TABULAR FORMAT

Printed Position
Tables may be printed on the page in either portrait or landscape position in a variety of structural forms. In portrait tables, the words and data extend across the printed page (normal "width"), as these sentences do. Most tables present statistical data in this format. Landscape tables are rotated a quarter turn to the left, with the words and data extending up the page -- the top of the table at the left, the bottom at the right. Landscape tables should be avoided if possible (particularly when interspersed in a report with the text and other tables in an upright position) because smooth transition is interrupted from text to table and from table to table.

Single-page Tables
Occupying one page or less, these tables are easy to examine and highly desirable, especially as summary tables. If well designed, they convey easily grasped amounts of information as complete units. Frequently, careful pruning will allow a table that is either a little too long, a little too wide, or both to fit on a single page.

Multi-page Tables
Although single page tables are preferred, there are times when a table is too long to fit on one page; if these tables cannot logically be split into smaller tables, they must be continued on one or more additional pages. The title (with "¾ Continued") and the boxhead are repeated on successive pages of multi-page tables. The end of each page preceding the last page of a multi-page table should carry a note advising the reader to "See notes at end of table." The notes for a multi-page table appear on the last page of a multi-page table.

Double-page-spread Tables
The double page spread is a special kind of portrait multi-page table that extends across facing pages, instead of one page, with about half of the column headings on each page. It may continue on successive facing pages. The entire stub should be repeated at the right side of the right-hand page; but if there is not enough room, line numbers may be used instead. (See Line Numbers.) The title is repeated on the second and subsequent pairs of pages (with "-Continued"). Otherwise, the double page spread is treated much like a one-page-size portrait table with the advantage of accommodating about twice as many columns.

Hybrid Tables
Two types of portrait tables that combine some of the aspects of both page-wide and double-page spread tables are the "divide" and the "double-up" tables.

Divide tables are portrait multi-page tables in which the title is repeated (with "¾ Continued"), the stub is repeated on the left of each page, and the column heads continue across a second page or more. If only two pages wide, it may be set up on facing pages, like a double page spread, and the stub may continue for any number of pages. The divide table is useful if the stub is only one page long but the table must be three or more pages wide. It obviously cannot be both too long for one page and too wide for two.

Double-up tables are set up somewhat like a double-page-spread table confined to one-page width. It is especially useful for a long table with few columns. It may continue as a multi-page table. The title occupies the width of the page, but the stub-head and column heads are repeated under it in the two halves, as shown.

Or alternatively,