In research writing, figures and tables are dynamic tools that can enrich a narrative and foster clearer comprehension of complex data. Beyond being “pretty,” these elements play a pivotal role in emphasizing key findings and reinforcing the impact of your work.

This blog post guides researchers through presenting figures and tables effectively. From explaining the difference between a figure and a table to seamlessly integrating them into the text, I offer strategies to enhance the visual appeal and communicative power of your research.

What is a figure and what is a table?

This question seems very basic, but there’s more confusion about it than you might imagine. Figures and tables are visual elements used to present information in an accessible and concise format.

A figure is an illustrated representation, such as a chart, graph, photograph, map, or drawing/artwork, used to convey complex information in a more understandable form, or—in the case of artwork—to depict the subject discussed in the text. Figures are often used to showcase trends, relationships, or patterns in data. Common types include bar graphs, line charts, pie charts, scatter plots, and diagrams.

A table, however, is a systematic arrangement of data in rows and columns. Tables are commonly used to display numerical data, summarize results, or present detailed information in a structured and organized way.

For example, when presenting the results of a survey, a table might be more appropriate for displaying detailed responses, such as percentages, means, or counts/frequencies of participants’ answers to specific questions. On the other hand, if the goal is to highlight the overall trends or patterns in the survey’s findings, a bar chart or scatterplot (two types of figures) could effectively illustrate the distribution of responses across categories, providing a more visually intuitive representation of the data.

[By the way, if you need help choosing the best figures and tables to use to present your information, check out Practical Charts, a book written by one of my clients, Nick Desbarats. It’s like the “for Dummies” series of books, but SO MUCH better!]

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Captions and callouts

One of the most common mistakes I see as an academic editor relates to how authors (fail to) mention their figures and tables in the text. If you learn only one thing from this post, let it be this:

Every figure or table included in the text must be mentioned in the text and numbered in consecutive order.

I’ve edited over 60 books and more than 1,000 documents and I have never, ever come across a publisher or journal that does not require this. What does this mean for you?

First, if you include Figure 1 in your paper, there must be a sentence that says something like: “As shown in Figure 1, dogs are more likely than cats to bark…” The mention of “Figure 1” in this sentence is what we in “the publishing biz” refer to as a “callout.” Figure 1 would then be placed in the document following the paragraph that contains this callout (but be sure to review the publisher’s submission guidelines to see how they want the visuals to be submitted, e.g., in the text itself or at the end of the file).

Second, figures and tables should be numbered sequentially. Again, this seems like it would be obvious, but with repeated revisions of papers that are swapped between co-authors and items are added and removed, numbers can get jumbled. Make sure that Table 1 comes before Table 2 which is placed in the text somewhere before Table 3, and so on.

Integrating Figures and Tables in the Text

Next, determine the most appropriate points in your text for readers to encounter your visuals. Describe them in your writing (as noted above) and insert the figure or table in the text after that paragraph. In Microsoft Word, you should use the option to paste “in line with text”; do not use text wrapping, as it will not keep the image’s placement consistent when the surrounding text is edited.

Either before or after the figure or table (depending on your submission guidelines), include the title (“Figure 1” or “Table 1”) and a clear and concise caption that highlights what the visual shows us. When deciding how much to write about a visual, you should again check the submission requirements because some journals state that the information already depicted in a figure or table should not be repeated in the text.

Conclusion

In closing, figures and tables offer major benefits in explaining your findings to readers. After all, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” right? But that’s only true if the picture is presented clearly and the reader doesn’t have to go digging through your manuscript to find it.

By applying these strategies, you’ll be well on your way to meeting the publisher’s submission requirements and using figures and tables effectively in your writing. Of course, we’re here if you need more help. We not only help you place the visuals in the text; we also offer feedback on how to improve the design of your figures and the layout of your tables.

Contact us and tell us about your project so we can help you move it from “in progress” to “under review.”

Happy writing,

Paulina

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