APA Figures and Tables
Concerning tables, I have learned that table should have notes, which can be general, specific, or probability notes. General notes have general information about the table, such as the meaning of abbreviations, preceded by “Notes:’. Specific notes are identified by superscripts and contain information concerning a specific low or column in a particular table. Lastly, probability notes explain what symbols in the able mean or entail.
Regarding figures, I had the wrong idea of their purpose. I had thought that the most realistic figure is the best. Nevertheless, the APA manual explains that a standard figure is easy to read, omits irrelevant details, conveys essential facts, and backs rather than duplicate the text.
When writing my evidence-based paper, I will record, analyze, and report data. Some will be numerical to calculate statistics such as mean, variance, and standard deviation. Thus, notes will enable both the readers of the paper and I in identifying tabulated values. Besides, I will include standard figures; that is, which are relevant, simple to understand, and with essential facts.
So far, the APA manual has insisted more than once about standard figures, tables, values, etcetera. This is critical, especially in evidence-based nursing studies, since they are aimed at creating efficient standard care systems (Aspden, 2004). Besides, standardized reporting enables the sourcing of other – secondary information and straightforward means for answering the research questions and adjudicating hypotheses, and addressing methodological limitations (Norris, Plonsky, Ross & Schoonen, 2015). Also, standardized reporting enables the clustering of information to make it clearer and eliminates reasons for guesswork.
References
Aspden, P. (2004). Patient safety. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.
Norris, J., Plonsky, L., Ross, S., & Schoonen, R. (2015). Guidelines for Reporting Quantitative Methods and Results in Primary Research. Language Learning, 65(2), 470-476. doi: 10.1111/lang.12104