MLA 9th Edition · Infographic
How to Cite An Infographic in MLA 9th Edition
MLA 9th Edition treats an infographic 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 infographics. Infographic citations split credit between the designer/publisher and any data sources printed on the graphic.
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 an infographic
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
(National Geographic)
Template: (Creator) or (Creator, fig. X)
Figure caption
Fig. 1. National Geographic, Plastic waste in the oceans, 2021, National Geographic, www.nationalgeographic.com.
Special rules for infographics
- Use [Infographic] as the format tag in APA and similar styles.
- If the graphic aggregates third-party statistics, prefer citing those sources for factual claims while still crediting the visual.
- Record the publication date printed on the graphic when available.
Source of truth: The organization that designed and published the infographic, plus any cited data sources listed on the graphic.
Common mistakes
- Treating a viral social share as the publisher instead of the original organization.
- Ignoring small-print data attributions on the infographic itself.
- Omitting Accessed dates when the hosting page updates the graphic quietly.
FAQ
How do you cite an infographic in MLA 9th?
Build one MLA 9th reference from creator → date → title → “Infographic” → 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 an infographic in MLA 9th?
Match the creator spelling used in the reference entry and apply (Creator) or (Creator, fig. X). If the infographic 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 an infographic in my paper (MLA 9th)?
Only if you reprint the visual. A mention in prose needs in-text + reference list; a reproduced infographic 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 an infographic?
Start on the object or article page that displays the infographic, 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 infographics in MLA 9th?
Students often treating a viral social share as the publisher instead of the original organization. Another frequent miss: treating a cropped social share as the publisher of record.
How is citing an infographic different from citing a generic online photo in MLA 9th?
A generic photo citation can stop at photographer + site + URL. For infographics, you also have to capture use [Infographic] as the format tag in APA and similar styles. That extra field is what keeps the entry recoverable.