Tables and Figures

This section will cover how to create and format tables and figures in MLA. For more specific questions on tables and figures, visit the Purdue OWL’s Tables, Figures, and Examples. 

Tables

When citing tables in MLA, you are primarily citing other authors’ tables rather than creating your own. Because of this, this section will use an example citing another author’s table. 

When referring to the table in-text, cite the table as (see table #), numbered in succession throughout the paper. Below that, label the Table Number in consecutive order (Table #) and Table Title, the title of the table in the work. Below the title, place the table left-aligned. Then, underneath the table, cite it starting with Source: and then the citation. The citation should be the same as the Works Cited entry, except for a couple of changes: 

  • The author’s name is written as First Name Last Name instead of Last Name First Name.
  • After the page numbers (or date if no page numbers are present), include the table number (ex. table 1). This proceeds the link (if present). 

Below is an example of citing a table in MLA: 

Table 1

Demographic Data

Source: Luca Cernigilia, et al. “Parental Loss During Childhood and Outcomes on Adolescents’ Psychological Profiles: A Longitudinal Study.” Current Psychology, vol. 33, no. 4, May 2014, pp. 545–56, table 1, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-014-9228-3. Accessed 8 Mar. 2023.

Figures

The most common figures used in MLA papers are photographs (including artwork, film screenshots, etc.), though graphs, charts, and maps are also common. Make sure figures are appropriately sized for visibility. 

When referring to the figure in-text, cite the figure as (see fig. #), numbered in succession throughout the paper. Then, the figure will sit below the text. Finally, a caption sits underneath the figure, starting with Fig. # and then the caption itself. 

There are two options for captions: brief captions or full citations. When including a brief caption, the figure must also be cited in the works cited. If the caption is a full citation and the figure is not cited in-text, then the figure does not need to be cited in the works cited. 

Below is an example of citing a figure in MLA with both captions: 

Fig. 1. The Falling Soldier (Capa). 

OR

Fig. 1. Capa, Robert. The Falling Soldier, 5 September 1936, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/283315.