COMPONENTS
Vertical | Horizontal
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Many of the data tables we make in class will be arranged vertically.
- Vertical data tables should have their headings placed in the first row of the table.
- When using a vertical data table, you will typically place the manipulated (or independent) variable in the far left column. The responding (or dependent) variable(s) come next.
- Here is an example of a simple vertical data table…
OTHER HELPFUL TIPS WHEN MAKING VERTICAL DATA TABLES
- If your data table is drawn by hand then the lines of your table must be drawn with a ruler.
- IMPORTANT: The column or row headings should be exactly the same as the x- and y-axis labels that you place on your graph(s).
- Try not to split a data table from one page to the next. If you must do this, make sure that you have headings for all of the columns.
- Always center the data in the cells of the table. If you have decimal points in your data, be sure to align those in the cells too.
- If you collected data expressed with decimal points, the data within a single column should be to the same number of decimal places, for example, 1.23; 1.20, 1.00, 1.85.
- Never use commas (“,”) as your decimal points. Always use a ‘full stop’ or period (“.”).
- When needed, don’t forget to include the proper SI units (e.g., “meters,” “minutes,” “grams,” etc.) in the column or row headings. Never include the units with the numeric values within the data table.
DATA TABLE TITLES
- The titles of your data tables should be concise and informative.
- Be sure to start the title of your data tables with a number, for example, “Table 1” and “Table 2”. These numbers should match the numbers that you use for your graphs, for example, “Graph 1” should be made from the data found in “Table 1.”