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Tabulating information
The most important thing about a table is that it should clearly communicate information. To achieve this there are certain conventions that must be followed.
Checklist
- Tables must be clear and easy to read
- Must be ruled or presented as a computer generated table an of an appropriate size for the information.
- Must have a title which describes the data in the table. This title should be underlined or in bold type.
- Columns and rows should be clearly headed. When appropriate the left column or top row should contain the independent variable and the bottom row or right column should contain the dependent variable.
- Units should be displayed in column / row headings only.
- Missing values should be displayed as -, and zeros as 0. Thee should be no blanks in a table conveying experimental results.
- Numbers should be listed neatly below each other and should be to the same number of decimal places.
Below is a typical scientific table.
Table showing Rate of Urine production Against Time
Time
(min) |
Rate of Urine Production
(mL / min) |
| 0 |
6.8 |
| 10 |
7.3 |
| 20 |
1.6 |
| 30 |
2.4 |
| 40 |
- |
| 50 |
5.7 |
- All the numerical data must be recorded so that the units, tens, decimals points etc line up under each other (Example 1).
- All information should be in the same units – corresponding to those
in the heading (Example 2),
- All information should be to the same number of decimal places and
should reflect the degree of accuracy to which the readings were taken
(Example 3)
Example 1
|
Correct |
Incorrect |
| 15.6 |
15.6 |
| 5.0 |
5.0 |
| 125.2 |
125.2 |
Example 2
Measurements of 15mm, 1.7cm and 35mm were taken. One unit should be chosen for representing information in the table.
Correct
Length (cm) |
Incorrect
Length |
| 1.5 |
1.5mm |
| 1.7 |
1.7cm |
| 3.5 |
35mm |
Example 3
When averaging results the final average should reflect the degree of precision to which it was measured. I f four readings for length were recorded to 0.1 of a cm, then the average should be calculated to 0.1 of a cm.
Example: 1.7cm, 3.9cm, 3.1cm and 2.4 should be averaged as 2.8cm, not as the degree of precision to which the measurements were made was 0.1cm.
Next Page |
Data Analysis
Drawings
Tabulating info
Graphing
Line graphs
Column graphs
Histograms
Scatter graphs
Two+
variables
Summary
Analysis of Data
Trends
on a graph
Guidelines from BIOTA
Report Writing
Working Scientifically
Observations
Observation Questions
Hypothesis Formation
Experimental Design
Aspects
Ethics
Types of Research
Data Analysis |
