How to cite screenshots

(updated 2023-12-06 with more detailed suggestions on how to cite screenshots from mobile apps)
(updated 2023-11-29 with suggestions on how to use BibTeX when citing screenshots)

by Thomas Mejtoft

When we see any structure highly perfected for any particular habit, as the wings of a bird for flight, we should bear in mind that animals displaying early transitional grades of the structure will seldom have survived to the present day, for they will have been supplanted by their successors, which were gradually rendered more perfect through natural selection.

Charles Darwin*

When writing a paper, thesis, or report, screenshots from web, desktop, or mobile applications are, from time to time, essential for the reader to understand the content of the publication. Since screenshots, usually, are not your original work, you need to credit the source somehow. It is tricky to navigate the dos and don’ts when using screenshots.

When submitting a thesis, report, or paper to a university for examination, copyrighted figures (e.g., photos, figures, diagrams, etc.) tables, or similar can not be used in the report without permission from the copyright owner (this is however a general statement, no publication should contain copyrighted figures without proper permission). This is due to both legal and ethical reasons. Since almost all material is under some type of copyright (if not explicitly under public license), this applies to most photos, graphics, illustrations, tables, etc. found in print or digital sources. There are two problems that can occur,  (1) if material is used without the appropriate citation, it is regarded as plagiarism, and (2) if a copyrighted work is used (i.e. a figure, table, etc. is copied and placed in your work) without permission, it is (most certainly) a copyright violation. The latter can occur even if the correct citation is used and vice versa.

It is the responsibility of the author (e.g., the student) of a paper/report/thesis to ensure that all necessary permissions have been obtained and/or the appropriate credits are given in the text before the paper/report/thesis is published or submitted for examination.

There is no need to make a reference to your own original work. That is figures/images/photos or other original artwork created by the author of the report/paper should not be in the reference list.

Here is a page with resources and material to use. If you are looking for how to use and cite figures, screenshots, code etc. please refer to the following documents: How to use and cite figures from other sources, How to cite screenshots, References to secondary sources and review articles, Writing references to personal communication, Writing references to programming code, Citing content created by generative AI (ChatGPT), and How to visualize your data in an understandable way.

How to cite screenshots

These guidelines are loosely based on the following sources:

What do I need to know about using and citing screenshots? by Simon Fraser University
Citing a Screenshot by the MacOdrum Library at Carleton University

When taking screenshots (or using other content), the first rule is to follow the policies and guidelines for the website, software or company of which you are taking a screenshot. The policies differ a lot and must be read carefully. Most major companies have policies regarding regarding the use of screenshots and content from their applications or web. Examples are Google, Microsoft, and Electronic Arts. Depending on use, there might also be a need to gain permission to use a screenshot in some cases based on policies and guidelines.

Citing and using screenshots from the Internet in your work

When the appropriate policy have been followed, the reference in-text can be written just as any other reference using the reference you are using.

Example (APA Style)

Figure 1. Google search on iPad (Google, 2019).

Example (ACM/IEEE)

Figure 1. Google search on iPad [14].

Regarding the post on the reference list, the reference is written as a online source with the addition of the text “Screenshot by author” to indicate the creator of the screenshot. However, if the screenshot is not made by the author and has e.g., been found on any other page already as a screenshot, that author of the screenshot and webpage where the screenshot have been found need to be mentioned instead as “Screenshot by Name Nameson, <URL>“. Regarding the date, it should be the date of the screenshot (if known) and the author should be the company or creator of the website that has been depicted in the screenshot.

Furthermore, there might be a need to gain permission to use the screenshot, this is done in a similar way as any material you get permission to use.

References:

APA style
Google. (2019, May 13). Google search. Retrieved May 13, 2019, from https://www.google.com/. Screenshot by author.

ACM style
[14] Google. 2019. Google search. Retrieved May 13, 2019 from https://www.google.com/ Screenshot by author.

BibTeX-entry (if needed)
Use "note" to add information on screenshot.

@online{Google-search,
  Author = {Google},
  Year = {2019},
  Title = {Google search},
  url = {https://www.google.com/},
  lastaccessed = {May 13, 2019},
  note = {Screenshot by author},
}

If the screenshot is not made by the author, the reference is just to the image used, using this reference style:
(observe that permission might be necessary, see How to cite and use of figures from other sources)

APA style
Google. (2019). Google search on iPad. Retrieved January 6, 2020, from https://www.mejtoft.se/thomas/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Google-iPad.png

or (if the author of the screenshot is known)

Google. (2019). Google search on iPad. Screenshot by Thomas Mejtoft, Retrieved January 6, 2020, from https://www.mejtoft.se/thomas/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Google-iPad.png

ACM style
[14] Google. 2019. Google search on iPad. Retrieved January 6, 2020, from https://www.mejtoft.se/thomas/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Google-iPad.png

Citing and using screenshots from mobile apps (or other apps) in your work

First, it is important to see if there are restrictions on how to use and publish screenshots in any guidelines by the copyright holder of the mobile app. Hence, there might be a need to gain permission to use the screenshot, this is done in a similar way as any material you get permission to use.

When the appropriate policy have been followed, the reference in-text can be written just as any other reference using the reference you are using.

Example (APA Style)

Figure 2. BankID mobile app (Finansiell ID-Teknik BID AB, 2023).

Example (ACM/IEEE Style)

Figure 2. BankID mobile app [23].

Regarding the post on the reference list, the reference can be written as any other reference of a software with the addition of “Screenshot by author, <date of screenshot>“, e.g. “Screenshot by author, December 6, 2023” However, if the screenshot is not made by the author and has e.g., been found on any other page already as a screenshot, that author of the screenshot and webpage where the screenshot have been found need to be mentioned instead as “Screenshot by Name Nameson, <URL>“. Regarding the date, it should be the date of the screenshot (if known) and the author should be the company or creator of the website that has been depicted in the screenshot.

References:

APA style
Finansiell ID-Teknik BID AB. (2023, December 6). BankID (v. 7.34.0.2) [mobile app]. Screenshot by author, December 6, 2023.

ACM style
[14] Finansiell ID-Teknik BID AB. 2023. BankID (v. 7.34.0.2) [mobile app]. Screenshot by author, December 6, 2023.

BibTeX-entry (if needed)
Use "note" to add information on screenshot.

@software{BankID-app,
  author = {Finansiell ID-Teknik BID AB},
  year = {2023},
  title = {BankID},

  version = {v. 7.34.0.2},
  note = {Screenshot by author, December 6, 2023},
}

If the screenshot is not made by the author, the reference is just to the image used, using this reference style:
(observe that permission might be necessary, see How to cite and use of figures from other sources)

APA style
Finansiell ID-Teknik BID AB. (2023). BankID mobile app. Retrieved December 15, 2023, from https://www.mejtoft.se/thomas/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/BankID-2023-2.jpg

or (if the author of the screenshot is known)

Finansiell ID-Teknik BID AB. (2023). BankID mobile app. Screenshot by Thomas Mejtoft, Retrieved December 15, 2023, from https://www.mejtoft.se/thomas/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/BankID-2023-2.jpg

ACM style
[23] Finansiell ID-Teknik BID AB. 2023. BankID mobile app. Retrieved December 15, 2023, from https://www.mejtoft.se/thomas/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/BankID-2023-2.jpg

Citing and using screenshots from electronic media, e.g., video games/computer program, or video in your work

When using a screenshot from a video game or a video a similar approach can be used. The creator should be credited for the work and it could be e.g., the artist, director, writer and/or publisher (last resort), depending on what’s available. Then the name of the work, publication date (year) and e.g., URL or similar should be stated in the reference.

Example of references

Citing a published video game:

Paradox Interactive AB. (2013). Europa Universalis IV (v. 1.32) [video game]. Stockholm, Sweden: Paradox Interactive AB. Screenshot by author.

Citing a computer program:

Microsoft. (2023). Microsoft Excel for Microsoft 365 MSO (v. 2308) [computer program]. Screenshot by author.

Citing a published movie:

Burton, T. (producer/writer), Di Novi, D. (producer), Selick, H. (director). (1993). The nightmare before Christmas [motion picture]. Touchstone Pictures. Screenshot by author.

Citing a online published movie:

Macdonald, K. (director), Marshall, L. (producer). (2011). Life in a day [motion picture]. Scott Free Productions/YouTube/LG Corp. Retrieved September 1, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaFVr_cJJIY. Screenshot by author.

Citing a online video:

jawed. (2005). Me at the zoo. YouTube. Retrieved September 2, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNQXAC9IVRw. Screenshot by author.

Citing a recording (this is not a screenshot, but rather a quote. However, an instruction fits fairly well here):

Bowie, D. (writer/producer), Scott, K. (producer). (1971). Changes. On Hunky Dory [LP]. RCA.

If the screenshot is not made by the author, include the creator of the screenshot and the URL where found. See example with citation of screenshot of website (above).

*Quote from The Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection (Darwin, 1872, p. 140).
Darwin, C. (1872). The Origin of Species by means of Natural Selection (6th ed.). John Murray.

Licensed under a Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 Creative Commons license.

(First published by Thomas Mejtoft: 2019-05-13; Revised: 2021-09-10; Last updated: 2023-12-06)