The Results section: How to use tables effectively

1. The Results section: How to use tables effectively Today’s agenda: How to integrate text and tables into a coherent presentation of results. Examine tables in “mock” papers. Examine published tables. Wrap-up and assignment.

2. What makes a successful table • Just as with figures, your tables should present only your most interesting and/or most crucial data. • Tables should be used to display supporting data that cannot be effectively communicated in any other way. • When constructing tables, you should always eliminate clutter and unrelated information. • Remember, the reader is busy and may skim the paper, notice a table that seems interesting, and stop to look at it. Do not force the reader to study the whole paper to puzzle out what is being tabulated.

3. The importance of the caption Each table must have a fully self-explanatory caption (or legend). This means that a reader should be able to look at the table and the caption and understand what is being presented. By convention, table captions are nearly always placed above the table (whereas figure captions are usually placed below the image).

4. In-class activity: Let’s examine tables from “mock papers.” What are the strengths and weaknesses? Could we see ourselves making these same mistakes?

5. Plankton Type P-Value Copepod 0.004939 Neomysis 0.302102 Cladoceran 0.872516 Table 1. The P-values associated with selectivity versus availability of three groups of organisms, copepods, neomysis, and cladocerans, by the 3-spine stickleback Gasterosteusaculeatus.

6. Plankton Type P-Value Copepod 0.004939 Neomysis 0.302102 Cladoceran 0.872516 Table 1. TheP-values associated with selectivity versus availability of three groups of organisms, copepods, neomysis, and cladocerans, bythe Threespine3-spine Stickleback Gasterosteusaculeatus. Critique: This is really a list rather than a table. Tabulations with statistical values like this waste space. Put the values in the text and do not use so many significant digits! Moreover, the caption is awkward (incomprehensible?) and incorrectly located (table captions are placed above the table).

7. Table 1. The average, standard deviation, and the coefficient variable of the velocity (m/s), depth (cm) and the substrate size (mm) of the intermediate axis.

8. Table 1. The average, standard deviation and the coefficient variable of the velocity (m/s), depth (cm) and the substrate size (mm) of the intermediate axis. Critique: This example is more than a list—it would be difficult to place in the text—but we can reduce the number of decimal places here too. Formatting can be improved in several ways to improve ease of reading, and the caption (which is poorly worded) needs to be moved to the top.

9. Table 1. Showing the average values of the depth and velocity of the distribution of the sculpin and the habitat.

10. Table 1. Showing the average values of the depth and velocity of the distribution of the sculpin and the habitat. Critique: The caption is not a complete sentence much less a clear one. In addition, the boxes that enclose the data should be minimized or better, avoided altogether. The Latinized scientific name must be added—there are 70 genera and about 275 recognized species of sculpins, 37 in Puget Sound alone!

12. Critique: This is not bad, but the box should be removed and scientific names added. Also, resist the temptation to interpret the data or tell the reader what to make of it. So, the second sentence of the caption should be dropped.

13. Tips for tables: Use the space well: avoid a lot of “negative space.” Consider carefully what the columns and rows should be—one can present a very different emphasis depending on how the table is laid out. If there is too little “information content” (e.g., two or three numbers) then consider putting the data in the text. If there is too much “information” that the reader will miss the important point—consider trimming the data in some way. Make sensible use of decimal places. Try vertical and horizontal presentations to see which is more intuitive.

14. In-class activity: Examine tables in published papers suggested by students. Why did you choose this one? What can we learn from it? Can it be improved? Is the caption adequate?

15. Assignment for Monday: Work on the tables that you plan to include in your paper, using what you have learned to communicate clearly and efficiently. If you’re ready, send me the Results section of your paper Study the Discussion section of the published paper. Plan the Discussion section of your paper. Read pages 81–85 in the book.