These days, most authors familiar with desktop publishing techniques can easily create their own tables electronically. Word and Word Perfect will allow you to create a table directly into a file, using the word-processing application. In Word, you can create a table merely by choosing the Insert Table option. You can also transform text into a tabular format by highlighting the text you wish to convert and clicking the Convert Text to Table option in the Table menu. The menu will allow you to select the number of columns you need, the number of rows, and the required column width. All these items can easily be changed if you find that your table needs adjusting. You can also split a table to insert text, add gridlines, and sort text in tables by ascending or descending order.
Once you have created your table format, key in the text in each box. The tab key will shift you from one box to the next. You can choose the typeface and size. If you align your table flush left with the text, it does not necessarily need to line up with the right side of the page as well. Your alignment will depend on the number of columns the table includes and how wide the data in each column need to be. Too much space between the data in each column can make the table hard to read.
Data for tables can also be created in Excel or other spreadsheet programs. Excel can also convert your data into a table format. Some journals will accept tables set within your word-processing program as part of your manuscript. Others prefer that you print the table as camera-ready copy (see "Camera-Ready Copy," above). Camera-ready tables must be printed on at least 24-lb. paper by a laser printer set at 600 dpi (dots per inch). Naturally, the table should be smudge free and labeled clearly with the table number and heading.
