregator cards and thumbnail feeds—they rarely carry a citable creator or permanent link.
What is a common mistake when citing diagrams in Harvard?
Students often citing a study-guide site that scraped the diagram instead of the textbook. Another frequent miss: treating a cropped social share as the publisher of record.
How is citing a diagram different from citing a generic online photo in Harvard?
A generic photo citation can stop at photographer + site + URL. For diagrams, you also have to capture name the diagram title and the chapter or figure number when the source uses one. That extra field is what keeps the entry recoverable.