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Table Manners
When you make a table of statistics, there are certain correct
things to do.
- Say clearly what your table is about in a TITLE.
- The figures were correct on a particular DATE. Say when
this was.
- Extra facts go in FOOTNOTES. These often say why one
figure does not quite compare with the others.
- Say where the data came from, called the SOURCE.
Look at Tables 1,
2 and 3.
| a |
Which table is correct in all
these four ways? |
| b |
What is missing from the other
two tables? |
Title
Titles should be short and clear.
| a |
Write down the title of Table 1
(on page 3). |
| b |
Choose suitable titles for
Tables 2 and 3. |
Table 1 is a two-way table. It tells us about the causes of
fires and where they start. The title explains both of these. It
also tells us something else.
| c |
In which countries were the
fires? |
| d |
Were the fires in factories or
in homes? |
Date
| a |
What is the date given in Table
1? |
| b |
What length of time does this
information cover? |
| c |
Why is the date needed? Add the
date to your version of Table 3. |
Source
Sometimes you can collect your own data and then form a table.
More often data are supplied by a SOURCE, because it can take
a long time and be very costly to collect figures. Many
statistics come from official records or a book or a journal. Her
Majesty's Stationery Office (HMSO) publish sets of statistics
such as The Monthly Digest of Statistics. There will be copies of
many of these in your local public library. You may have some at
school. Under a table it should say where the figures come from.
| a |
Write down the source of Table 1. |
| b |
Why may we need to know the source? |
Footnotes
Sometimes parts of a table need more explanation.
This is done by adding FOOTNOTES at the bottom of the table.
Look at Table 1 again. Just by the word 'Bedroom' there is a
number 1. This tells you to read footnote number 1.
| a |
Copy down footnote 1. What does
it tell you? |
| b |
In which category are stairs
included? |
| c |
Which column includes fires that
started outside the home? |
Leisure
You will need page R2.
Look at Table 9 on page R2 and answer the following questions:
| a |
What is the title? |
| b |
Do you think it is a good title?
Try to improve it. |
| c |
For what year are the data? |
| d |
What is the source of the data? |
| e |
How many people were asked about
their leisure activities? |
| f |
What countries are included? |
| g |
Why does every row add up to 11
070? |
Accidents
You will need page R2.
A lot of people get hurt in street accidents.
Table 10 on page R2 shows how many boys and girls aged under
17 were injured or killed in 1975.
Answer these questions from Table 10.
| a |
What age range do the data
cover? |
| b |
When did these accidents happen? |
Altogether more boys were hurt than girls.
| c |
At what age(s) and in what kind
of injury were fewer boys hurt than girls? |
| d |
At what ages are the differences
in accidents between the sexes greatest? |
| e |
Try briefly to explain c and d. |
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