{"id":131,"date":"2020-07-23T18:48:30","date_gmt":"2020-07-23T18:48:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-technicalwriting\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=131"},"modified":"2020-11-13T14:47:20","modified_gmt":"2020-11-13T14:47:20","slug":"graphics","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/suny-esc-technicalwriting\/chapter\/graphics\/","title":{"raw":"Tables","rendered":"Tables"},"content":{"raw":"<div id=\"main-content-row\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"size-medium wp-image-753 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5366\/2020\/07\/12195431\/577-300x94.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"94\" \/>\r\n\r\nTables permit rapid access to, and relatively easy comparison of, information. Tables can compare data offered through numbers or text. For example, if you're offering data about what different laser printers cost, you could either focus on numerical costs of purchase and maintenance, or you could use text that compares the printers in terms of cost, print speed, warranties, etc.\r\n\r\nTables arrange information in a row and column format. Each table should have a label above the table that contains a number and a title. Labels should be centered and follow the format \u201cTable 1. [A brief descriptive title].\u201d Tables do not need to follow specific color or formatting standards, but they should be easy to read and uniform throughout the document.\r\n<h2>Table Format<\/h2>\r\nTables arrange information in a row and column format. You may research information to create a new table, or you may find information already in table format. Normally, if it's a simple table without too many rows and columns, retype it yourself into your own document (and remember to cite your source). If you find a big table with lots of data, you can scan or screen capture it to include in your document. However, if the table does not conform to formatting conventions, you need to reproduce its contents using those conventions.\r\n<h3>Table Format Conventions<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Each table should have a label above the table that contains a number and a title. Labels should be centered and follow the format \u201cTable 1. [A brief descriptive title].\u201d<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Put a column heading at the top of each column, to define its contents and\/or indicate the unit of measurement.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Put row headings at the left edge of the table.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Don't overwhelm readers with very large tables. Pare the data down to just the amount that illustrate your point, without distorting that data.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Don't put the word or abbreviation for the unit of measurement in every cell of a column. For example, in a column of measurements all in millimeters, don't put \"mm\" after every number. Put the abbreviation in parentheses in the column or row heading.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Right-justify numbers in the columns. If you have decimals, justify the numbers so that the decimals align.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Left-justify words in the columns.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Center the column headings.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>When there is some special point you need to make about one or more of the items in the table, use a footnote instead of clogging up the table with that information.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Tables do not need to follow specific color or formatting standards, but they should be easy to read and uniform throughout the document.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\nNote that things get tricky when rows or columns must be grouped or subdivided. In such cases, you have to create row or column subheadings, as in the example below.\r\n<figure><img class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/softchalkcloud.com\/lesson\/files\/CyJVR8n2tDx47P\/tables_fig1.gif\" alt=\"Format for tables with grouped or subdivided rows and columns. Notice that the table title goes above the table.\" width=\"667\" height=\"184\" \/><\/figure>\r\nMake sure to review technical documents in draft to see if there's text information that could be more clearly presented in table form, as in the example below.\r\n\r\n<img class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/softchalkcloud.com\/lesson\/files\/CyJVR8n2tDx47P\/tables_fig2.gif\" alt=\"Example of information included in text that would be better represented in a table.\" width=\"614\" height=\"582\" \/>\r\n<figure><figcaption>\r\n<div class=\"textbox exercises\">\r\n<h3>try it<\/h3>\r\nTest your understanding of tables by answering the following questions.\r\n\r\n<strong>True or False: When you get information from a source that you then transform into a table, you must cite it properly using a proper documentation style.<\/strong>\r\n\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"1\"] Answer [\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"1\"]\r\n\r\nTrue\r\n\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<strong>A table includes (choose all that apply):<\/strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>row and column headings<\/li>\r\n \t<li>appropriate images<\/li>\r\n \t<li>a label or title<\/li>\r\n \t<li>only numerical data<\/li>\r\n \t<li>your own interpretation of the data<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"2\"] Answer [\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"2\"]\r\n\r\nTables include items 1 and 3, row and column headings, and a label or title. Tables generally do not include images or your own interpretation of the numerical data, and tables can contain language as well as numerical data.\r\n\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<strong>Choose the number that best answers this question. If you need to make a special point about an item of data in the table:<\/strong>\r\n<ol>\r\n \t<li>this is a trick question. You should never have to make a special point about an item of data in the table.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>make it in the place in the table where the data appears - do not separate the special point from the data.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>add it to the table title after a colon.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>make a footnote.<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"3\"] Answer [\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"3\"]\r\n\r\nAnswer 4 is correct - use a footnote.\r\n\r\n[\/hidden-answer]\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"<div id=\"main-content-row\">\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-753 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5366\/2020\/07\/12195431\/577-300x94.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"94\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Tables permit rapid access to, and relatively easy comparison of, information. Tables can compare data offered through numbers or text. For example, if you&#8217;re offering data about what different laser printers cost, you could either focus on numerical costs of purchase and maintenance, or you could use text that compares the printers in terms of cost, print speed, warranties, etc.<\/p>\n<p>Tables arrange information in a row and column format. Each table should have a label above the table that contains a number and a title. Labels should be centered and follow the format \u201cTable 1. [A brief descriptive title].\u201d Tables do not need to follow specific color or formatting standards, but they should be easy to read and uniform throughout the document.<\/p>\n<h2>Table Format<\/h2>\n<p>Tables arrange information in a row and column format. You may research information to create a new table, or you may find information already in table format. Normally, if it&#8217;s a simple table without too many rows and columns, retype it yourself into your own document (and remember to cite your source). If you find a big table with lots of data, you can scan or screen capture it to include in your document. However, if the table does not conform to formatting conventions, you need to reproduce its contents using those conventions.<\/p>\n<h3>Table Format Conventions<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Each table should have a label above the table that contains a number and a title. Labels should be centered and follow the format \u201cTable 1. [A brief descriptive title].\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Put a column heading at the top of each column, to define its contents and\/or indicate the unit of measurement.<\/li>\n<li>Put row headings at the left edge of the table.<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t overwhelm readers with very large tables. Pare the data down to just the amount that illustrate your point, without distorting that data.<\/li>\n<li>Don&#8217;t put the word or abbreviation for the unit of measurement in every cell of a column. For example, in a column of measurements all in millimeters, don&#8217;t put &#8220;mm&#8221; after every number. Put the abbreviation in parentheses in the column or row heading.<\/li>\n<li>Right-justify numbers in the columns. If you have decimals, justify the numbers so that the decimals align.<\/li>\n<li>Left-justify words in the columns.<\/li>\n<li>Center the column headings.<\/li>\n<li>When there is some special point you need to make about one or more of the items in the table, use a footnote instead of clogging up the table with that information.<\/li>\n<li>Tables do not need to follow specific color or formatting standards, but they should be easy to read and uniform throughout the document.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Note that things get tricky when rows or columns must be grouped or subdivided. In such cases, you have to create row or column subheadings, as in the example below.<\/p>\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/softchalkcloud.com\/lesson\/files\/CyJVR8n2tDx47P\/tables_fig1.gif\" alt=\"Format for tables with grouped or subdivided rows and columns. Notice that the table title goes above the table.\" width=\"667\" height=\"184\" \/><\/figure>\n<p>Make sure to review technical documents in draft to see if there&#8217;s text information that could be more clearly presented in table form, as in the example below.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/softchalkcloud.com\/lesson\/files\/CyJVR8n2tDx47P\/tables_fig2.gif\" alt=\"Example of information included in text that would be better represented in a table.\" width=\"614\" height=\"582\" \/><\/p>\n<figure><figcaption>\n<p>try it<br \/>\nTest your understanding of tables by answering the following questions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>True or False: When you get information from a source that you then transform into a table, you must cite it properly using a proper documentation style.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><span class=\"show-answer collapsed\" style=\"cursor: pointer\" data-target=\"q1\"> Answer <\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"q1\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">\n<p>True<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>A table includes (choose all that apply):<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> \trow and column headings<br \/>\n \tappropriate images<br \/>\n \ta label or title<br \/>\n \tonly numerical data<br \/>\n \tyour own interpretation of the data<\/p>\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><span class=\"show-answer collapsed\" style=\"cursor: pointer\" data-target=\"q2\"> Answer <\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"q2\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">\n<p>Tables include items 1 and 3, row and column headings, and a label or title. Tables generally do not include images or your own interpretation of the numerical data, and tables can contain language as well as numerical data.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Choose the number that best answers this question. If you need to make a special point about an item of data in the table:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p> \tthis is a trick question. You should never have to make a special point about an item of data in the table.<br \/>\n \tmake it in the place in the table where the data appears &#8211; do not separate the special point from the data.<br \/>\n \tadd it to the table title after a colon.<br \/>\n \tmake a footnote.<\/p>\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><span class=\"show-answer collapsed\" style=\"cursor: pointer\" data-target=\"q3\"> Answer <\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"q3\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">\n<p>Answer 4 is correct &#8211; use a footnote.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-131\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Original<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Tables, adapted from Open Technical Communication and Fundamentals of Engineering Technical Communications; attributions below. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Susan Oaks. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Empire State College, SUNY. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Technical Writing. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>Tables, Charts, and Graphs. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: David McMurrey &amp; Tamara Powell. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Kennesaw State University. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/softchalkcloud.com\/lesson\/serve\/CyJVR8n2tDx47P\/html\">https:\/\/softchalkcloud.com\/lesson\/serve\/CyJVR8n2tDx47P\/html<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Open Technical Communication. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>Chapter 4. Using Graphics and Visuals Effectively. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Leah Wahlin. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: The Ohio State University. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/ohiostate.pressbooks.pub\/feptechcomm\/chapter\/4-graphics-visuals\/\">https:\/\/ohiostate.pressbooks.pub\/feptechcomm\/chapter\/4-graphics-visuals\/<\/a>. <strong>Project<\/strong>: Fundamentals of Engineering Technical Communications. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc\/4.0\/\">CC BY-NC: Attribution-NonCommercial<\/a><\/em><\/li><li>image of numbers and computer screens. <strong>Authored by<\/strong>: Gerd Altmann. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: Pixabay. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/illustrations\/banner-header-monitor-binary-909710\/\">https:\/\/pixabay.com\/illustrations\/banner-header-monitor-binary-909710\/<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/about\/cc0\">CC0: No Rights Reserved<\/a><\/em><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":81366,"menu_order":2,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"original\",\"description\":\"Tables, adapted from Open Technical Communication and Fundamentals of Engineering Technical Communications; attributions below\",\"author\":\"Susan Oaks\",\"organization\":\"Empire State College, SUNY\",\"url\":\"\",\"project\":\"Technical Writing\",\"license\":\"cc-by-nc\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Tables, Charts, and Graphs\",\"author\":\"David McMurrey & Tamara Powell\",\"organization\":\"Kennesaw State University\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/softchalkcloud.com\/lesson\/serve\/CyJVR8n2tDx47P\/html\",\"project\":\"Open Technical Communication\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"\"},{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"Chapter 4. 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