Tables in APA 7 Style: format and example

When to use a table

A table organizes information in rows and columns. Use one when readers need to compare data, retrieve exact values, or examine several characteristics across a set of items.

Do not turn a small amount of information into a table when one sentence would communicate it clearly. If the main purpose is to show a visual trend or pattern, see the guide to figures in APA Style.

Parts of an APA table

A table may contain five parts:

1. Number: place it above the table in bold and flush left, such as Table 1.
2. Title: place it on the next line in italics without a period. It should describe the content precisely.
3. Headings: identify the information in each column. Every column, including the first one, needs a heading.
4. Body: contains the rows and columns of data.
5. Notes: explain abbreviations, symbols, particular values, or information about the table's source.

Do not place the number and title in the same paragraph. Use Table as the label rather than labels such as Chart or Exhibit when following APA Style.

How to number and refer to tables

Number tables in the order they are first mentioned: Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3. Figures have a separate numbering sequence.

Introduce each table before displaying it and explain which information matters. For example:

As shown in Table 1, students in the hybrid course reported more weekly study hours than students in the other course formats.

Do not write “the following table” or “the table on page 12,” because its location may change during editing.

What an APA table should look like

An APA table is not a closed grid. A simple table generally needs three horizontal rules: one at the top, one below the column headings, and one at the bottom. Do not use vertical rules or draw a border around every cell. Avoid decorative shading as well.

Center the column headings. In the body, align names or descriptions in the first column to the left and center the data in the remaining columns. The table body may be single-spaced, one-and-a-half-spaced, or double-spaced, depending on which option presents the information most clearly.

Use the same format for comparable data. For example, report similar values with the same number of decimal places. A cell may remain blank when the information does not apply. When data were not obtained or reported, use a dash and explain it in a general note.

Complete APA table example

The following data are illustrative:

The title identifies the comparison. Headings label every column, and the note explains the origin and meaning of the values without repeating each cell.

How to build and align the table body

Build the table with your word processor's table function. Do not use spaces or the tab key to imitate columns, because the values can lose their alignment when the page size changes.

Every column needs a brief heading, including the first column. Use sentence case for headings. If an entry is longer than one line, a small hanging indent can help readers distinguish it from the next entry.

General, specific, and probability notes

Place notes below the table and include them only when they provide necessary information:

• General note: explains abbreviations, units, symbols, the scope of the data, or the source of a reproduced or adapted table. It begins with Note.
• Specific note: refers to one cell, row, or column and uses a superscript lowercase letter.
• Probability note: explains asterisks or other symbols used for statistical results.

When a table needs all three types, present them in this order: general, specific, and probability.

Example of note order:

Note. SD = standard deviation.

ᵃ Two participants did not answer the final question.

* p < .05. ** p < .01.

This fragment is illustrative. The letter a is useful only when it also appears beside the relevant cell, and asterisks belong in the notes only when they mark the results being explained.

These notes belong to the table. Do not turn them into a footnote for the paper.

Original, adapted, and reproduced tables

A table created from your own data does not need a Source: Created by the author note under APA Style. Include this wording only when your institution requires it.

If you reproduce or adapt a table from another work, identify its source in a note and add the work to the reference list. Check whether you also need permission. Copying data and changing colors does not make someone else's table your own creation.

Long or wide tables

If a table continues onto another page, repeat the heading row so readers can identify every column. If the table is too wide, consider changing the page orientation or dividing the information into smaller tables with clear purposes.

Lengthy tables that support the paper but are not needed to follow the main discussion may be placed in an appendix.

When a long paper includes several tables, the institution may request a list of tables with their numbers, titles, and pages. Do not confuse this navigation aid with the complete tables.

Table checklist

• The table makes a comparison that would be difficult to follow in prose.
• It has a bold number and an italic title above the body.
• Every column has a heading.
• The text refers to the table by number.
• Decimals, symbols, and abbreviations are presented consistently.
• It has horizontal rules at the top, below the headings, and at the bottom.
• It has no vertical rules or borders around every cell.
• It does not use decorative shading.
• Notes appear below the table and explain only what is necessary.
• Material from another work has attribution, a reference, and permission when required.