Harvard Style

Tables

Tables usually show numerical values or text and are almost always characterized by a row-column structure. Any type of illustration other than a table is referred to as a figure.

Tables must be identified with the word "Table" and include a title and source.  As with figures, there are 3 elements to include:

1. Caption
2. In-text sentence referring to the table by number
3. Reference in the Reference List

If you are writing a thesis with a lot of tables, they should be referenced in a List of Tables.  In a shorter assignment, where you might have included only one or two tables, you can reference them in your bibliography or reference list.

Caption:

For a table, the number and title by which it can be identified are written above the fields of data. However, the actual source citation is placed  beneath the table in the same way as a graph or figure.

Table 1: Body Mass Index

(Source: BMI Calculator 2022)

In-Text Citations

• Make specific reference to each table. Do not assume that the reader will make the necessary connection between the text and the table. Write something about each table.

                Ex: Each sample tested positive for the three nutrients (see Table 2).

• Refer to each table in the text by its number (e.g. Table 5).
• Remember to guide the reader in interpreting the information in the table. What does the table show? What specific point are you making?

Reference List