Tables and Figures

Instructor: Dynette Reynolds dynette.reynolds@utah.edu

AbstractMany students do not know how to format or label the illustrations in their reports. This handout describes the IEEE guidelines for tables and figures.
I. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN T B!ES ND FI"#RES .I. CITIN" T/E S0#RCE

There are only t$o %inds o& illustrations in a scienti&ic re'ort: tables and figures. table is si('ly a grid o& ro$s and colu(ns &illed by nu(bers or in&or(ation. ny other %ind o& illustration)line gra'hs* bar charts* 'ie charts* 'hotogra'hs* cli' art* etc.)is called a +&igure., -ou should NE.ER label so(ething +Chart , or +"ra'h B.,
II. W/EN T0 #SE "R 1/ICS

I& you are using an illustration &ro( another source* you should 'lace a citation nu(ber in brac%ets directly a&ter you (ention the illustration in your te5t and then include that source in your list o& re&erences. Table I and Figure ; $ere both ta%en &ro( the o&&icial IEEE guidelines on con&erence 'a'er &or(at A;B.
T B!E I. IEEE "#IDE!INES 0N T-1E SICES F0R C :ER @RE D- 1 1ERS* S 0F SE1T. =??D Ty'e si9e 7'ts.8 D E ''earance Regular Table ca'tions* table su'erscri'ts Section titles* re&erences* tables* table na(es* &irst letters in table ca'tions* &igure ca'tions* &ootnotes* te5t subscri'ts* and su'erscri'ts bstract uthors4 a&&iliations* (ain te5t* e3uations* &irst letters in section titles uthors4 na(es 1a'er title Subheadings Bold Italic

Illustrations are good &or 'resenting nu(erical data in a co('ressed* 2isually understandable &or(. They allo$ a reader to 3uic%ly co('are nu(bers and dra$ general conclusions. They also enhance your re'ort4s 2isual a''eal and brea% u' the te5t. -ou can create your o$n illustration* or use one &ro( another source. 6ust be sure to cite the source 7see Section .I belo$8.
III. INTR0D#CIN" T/E I!!#STR TI0N

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Ne2er dro' a table or &igure into your re'ort $ithout &irst introducing it and e5'laining $hy you are including it. !i%e$ise* you should include so(e te5t after the illustration that su((ari9es or inter'rets the (ost i('ortant in&or(ation in narrati2e &or( &or the reader.
I.. N#:BERIN" ND ! BE!IN" T/E I!!#STR TI0NS

15
:agneti9ation 7% F( 8

ll illustrations (ust be nu(bered and labeled. Tables are designated by Ro(an nu(erals* $hile Figures use rabic nu(erals 7Table I* Figure ;* etc.8. Both (ust be labeled $ith a thoroughly descri'ti2e title. The title should try to answer the questions Who, What, Where, and When as much as possible. For e5a('le* +Figure ;<.=. World C0= E(issions by Region* ;>>?@=?=?, is an e5cellent title* because it tells the reader $ho 7the $orld8* $hat 7C0 = e(issions8* $here 7region8* and $hen 7;>>?@=?=?8. I& you &ail to create a co('lete title &or your illustration* your reader $ill be &orced to e5a(ine the table and the re'ort closely to deter(ine necessary in&or(ation. This de&eats the $hole 'ur'ose o& an illustration* $hich is to (a%e a certain 'oint 3uic%ly and clearly.
.. W/ERE T0 1! CE T/E TIT!E ND ! BE!

10 5 0 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
''lied Field 7;?< F(8

Figure ;.

:agneti9ation as a &unction o& a''lied &ield. Note ho$ the ca'tion is centered in the colu(n. REFERENCES

A;B

Tables are nu(bered and labeled B0.E the table* $ith the title centered. Figures are nu(bered and labeled BE!0W the illustration. Table I and Figure ; de(onstrate the 'ro'er location and labeling o& illustrations A;B.

Institute o& Electrical and Electronic Engineers* Inc. 7n.d.8. A0nlineB. 1re'aration o& 'a'ers in t$o@colu(n &or(at &or the 'roceedings o& con&erences s'onsored by IEEE. 2ailable: $$$.ieee@ $cnc.orgF=??DFi(agesFte('late.'d& Se'te(ber G* =??D Adate accessedB.