4.1 Tables.

Within the body of the table and in column headings, units of measure and numbers normally spelled out may be abbreviated for space considerations (see , Abbreviations, Units of Measure; , Units of Measure; and , Numbers and Percentages). However, spelled-out words should not be combined with abbreviations for units of measure. For example, “First Week” or “1st wk” or “Week 1” may be used as a column heading, but not “First wk.” Abbreviations or acronyms should be explained in a footnote (see , Table Components, Footnotes). ...Less

Authors submitting tables in a scientific article should consult the publication’s instructions for authors for specific requirements and preferences regarding table format. Although details about preferred table construction vary among journals, several general guidelines apply. Each table should be created by means of a table editor program in word processing software or a spreadsheet program and inserted in the electronic manuscript file. Reduced type should not be used. If a table is too large to be contained on 1 manuscript page, the table should be continued on another page with a “continued” line following the title on the subsequent page. ...Less

Additional digits (including zeros) should not be added, eg, after the decimal point, to provide all data entries with the same number of digits. Doing so may indicate more precise results than actually were calculated or measured. A percentage or decimal quotient should contain no more than the number of digits in the denominator. For example, the percentage for the proportion 9 of 28 should be reported as 32% (or decimal quotient 0.32), not 32.1% (or 0.321) (see , Statistics, Significant Digits and Rounding Numbers). Values reporting laboratory data should be provided and rounded, if appropriate, according to the number ...Less

For a table to have maximum effectiveness, the information it contains must be arranged logically and clearly so that the reader can quickly understand the key point and find the specific data of interest. Information in tables should be organized into columns and rows by type and category, thereby simplifying access and display of data and information.During the planning and creation of a table, the author should consider the primary comparisons of interest. Because the English language is read first horizontally (from left to right) and then vertically (from top to bottom), the primary comparisons should be shown horizontally across ...Less

As with numbers and abbreviations, rules for punctuation may be less restrictive in tables to save space (see , Punctuation). For example, slashes may be used to present dates (eg, 04/27/03 for April 27, 2003) and hyphens may be used to present ranges (eg, 60 90 for 60 to 90) (see , Numbers and Percentages). Phrases and sentences in tables may use end punctuation if required for readability (eg, if cells contain multisentence entries). ...Less

Formal tables in scientific articles conventionally contain 5 major elements: title, column headings, stubs (row headings), body (data field) consisting of individual cells (data points), and footnotes (Example ). Details pertaining to elements of style for table construction vary among publications; what follows is based on the general style of JAMA and the Archives Journals.Each table should have a brief, specific, descriptive title, usually written as a phrase rather than as a sentence, that distinguishes the table from other data displays in the article. The title should convey the topic of the table succinctly but should not provide detailed background ...Less

Because of their ability to present detailed information effectively and in ways that text alone cannot, tables are an essential component of many scientific articles. Tables can summarize, organize, and condense complex or detailed data and therefore are commonly used to present study results.The purpose of a table is to present data or information and support statements in the text. Information in the table must be accurate and consistent with that in the text in content and style. A properly designed and constructed table should be able to stand independently, without requiring explanation from the text.A table displays information arranged ...Less

Tables that contain important supplementary information that is too extensive to be published in the journal article may be made available from other sources. These tables may be available from the author or by electronic means (eg, online database, journal website, CD-ROM). Supplementary tables posted on the JAMA and Archives Journals website undergo review and editing because they are considered part of the journal’s content. ...Less

A table displays information arranged in columns and rows (Example and , Table Components) and is used most commonly to present numerical data. Each table should have a title, be numbered consecutively as referred to in the text, and be positioned as close as possible to its first mention in the text. Formal tables usually are set off from the text by horizontal rules, boxes, or white space.A tabulation is a brief, in-text table that may be used to set material off from text. Tabulations require the text to explain their meaning. They are placed directly in the text, unlike ...Less

JAMA and the Archives Journals report laboratory values in conventional units (see , Abbreviations, Units of Measure, and , Units of Measure). In tables, units of measure, including the variability of the measurement if reported, should follow a comma in the table column heading or stub. The following are examples of stub entries with units of measure: Age, mean (SD), y Systolic blood pressure, mean (SD), mm Hg Body mass index, median (IQR) Duration of hypertension, mean (SD) [range], y Change in rate, % (SE)JAMA and the Archives Journals use a conversion footnote to indicate how to convert values to ...Less