Real-world examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics

Examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics

Before talking theory, let’s start with concrete examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics that actually show up in the wild. When you look at high-trust organizations, you’ll notice they rarely skip citations—and they rarely let those citations wreck the design.

Here are patterns you’ll see again and again in the best examples:

• A short, readable source line directly under each chart.
• A small “Sources” block in the footer with 3–6 key references.
• A single, clean URL or QR code that leads to a full reference list.
• Consistent formatting for every infographic in a series.

The rest of this guide breaks down those real examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics and shows you exactly how to adapt them.

Example of a clean source line under each chart

One of the most reliable examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics is the simple “Source:” line directly under a chart or figure. It’s fast, legible, and familiar.

Imagine a bar chart showing U.S. adult obesity rates. A professional implementation might look like this in the layout:

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2023

Why this works:

• Immediate context. The viewer doesn’t have to hunt around to see where the data came from.
• Authority. Naming a credible body like the CDC instantly boosts trust.
• Scannability. A single line, small but readable, doesn’t compete with the chart.

You can shorten long names when space is tight, as long as the source is still clear:

Source: CDC, BRFSS 2023

Then, in your full reference list (on a landing page or PDF), you expand it to the formal citation.

Examples of best practices for citing multiple sources in a footer block

Many infographics pull data from several reports. Citing each one under every element would choke the layout. A better approach is a small, consistent footer block.

A common pattern looks like this at the bottom of the infographic:

Sources: CDC; U.S. Census Bureau; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

This is one of the best examples of keeping citations readable while still signaling that you did your homework. You can:

• Use organization names in the graphic (CDC, U.S. Census Bureau, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health).
• Put full titles, authors, and URLs on a separate page that the infographic links to.

For instance, your full references page might include entries like:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Adult Obesity Facts.” Updated 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/adult.html
• U.S. Census Bureau. “QuickFacts: United States.” Accessed 2024. https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US
• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “The Nutrition Source: Healthy Eating Plate.” https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-eating-plate

This split approach—short in the graphic, full on the web—shows up in many real examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics from universities and government agencies.

Using short URLs and QR codes: modern examples include hybrid citation models

As more infographics are shared on social media and mobile, a long citation list inside the design becomes harder to justify. That’s why some of the best examples now combine a short URL or QR code with a minimal in-graphic source line.

A modern pattern:

Sources: CDC; NIH; Mayo Clinic. Full references: datahub.yoursite.com/infographic-2025

Or:

Scan for full sources and methodology

[QR code positioned in the corner]

This hybrid model is one of the clearest examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics in 2024–2025 because it:

• Keeps the visual clean for Instagram, LinkedIn, and mobile.
• Still gives power users and journalists a way to inspect your data.
• Supports versioning—you can update the reference page if a report gets revised.

On the destination page, you can link directly to original data and reports, such as:

• https://www.cdc.gov
• https://www.nih.gov
• https://www.mayoclinic.org

This is especially useful when you’re pulling statistics from health sites like Mayo Clinic or WebMD and want to keep your infographic lean.

Real examples of best practices when citing AI-assisted or aggregated data

AI tools and dashboards are everywhere now, which raises a new question: how do you cite sources when an AI model or analytics platform has done some of the work?

Here’s a practical example of best practices for citing sources in infographics that rely on AI summarization or aggregation:

Data compiled from: CDC WONDER database (accessed May 2024); NIH clinical trial registry; internal analytics. Charts generated with AI-assisted tools and reviewed by [Your Team Name].

This kind of disclosure matters because:

• It clarifies that you did not invent the data; you compiled it.
• It signals that AI was a tool, not the source.
• It shows a human review layer, which is increasingly expected.

On your full reference page, you can list the primary databases and tools separately, for example:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “CDC WONDER.” https://wonder.cdc.gov
• National Institutes of Health. “ClinicalTrials.gov.” https://clinicaltrials.gov

This pattern is quickly becoming one of the best examples of responsible citation for data visualized with AI.

Examples of best practices for citing sources in social-first infographics

Social media adds another layer of complexity: platforms compress images, crop layouts, and strip descriptions. Still, you can apply smart examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics tailored to social.

Some real-world patterns:

• Tiny footer tag + full caption. A small “Source: CDC” in the corner of the image, with the Instagram or LinkedIn caption listing full source names and links.
• Threaded citations. On X (Twitter), the first post shows the infographic; the second post in the thread lists full sources and links.
• Carousel series. The last slide in a carousel is a “Sources & Methods” panel with full attributions.

For instance, a health infographic about heart disease risk might end its carousel with:

Sources: CDC; American Heart Association; Mayo Clinic

And the caption might include direct links to pages such as:

• https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease
• https://www.heart.org
• https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease

These are some of the best examples of adapting citation practices to short attention spans while still respecting the underlying research.

Example of a source hierarchy for long, data-dense infographics

If you’re building a long vertical infographic—say, a 3,000-pixel explainer on climate risk or education outcomes—you’ll probably have:

• Dozens of statistics
• Several charts and maps
• A mix of primary research and secondary sources

One of the best examples of practices for citing sources in infographics like this is to use a source hierarchy:

• Inline source tags next to specific stats, like “(UNESCO, 2023)” or “(CDC, 2024).”
• A short Sources section at the bottom listing only the top 3–5 organizations.
• A full reference page on your site with everything.

For example, next to a statistic in the graphic:

1 in 5 U.S. teens report symptoms of anxiety (CDC, 2023)

Footer:

Sources: CDC; NIH; Harvard Graduate School of Education

Full reference page:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011–2023.” https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs
• National Institutes of Health. “Anxiety in Children and Teens.” https://www.nimh.nih.gov
• Harvard Graduate School of Education. “Making Caring Common: Youth Mental Health Reports.” https://mcc.gse.harvard.edu

This layered approach is one of the best examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics that need to balance readability with transparency.

Examples include licensing and attribution for icons, photos, and illustrations

Text and data aren’t the only things that need credit. Icons, illustrations, and photos often come with license requirements. Ignoring them can put your team at risk.

Examples of best practices for citing visual sources in infographics include:

• Attribution lines such as: “Icons from Noun Project, used under license.”
• Photo credits like: “Photo: Jane Smith / Unsplash.”
• Brand permissions when using logos: “Logos used with permission from respective owners.”

If you’re using medical or health-related imagery, it’s especially smart to lean on reputable sources and say so. For instance:

Medical illustrations adapted from National Institutes of Health (NIH) resources.

You can then link on your references page to the relevant image library, such as:

• https://www.nih.gov

These examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics remind viewers that attribution isn’t just for numbers—it covers everything in the design.

How to write citations that are short, accurate, and consistent

Good citation in infographics is a balancing act: short enough to fit, accurate enough to be trusted, and consistent enough that your audience knows what to expect.

Here’s a practical approach that shows up in many of the best examples:

• Use organization names in-graphic. “Source: CDC” is usually enough on the visual.
• Avoid full URLs in tiny text. They’re hard to read and almost impossible to type from a phone.
• Standardize your phrasing. Use the same “Source:” label, font size, and color across all infographics.
• Keep a style sheet. Decide once how you abbreviate organizations (CDC vs. C.D.C.) and stick to it.

When in doubt, ask yourself: if a skeptical reporter saw this infographic, could they track down the data within a couple of clicks? If the answer is yes, you’re probably close to the best examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics.

FAQ: examples of smart citation practices for infographics

Q1. Can you give an example of a simple but effective citation for a single-source infographic?
Yes. Suppose your entire infographic is based on one major report from the CDC. A clean approach is:

All data from: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Adult Obesity Facts.” Updated 2024. cdc.gov/obesity

This is one clear example of best practices for citing sources in infographics that only rely on one primary dataset.

Q2. What are examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics shared on Instagram or LinkedIn?
A common pattern is:

• Tiny “Source: CDC; NIH” in the bottom-right corner of the image.
• Full list of sources in the caption, with direct links.
• Optional final slide that says “Sources & Methods” with organization names.

These examples include both on-image credit and off-image detail, which works well for social.

Q3. Do I need to follow APA or MLA style inside the infographic itself?
Not usually. Most of the best examples use simplified citations in the visual—organization name, year, maybe a shortened title. You can reserve full APA/MLA formatting for the reference page on your site or in a downloadable PDF.

Q4. How do I handle outdated or changing statistics?
Whenever possible, include the year in your source line, such as “CDC, 2022” or “Census Bureau, 2023.” On your reference page, add “Accessed [month year].” If a major update comes out, update both the infographic and the reference page—another reason why short URLs and QR codes are among the best examples of flexible citation practices.

Q5. What’s an example of handling multiple sources for a single chart?
If you’ve combined two datasets—say, population from the U.S. Census Bureau and health data from the CDC—a clean in-graphic line might be:

Sources: CDC; U.S. Census Bureau

Then, on your reference page, list both with full titles and links. This is one of the simplest examples of best practices for citing sources in infographics that blend datasets.

If you treat citations as part of your design system—not an afterthought—you’ll end up with infographics that look professional, stand up to scrutiny, and are far easier to defend when someone inevitably asks, “Where did that number come from?”