Here are the criteria for the preparation of tables, as specified by the Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science:
- Write table titles at the top of the table.
- Number tables sequentially with Roman numerals.
- Include the following information in a title, whenever possible: who, what, where, why and when.
- Put the independent variable in the left column, and the dependent variable in the right, if you are listing data with independent and dependent variables.
- Label each column with the appropriate units.
- Adequately space tables that appear on the same page.
Example:
Table I Patient specimens analyzed for blood urea nitrogen on the Dimension RxL and the Vitros 250 at City Hospital
| Sample # | RxL (mg/dL urea) | Vitros 250 (mg/dl) urea |
| 1 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| 2 | 11.2 | 10.0 |
| 3 | 12.4 | 13.6 |
| 4 | 16.2 | 13.2 |
| 5 | 20.0 | 21.2 |
| 6 | 25.0 | 20.0 |
| 7 | 28.8 | 26.2 |
In this case, the Dimension RxL is the "reference method" and is considered the independent variable, while the Vitros 250 is the "test method" and is considered the dependent variable.
