APA 7 tables and figures: make the numbers readable

1. Choose lines for structure, not decoration

APA commonly uses rules at the top and bottom of a table and below the column headings. More complex structures can need other separators, such as a rule above a total. Avoid vertical rules and a border around every cell. Ask what relationship a line helps the reader see. [1] [2]

A practical editing test: remove the full grid from a copy of your table. Restore only boundaries needed to distinguish headings, the data body and any summary. If a heading no longer clearly applies to its columns, repair the heading structure rather than adding arbitrary boxes.

Use your document editor's table feature rather than spaces to align values. Left-align the first column's entries; generally center other cells, but left-align longer text when that improves reading. [1]

2. Build a table from eight invented observations

The means are 4.00 and 6.00 minutes. Both sample standard deviations round to 1.83 minutes. The calculations were checked using Python's mean and stdev and an independent arithmetic calculation. [7]

Separate columns let the reader scan means and variation independently. Consistent decimals within each statistic help comparison; the appropriate precision depends on the measurement and purpose. Two decimals here are an editorial choice, not a universal APA requirement. [2] [6]

This responsive display illustrates table structure. It is not a manuscript file: set the actual document's spacing and check the exported PDF. Keep unrounded values in your analysis records; do not reconstruct them from this rounded table.

3. Give each component one job

Number tables in the order first mentioned, and number figures in their own sequence. Put the bold number above the display, with an italic, title-case title on the next double-spaced line. Refer to each display in the text and explain what it contributes. [1] [3] [2]

Add notes only when needed. A general note explains the whole table; a specific note identifies a particular cell or row, usually with a superscript letter; a probability note explains a significance symbol when one is used. These follow that order. The example needs only a general note: adding stars would imply an analysis that was never performed. [2]

APA permits single, one-and-a-half or double spacing in the table body; double-space the number, title and notes. Use the paper's font consistently. Do not automatically shrink table notes to 9 points: the exception for smaller footnotes is not a general rule for table notes. [1] [2] [5]

4. Audit a figure at the size readers will see

A figure includes visual material such as a graph or diagram. APA places its number and title above the image. Use legible sans serif text, normally 8–14 points, within the image; label axes, units and other elements clearly. If a legend is needed, APA's figure setup places it within the figure's borders. [3] [2]

Use sufficient contrast and another cue, such as different markers, patterns or direct labels, as well as color. Inspect a grayscale copy as a practical check; color alone should not be the only way to identify a series. [4] [2]

Check the publisher's image specifications before export. A blanket “300 dpi for everything” rule does not settle requirements for every image type or publication. Resizing can also make previously readable lettering too small. [3] [2]

5. Let long tables continue without losing their headings

For a table spanning several pages, repeat its column headings on subsequent pages. A wide table may use landscape orientation. APA allows displays within the text after their first callout, or at the end after the reference list. Verify the submission instructions that apply to your file. [1]

Our export workflow: finish the numerical check first, apply the table structure, export a PDF, then inspect every page containing a display. Check whether a heading was stranded, a note was clipped or a figure label changed size. A clean editor view is only one step in that inspection.

6. Run a six-step submission audit

This sequence is an editorial workflow applying the cited guidance.

1. Decide what the display adds. If one sentence communicates the whole result, consider using that sentence instead.
2. Call out each table or figure in the text, in order, and explain the comparison the reader should notice.
3. Check every displayed number against the analysis output; verify units, sample sizes and rounding before styling.
4. Read the display without the surrounding paragraph. Define abbreviations and explain any symbols needed to understand it.
5. Inspect the final PDF at normal reading size, including page breaks, clipped labels, contrast and repeated column headings.
6. Compare the finished file with the actual institution or journal instructions; record any required variation separately.