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APA Citation: Tables

Tables

Tables usually show numerical values or text, in columns and rows

  • Anything other than a table is a Figure
     

Table  Components:

  • Number: The table number (e.g. Table 1) appears above the table in bold.
  • Title: Give each table a short, descriptive title, and put it one double-spaced line below the table number in italics and in Title Case. 
  • Headings: All tables should include column headings, including  a heading for the leftmost column (stub heading)
  • Body:  The table body includes all the rows and columns of a table.  The body may be single space, one and a half spaced, or double spaced, which ever is clearer. Limit the use of borders or lines in a table to those needed for clarity. Do not use vertical borders to separate data (see APA Manual, s. 7.17, pp. 205-206 for more details)
  • Note: A note may appear below the table to describe the contents of the table  that cannot be understood from the table title or body alone, (e.g. definitions of abbreviations, reference information, copyright attribution, etc.). Notes are double-spaced and flush left.  Begin with the word Note. (italicised, period ending) and continue in regular script.

 

General rules:

  • In the text, refer to every table by its number. For example, "As shown in Table 1, ..." (no italics, capital "T" for "Table")
  • There are two options for the placement of tables in a paper. The first option is to place all tables on separate pages after the reference list. The second option is to embed each table within the text
  • If you reproduce or adapt a table from another source (e.g., a table you found on the internet), you must include a copyright attribution in the table note, indicating the origin of the reproduced or adapted material in addition to a reference list entry for the work. Include both, even if the item is in the public domain/copyright free or has a Creative Commons or other open license.

Check  the APA Style website for an illustration of the basic table  component and placement of tables in a text

More information & examples from the  APA Style Manual, s. 7.8-7.21, pp. 199–224224) 

 

If you only refer to a table that you found in a book, but don't copy/paste it into your assignment, cite as a normal book citation and include the page number of the table in the in-text citation.

 

Table that you found in a book and reproduce in your text:

 

  • Follow the setup described under the Basics tab
  • In your Note say From if you copied the table as is; say Adapted from if you made changes to it, and add information of the source
  • Include a copyright attribution in the table note, indicating the origin of the reproduced or adapted material. Do so even if the item is in the public domain/copyright free or has a Creative Commons or other open license.
  • Include a full reference for the table in the reference list
  • If your assignment is going to be published in any way, you may need to get copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce the table.  You would then say "Reprinted with permission" at the end of your caption.

 

Example:

 

Table 3

Cultural qualities 

Note. Summary of the cultural qualities that have commonly appeared across the nine different approaches to culture. From Culture and Sustainability: Exploring Stability and Transformation with the Cultures Framework (p. 88), by J. Stephenson, 2023, Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25515-1. Copyright 2023 by Janet Stephenson. CCBY 4.0.

 

In-text citation:

As shown in Table 3, cultural learning was defined as ... ... 

 

Reference list entry:

Stephenson, J.(2023). Culture and sustainability: Exploring stability and transformation with the cultures framework. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-25515-1

 

 

If you only refer to a table that you found in a journal article, but don't copy/paste it into your assignment, cite as a normal article citation and include the page number of the table in the in-text citation.

 

Table that you found in a journal article and reproduce in your text:

 

  • Follow the setup described under the Basics tab
  • In your Note say From if you copied the table as is; say Adapted from if you made changes to it, and add information of the source
  • Include a copyright attribution, indicating the origin of the reproduced or adapted material. Do so even if the item is in the public domain/copyright free or has a Creative Commons or other open license.
  • Include a full reference for the table in the reference list
  • If your assignment is going to be published in any way, you may need to get copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce the figure.  You would then say "Reprinted with permission" at the end of your caption.

 

Example:

 

Table 2

Benefits of positive education

Note. The benefits were experienced immediately and by all participants. From "The Road to Greater Well-being: Exploring the Impact of an Undergraduate Positive Education Course on University Students' Well-being," by O.L. Pastore, S. McAllister, and M. Fortier, 2023, Discover Psychology, 3(20), Results section, https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-023-00082-6. Copyright 2023 by Springer Nature. CCBY 4.0.

 

In-text citation:

As shown in Table 2, some of the benefits ... ...

 

Reference list entry:

Pastore, O. L., McAllister, S., & Fortier, M. (2023). The road to greater well-being: Exploring the impact of an undergraduate positive education course on university students' well-being. Discover Psychology, 3(20), https://doi.org/10.1007/s44202-023-00082-6.

 

 

f you only refer to a table that you found on a webpage, but don't copy/paste it into your assignment, cite as a webpage citation and include the location (heading, section, paragraph) in the in-text citation.

 

Table that you found on a webpage and reproduce in your text:

 

  • Follow the setup described under the Basics tab
  • In your Note say From if you copied the table as is; say Adapted from if you made changes to it, and add information of the source
  • Include a copyright attribution in the table note, indicating the origin of the reproduced or adapted material. Do so even if the item is in the public domain/copyright free or has a Creative Commons or other open license.
  • Include a full reference for the table in the reference list
  • If your assignment is going to be published in any way, you may need to get copyright permission from the copyright holder to reproduce the table.  You would then say "Reprinted with permission" at the end of your caption.

 

Example:

 

Table 3

Languages spoken at home  

Note. Adapted from Table 15-10-0033-01, Population by language spoken most often at home and geography, 1971 to 2021, by Statistics Canada, 2023, (https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1510003301). Copyright by Statistics Canada.

 

In-text citation:

Table 3 shows the change over time ... ... ...

 

Reference list entry:

Statistics Canada. (2023). Table 15-10-0033-01, Population by language spoken most often at home and geography, 1971 to 2021 [table]. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1510003301

 

If you collect information from various sources to use in a table you create, you need to cite all the sources used. 

 

Table that you create from various information you found:

 

  • Follow the setup described under the Basics tab
  • In your Note indicate all the sources you used to create the table. Follow this format: The data for ... is from .... and add information for each source (cite according to what kind of source you have, i.e. whether the info is from a book, a journal or webpage; see the other tabs for detailed info on each). 
  • Include a copyright attribution for each source, indicating the origin of the reproduced or adapted material. Do so even if the item is in the public domain/copyright free or has a Creative Commons or other open license.
  • Include full references for all sources in the reference list

 

Example:

 

Table 3
Dangerous Dog Facts for North America 2014

  % of total number of dogs Total attacks Deaths
Pit Bull 6% 283 12
Rottweiler 4% 158 8
Presa Canario 1% 72 3
German Shepherd 3% 28 1

Note. The percentage of total number of dogs is from .... Copyright ... The number of total attacks and deaths are from ... Copyright ....

If you create a table yourself, you will still need to follow APA guidelines in the way you display it, but you do not need to cite it. 

 

Citing your own table:

 

  • Follow the setup described under the Basics tab
  • In your Note explain the content
  • You do not need an in-text citation or add it to your reference list, because you created the work yourself
  • No copyright attribution is required, because you created the work yourself. You can add a statement that it is your own work

 

Example:

 

Table 3

Coffee Purchases by Promotional Discount

  Coffee Type    With 15 % discount   With 10 % discount No discount
  Drip Coffee 12252 11385 10210
  Americano 9854 8571 7456
  Latte 11597 10122 8535
  Mocha 9925 8793 6958

Note. control variables included statutory holidays and equipment breakdown.