How to Cite Artwork in APA Format (7th Edition)
Complete guide to citing artwork in APA 7. Covers paintings, sculptures, photographs, and museum collections.
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Introduction to Artwork Citation in APA Format
When citing artwork in APA format, it is essential to follow specific guidelines to ensure consistency and clarity. The 7th edition of the American Psychological Association (APA) Publication Manual provides clear rules for how to format citations for various types of sources, including artwork. This guide will help you understand the necessary components for citing artwork, including how to correctly format author names, titles, publication information, and URLs.
Basic Structure of Artwork Citations
Artwork citations typically include the following components:
- Artist's Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title of the artwork [Description of the work]. Website Name. URL
This structure is essential for ensuring that your readers can easily locate the source.
Key Components Explained
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Artist's Name: The artist's name is presented in the inverted format. This means the last name appears first, followed by the first initial. If the artist has a middle name, include the middle initial after the first initial.
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Year: The year of creation should be included in parentheses immediately after the artist's name.
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Title: The title of the artwork should be italicized. If the title includes a subtitle, separate it with a colon.
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Description of the Work: Include a brief description of the work in square brackets. This might encompass the type of artwork, such as painting, sculpture, or photograph.
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Website Name: If the artwork is found online, include the name of the website from which it was retrieved.
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URL: Provide the direct URL to the artwork. This URL should be a live hyperlink if the document is digital.
Formatting Examples
Example 1: Single Artist
Smith, J. (2020). Starry night [Painting]. Art Institute of Chicago. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/123456
Explanation: In this example, the artist's last name "Smith" is followed by the first initial "J." The year of creation is 2020, followed by the italicized title of the artwork "Starry night." The description "[Painting]" specifies the type of artwork. The name of the institution, "Art Institute of Chicago," is included, followed by the URL where the artwork can be viewed.
Example 2: Two Authors
Johnson, L., & Brown, M. (2019). The vibrant city [Photograph]. New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/photograph123456
Explanation: Here, both authors are inverted with their last names first, followed by initials. The names are separated by an ampersand (&). The year of creation is included, and the title "The vibrant city" is italicized. The description "[Photograph]" specifies the type of work. The name of the publisher, "New York Times," follows, ending with the URL to the photograph.
Example 3: Multiple Authors
Taylor, A., Lee, B., Carter, C., & Evans, D. (2018). Artistic expressions in modern art [Exhibition]. Museum of Modern Art. https://www.moma.org/exhibition123456
Explanation: For this example, the first four authors are listed with their last names and initials. The names are separated by commas, with the last author preceded by an ampersand. The year, title, and description are formatted similarly to previous examples. The museum's name is included, followed by the URL.
Importance of Following APA Rules
Adhering to APA citation rules provides several benefits. First, it ensures clarity and uniformity in how sources are presented. This uniformity allows readers to easily locate the original works cited. Second, proper citation prevents plagiarism, as it gives credit to the original creators of the artwork. Lastly, following these rules enhances the credibility of your work. By demonstrating attention to detail, you show that you value academic standards.
Practical Tips for Citing Artwork
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Double-Check Details: Always verify the spelling of the artist's name and the title of the artwork. Even minor errors can lead to confusion.
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Use Reliable Sources: Ensure that the website or publication from which you are sourcing the artwork is reputable. This adds credibility to your citation.
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Stay Consistent: If you are citing multiple artworks, keep the formatting consistent across all citations. This includes maintaining the same structure for artist names, titles, and URLs.
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Avoid Common Pitfalls: Do not forget to italicize the title of the artwork. Also, do not include unnecessary words like "Retrieved from" before URLs in APA 7th edition.
Conclusion
Citing artwork in APA format requires attention to detail and adherence to specific guidelines. By following the structured format provided in this guide, you can ensure that your citations are clear, consistent, and credible. Remember to verify all details and maintain a uniform style throughout your work. Proper citation not only enhances your writing but also respects the contributions of artists and creators, facilitating a greater appreciation for their work.
Step-by-Step Instructions
What You Need
- Access to the artwork you want to cite.
- Basic information about the artwork, including the artist's name, the title of the artwork, the year it was created, the medium, and where it is housed (if applicable).
- A computer or device with internet access to look up additional information.
- A word processor or note-taking application to compile your citation.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Creating an Artwork Citation
1. Gather Basic Information (5-10 minutes)
Action: Start by collecting all necessary details about the artwork. You should find the following information:
- Artist's name (first and last).
- Title of the artwork (in italics).
- Year of creation.
- Medium (e.g., oil on canvas).
- Location (where the artwork is housed, such as a museum).
Verification: Cross-check the information you have gathered for accuracy. Ensure that names are spelled correctly and that the title matches the original work.
2. Format the Artist's Name (5 minutes)
Action: If the artwork has one author (the artist), format their name as follows: last name first, followed by a comma, then the first initial, and any middle initials. For example, if the artist is Vincent van Gogh, you would format it as: Van Gogh, V.
Verification: Check that you have inverted the name correctly and that the initials are formatted with periods but no spaces.
3. Include Multiple Authors if Applicable (5-10 minutes)
Action: If there are two authors, format both names similarly, separating them with an ampersand (&). For example, if there are two artists, such as Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, you would format it as: Van Gogh, V., & Gauguin, P.
Verification: Ensure that each author's name is inverted and that you have used the correct punctuation.
4. List the Title of the Artwork (5 minutes)
Action: Write the title of the artwork in italics. If the title includes a subtitle, separate it with a colon. For example: Starry Night.
Verification: Double-check the spelling of the title and ensure it is in the correct format.
5. Add the Year of Creation (2-3 minutes)
Action: After the title, include the year of creation in parentheses. For example: Starry Night (1889).
Verification: Make sure the year is accurate and correctly placed within parentheses.
6. Include Medium and Location (5 minutes)
Action: After the year, provide the medium of the artwork followed by the location where it is housed. For instance: Starry Night (1889, oil on canvas, Museum of Modern Art, New York).
Verification: Check that the medium and location are accurately described and properly formatted.
7. Compile Everything into a Citation (5 minutes)
Action: Combine all the gathered information into a single citation format. For example: Van Gogh, V. (1889). Starry Night. Oil on canvas, Museum of Modern Art, New York.
Verification: Review the entire citation for correct punctuation, italics, and overall formatting. Make sure it adheres to the APA style guidelines.
8. Review and Finalize the Citation (5 minutes)
Action: Go through the citation one last time to ensure that everything is correct. If you have multiple authors, remember to format them correctly and check for any missing information.
Verification: Ensure that all elements are present and that the citation is formatted according to APA 7th edition guidelines.
Tips for Efficiency
- Use a citation management tool or software to help keep track of your citations.
- Create a template for different types of artwork citations so you can easily fill in the details in the future.
- Keep a list of common artworks and their citations for quick reference.
By following these steps, you will be able to create accurate artwork citations in accordance with APA 7th edition guidelines. Remember to take your time and verify each component for accuracy.
Common Errors for Artwork Citation Citations
Students focus on sentence case rules but forget that proper nouns are always capitalized regardless of case rules
How to Avoid It:- Identify all proper nouns in the title including names of people
- Ensure names of places, organizations, and institutions are capitalized
- Capitalize specific geographic names and locations mentioned
- Maintain capitalization of brand names and historical events referenced
Students forget that subtitles are treated as separate sentences for capitalization purposes
How to Avoid It:- Locate all colons in the title that separate main title from subtitle
- Capitalize the first word immediately following each colon without exception
- Apply sentence case or title case rules to remaining subtitle words appropriately
- Ensure subtitle capitalization matches the type of title case being used
Students don't know when acronyms should be in all capitals versus following sentence case rules
How to Avoid It:- Identify well-known acronyms like CDC, NASA, APA, FBI that are widely recognized
- Keep these acronyms in all capitals regardless of sentence case rules
- For lesser-known acronyms, follow standard usage or title case rules
- Check if acronym is commonly written in all caps in professional contexts
Students partially apply rules but are inconsistent, mixing sentence and title case
How to Avoid It:- Choose correct case type for the source type first
- Apply rules consistently throughout the entire title without exception
- Double-check all words against the chosen case rules
- Review title for consistent application of capitalization throughout
Students focus on sentence case rules but forget the basic rule to always capitalize the first word
How to Avoid It:- Always capitalize the first word of any title without exception
- This applies regardless of sentence case or title case formatting used
- Check the very first character of the title for proper capitalization
- Ensure first word is capitalized even if it's a minor word type
Students extend italics beyond appropriate boundaries or apply them inconsistently
How to Avoid It:- Review italics boundaries carefully in citation formatting
- Italicize only titles and volume numbers in reference lists
- Keep all other elements like publisher location in plain text
- Ensure italics start and stop at appropriate points
Students omit periods after initials, especially when multiple initials are present
How to Avoid It:- Add period after each initial in author name formatting
- Ensure all initials have periods following them consistently
- Check that no initials are missing periods in reference lists
- Verify spacing between initials with periods is correct
Students space initials like regular words, not realizing they should be compact
How to Avoid It:- Remove spaces between initials in author name formatting
- Keep initials together without spacing between them
- Maintain periods after each initial without extra spacing
- Check that initials appear as M.K. not M. K. in citations
Students focus on the year in parentheses but forget the period after closing parenthesis
How to Avoid It:- Add period after closing parenthesis of year in citations
- Ensure year is in parentheses followed by period consistently
- Check that year information is complete with proper period
- Verify spacing between year period and title is correct
Students focus on internal punctuation but forget the citation must end with a period
How to Avoid It:- Add period at the very end of the citation reference
- Ensure citation ends with proper punctuation consistently
- Check that no citation is missing final period in reference list
- Verify that final period is not preceded by extra spacing
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Validation Checklist
Before submitting your Artwork Citation citation, verify:
- In APA 7th edition, single authors are formatted with last name followed by a comma and first and middle initials. The initials should be separated by periods but not spaces. This format applies to all reference types including journal articles, books, and webpages. The author's name should be inverted (last name first) in the reference list only. This rule ensures consistency across all citation formats and makes alphabetical ordering more efficient in reference lists.
- For works with two authors, both names should be inverted (last name first) and separated by an ampersand (&) rather than the word 'and'. Each author's name follows the single author format (Last name, initials). The ampersand should be preceded by a comma. This format is used in both reference lists and parenthetical citations, but narrative citations use 'and' instead of '&'. This rule distinguishes APA from other citation styles and maintains consistency across multi-author works.
- For works with 21 or more authors, list the first 19 authors, insert an ellipsis (...), then list the final author. The ellipsis replaces authors 20 through the second-to-last author. All listed authors follow the standard inverted format. This rule prevents extremely long citation lists while still providing key attribution information. The ellipsis should not be italicized or bracketed. This change from APA 6th edition's 7+ author rule provides more comprehensive author listing.
- Author titles, suffixes, and credentials (like Jr., Sr., II, III, Ph.D., M.D.) should be included in the reference list. Suffixes like Jr., Sr., II, and III follow the initials, separated by commas. Academic and professional credentials are generally omitted from reference list entries but may be included in special circumstances. Titles like Dr., Professor, or military ranks are not included in reference list citations. This rule provides complete identification when needed while avoiding unnecessary credential inflation.
- When including URLs for websites, online documents, or other sources without DOIs, present them as live hyperlinks without any special formatting or punctuation. APA 7 removes the 'Retrieved from' prefix that was required in APA 6 for most URLs. URLs should be presented in their simplest form, beginning with http:// or https://, and should be hyperlinks in digital documents. Do not add a period at the end of a URL unless it is part of the original URL. This simplification makes citations cleaner while maintaining functionality for digital access to sources.
- When a URL or DOI leads to a broken or inactive link, APA 7 provides several options for handling the citation. If the source is available through an archive like the Internet Archive, include the archived URL. If the source cannot be located, include as much information as possible and note that the resource is no longer available. For journal articles with broken DOIs, include the DOI but add a note indicating it's inactive. The principle is to provide enough information for readers to locate the source if possible, while acknowledging access limitations. This represents more detailed guidance than APA 6 provided for handling broken links.
Special Cases
Citing Artwork in APA Style: Special and Edge Cases
Citing artwork in APA style involves specific rules that can become complex in special and edge cases. The following guide outlines how to handle these situations, ensuring that your artwork citations are accurate and follow the APA 7th edition guidelines.
The Importance of Accurate Citations
Accurate citations are essential for several reasons. They provide credit to the original creators, allow readers to locate the sources, and maintain academic integrity. Misleading or incorrect citations might lead to confusion or accusations of plagiarism. Thus, understanding the nuances in citing artworks helps maintain clarity and respect for the original creators.
Basic Format for Artwork Citations
Before delving into special cases, let's outline the basic format for citing artworks in the reference list. The general format includes the following components:
- Artist's Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title of the artwork [Description]. Museum/Collection Name, Location. URL (if applicable)
For example:
- Smith, J. (2020). The vibrant sunset [Painting]. Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL. https://www.exampleurl.com
Special Cases in Artwork Citations
1. Multiple Artists
When citing a work created by multiple artists, the citation format changes slightly. For two authors, both names should be inverted and separated by an ampersand (&). For example:
- Johnson, A., & Lee, B. (2019). Unity in diversity [Sculpture]. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY. https://www.exampleurl.com
In this case, both authors' last names and initials are inverted. It is important to remember that when discussing these authors in narrative citations, you should use "and" instead of "&".
2. Collaborations or Group Works
In cases where an artwork is created by a group or a collective, you will still follow the same name format. If the group has a commonly known name, use it as the author. For example:
- The Guerrilla Girls. (1985). Do women have to be naked to get into the Met. Museum? [Poster]. Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY. https://www.exampleurl.com
If the group name is not commonly recognized, cite the individual artists involved if possible.
3. Anonymous Works
When citing an artwork with no identifiable artist, it is acceptable to use the title in place of the author. For example:
- The Last Supper. (1495). [Mural]. Santa Maria delle Grazie, Milan, Italy. https://www.exampleurl.com
In this case, the title serves as the author, allowing readers to identify the work even without an artist's name.
Edge Cases in Artwork Citations
1. Artwork with No Date
If the date of creation is unknown, simply omit the year and provide the title and other details. For instance:
- Untitled. (n.d.). [Photograph]. Private Collection. https://www.exampleurl.com
Here, "n.d." stands for "no date" and serves to clarify that the year is unavailable.
2. Citing Digital Artworks
With the rise of digital art, it is important to include the format in the description. For example:
- Davis, L. (2021). Digital dreams [Digital artwork]. Private Collection. https://www.exampleurl.com
Make sure to specify the medium as digital to distinguish it from traditional forms.
3. Including URLs for Online Artworks
For online artworks, ensure the URL is active and properly formatted as a hyperlink. You no longer need a "Retrieved from" statement, as per APA 7th edition guidelines. For example:
- Turner, W. J. (2018). Abstract visions [Digital painting]. Retrieved from https://www.exampleurl.com
Even though the reference does not require "Retrieved from," it is important to ensure the link is functional and leads directly to the artwork.
Practical Tips for Citing Artwork
- Check for Author Information: Always verify the artist's name and ensure it is spelled correctly. If unsure, consult reliable art databases or official museum websites.
- Use the Correct Format: Adhere strictly to the APA formatting rules. Misplacing a comma or using the wrong conjunction can lead to citation errors.
- Avoid Overloading with Details: While it is essential to provide complete information, avoid unnecessary details in the citation unless they add significant value. Focus on the key components: artist, year, title, medium, and location.
- Stay Updated: APA guidelines may evolve, so remain aware of any updates. Regularly consult the latest APA publications or reputable academic sources.
Common Pitfalls
- Neglecting Inversion: Always remember to invert the author's name in the reference list. Failing to do so is a common mistake.
- Incorrect Use of Ampersands: Remember to use "&" in reference lists and parenthetical citations but "and" in narrative citations.
- Forgetting to Include the Medium: Always specify the type of artwork (e.g., painting, sculpture, digital) to provide context.
Conclusion
Understanding the special cases and edge cases for citing artwork in APA format is crucial for maintaining accuracy and academic integrity. By following the provided guidelines, you can ensure that your citations are clear, consistent, and properly formatted. This attention to detail not only respects the original creators but also enhances the credibility of your own work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I cite a painting in APA format?
To cite a painting in APA format, you need to include the artist's last name, first initial, the year of creation, the title of the work in italics, the medium, and the museum or collection name. For example, a citation might look like this: Monet, C. (1872). Impression, Sunrise [Oil on canvas]. Musée Marmottan Monet, Paris, France. If the artwork is available online, you can also include the URL where it can be found. Remember to use sentence case for the title and to italicize it. For more detailed guidelines, consult the APA Style website or the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
What if I cannot find the year of creation for an artwork?
If you cannot locate the year of creation for an artwork, you should use 'n.d.' in your citation, which stands for 'no date.' This indicates to your readers that the year is not available. For example, your citation would look like this: Van Gogh, V. (n.d.). Starry Night [Oil on canvas]. Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY. It's important to provide as much information as possible to help your readers locate the artwork. If there is an estimated year, you might consider including that information alongside 'n.d.' For further assistance, refer to the APA Style guidelines for citing artworks.
How do I cite an artwork that is part of a collection?
When citing an artwork that is part of a larger collection, include the title of the work, the artist's name, the year it was created, and then the collection name. For instance, if you are citing a sculpture in a museum collection, your citation could look like this: Smith, J. (2000). The Thinker [Bronze sculpture]. The Louvre, Paris, France. If the collection has a specific name, make sure to include that. If you found the artwork's details in a catalog or online, include that information as well. For more about citing collections, check the APA Style website.
Can I cite an artwork from a website?
Yes, you can cite an artwork from a website in APA format. You should include the artist's name, the year of creation, the title of the work in italics, the medium, and the URL where the artwork can be found. For example: O'Keeffe, G. (1932). Sky Above Clouds IV [Oil on canvas]. Art Institute of Chicago. https://www.artic.edu/artworks/12345. It is important to ensure that the website is a reliable source. If the website does not provide all details, include what you can and note the missing information. For more examples, visit the APA Style website.
What if the artist of the artwork is unknown?
If the artist of an artwork is unknown, you should start your citation with the title of the work. Follow it with the year, medium, and the location or collection name. For example: Untitled (n.d.) [Photograph]. Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL. Use 'n.d.' if the date is also unknown. This approach helps maintain clarity in your citation while acknowledging the lack of specific authorship. For further guidance, consult the APA Style guidelines on citing works by unknown authors.
Do I include the medium of the artwork in the citation?
Yes, you should include the medium of the artwork in your citation. The medium provides important context about the material used to create the piece. This information usually follows the title of the artwork and is placed in brackets. For instance, a citation might read: Picasso, P. (1937). Guernica [Oil on canvas]. Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain. Including the medium helps your readers understand the nature of the artwork and can be crucial for proper identification. For additional details, refer to the APA Style guidelines.
Last Updated: 2025-10-26
Reading Time: 10 minutes
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