Meaning of a Table
A table is a structure made up of rows and columns and used to organize data. Tables are very good for presenting figures and statistics.
Tabulation involves arranging items in columns. In a tabular arrangement therefore,
Items stand out below each other, vertically, and on the same line as another in the next column, if horizontally.
A tabular work has the following features:-
- Top and bottom margins are equal, if vertical display.
2 Left and right margins are equal, if a horizontal display.
3 Equal spaces between the columns, usually odd number spaces such as 3, 5 or 7 spaces.
4 Left and right margins, being equal, the table is centered over the page
NOTE
1 The effectiveness of any display work, particularly, in tabulation, depends on correct horizontal calculation.
2 Ensure correct width of your paper on the typewriter
3 Pica and elite typewriters have six standard spaces to a vertical 1 inch (25 mm).
4 Horizontal spacing: Pica – 10 characters (horizontal spaces = 1 inch). Elite – 12 characters (horizontal spaces = 1 inch).
CREATING A TABLE IN MICROSOFT WORD
To create a table, do the following:
- Start a new word document
- From the menu bar, click on table.
- From the menu that drops down, click insert
- A sub-menu appears and from the sub-menu, click insert.
For instance, one can create a table for ten natural resources and their locations in Nigeria. The first step is to type the headings.
The table will have two columns and ten rows. The number of columns and the number of rows will be adjusted. Then click OK button. Your table will look like this:
The boxes in the table as drawn in the Microsoft Word are called cells. You can go ahead and type into cells
TWO-COLUMN TABULAR DISPLAY
| NATURAL RESOURCES | LOCATION |
| Coal | Enugu |
| Crude Oil | Rivers |
| Tin | Plateau |
| Limestone | Kogi |
| Groundnuts | Kano |
| Timber | Delta |
| Cocoa | Oyo |
| Palm Oil | Imo |
FOUR-COLUMN TABULAR DISPLAY
SUBJECT LECTURERS
| SHORTHAND ‘BOLA | TYPEWRITING NWOYE | BUSINESS STUDIES
SHUAIBU |
COMMERCE MARTINS |
| MATHEMATICS MUKORO | PHYSICS ADAMS | CHEMISTRY LIZA | BIOLOGY UWAH |
See also
business studies past questions
forms of business organisation