In
APA style, a
table is a representation of information that uses rows and columns.
Basics
- Place the table number above the table, in bold text and flush with the left margin.
- Double-space before and after the table.
- If you are using data from a source in your table, be sure to cite the source after the table.
APA Formatting Basics
- All text should be double-spaced.
- Use one-inch margins on all sides.
- All paragraphs in the body are indented.
- Make sure that the title is centered on the page with your name and school/institution underneath.
- Use 12-point font throughout.
- All pages should be numbered in the upper right hand corner.
APA style has a specific format for tables. Tables should appear at the end of your paper, after the reference list and before any appendixes. Every table needs a unique title after its label.
The placement of figures and tables should be at the center of the page. It should be properly referenced and ordered in the number that it appears in the text. In addition, tables should be set apart from the text. Text wrapping should not be used.
Table legends go above the body of the Table and are left justified; Tables are read from the top down. Figure legends go below the graph and are left justified; graphs and other types of Figures are usually read from the bottom up.
Tables and figures are an integral part of a well-written scientific paper. The bulk of the detailed information in a paper is typically presented in its tables. Many of the descriptions and basic concepts, key natural trends, key discoveries, and some of the conclusions are presented in figures.
Make sure to consider the below points when writing legends in your manuscript or poster.
- Place captions above the table and align to the left (typically).
- Place captions below the figure.
- Use titles for both figures and graphs in oral presentation slides and posters.
Need to Know:
- Tables must appear in the text as near as possible to the discussion relating to them.
- DO NOT insert a table in the middle of a sentence.
- Tables must be numbered consecutively using Arabic numbers throughout the thesis, as should figures, examples, and illustrations.
With the cursor at the point where you want to insert the list:
- Click the References tab.
- Click “Insert table of figures”
- Select a caption label (table or figure)
- Click “OK”
Figures refer to any visual elements—graphs, charts, diagrams, photos, etc. —that are not Tables. They may be included in the main sections of the report, or if they contain supplemental material they may be contained in an appendix. Try to ensure that figures and tables are not broken over two pages.
APA requires a title above the table after the figure number. Tables should be labeled “Table” followed by the number. Titles should be in italics, but labels should be in plain text. The text in a table should be consistent with the font in the rest of your paper.
To cite a report in a reference entry, include the author, year, title of the report, the report number (if there is one), and the publisher. In-text citations would follow the typical format of including the author (or authoring organization) and year of publication.
Every statistical test that you report should relate directly to a hypothesis. Begin the results section by restating each hypothesis, then state whether your results supported it, then give the data and statistics that allowed you to draw this conclusion.
To be made up of:
- Author or organisation.
- Year of publication (in round brackets).
- Title of report (in italics).
- Place of publication: publisher.
Report Writing Format
- Title Section – This includes the name of the author(s) and the date of report preparation.
- Summary – There needs to be a summary of the major points, conclusions, and recommendations.
- Introduction – The first page of the report needs to have an introduction.
- Body – This is the main section of the report.
To format questions and answers in APA format:
- Begin the question on a new line and type number 1 followed by a period.
- Type the discussion question in Times New Roman font, 12 point size.
- Use double spacing and one inch margins.
- Separate the answer from the question by beginning the answer on a new line.
In general, all papers should begin with an introduction that includes a thesis statement (see handout on a good/bad thesis). The purpose of the introduction is the same as any research paper: in one to two paragraphs, briefly introduce and state the issue to be examined.
A basic reference list entry for a journal article in APA must include:
- Author or authors.
- Year of publication of the article (in round brackets).
- Article title.
- Journal title (in italics).
- Volume of journal (in italics).
- Issue number of journal in round brackets (no italics).
- Page range of article.
- DOI or URL.
When a blank document is opened in Word, it uses a default template. This default template does not have the correct settings for APA style, so Microsoft provides a different template especially for APA documents. Word templates use a feature called styles. The Word APA template also uses fields.
When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, like, for example, (Jones, 1998). One complete reference for each source should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.