Q. Do I still have to cite an image that is "no attribution required"?

Images provided by some websites may be labeled "no attribution required", or "public domain" (which also doesn't require an attribution). This is for copyright purposes, and it means you don't have to acknowledge the author if you want to use the image in your blog or website (or even published works like newsletters and magazines) – you can just use it freely, without giving it a caption.

However, in your assignments (and published academic papers), it is necessary to cite all of your sources whenever you use work that you did not create yourself. Part of academic integrity is making it clear when and where you have used someone else's work. If you did not create the image, then you need to make it clear that the image is not your own original work. This is why you need to cite your sources for images, even if they are listed as "no attribution required".

When you submit an assignment at JCU, you must agree to a statement that, unless otherwise noted, everything in your assignment is your own work. This is why you have to cite everything you did not create for that assignment, even if it is just an image for decorative purposes. Having said that, if the image is being used in a presentation and is purely for decorative purposes, your lecturer may be okay with leaving the image uncited — you will have to check with your lecturer.

Please note: public domain images do not require an attribution, but it is still considered good practice to provide an attribution for the creator anyway, if you know who they are and can do so.