How to Write a Caption

Last Updated: December 30, 2022 References

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]
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Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Writing the Caption

1
Be descriptive. 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]
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- 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
If you are describing a table or graph, talk about variables. 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
Save humor for elsewhere. Unless you are writing a humorous paper that includes humorous graphics, generally captions are better left serious due to the need for conciseness.
4
Keep it concise. 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]
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5
Remove anything that isn’t strictly necessary. 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

Part 2 of 2:

Including Source Information

1
Cite your source under the graph or table if it comes from somewhere else. 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]
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2
Cite according to Modern Language Association style. For example: “from Bob Davis, Motorcycles on the Road, (Boulder: Mountain Road Books, 2004) 55. Print.”^{[7]
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- Note: The caption goes before the “from.”
3
Cite according to American Psychological Association style. 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]
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4
Cite according to Chicago Style. For example: “Source: Bob Davis, Motorcycles on the Road, Boulder: Mountain Road Publishers, 2004, 55.”^{[9]
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- Note: In this one, the source goes after the caption.

Expert Q&A
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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

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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.
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

Support wikiHow by unlocking this 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.