Guidelines

Constructing tables

General advice

1. Use a tabular presentation for an educated audience.
2. Use columns rather than rows to compare figures. If comparison is the main purpose of the presentation, consider using a comparative bar chart.
3. Restrict the size to 20 numbers or less. This can be done by dividing a large table into two or more small tables. Consider a graph for large data sets.
4. Minimize the number of words used, but spell words out rather than using abbreviations or codes.

1. Place the table number and title at the top to allow the reader to identify and understand the purpose of the presentation before proceeding to the body of the table.
2. Use different fonts and styles to distinguish the table title, headings and subheadings.
3. In pairs or sequences of tables, use identical labels for common headings and labels.
4. Indent items under a group variable label.
5. Set columns compactly so that the eye does not have to travel too far between labels and each column of figures.
6. Add grid lines to facilitate the reading of columns and rows.

1. Round numbers to two significant digits, unless precision of data is important.
2. Where possible, order columns/rows by size of numbers. Place any miscellaneous variable last, regardless of size.
3. Provide column/row averages or totals where appropriate.
4. Draw attention to key figures with colour, shading or bold typeface.

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