Tables usually show numerical values or text and are almost always characterized by a row-column structure. Any type of illustration other than a table is referred to as a figure.
Tables must be identified with the word "Table" and include a title and source. As with figures, there are 3 elements to include:
If you are writing a thesis with a lot of tables, they should be referenced in a List of Tables. In a shorter assignment, where you might have included only one or two tables, you can reference them in your bibliography or reference list.
For a table, the number and title by which it can be identified are written above the fields of data. However, the actual source citation is placed beneath the table in the same way as a graph or figure.
Table 1: Body Mass Index
(Source: BMI Calculator 2022)
Ex: Each sample tested positive for the three nutrients (see Table 2).
A reference within the text to a table, graph, diagram, etc. taken from a source should include the author, date and page number in brackets to enable the reader to identify the data.
Caption:
If the table is altered in any way from the original source, add 'Modified from source'.
Table 7: Problem-solving strategies
(Source: Lazzara 2021, p. 542). CC BY 4.0.
If the source is from a journal article (print or electronic) or from a web document with page numbers, add the page number to the in-text citation.
If the figure is altered in any way from the original source, add 'Modified from source'.
(Modified from source: Central Statistics Office 2021)
Colour | Frequency | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White | 41 | 33.07 |
Black | 33 | 26.61 |
Blue | 18 | 14.52 |
Yellow | 12 | 9.68 |
Grey | 7 | 5.65 |
Red | 6 | 4.84 |
Green | 6 | 4.84 |
Orange | 1 | 0.81 |
(Source: Flanagan 2022, p. 5). Reproduced with permission from XYZ Publishers.
Caption:
The source of the table below is a webpage, so page numbers are not included in the caption underneath the table.
If the table is taken from a web document that has page numbers, include them after the date.
If the table has been copied from a source, then you have amended it, add ‘amended from’ in the caption underneath (e.g. Amended from Source: Smith 2022).
Company | Price 2022 | Price 2021 | Percentage Change |
---|---|---|---|
Company A | 375.74 | 385.24 | 0.98 |
Company B | 401.3 | 384.02 | 1.05 |
Company C | 322.31 | 531.07 | 0.61 |
Company D | 436.9 | 497.15 | 0.88 |
Company E | 701.48 | 382.96 | 1.83 |
(Source: Smith 2022). Reproduced with permission from ABC Ireland.