APA tables present data in rows and columns — numbers, text, or both — and follow a strict four-part structure: a bold table number, an italicized title, the table body, and an optional table note. Every table uses horizontal lines only (no vertical borders), and each one must be referenced by number in the body of the paper.
Table Structure
Every APA table has the same four components, presented in this order:
- Table number — bold, flush left (e.g., Table 1)
- Table title — italicized, flush left, title case, one double-spaced line below the number
- Table body — the actual rows and columns of data
- Table note — flush left, below the table (optional, but common)
Example Table
Table 1
Mean Test Scores by Study Group and Time Point
Group Pretest M (SD) Posttest M (SD) Change Intervention (n = 48) 62.3 (8.1) 78.9 (7.4) +16.6 Control (n = 45) 61.8 (7.9) 64.2 (8.0) +2.4 Note. Scores are based on a 100-point standardized assessment. The intervention group received 6 weeks of structured tutoring.
Formatting Details
- The table number and title appear above the table, each on its own line.
- The table number is bold and in plain text: Table 1, Table 2, etc.
- The title is italicized and in title case — capitalize major words.
- Column headings are centered and use sentence case.
- The table body uses single-spacing or one-and-a-half spacing (the one exception to APA's double-spacing rule).
- Horizontal lines (borders) appear at the top and bottom of the table, and below the column headings. Avoid vertical lines entirely.
- Numbers should be aligned by decimal point when possible.
Table Notes
Table notes appear below the table and follow a specific hierarchy:
- General note — applies to the entire table. Starts with "Note." in italics.
- Specific note — explains a particular column, row, or cell. Uses superscript letters (ᵃ, ᵇ, ᶜ).
- Probability note — reports statistical significance. Uses asterisks (*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001).
Note. Participants were recruited from introductory psychology courses.
ᵃ This group included 3 participants who withdrew before the posttest.
*p < .05. **p < .01.
All three types can appear together, in this order: general, specific, probability.
Numbering Tables
Tables are numbered separately from figures, in the order they appear in the text:
- Tables: Table 1, Table 2, Table 3…
- Figures: Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3…
You might have Table 1 on page 4, Figure 1 on page 5, and Table 2 on page 6. The numbering is independent — Table 2 doesn't become Table 3 because a figure appeared between them.
Never skip numbers or use suffixes like Table 3a or Table 2.1. Each table gets its own sequential number.
Placement — Embedded vs. End of Paper
APA 7th edition allows two placement options:
Option 1: Embedded in the Text
Place each table immediately after the paragraph that first mentions it — or at the top of the next page if it doesn't fit. This is the most reader-friendly approach and is what most instructors prefer.
Option 2: After the Reference List
Place all tables first (in order), then all figures (in order), each on its own page. This option is used primarily for manuscript submissions to journals, where typesetting will determine final placement.
Check with your instructor.Most student papers use embedded placement. Some instructors or journals prefer the end-of-paper approach.
Referencing Tables in Text
Every table must be mentioned in the body of your paper. Refer to them by their number — never by their position on the page:
Correct:
As shown in Table 2, the intervention group outperformed the control group at every time point.
Participants in the treatment condition reported higher satisfaction (see Table 1).
Incorrect:
As shown in the table below…
See the table on the next page…
Refer to tables by number because their position might change during editing or typesetting. "Table 2" always points to the same data; "the table below" might not.
Reproducing Tables From Other Sources
If you're reproducing a table from another source — copying it directly rather than creating your own — APA requires a copyright attribution in the table note.
Reprinted Exactly
Note. Reprinted from "Sleep Quality Among College Students: A National Survey," by R. K. Lawson and M. T. Chen, 2023, Journal of College Health, 71(4), p. 312 (https://doi.org/10.xxxx/jch.2023.0045). Copyright 2023 by Taylor & Francis. Reprinted with permission.
Adapted From a Source
If you modify the original (changing categories, reorganizing data), use "Adapted from":
Note. Adapted from Understanding Statistics for the Social Sciences (p. 89), by T. K. Park, 2021, Oxford University Press. Copyright 2021 by Oxford University Press.
Your Own Data
If you created the table from your own data or analysis, no copyright note is needed — just the regular table note.
Important:For published work, you may need formal permission from the copyright holder to reproduce tables. For student papers, the copyright note in the table note is usually sufficient.
Common Table Mistakes
- Using vertical lines. APA tables use horizontal lines only — at the top, below column headings, and at the bottom. No vertical lines, no grid borders.
- Placing the title below the table. APA 7th edition puts titles above the table.
- Referring to "the table below." Always use "Table 1" or "Table 2" — never positional language.
- Forgetting to mention the table in the text. Every table must be referenced by number somewhere in the body of your paper.
- Numbering tables and figures together. Tables and figures have separate numbering sequences.
What's Next
- APA Figures — formatting rules for charts, graphs, photographs, and other visual elements
- APA General Format — page layout, margins, and spacing
Archivero helps you focus on your research while keeping the formatting consistent — so you can spend your time presenting clear, well-organized data instead of worrying about border placement.
