Tabulation of Data and Types of Tabulation

Tabulation is the systematic arrangement of the statistical data in columns or rows. It involves the orderly and systematic presentation of numerical data in a form designed to explain the problem under consideration. Tabulation helps in drawing the inference from the statistical figures.

Tabulation prepares the ground for analysis and interpretation. Therefore a suitable method must be decided carefully taking into account the scope and objects of the investigation, because it is very important part of the statistical methods.

Types of Tabulation

In general, the tabulation is classified in two parts, that is a simple tabulation, and a complex tabulation.

Simple tabulation, gives information regarding one or more independent questions. Complex tabulation gives information regarding two mutually dependent questions.

ONE-WAY TABLE
DIVISION Karachi Hyderabad Sukkur	POPULATION (Millions) 10.875968 14.186954 12.994401

This table gives us information regarding one characteristic information about the population in different divisions of Sindh.

All questions that can be answered in ONE WAY TABLE are independent of each other. It is therefore an example of a simple tabulation, since the information obtained in it is regarding one independent question, that is the number of persons in various divisions of Sindh in millions.

Two-Way Table

These types of table give information regarding two mutually dependent questions. For example, question is, how many millions of the persons are in the Divisions; the One-Way Table will give the answer. But if we want to know that in the population number, who are in the majority, male, or female. The Two-Way Tables will answer the question by giving the column for female and male. Thus the table showing the real picture of divisions sex wise is as under:

TWO-WAY TABLE
DIVISION	POPULATION (Millions)
	Male	Female	Total
Karachi Hyderabad Sukkur

Three-Way Table

Three-Way Table gives information regarding three mutually dependent and inter-related questions.

For example, from one-way table, we get information about population, and from two-way table, we get information about the number of male and female available in various divisions. Now we can extend the same table to a three way table, by putting a question, “How many male and female are literate?” Thus the collected statistical data will show the following, three mutually dependent and inter-related questions:

1.         Population in various division.

2.         Their sex-wise distribution.

3.         Their position of literacy.

	THREE-WAY TABLE
DIVISION	POPULATION (Millions)
	Male			Female			Total
Karachi Hyderabad Sukkur	Literate	Illiterate	Total	Literate	Illiterate	Total	Literate	Illiterate	Total

This table gives information concerning the literacy of both male and female in various divisions of Sindh. From the table we can explain the sex which has more education in relation to division, and also, we can say whether literacy is low in rural areas than in urban areas.

Higher Order Tables

Higher order tables are those which provide information about a large number of inter related questions. Higher order tables may be of four-way, five-way, six-way etc. Such kind of tables are called manifold tables.