Creating figures and tables APA 6th: The basics

Creating figures and tables APA 6th: The basics

Creating tables and figures requires careful consideration about why, what and to whom the contents are being communicated.

Figures and tables are generally used to communicate detailed and complex information in research manuscripts. They usually present the author’s original work in visual forms so that the reader can readily extract meaningful and relevant information. The material in figures and tables should:

  • be specifically relevant to the thesis
  • be easily understood
  • be introduced, explained, and explored in the text of the paper
  • provide new and essential information to understanding the paper
  • be presented according to APA 6th guidelines (or according to the style guidelines of the publication it is intended for)

For more detailed information refer to the following resources:
Adelheid, A. M., & Pexman, P. M. (2010). Presenting your findings. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

American Psychological Association. (2002). Concise rules of APA style. Washington, DC: Author.
