7.10 Tables

Although you most often use tables to display your main findings discussed in the results section, the actual tables are typically located each on their own page after the reference section of your report unless your course instructor, or a journal publisher, instruct you to do otherwise.

Tables are placed in their own section because they sometimes detract from the text of your report. In addition, when you send an article to a publisher, the editor reserves the right to fit your table into the text of the document where it is most appropriate given the space limitations and page setup of the actual journal. You can refer to the table in your results section by stating, for instance, “as shown in Table 1” or “(see Table 5).”

Each table you include in your report should have a table number (Table 1, Table 2, and so on) noted above it in bold text and aligned to the left. One double-spaced line below this include a table title in italics. You can then also include notes beneath the table as needed to describe its contents.

Tables Checklist

❏ Referred to in text (e.g., as shown in Table 1; see Table 4)

❏ Included at end of your report, if there are no figures or appendices

❏ Each table on a separate page thereafter

❏ Aligned to the left margin

❏ Table number in bold, and title in italics one double-space below

❏ Notes section beneath the table explaining contents (optional)

❏ Double-spaced

❏ APA format (unless otherwise noted by your instructor or the editor of a journal)

❏ Limited amount of information