Preparing the Figures and Tables

Prof. Bünyamin ŞahinOndokuz Mayis University, Faculty of Medicine

Department of Anatomy, TURKİYEbsahin@omu.edu.tr

Tables and Figures

• Used in MM, Results and Discussion sections• To summarize the data and information• Save the length of the text• Easy to understand the content• Better to follow general rules

Tables and Figures

• Figures and tables are the most effective way to present results

• BUT:

• Captions should be able to stand alone, such that the figures and tables are understandable without the need to read the entire manuscript

• The data represented should be easy to interpret

• Colour should only be used when necessary

Tables

Titles:•Identify the specific topic or point of the table

•Use the same key terms in the title, the column headings, and the text of the paper

•Keep it brief

Table Formats• Format:

• Model your tables from already published tables! Don’t re-invent the wheel!!

• Use three horizontal lines: one above the column headings, one below the column heading, and one below the data

• Use a short horizontal line to group subheadings under a heading

• Follow journal guidelines RE:• Roman or Arabic numbers;• centered or flush left table number, title, column, headings, and data; • capital letters and italics;• the placement of footnotes; • the type of footnote symbols

Good

Needs to be improved

Graphics

• “Readers… often look at the graphics first and many times go no further. Therefore, the reviewer should be particularly sensitive to inclusion of clear and informative graphics.”

• – Henry Rapoport, Associate Editor, Journal of Organic Chemistry

HISTOGRAMS

BAR GRAPHS

LINE GRAPHS

SCATTERPLOTS

BOXPLOTS

PIE GRAPHS

Appropriate Data Displays

Which graph would be most appropriate to show the method of travel used by most

people?

Which graph compares the number of people who ride the bus to the entire

population?

Transportation

050

100150200250300350400450

Airplane Bus Car Train

Nu

mb

er o

f P

eop

le

Series1

Transportation

050

100150200250300350400450

Airplane Bus Car Train

Nu

mb

er o

f P

eop

le

Series1

Transportation

Airplane

Bus

Car

Train

Appropriate Data Displays

Which graph would be best to show the change in average temperatures?

Average Temperature

66

68

70

72

74

76

78

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

Year

Tem

per

atu

re

Series1

Average Temperature

65 70 75 80

2000

2002

2004

2006

Year T

emp

era

ture

Series1

Graphics

Station I II III IV V

75U 91.3 5.3 3.2 0.2 0.075R 89.8 6.1 3.6 0.5 0.0

200R 69.3 14.2 8.6 6.8 1.1500R 63.0 29.5 3.4 4.2 0.0

1000R 86.7 8.5 4.5 0.2 0.0

ECOLOGICAL GROUP

The figure and table show the same information, but the table is more direct and clear

Graphics

•Legend is well defined but there is still too much data and no trendlines

Graphics

•Legend is clear•Data is better organized•Trend lines are present

Good

Needs to be improved

Figures

Three varieties of Figures:

1. Primary evidence • electron micrographs, gels, photographs, etc.• indicates data quality

2. Graphs• line graphs, bar graphs, scatter plots, histograms, boxplots, etc.

3. Drawings and diagrams• illustrate experimental set-up

• indicate flow of experiments or participants

• indicate relationships or cause and effect or a cycle

• give a hypothetical model

Good

Needs to be improved

Additional Reading

• Babor TF, Stenius K, Savva S, O'reilly J. A Eds. Guide for the Perplexed, Second edition. Phil Lange Chapter 5: How to Write a Scientific Paper for a Peer-Reviewed Journal, 2008, 70-81.

• Day RA, How to Write and Publish A Scientific Paper, 1994.• Fathalla MF. A practical guide for health researchers. WHO

Regional Publications Eastern Mediterranean Series, 2004.• Guidelines for writing scientific papers, honors organismal

biology laboratory. Bates College writings, 2012.• Woodford FP. Scientific writing for graduate students.

Council of Biology Editors, 1989.

PROF. BÜNYAMIN ŞAHINONDOKUZ MAYIS UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF MEDICINEDEPARTMENT OF ANATOMY, TURKİYEBSAHIN@OMU.EDU.TR

THANK YOU VERY MUCH….