An IEEE figure citation needs two clear pointers. Fig. 1 identifies the visual in your manuscript. A bracketed source number such as [1] connects the caption to a complete reference entry. Reproduced and adapted graphics also require a separate check of copyright permission or license terms.
Start With the Source Behind the Visual
An IEEE figure citation needs two clear pointers. In the body of your paper, Fig. 1 identifies the visual in your manuscript. In its caption or source note, a bracketed citation such as [1] identifies the work the visual comes from. That number must match a full source entry in your reference list. IEEE uses Roman numerals for table labels, such as TABLE I. A citation gives credit, while reuse permission depends on the source's license and the instructions for your target publication.
![A figure label Fig. 1 points to a visual, source citation [1] points to a reference entry, and TABLE I labels a table.](/blog/ieee-figure-table-citation-cover.svg)
Before writing a caption, decide what came from elsewhere. You may be reproducing a published graphic, adapting one by changing its layout or labels, or creating a new visual from data reported by another source. These cases need different wording. A figure you drew yourself can still need a citation when its data, method, or underlying design came from a published work.
The IEEE Editorial Style Manual for Authors covers IEEE Transactions, Journals, and Letters. It is a strong starting point for an IEEE figure caption reference, while the destination journal or conference can set extra requirements. Check the venue's current author instructions before submission.
Keep Figure Labels, Table Labels, and Source Numbers Distinct
A figure label belongs to your manuscript. The source number belongs to the work you consulted. In Fig. 1. Receiver architecture, adapted from [4]., Fig. 1 names your paper's figure and [4] points to the source entry. If you discuss a particular figure inside a cited work, IEEE uses a locator such as [4, Fig. 2]. That locator points readers to Fig. 2 in the source paper.
The manual asks writers to cite figures and tables in numerical order. Figure callouts use the abbreviation Fig., including at the start of a sentence. A figure caption begins with Fig. and its number, followed by a period and a description. Capitalize the first word. Put explanations for parts such as (a) and (b) next to the matching part in the caption.
IEEE formats table captions differently. Center the table number above the table using the label TABLE and a Roman numeral. Place the descriptive title directly below that number. The manual says the descriptive title has no period at the end. It also says figure footnotes belong in the caption.
The IEEE Editorial Style Manual for Authors gives these rules in its section on citations of figures and tables. Its examples are for IEEE journals. The exact title capitalization, source line, and placement can depend on the venue template.
| Item | What it identifies | IEEE manual guidance |
|---|---|---|
Fig. 1 | A figure in your manuscript | Use “Fig.” with an Arabic number. The caption starts with the label and description. |
[4] | A source in your reference list | Match it to the complete entry for the source. |
[4, Fig. 2] | A figure inside source [4] | Add the locator when a specific figure in that source supports your discussion. |
TABLE I | A table in your manuscript | Use a Roman numeral and place the descriptive title underneath. |
Match the Caption to What You Reused
These three examples are teaching templates, not records of real papers. The bracketed fields must be replaced with details from the source you actually used. Each example number belongs to the sample manuscript and must match that manuscript's reference list.
Fig. 1. [Brief description of the reproduced visual]. Reprinted from [1], [credit wording required by the rights holder].Matching reference entry
[1] [Author initials and surname], “[Article title],” [Journal Title], vol. [volume], no. [issue], pp. [page range], [year], doi: [DOI].The IEEE manual says to put the source reference number at the end of the caption. Use the credit wording supplied by the rights holder or the license.
Fig. 2. [Brief description of the redrawn or reorganized visual]. Adapted from [2].Matching reference entry
[2] [Author initials and surname], “[Article title],” [Journal Title], vol. [volume], no. [issue], pp. [page range], [year], doi: [DOI].Say what changed in your methods or caption when that helps readers understand the adaptation. The wording “adapted from” does not by itself grant permission.
TABLE I
[Short descriptive title] [3], [4]Matching reference entries
[3] [Creator(s)], [year], “[Dataset title],” [Repository], doi: [DOI].
[4] [Organization], “[Document title],” [revision], [year]. [Online]. Available: [URL].The table is newly arranged, yet both sources still need credit because their reported values appear in it. Identify the source for each value when the reader cannot tell from the columns alone.
Keep a figure's number and a source's number in separate jobs. When you cite a source's exact figure in the prose, the existing IEEE in-text citation guide explains locators such as [4, Fig. 2]. The caption on your own reused figure still needs its own source credit.
Check Reuse Permission Separately
Treat attribution and reuse permission as two separate checks. A reference tells the reader where material came from. A license or written permission tells you whether you may publish it in the form you plan to use.
IEEE's editorial manual says previously published IEEE graphics generally require permission through IEEE Xplore and a source credit in the caption. For graphics from non-IEEE publications, it directs authors to obtain permission from the copyright holder and use the wording that holder provides. IEEE's separate copyright guidance describes the general permission rule and its specific exceptions.
An open license may allow reuse without an individual permission request. Read its conditions for attribution, changes, and the kind of publication you are preparing. A crop, translation, relabeling, or redraw can still be an adaptation of protected material. Keep a copy of the license or approval and follow any required credit line exactly.
Venues can add their own production and accessibility requirements. For example, Proceedings of the IEEE's figure and table guidance asks authors to make graphics self-explanatory and to include appropriate permissions and citations for reused or adapted graphics. Read the instructions for the publication receiving your manuscript rather than assuming a caption accepted elsewhere will fit.
Review the Figure Citation Before Submission
- Identify the visualMark it as reproduced, adapted, or newly created from sourced data.
- Write the captionUse the figure label below the visual or the table label and title above it, as the venue requires.
- Connect the sourceMake every bracket number lead to the correct complete reference entry.
- Confirm permissionCheck the license or approval and copy any required credit wording exactly.
- Check the venue fileReview numbering, title capitalization, callouts, and source notes against the current submission instructions.
Common questions
Do I cite a figure that I created myself?
If the visual and its data are your own, a source citation may not be needed. Cite the dataset or publication when its data, methods, or design informs your figure.
Does “adapted from” make a figure free to reuse?
No. The phrase describes the relationship to a source. Check the license or obtain the approval required for your planned use.
Can the citation number go in a figure caption?
Yes. Match it to the source's full reference entry, and follow any more specific credit line required by the venue or copyright holder.