Figure Source Notes
A figure source note tells readers where the displayed data or adapted material came from. In styles that separate these elements, it belongs below the figure rather than inside the title or descriptive caption.
Put a figure’s data-source attribution with the figure—commonly in a source note below it—using the document’s citation style. Keep a data-source note distinct from the descriptive caption or title when your style guide does so.
Key details
Important caveats
Boundary
Keep source attribution distinct from the descriptive title/caption when the house style separates them; the Australian Style Manual explicitly places source-of-data information in image notes rather than ordinary captions.
Copyright Boundary
Copyright or permission attribution may follow different rules from a data-source note, especially for photographs or artworks, so follow the applicable referencing/licensing system.
Further guidance
Placement
For figures using sourced data, place the data source in the figure notes below the image when the governing style uses that structure.
Practical Application
Place data-source attribution with the figure according to the publication’s citation system—commonly in a source or note line below the figure—while keeping source attribution separate from the descriptive title or caption when the governing style distinguishes those roles.
Reader Check
Can a reader tell which source supplied the data, and is that attribution separated from descriptive/caption text clearly enough that the two functions are not confused?
Worked Example
Below a chart, add a source note such as “Source: Annual Housing Survey 2025” in the publication’s required citation form, while leaving the chart title to state what the chart shows.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Images (opens in a new tab)Australian Government Style Manual · Image/figure note ordering and placement of source-of-data notes below figures