5: Tables

Overview

Tables help you organize information in rows and columns so your data is displayed in an easy-to-read format. Tables let you extract essential facts and figures from your work so your audience can quickly focus on the information you are presenting.

Think about how you can use tables in your personal life. What sort of information makes sense to display as a table?

Tables can be used to create a personal contact list of friends, or perhaps to report your science lab results.

In this section you will

• • learn basic table structure

  • learn how to create tables using the table software feature

  • read and watch demonstrations to learn about creating tables

  • practise using the software to complete three practice activities

Tables

Basic Table Structure

In order to create a table, you need to know the basic parts included in a table and how they are structured. Study the following exemplar to learn the names of the table parts and see the proper format for a table.

• • Title

  • Row & Row Header

  • Column & Column Header

  • Body

The text in the table body is aligned centered, but can also be aligned left (like in the header column) or right.

It is customary to horizontally centre a table (from left to right) on a page to give the page visual balance. In Google Docs, this can be done through selecting Table Alignment -> Centre from the Table Properties menu (access this by right-clicking within a cell of your table).

It is also customary to vertically centre a table (from top to bottom) on a page to give the page visual balance. In Google Docs, this must be done using the enter key, but in Microsoft Word, this can quickly be done in the Page Setup group in the Page Layout tab, and by choosing the dialog box launcher.

Microsoft product screen shot(s) reprinted with permission from Microsoft Corporation.

Now you are familiar with the main parts of a table and also how to centre your table on a page.

Create a Table Using the Table Function

The table menu is another way to create tables. Insert a table by selecting the number of rows and columns you need. In a table, rows run horizontally (left to right), while columns run vertically (top to bottom), creating cells to hold your data. This is illustrated in the picture below.

Watch the “Google Docs: Inserting Tables” video for a demonstration of how to create and format a table. Use the table submenu to add and delete rows and columns; change the cell size, background, or border; and change the alignment of your text in the cell.

The table submenu also features the merge and unmerge cell command. Watch the “Table cell merging in Google Docs” video to see how this works.

Spend some time exploring these formatting features to see how they change the look of your table. You may also consider installing the Table Formatter add-on from the Add-ons menu for additional and quick formatting features.

More detailed instruction on how to use the Table Tools tabs in Microsoft Word is given in INF2050: Word Processing 2.

Remember: You should always give your table a title and format the title as well as the column headings in bold. Once your table is formatted, you should centre the table horizontally and vertically on the page.

Now that you have an understanding of how to create tables, the practice activities below will help you apply your knowledge.

Table 1 Assignment

In this practice, you will be asked to create the following table by setting and using Left, Center, and Right alignment and table borders with provided content. You may go back to the demonstrations and check steps if you need assistance.

• 1. Open a new, blank Google document.

  2. Save the document as “Table 1 - Firstname Lastname” in your INF1030: Tables folder.

  3. Create and format the following table.

• 1. Make sure your line spacing is set to single.

  2. Type the title: “MICROSOFT OFFICE” — bold, centre, uppercase.

  3. Type the subtitle: “Information Processing” — centre, Capitalize Each Word.

  4. Hit the Enter key twice to leave one blank line between the subtitle and the table.

  5. Select the Table menu and insert a 3x5 table.

  6. Enter the column headings: “Module,” “Program,” and “Application,” using the Tab key to navigate to each column.  

  7. Enter the body text for the table using the Tab key to move to each column. Use normal type for the body (not bold).

  8. Format the left column text to be left-justified.

  9. Format the center column text to be centered.

  10. Format the right column text to be right-justified.

  11. Right-click and open the Table Properties menu

  12. Change the border colour to white.

  13. Make sure the table is in the middle of the page, and that the page is set to 'vertical' instead of landscape.

  14. Use the Spelling check and proofread the table to ensure the information is correct.

  15. Print Preview the table to see it in its final form.

  16. Check your table against the Table 1 answer key.

  17. Save your document.

Table 2 Assignment

In this practice, you will be asked to create a table by using the Table function with provided content.

• 1. Open a new, blank Google document.

  2. Save the document as “Table 2 - Firstname Lastname” in your INF1030: WP1: Tables folder.

  3. Select the Table menu and insert a 3x2 table.

  4. Practise inserting an additional four rows to the table after it has been created. (You might want to review the demonstrations if you have forgotten how to do this.)

  5. Enter the following information into your table.

• 1. Select all three columns in the first row of the table and, in the Table dropdown menu, select Merge Cells. The three cells merge into one cell.

• 1. Adjust the alignment of your text in the cells to center.

  2. Bold the title and column headings in your table.

  3. Use the Table Properties menu to adjust the Background colour for the title row and a complementary colour for the column headings row.

  4. Centre the table horizontally on the page by selecting the option within Table Properties.

  5. Vertical-centre the table using the enter key.  

  6. Spell check and proofread the table to ensure the information is correct.

  7. Make any formatting adjustments you feel are necessary to enhance your table.

  8. Print Preview the table to see it in its final form.

  9. Check your Table 2 against the Table 2 answer key.

  10. Save the document.

Table 3 Assignment

In this practice, you will create an attractively formatted contact list for a minimum of five friends using a table. Your address book table must meet the following criteria:

• 1. Include a table title and appropriate column headings. You must include at least four columns of information, but you may choose to include more. Some suggestions for column headings are phone numbers, birthdays, email addresses, street addresses, or any other important, appropriate information.

  2. Format to your table to make it visually appealing.

  3. Horizontal- and vertical-centre the table on the page.

  4. Check your Table 3 against the Table 3 sample.

  5. Save the document as “Table 3 - Firstname Lastname” in your INF1030: Tables folder.

Check Point

Self-check each practice session against the answer keys provided. Your assignments might show some variation depending on your formatting choices, such as font or colour. Be sure that your practice tables demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the basic table structure and formatting taught in this training room.

How do your documents compare to the answer keys and exemplars? If you are able to easily create tables using both tabs and the table command, upload your documents to the Tables Assignment on Classroom, submit, and move on to the final project.