37.11 Constructing tables

Good tables can be time-consuming to construct. In general, tables:

Should be discussed (not just simply presented) in the text.
Should be clear and uncluttered (consider using multiple tables if necessary).
Should typically have captions above.
Should have very few horizontal lines, and probably no vertical lines. (Tables produced for online reading may have different rules.)
Should include units of measurement (such as kg) where appropriate.
Should be able to be understood without reference to the paper, as far as possible.
Should make the most important comparisons easy to make.
Should align the data for easy comparisons, if possible (for example, decimal places all beneath each other in columns).