Why Tables and Figures Require Special Attention
Tables and figures are among the most technically demanding formatting elements in a Malaysian postgraduate thesis. They must conform simultaneously to APA citation style requirements (or whichever style your institution uses), your university’s specific thesis formatting guidelines, and general principles of effective data presentation. Errors in table and figure formatting are among the most common causes of IPS technical review corrections and examiner comments about formatting.
This guide covers the APA 7th edition requirements for tables and figures in thesis writing, with specific attention to the formatting details most commonly misapplied in Malaysian postgraduate theses.
The APA 7th Edition Framework for Tables
APA 7th edition specifies a clear structure for every table in a thesis or manuscript: number, title, headings, body, and notes. Each element has specific formatting requirements.
Table Number
Tables are numbered sequentially in the order they are first mentioned in the text. In a thesis, numbering can follow two systems: chapter-based (Table 3.1, Table 3.2 for the first and second tables in Chapter Three) or continuous throughout the thesis (Table 1, Table 2, Table 3). Check your university’s thesis manual for their specific requirement — most Malaysian universities use chapter-based numbering.
The table number appears above the table, in bold, on its own line: Table 3.1
Table Title
The table title follows the number on the next line, in italics, in title case (capitalise major words). The title should be brief but descriptive enough to communicate the table’s content without requiring the reader to look at the table itself.
Example: Demographic Characteristics of Study Participants by Group (N = 215)
Note that the title is in italics but not in bold, and it does not end with a period in APA 7th edition. This is a change from APA 6th edition, where the title was not italicised.
Table Headings
Column headings and row headings label the data in each column and row respectively. They should be concise and clearly distinguish the variables or categories being presented. Units of measurement should be included in the heading if applicable (e.g., Age (years)).
Table Body
The table body contains the data. APA 7th edition specifies the use of horizontal rules (lines) above and below the column headings and at the bottom of the table, with no vertical lines. This gives APA-formatted tables their characteristic open, unboxed appearance. Avoid using grid lines or borders around individual cells.
Table Notes
Three types of notes can appear below the table: general notes (introduced by Note. in italics), which provide information about the table as a whole; specific notes (introduced by superscript lowercase letters), which provide information about a specific cell, column, or row; and probability notes (introduced by asterisks), which indicate the significance level of statistical results.
Example of a general note: Note. Data collected from Malaysian public universities in Peninsular Malaysia only. N = 215.
The APA 7th Edition Framework for Figures
Figures include graphs, charts, photographs, drawings, maps, and any other visual display that is not a table. The formatting structure is similar to tables but with one critical difference: figure titles appear below the figure, not above it.
Figure Number
Like tables, figures are numbered sequentially in order of first mention. The figure number appears below the figure, in bold: Figure 3.1
Figure Title
The figure title follows the number on the same line or the next line, in italics: Conceptual Framework of the Study
Unlike table titles, figure titles are followed by a period in APA 7th edition.
Figure Notes
Figure notes follow the same format as table notes and appear below the figure title.
Referencing Tables and Figures in the Text
Every table and figure must be referenced in the text before it appears. The text reference should appear before the table or figure — not after. The reference should direct the reader to the table or figure and provide a brief interpretive comment.
Correct: Table 4.1 presents the demographic characteristics of the 215 participants. The sample was predominantly female (67.4%) and between 25 and 34 years of age (42.3%).
Incorrect: The demographic characteristics are as follows: (see Table 4.1). This construction places the table reference at the end and provides no interpretive guidance.
Common Errors in Malaysian Thesis Tables and Figures
Vertical lines in tables. APA format uses only horizontal rules in tables. Vertical lines, cell borders, and grid lines are all incorrect and will be flagged by examiners familiar with APA style.
Inconsistent numbering. Tables and figures should be numbered in two separate sequential series — Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 is separate from Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3. They should not be numbered in a combined sequence.
Table title below the table. Table titles are above the table in APA format. Figure titles are below the figure. Placing the table title below the table is one of the most common formatting errors in Malaysian theses.
Figures reproduced from other sources without proper credit. If a figure is reproduced or adapted from another source, the source must be credited in the figure notes in the specific format prescribed by APA 7th edition.
Table that is wider than the page margins. Tables must fit within the thesis margins. If a table is too wide, consider landscape orientation (if permitted by your university guidelines), reducing font size within the table (to a minimum of 10pt in APA), or splitting the table into two.
Conclusion
Correctly formatted tables and figures demonstrate attention to scholarly convention and produce a thesis that is visually clear and professionally presented. The APA 7th edition rules described in this guide address the most frequently misapplied elements of table and figure formatting in Malaysian postgraduate theses. Applying them consistently from the beginning of the writing process is far more efficient than reformatting dozens of tables and figures during final revision.
