MLA 9th Edition · Chart
How to Cite A Chart in MLA 9th Edition
MLA 9th Edition treats a chart as a containerized work: artist or creator, italicized title, date, and the website or museum that hosts it. Humanities courses usually want an Accessed date for online charts. A chart citation should recover the dataset or report behind the numbers, not just the slide that reused the visual.
Image Citation Generator
MLA Style
9th Edition (Section 5.34)💡 "Copy Formatted" copies with HTML styling so pasting into Microsoft Word or Google Docs retains italicized titles and indentation automatically.
MLA 9th formula for a chart
Creator Last Name, First Name. Title of Work in Title Case. Year. Website or Museum, URL. Accessed Day Mon. Year.
Italics: Italicize artwork and photograph titles in title case; website names are also italicized as containers. Year position: After the title, as its own element (not in parentheses).
Worked example
In-text citation
(Ritchie)
Template: (Creator) or (Creator, fig. X)
Figure caption
Fig. 1. Hannah Ritchie, Global CO₂ emissions by fuel type, 2023, Our World in Data, ourworldindata.org/co2-emissions.
Special rules for charts
- Credit the analyst or organization that published the chart and name the underlying data source when listed.
- If you redraw the chart, cite the data source and note that the figure is adapted.
- Include the chart title exactly as published; add [Chart] or [Graph] when the style needs a format tag.
Source of truth: The dataset or report that produced the chart—not only the slide deck that reused it.
Common mistakes
- Citing only “Statista” without the specific chart title and year.
- Pointing readers to a dashboard login wall with no public URL.
- Treating a screenshot of a chart as a photograph without noting it is a chart.
FAQ
How do you cite a chart in MLA 9th?
Build one MLA 9th reference from creator → date → title → “Chart” → 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 chart in MLA 9th?
Match the creator spelling used in the reference entry and apply (Creator) or (Creator, fig. X). If the chart is labeled as a numbered figure in the paper, add that figure number only where your instructor’s MLA 9th handout allows.
Do I need a figure caption when I include a chart in my paper (MLA 9th)?
Only if you reprint the visual. A mention in prose needs in-text + reference list; a reproduced chart 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 chart?
Start on the object or article page that displays the chart, 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 charts in MLA 9th?
Students often citing only “Statista” without the specific chart title and year. Another frequent miss: treating a cropped social share as the publisher of record.
How is citing a chart different from citing a generic online photo in MLA 9th?
A generic photo citation can stop at photographer + site + URL. For charts, you also have to capture credit the analyst or organization that published the chart and name the underlying data source when listed. That extra field is what keeps the entry recoverable.