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Centria Guide for Thesis and Academic Writing

Figures, tables and pictures

Figures, tables and pictures are numbered in their own sequence. The word TABLE is written above the table using capital letters. After TABLE, the number of the table is written, followed by a full stop, and last the name of the table follows with no full stop. The word FIGURE or PICTURE is written below the figure or picture in capital letters, followed by the number, a full stop, and the name of the figure or picture. Leave one empty line between the table, figure or picture and the text. Musical note samples are marked just like figures or pictures and referred to as NOTE SAMPLE. (For example, NOTE SAMPLE 1).

Figures, tables and pictures always have to be referred to and explained in the text using their numbers. All directly quoted figures, tables and pictures must be adapted by the thesis writers themselves, since according to copyright laws, original figures, tables or pictures can be used only with permission from the publisher. After the name of the figure, table or picture, there must be a source reference, with no full stop, and for adapted figures, tables and pictures the expression ‘adapted from’ is added.

Below are some samples of figures, tables and pictures:

An example of a figure in a thesis

    FIGURE 1. Success factors giving companies a competitive edge (adapted from Anttila & Iltanen 2001, 27)
 

If a table continues on the following page, write continues in brackets in the lower right-hand corner of the page. On the next page write the number of the table in the upper left-hand corner and the same word as on the previous page, for example TABLE 16. (continues).

When making an in-text reference to a figure or a table, write the word FIGURE or TABLE all in capital letters and in brackets. Sample 1: There were 37 respondents (TABLE 1). Sample 2: There were 37 respondents. 7 of them were male. (TABLE 1.) When referring to a picture, table or figure within a sentence, use the word figure, table or picture in lower case letters. Sample 3: The results of the questionnaire are presented in table 1.
 

   TABLE 1. Age distribution of the respondents (n = 37)

An example of a table in a thesis


Pictures, tables and figures are not an end in themselves. When used correctly, they give information concisely and descriptively. Conclusions need to be drawn from the pictures, tables and figures in the text and they must be discussed so that the conclusions are not separated from the context. If there are several pictures, tables or figures, they are listed in the table of contents. 

Below is an example of how to include a picture in the thesis report (PICTURE 1):
 

An example of a picture in a thesis, in the picture there is a motorcycle in the wintertime.

  PICTURE 1. Motorcycling in Finnish winter (Aho 2015, 15)

 

Pictures needs to have also alt text for readers who don't see the text and use screen reader.

In particular, it is not always easy to distinguish between a figure and a picture. The determining factor is the visual form of the object. In general, the following division criterion can be followed (Merivirta 2019):

  1. A figure is a representation of information in graphic form. For example, a screenshot/photograph becomes a figure when the author modifies it in some way by adding arrows, circles etc. 
  2. A picture is the representation of information in a pictorial form, for example an unedited photograph, screenshot, etc. Note that a screenshot of a figure does not make it a picture!
  3. A table is a representation of information in tabular form, e.g. in Word or Excel.
     

 

Reference
 

Merivirta, M. 2019. Ohjeita tutkimuskirjoittamiseen ja lähdeviitetekniikkaan -blogi. Available at: https://mintunoppariopas.home.blog/ Accessed 16 May 2024.