Tables should be self-explanatory therefore, spell out terms even if they have been introduced in the text. Capitalize the first word after a symbol. Capitalize only the first word of each column header. Use abbreviations as needed for space (see below). Avoid using abbreviations in titles, but when necessary to do so, explain abbreviation in a footnote, not in the title. Titles should contain enough information to stand alone (e.g., populations, dates, locations) but should not repeat information in column or row heads. Capitalize the first letter of the title and do not include a period at the end. Place the title above, not below, the table. Table titles should be brief but self-explanatory. Vertical rules are never used, and tables are never displayed in landscape (sideways) orientation. If necessary for readability, horizontal rules may also be used to group categories of information within the body of the table.

Horizontal rules are used to set off column heads. If a table cell contains text, only the first word should begin with a capital letter. Tables should be arranged with like data (e.g., organism name, antibody titer) in columns. Tables that exceed maximum width should be truncated or included for online publication only. Tables are set in 8-point Arial font and may be no wider than 17 cm. References in tables are ordered according to the first citation of the table in text. Tables may not be separated into subdivisions (Table 1A and Table 1B) instead, split into 2 tables. Number tables consecutively in the text if an article has only 1 table, do not number it. Do not use any other program or tabs or spaces to align columns. Tables must be created by using the Microsoft Word table tool, not by using tabs and spaces or in Microsoft Excel.

Footnote abbreviation