How to Write Figure Captions

A figure caption labels a visual and explains what it shows in one clear line. In MLA, the label and caption sit below the figure and read “Fig. 1. Monthly rainfall in Portland, 2020–2024.” In APA, they sit above it, with a bold figure number on one line and an italic title beneath: “Figure 1” then “Monthly Rainfall in Portland, 2020–2024.” The label numbers the figure so you can refer to it in your text, and the caption tells the reader what to look for. Below are the rules for both styles, plus how to caption a graph, chart, or table.

What counts as a figure

In academic writing, a “figure” is anything visual that is not a table: a photograph, a chart, a graph, a diagram, a map, or a drawing. A table, which is data arranged in rows and columns, is labeled separately as a table. Every figure needs a number and a caption so you can point to it (“as Fig. 2 shows”) and so the reader knows what they are looking at without hunting through your paragraphs.

Figure captions in MLA 9

MLA places the label and caption directly below the figure, with the same margins as your text. Write “Fig.” and the Arabic numeral, a period, then the caption in plain text, not bold or italic.

• Fig. 1. Monthly rainfall in Portland, 2020–2024. Data from the National Weather Service.

If the caption gives full source information, you usually do not need a separate Works Cited entry for that figure; if it gives only a short credit, include the full citation on your Works Cited page. In your text, refer to it as “Fig. 1,” abbreviated, wherever you mention it. The mechanics of citing a source pulled from the web, which many figures are, are in how to cite a quote from a website.

Figure captions in APA 7

APA puts the figure information above the image, in a specific stack. The word “Figure” and its number are bold on the first line. The figure title goes on the next line, in italics and title case. Below the image, a note (not italic) can add explanation, define abbreviations, and give the source.

• Figure 1
• Monthly Rainfall in Portland, 2020–2024
• Note. Data from the National Weather Service (2024).

APA numbers figures in the order they appear, with Arabic numerals, and does not require a note unless something needs explaining. The core APA citation rules that a figure’s source note follows are in how to cite a quote.

How to write a caption for a graph or chart

A graph is a figure, so it follows the figure rules above, but the caption should also make the graph readable on its own. State what is being measured and over what range, not just “a graph.”

• Weak: “Fig. 4. A bar graph.”
• Better: “Fig. 4. Average test scores by grade level, fall 2025. Error bars show standard deviation.”

Name the variables, the time frame or population, and anything a reader needs to interpret the axes, such as units or what the error bars mean. Do not repeat the axis labels word for word; add the context the axes cannot fit. A caption you can read without looking at the graph, and still understand, is doing its job.

Tables versus figures

The two are labeled differently, and mixing them up is the most common mistake. In MLA, a table’s label and caption go above it, while a figure’s go below. In APA, both tables and figures put their number and title above, but a table is called “Table 1” and a figure is called “Figure 1.” Number your tables in one sequence and your figures in another, so you can have a Table 1 and a Figure 1 in the same paper. Keep the numbering in the order the items first appear in your text.

FAQ

Does the figure caption go above or below in MLA and APA?

In MLA, the figure label and caption go below the figure. In APA, the figure number and title go above the figure, with any explanatory note below it. Tables differ: MLA also puts a table’s label above the table.

Do I write “Figure” or “Fig.” in the caption?

MLA abbreviates it to “Fig.” in the caption and in text. APA spells out “Figure” in full and makes the figure number bold. Match whichever style your paper uses and stay consistent throughout.

How do I number figures?

Use Arabic numerals in the order the figures first appear in your text: Figure 1, Figure 2, and so on. Tables get their own separate sequence, so a paper can contain both a Table 1 and a Figure 1.

Do I need to cite the source in a figure caption?

Yes, if the figure or its data came from another source. In MLA, add the credit to the caption and a full entry on the Works Cited page if the caption is brief. In APA, give the source in the note beneath the figure. A figure you made yourself from your own data does not need an outside citation.