When creating tables for an APA document, you should format the tables according to the following general guidelines:
Line 1: Table # (no end period)
Line 2: The Title of Your Table with Major Words Capitalized (no end period)
Line 3: A division line
Line 4: The headings of the table (each column should have a heading)
Line 5: A division line
BODY OF THE TABLE
End with a division line
Please note: Vertical lines are not used in APA tables. Additional horizontal lines may be used to clarify subheadings or totals at the author's discretion.
Notes should appear in a smaller font below the divider line ordered as follows (each type starts on a new line):
- General Notes: These notes provide generic, non-statistical information. Write Note. (Notice capitalization of "N," italics, and end period.) Then follow with the information. For example: Note. Wid = Widowed. End the note with a period. Additional general notes do NOT require that the word "Note." be repeated.
- Specific Notes: These notes provide information about specific data not related to probability. For example, if you want to clarify subsample information, write: an = 35. Please note that specific notes are often super- or sub-scripted and denoted using letters. End each note with a period. That is, do not put commas between multiple notes.
- Probability Notes: Use asterisks(*, **, etc.) for probability notes. Remember to use adequate spacing per APA guidelines (that is, a space between each element of a formula) and to italicize statistical abbreviations. Also, for statistical measures that can never exceed 1.0, do NOT add a zero before the decimal point. For example, *p < .01. End each note with a period. That is, do not put commas between multiple notes.
Other Guidelines on Table Content and Format
- Do not use vertical lines to separate columns
- Use the same number of decimal places to report like data (e.g., 4.512, 3.080, 6.200)
- The left column should be flush left (unless an indented subheading); center the other columns
- Statistical measurements that can never exceed 1.0 should not have a "zero" before the decimal point (0.7 is incorrect, .7 is correct)
- Do not use bold, italics, or underlining (an exception to underlining would be a divider line for a subheading)
- Think about your organization and group like headings together
Sample Table in APA Format
