How to Write a Caption

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Captions to tables, figures and images give the reader context for what they are seeing. Therefore, it’s important to provide a good caption for each table, figure and image in your text. [1]

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Writing the Caption

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  1. This first rule is the most important. Tell the reader exactly what is going on in the picture or figure. Why exactly are you including this image? The reader should be able to answer that after reading your caption. [2]
    • For instance, if you’re including a picture of a field in a paper about biology, your caption should tell why the field is important to your discussion.
  2. What does each side of the bar graph represent? Your reader should have enough information from the caption, the key, and the graph to be able to make sense of it without reading your paper. [3]
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  3. Unless you are writing a humorous paper that includes humorous graphics, generally captions are better left serious due to the need for conciseness.
  4. That is, it should be no longer than a paragraph, but really, a sentence should be sufficient, at most. In fact, captions don’t even need to be complete sentences. For a photograph, it’s okay to make it shorter than a sentence, such as “Kayley on the Ferris wheel.” [4]
  5. For instance, the above caption could have said “Kayley waves her hand on the giant green Ferris wheel,” but the extra information that provides isn’t necessary for the reader to understand what’s going on in the picture. [5]
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Part 2
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Including Source Information

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  1. How you do this depends on the style guidelines you are using. Below, you’ll find how to provide source information in various formats. [6]
  2. For example: “from Bob Davis, Motorcycles on the Road , (Boulder: Mountain Road Books, 2004) 55. Print.” [7]
    • Note: The caption goes before the “from.”
  3. For example: “ Note . (caption). Reprinted from Motorcycles on the Road (p. 55), Bob Davis, 2004, Boulder: Mountain Road Books. Copyright 2004 by the University Press. Reprinted with permission.” [8]
  4. For example: “ Source : Bob Davis, Motorcycles on the Road , Boulder: Mountain Road Publishers, 2004, 55.” [9]
    • Note: In this one, the source goes after the caption.
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  • Question
    How do I come up with a good caption for a photo?
    Heather Gallagher
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Heather Gallagher is a Photojournalist & Photographer based in Austin, Texas. She runs her own photography studio named "Heather Gallagher Photography" which was voted Austin's Best Family Photographer and top 3 Birth Photographers in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Heather specializes in family Photojournalism and has over 15 years of experience documenting individuals, families, and businesses all over the world. Her clients include Delta Airlines, Oracle, Texas Monthly, and her work has been featured in The Washington Post and The Austin American Statesman. She is a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP).
    Heather Gallagher
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Expert Answer
    It depends on what the photo is for. If you're doing a journalistic piece, you want to be as objective as possible. If it's a piece of fine art, you can be as colorful and creative as you'd like. It totally depends on how you want the viewer to approach your work.
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  • Question
    Can I ask the subject of the artwork to come up with a caption?
    Heather Gallagher
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Heather Gallagher is a Photojournalist & Photographer based in Austin, Texas. She runs her own photography studio named "Heather Gallagher Photography" which was voted Austin's Best Family Photographer and top 3 Birth Photographers in 2017, 2018, and 2019. Heather specializes in family Photojournalism and has over 15 years of experience documenting individuals, families, and businesses all over the world. Her clients include Delta Airlines, Oracle, Texas Monthly, and her work has been featured in The Washington Post and The Austin American Statesman. She is a member of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers (IAPBP).
    Heather Gallagher
    Professional Photojournalist & Photographer
    Expert Answer
    Absolutely! I think that's really great way to generate some good ideas for your art. Getting the subject involved is a great way to incorporate them into the artwork and make it collaborative.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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      • Don’t be overly wordy. The best captions are simple—they don’t distract from the image or figure.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/technicalwriting/chapter/figurestables/
      2. ↑ https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/technicalwriting/chapter/figurestables/
      3. ↑ https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/technicalwriting/chapter/figurestables/
      4. ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/figures-and-charts/
      5. ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/figures-and-charts/
      6. ↑ https://gradstudents.carleton.ca/2014/guidelines-using-figures-tables-scientific-engineering-thesis/
      7. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html
      8. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa6_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
      9. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/chicago_manual_of_style_17th_edition.html

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