How to Cite Diagrams and Formulas in Science Assignments

It's common practice to support your work with diagrams, charts, graphs, or even formulas while working on a science assignment. These photographic aids exhibit your study and make difficult subjects easy to comprehend. However, plenty of scholars neglect that you have to cite them successfully. Similar to textual content, formulation and diagrams are regularly the introduction of others, and their use without acknowledgement is visible as plagiarism.

Citing formulations and diagrams is not as tough as it can appear, so do not panic. We'll explain why it's essential and the way to do it using diverse referencing patterns (including APA, MLA, and Harvard) and offer a few easy-to-follow examples in this blog post. We also advise using an online science assignment help service before delving into specifics, in case you require assistance with any idea or even with referencing your sources. Professionals will help you complete your coursework. Let's examine and comprehend this now.

Why Is Citing Formulas and Diagrams Necessary?

Let's start by asking whether citation is even required for equations and images.

To give credit:
A diagram or formulation is someone else's property if you did not make it yourself. By bringing it up, the original creator or source is mentioned.

To steer clear of plagiarism:
It may additionally constitute robbery if you use someone else's work without giving them due credit. Plagiarism nevertheless happens when a diagram, regardless of how minor, is not cited.

To assist others:

If your trainer or the rest of us analysing your work want to examine more, they may find the unique source with the help of an accurate quotation.

To increase your credibility:
Citing dependable sources demonstrates the thoroughness and reliability of your work.

What Needs to Be Cited?

This is a brief list of things you ought to cite:

• Illustrations and diagrams from websites, research papers, or textbooks.
• Charts or graphs made by using other people.
• Formulas that can be authentic or derived from precise sources.
• Visuals which have been altered (even if you brought or changed them)
• Any information that is displayed in a manner that you did not create yourself.

Citations that aren't required:

• Formulas or diagrams that you came up with just by yourself
• Common understanding (such as the area formula, which is length breadth)
• Well-known ideas in your field (e.g., fundamental laws of physics)

Where Should the Citation Be Placed?

Diagrams and formulations are generally stated in two places:

• This is known as a "figure caption" or "in-textual content citation" and appears beneath the actual figure or formula.
• At the belief of your assignment, to your bibliography or reference listing.

Let's examine how these capabilities work in various citation formats.

APA Style Citation Guidelines

Diagrams in APA
Figure Caption (below the diagram):

Figure 1. The structure of a plant cell. Adapted from "Biology for Beginners" by J. Smith, 2020, p. 45 (https://example.com). Copyright 2020 by Nature Press.

Reference List:

Smith, J. (2020). *Biology for beginners*. Nature Press. https://example.com
Write "Adapted from..." in the caption as opposed to "From..." if you have altered the diagram in any manner, which includes including labels or changing the colours.

Formulas in APA

Include an in-text citation right away below a component that you did not create:
E = mc (Einstein, 1905)

Next, in your list of references:

Einstein, A. (1905). *On the electrodynamics of moving bodies*. Annalen der Physik.

If a textbook has the formula

Brown, T. (2018). *Introduction to Physics*. Academic Press.

MLA Style Citations Guidelines

Diagrams in MLA

Figure Caption:

Fig. 2. Diagram of a DNA helix (Smith 98).

Work Cited Entry:
Smith, John. *Genetics for Students*. Oxford UP, 2019.

If taken from a website:
Brown, Mary. Understanding DNA. *Science Simplified*, 2021, www.sciencesimplified.org/dna.
Formulas in MLA
After the formula, place the citation in parentheses:

F = ma (Newton 123)

Works Cited:
Newton, Isaac. *Philosophi Naturalis Principia Mathematica*. Translated by Andrew Motte, Daniel Adee, 1846.

Harvard Style Citation Guidelines

Diagrams in Harvard

In-text citation under the figure:

Figure 3: The water cycle (Brown, 2017)

Reference List:

Brown, L. (2017). *Earth Science Basics*. 3rd ed. London: Green Press.

If from a website:

NASA (2020). *The Water Cycle*. Available at: https://www.nasa.gov/water-cycle (Accessed: 12 June 2025).

Formulas in Harvard

In-text:
a + b = c (Pythagoras, c. 500 BCE)

Reference:

Pythagoras (c. 500 BCE) *The Pythagorean Theorem*. Reprinted in: Ancient Mathematics, ed. by Hill, G., Oxford University Press, 1998.

Suppose You Created Your Diagram?

Simply name the diagram as follows if it becomes your original creation:

Figure 4: My diagram illustrating the sun device's shape.

If the work is all your own, there may be no need to offer any citations in the bibliography. However, you need to nevertheless credit score any extra substances you used to assist in constructing it:

Figure 5: Author-created blood stream diagram (primarily based on Johnson, 2015).

Reference list:

Johnson, M. (2015). *Human Anatomy Explained*. Medical Books Publishing.

Easy Ways to Cite Formulas and Diagrams

• Figures should constantly be labelled with a number (Figure 1, Figure 2) and a quick title or rationalisation.
• Throughout your assignment, use the identical quotation style.
• For calculations and diagrams, use honest sources (scholarly courses, peer-reviewed books, and academic websites).
• It is better to be cautious than to unintentionally plagiarise, so in case you are hesitant, cite it anyhow.
• Consult your school's regulations; positive teachers have precise quotation-style possibilities.

Common Errors to Steer Clear of

• Ignoring to quote pictures: you nonetheless need to quote it, although it's best as a photograph.
• Changing up the patterns: Avoid alternating among Harvard, MLA, and APA styles in a single challenge.
• Diagrams copied without amendment or quotation: You need to cite the source if you mirror something precisely.
• Believing that citations are needless for not unusual formulas: The majority of simple ones do not, even though uncommon or unusual formulas may.

Wrapping It Up

Citing formulas and diagrams can also look like a little detail, but it's a crucial component of undertaking honest, civil scientific work. Giving due attribution demonstrates that you take your work seriously, irrespective of whether you're using a formulation from a study's paper or a diagram from a textbook. An assignment help service can guide you through the correct methods of citing such elements, ensuring academic integrity in your submissions.

You can accurately and morally include equations and snapshots in your work via the use of the recommendations and examples in this tutorial. Just be sure to continually point out your supply when unsure and stick to the citation style you've selected.