Advantages and Rules of Tabulation

Advantages of Tabulation

1.         The large mass of confusing data is easily reduced to reasonable form, that is understandable to kind.

2.         The data once arranged in a suitable form, gives the condition of the situation at a glance, or gives a bird eye view.

3.         From the table it is easy to draw some reasonable conclusion or inferences.

4.         Tables gave grounds for analysis of the data.

5.         Errors, and omission if any are always detected in tabulation.

Therefore the importance of a carefully drawn table is vital for the preparation of data for analysis and interpretation.

Rules of Tabulation

Following are some of the general rules which one should observe while constructing the tables.

1.         The table should be self-explanatory and easy to understand. It should not be such as necessitates to read the footnotes or the explanation so as to properly understand a table.

2.         Each table should have a title which should be written above the tables. The title should preferable be in block letters. This title should be simple and self-explanatory. It should not be such which necessitates to complete in itself or consult footnotes etc.

3.         If the data is very large, it should not be put in a single table, because it would increase the chances of mistakes, such data should be presented into a number of tables. Each table thus framed should be completed in itself and should serve a particular purpose.

4.         The size of the table should suit the size of the paper and, therefore, it is better to decide the width of the columns before it setting.

5.         Thick lines should be drawn to separate one class of data from the other and thin lines to separate subdivisions of classes.

6.         Main headings should be few in number, so that, they may not confuse the mind.

7.         The columns whose data are going to be compared should be kept side by side.

8.         Approximations should be made before tabulating the data.

9.         Captions (headings or sub-headings of the columns) and stubs (headings and sub-headings of the rows) should be self-explanatory.

10.       The units of measurement under each heading or sub-heading should be clearly mentioned.

11.       The total of the rows should be given in the extreme right column and the total of the column at the foot.

12.       For the purpose of comparison, items should be arranged either in alphabetical, geographical, chronological order or according to size, importance, emphasis or casual relationship to facilitate comparison.

13.       If some position of the collected data cannot be classified in any class, then they should be tabulated separately under the heading miscellaneous.

14.       Each table constructed should have separate heading which should clearly tell what this table actually presents.

15.       If certain figures are to be given some importance, then these should be placed in a box or circle.

Although some of the rules are framed which actually guide the investigator in tabulating the data, yet there cannot be any rigidity about these rules. The table constructed should be such which suits the needs and requirements of the problem under investigation.