Examples
Worked examples
- Is an instance
A figure legend for a bar-chart figure reads: 'Figure 3. Cell viability decreased with increasing drug concentration. (A) Viability at 24 hours across five concentrations (n = 6 independent experiments per group). (B) Viability at 48 hours, same conditions. Error bars represent standard deviation; statistical significance was assessed by one-way ANOVA with Tukey's post hoc test (*p < 0.05, **p < 0.01). Scale bar in inset micrograph = 50 micrometers.' A reader can determine what was measured, how many replicates were run, and which statistical test produced the significance markers without consulting the Methods section.
- Is an instance
A micrograph figure's legend defines every abbreviation used on the image itself -- for example, spelling out 'DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, nuclear stain)' and 'GFP (green fluorescent protein)' the first time those labels appear in the figure, even if the same abbreviations were already defined earlier in the manuscript text, because a reader may view the figure without having read that earlier section first.
Counter-examples
Looks similar, but isn't
- Not an instance
The sentence 'Knockdown of the gene reduced expression significantly (Fig. 2C)' embedded in the Results section is an in-text figure reference, not a figure legend -- it is a pointer within the running narrative prose directing the reader to a specific panel, not the standalone caption text that accompanies the figure itself.
- Not an instance
A one-line caption reading only 'Figure 4. Western blot results.' with no panel description, no abbreviation definitions, no stated sample size, and no explanation of what the bands represent does not meet the standard for a complete figure legend -- it fails the standalone-comprehension test a legend is meant to satisfy.
Editorial commentary
A figure legend (also called a figure caption in most journal style guides — the two terms are used interchangeably at outlets such as Nature, Cell Press, and PLOS) is the descriptive text accompanying a figure that explains what the figure shows, independent of any labels printed inside the figure itself. It is placed immediately below the figure in most journal layouts, though some publishers place a short title above the figure and the full legend below it.
A complete figure legend conventionally includes: a brief, one-sentence title summarizing the figure’s main point; an explanation of what each panel shows when a figure has multiple panels (e.g. “(A) … (B) …”); definitions of any abbreviations, symbols, or color coding used; the sample size and statistical test applied, for data figures; and a scale bar value, for micrographs or other images where scale is not otherwise obvious. Journals differ in exactly how much of this they require in the legend itself versus in the methods section, so authors should check the specific target journal’s author guidelines rather than assume a single universal format.
A figure legend is distinct from in-text callouts (the sentences in the body text that reference “Figure 1” or “Fig. 2”), from a table legend (the equivalent descriptive text for a table, which follows similar conventions but sits above rather than below the table in most style guides), and from a graphical abstract, which is a single standalone summary image with its own brief caption rather than a legend explaining a figure embedded in the manuscript body.
References
- ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work — figures and tables
- Journal author guidelines (Nature, Cell Press, PLOS) on figure legend format
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a figure legend the same as a figure caption?
Yes — in most journal style guides, including at outlets such as Nature, Cell Press, and PLOS, “figure legend” and “figure caption” are used interchangeably to mean the descriptive text that explains what a figure shows, independent of any labels printed inside the figure itself.
What information should a figure legend include?
A complete figure legend conventionally includes a brief, one-sentence title summarizing the figure’s main point; an explanation of what each panel shows in a multi-panel figure; definitions of any abbreviations, symbols, or color coding used; the sample size and statistical test applied, for data figures; and a scale bar value for micrographs or other images where scale isn’t otherwise obvious. Journals differ in how much of this belongs in the legend itself versus the methods section, so authors should check the target journal’s specific guidelines.
Where is a figure legend placed relative to the figure?
In most journal layouts, the figure legend is placed immediately below the figure. Some publishers instead place a short title above the figure and put the full legend text below it.
What does a figure legend need to explain for a multi-panel figure?
For a figure with multiple panels, the legend should explain what each individual panel shows, typically keyed to the panel letters used in the image — for example, “(A) … (B) …”.
How is a figure legend different from an in-text callout like “see Figure 2”?
An in-text callout is a sentence in the manuscript’s body text that references a figure, such as “Figure 1” or “Fig. 2,” pointing the reader to it. The figure legend itself is the separate descriptive text that accompanies the figure and explains what it shows, independent of that in-text reference.
How does a figure legend differ from a graphical abstract?
A figure legend explains a specific figure embedded in the manuscript body. A graphical abstract is a single standalone summary image with its own brief caption, not a legend explaining an in-text figure.
Machine-readable encodings
Use in your systems
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