Instructions on Tables

JAVMA and AJVR Instructions on Tables

Table construction

  • Limit tables to those containing data important to understanding and interpreting the study results. Avoid tables containing data that could be reported more succintly in the text and tables reporting raw data, such as most tables providing individual patient data.
  • It is best that tables complement, not duplicate, the text and figures.
  • Create tables with the table tool in Microsoft Word and include them as part of the manuscript text (after the list of references and the figure legends) rather than uploading them as separate files.
  • Do not submit tables created with other software programs. Do not submit tables as PDF documents or as image files.
  • Call out all tables in the text of the manuscript at least once. Table callouts are set within parentheses, and the first callout of each table should be bolded. A given table should not be called out more than once within the same paragraph. Text surrounding the callout should provide readers with the most important findings reported in the table.
  • Limit tables to the following sizes; larger tables should be removed, broken into smaller tables, or submitted as supplementary material.
    • Maximum table width:
      • 73 characters/row
    • Maximum table length:
      • 40 rows (half-page table)
  • Table columns
    • A properly rendered column includes a heading in bold font and separated from the table body by an underline. Headings should generally be no more than a few words.
    • Use left justification.
  • Table rows
    • Each row should feature a label.
    • Capitalize only the first letter of the first word of each row label (sentence case), with exceptions for capitalization of proper nouns and abbreviations.
    • Include the units of measure in parentheses after a row label as applicable, such as “Serum glucose (mg/dL)”.
  • Cells in the table body
    • A properly rendered cell contains a single result, such as a value, or a routinely combined summary statistic, such as mean ± SD, median (range), or number (percentage). Cells without a result should contain an em dash (—) or similar designation (eg, NA).
    • Cells must not contain multiple results, such as a statistic and a P value.
    • Cells must not contain bulleted lists. Instead, each item in a list must be assigned to a separate cell.
    • Do not use hard returns, spaces, or tabs to delineate separate columns and rows when creating tables.
    • Report similar types of data (eg, mean and SD) to the same number of decimal places.
    • Report P values to a maximum of 3 decimal places.
  • Gridlines will be removed before publication.
  • Significant differences between or among values in a row or column are indicated with superscript lowercase letters assigned in alphabetical order (a through z).

Table legends

  • Table legends provide sufficient information to allow the tables to be understood without reference to the text.
    • The legend for Table 1 generally should include the nature of the subjects or samples represented or the signalment and reason for examination. Subsequent table legends may then refer to the animal, animals, sample, or samples “described in Table 1.”
    • Abbreviations from the main text that are used in tables should be redefined where first mentioned in the tables.
    • Abbreviations appearing in the tables are defined in the table legend or the table footnotes. In the table footnotes, list abbreviations in alphabetical order (eg, ALP = Alkaline phosphatase. CK = Creatine kinase. TP = Total protein.). Those abbreviations, once defined, should appear in subsequent table materials without redefinition.
  • If applicable, describe the type of analysis performed in the table legend or footnotes.
  • Provide copyright permission statements for tables adapted from other sources.

Table footnotes

  • Table footnotes are used to explain various aspects of the data, define abbreviations, explain superscripts, and provide any additional information needed to understand the table.
  • Provide table footnotes in the following order:
  1. Data presented (eg, Values reported are mean ± SD).
  2. Abbreviations (eg, CI = Cardiac index).
  3. Superscripts (eg, a–cValues with different superscripts are significantly [P < .05] different).
  4. Additional information.
  • The information presented in these categories, when applicable in subsequent tables, should be repeated in each table's foortnotes: do not simply refer readers to previous table footnoted for the key.

Avoid: See Table 1 for key.

See Table 1 for remainder of key.

  • Note that abbreviations are the sole exception to this rule: abbreviation definitions should not be repeated in the subsequent table materials, and statements referring readers to previous tables for the keys to such abbreviations are unnecessary.

Examples

  • The tables in the following article are exemplary of AVMA style:

Kim H, Kang S, Jeong D, Ahn J, Seo K. The effect of intravitreal cidofovir injection on end-stage glaucoma in dogs: a retrospective study of 153 eyes. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2024;262:1-8. doi:10.2460/javma.24.03.0199 

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