Creating Tables: Classic Mistakes

1
Creating Tables Classic Mistakes

• The following slides each contain a table
• These tables contain a variety of errors How
  many can you spot?
• Remember that the principles of constructing
  tables are the same whether you are using them
  in a presentation or in a written reportbut in
  a presentation you also need to think about
  colours, where appropriate

2
Creating Tables

• To start you off, the table on the following
  slide has numerous errors see how many you can
  identify.
• Then check your ideas with the answers provided
  on slide 4 ..
• Now work through the remaining slides to see how
  many more errors in the tables presented you can
  find

3
Example How many errors?
Species Feeding Moving Climbing Jumping Sleeping
1 56 38 14 39 17
2 57 47 62 48 18
3 87 37 75 37 23
4 83 27 26 94 21
5 25 23 75 26 26
6 64 85 30 85 20
4
What Were the Errors?

• No title
• Non-standard format of text (some centred)
• No footnote to explain the symbols //
• Text is too small
• No explanation of the coloured rows
• vertical lines below column titles should be
  deleted
• Now try and spot the errors on the following
  tables remember that tables presented in
  seminars may use colours to highlight certain
  data.

5
Growth Rates of Plants over Four Years

• Year Growth Rate Temperature
• 1 32.6 10
• 2 37.8 10
• 3 78.9 10
• 4 100.4 10

6
Growth Rates of Plants (mm/month) over Four Years
(1999-2002)
7
Sea Urchin Covering Behaviour
8
Covering Behaviour of P. lividus in Ireland
9
Recorded Sightings of Dolphins off the West Coast
of Ireland in 2002
10
Garden Bird Survey Results for Cork 2002
11
Further Information

• For more information on constructing tables
  see-http//bio.ltsn.ac.uk/hosted/GSP/data.html