{"id":149,"date":"2016-10-12T15:13:12","date_gmt":"2016-10-12T19:13:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/openbooks.macewan.ca\/authorsguide\/chapter\/tables\/"},"modified":"2026-01-13T16:37:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T21:37:26","slug":"tables","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/openbooks.macewan.ca\/authorsguide\/chapter\/tables\/","title":{"raw":"Tables","rendered":"Tables"},"content":{"raw":"In this section, we provide guidelines and recommendations for formatting tables. <\/span>In this context,\u00a0we are referring to data tables, <\/strong>which are tables that include row and\/or column header information to categorize content.\r\n

Before You Begin<\/h2>\r\n

Are Your Tables Simple or Complex?<\/h3>\r\nA simple table<\/a> includes a maximum of one header column and\/or one header row. A complex table includes more than one header column and\/or header row, and may include merged or split cells (EIT Accessibility Group, 2019).\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nWe recommend you make every effort to keep\u00a0data tables as simple in structure as possible. The more complex the design of a data table, the less accessible it will be for students using screen-reading technology to access their textbook materials. Screen readers move left-to-right, top-to-bottom, one cell at a time, and because a screen reader does not repeat a cell, merging or splitting cells\u00a0may affect the reading order of a table.<\/span>\r\n

What Do You Need To Do?<\/h2>\r\nIn the same way that your content needs true headings to create a logical hierarchy<\/a>, tables need a properly defined structure to be accessible. This means that you must add row and column headers to define the different sections of data.\r\n

<\/a>Creating Simple Tables<\/h3>\r\nA simple table includes:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  1. A table title or caption<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. Maximum of one row of column headers and\/or maximum of one column of row headers<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. No merged or split cells<\/li>\r\n \t
  4. Adequate cell padding for visual learners.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nExample<\/strong>:\r\n\r\nThe table below is a simple table. Reviewed against the preceding requirements list, this table:\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. Includes\u00a0a\u00a0title <\/strong>(Spring Blossoms)<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. Has one row\u00a0in which cells are\u00a0tagged as column headers <\/strong>(Colour Family, Bulbs, Shrubs, Trees), and one column (beginning on the second row) in which the cells are tagged as row headers <\/strong>(Pink, Yellow)<\/li>\r\n \t
    3. Contains no merged or split cells<\/li>\r\n \t
    4. Has adequate cell padding<\/strong>\u00a0to provide space buffering around the data in each cell. (Cell padding in this table is set at \"10\").<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
      Spring Blossoms<\/caption>\r\n
      Colour Family<\/th>\r\nBulbs<\/th>\r\nShrubs<\/th>\r\nTrees<\/th>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/thead>\r\n
      Pink<\/th>\r\nTulips<\/td>\r\nFlowering currant<\/td>\r\nOrnamental plum<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
      Yellow<\/th>\r\n\u00a0Daffodils<\/td>\r\nForsythia<\/td>\r\nStar magnolia<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\nFor a student accessing the table through a screen reader, the first row of data will be presented along the lines of:\r\n