commit 71ff14aec4b16a9bc8a35826ef628b3de374ef2c Author: Mark Claypool <claypool@cs.wpi.edu> Date: Sat Dec 16 08:00:35 2023 -0500 Updates diff --git a/tables.md b/tables.md index ac89014..ad29972 100644 --- a/tables.md +++ b/tables.md @@ -1,13 +1,13 @@ --- pagetitle: Good Tables -version: 1.0 +version: 1.1 --- # Good Tables -+ Have a caption which has the table number (e.g., Table 1) and that -explains the data shown in the table. Table captions go *above* the -table. +While graphs are long known to need care to make them effective, +tables can use some love, too. The basic grid-like table with +boxes between all cells is *not* the way to go. + Remove any vertical lines. Vertical lines can almost always be removed. A good table will only have three horizontal lines - two to @@ -19,22 +19,28 @@ than, say, horizontal lines. If you really need a line beyond the main 3, consider a dashed line. + Consider cell alignment. When in doubt, align on the left. But -often numbers should be aligned on the right. +often numbers should be aligned on the right. Having equal precision +after a decimal point can make right-aligned numbers easier to compare +across rows. + ++ Have a caption which has the table number (e.g., Table 1) and that +explains the data shown in the table. Table captions go *above* the +table. + Light gray can be used to separate regions of a table, especially -for large tables or tables with lots of columns. +for large tables or tables with lots of columns e.g., alternating +white/gray by row or clusters of rows. + Don't repeat text across columns or across rows. Use multi-row and multi-column cells instead. -+ Keep the table on one page. Make sure cells do not "orphan" to the -following page. ++ Keep the table on one page. i.e., make sure cells do not "orphan" +to the following page. ## Links Markus Puschel. "Small Guide to Making Nice Tables", Online: <https://people.inf.ethz.ch/markusp/teaching/guides/guide-tables.pdf> - Stack overflow discussion: <https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/112343/beautiful-table-samples> commit 0a3a035cc794a63af63c86c0c68decfdb2d808f2 Author: Mark Claypool <claypool@cs.wpi.edu> Date: Mon Aug 8 13:58:58 2022 -0400 Updates diff --git a/tables.md b/tables.md index 9c33d10..ac89014 100644 --- a/tables.md +++ b/tables.md @@ -1,6 +1,9 @@ -# Guidelines for Good Tables +--- +pagetitle: Good Tables +version: 1.0 +--- -v0.9 +# Good Tables + Have a caption which has the table number (e.g., Table 1) and that explains the data shown in the table. Table captions go *above* the @@ -29,7 +32,7 @@ following page. ## Links -Markus Püschel. "Small Guide to Making Nice Tables", Online: +Markus Puschel. "Small Guide to Making Nice Tables", Online: <https://people.inf.ethz.ch/markusp/teaching/guides/guide-tables.pdf> commit c953ec66785852640f6e91b87d121fb0e6571aa3 Author: Mark Claypool <claypool@cs.wpi.edu> Date: Tue Apr 13 12:10:05 2021 -0400 Updates diff --git a/tables.md b/tables.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9c33d10 --- /dev/null +++ b/tables.md @@ -0,0 +1,37 @@ +# Guidelines for Good Tables + +v0.9 + ++ Have a caption which has the table number (e.g., Table 1) and that +explains the data shown in the table. Table captions go *above* the +table. + ++ Remove any vertical lines. Vertical lines can almost always be +removed. A good table will only have three horizontal lines - two to +frame the table above and below and one to separate the header row +from the table data. + ++ Add extra space between rows. This can more clearly separate data +than, say, horizontal lines. If you really need a line beyond the +main 3, consider a dashed line. + ++ Consider cell alignment. When in doubt, align on the left. But +often numbers should be aligned on the right. + ++ Light gray can be used to separate regions of a table, especially +for large tables or tables with lots of columns. + ++ Don't repeat text across columns or across rows. Use multi-row and +multi-column cells instead. + ++ Keep the table on one page. Make sure cells do not "orphan" to the +following page. + +## Links + +Markus Püschel. "Small Guide to Making Nice Tables", Online: +<https://people.inf.ethz.ch/markusp/teaching/guides/guide-tables.pdf> + + +Stack overflow discussion: +<https://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/112343/beautiful-table-samples>