Real-world examples of examples of example of APA table formatting

APA tables are not decoration. They’re there to make data easier to read than in a paragraph. Instructors and journal reviewers are surprisingly picky about this, which is why examples of examples of example of APA table formatting are so helpful when you’re learning.

In APA 7th edition, tables:

• Have a simple, clean layout (no vertical lines, minimal horizontal lines)
• Use clear, descriptive titles in italics
• Use consistent decimal places
• Include table notes when needed (for abbreviations, symbols, and statistics)

Let’s walk through real examples of how this looks in practice.

Example of a basic APA descriptive statistics table

This is the workhorse table in many student papers: means and standard deviations for a few variables. If you’re searching for examples of examples of example of APA table formatting, this is usually the first one you’ll run into.

Context: Intro psych paper comparing stress scores between two groups (mindfulness training vs. control).

How the table might look (structure, not style):

Table 1

Descriptive Statistics for Stress Scores by Group (N = 84)

Note. Stress scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress.

Formatting details worth copying:

• “Table 1” is bold, left aligned.
• Title is in italics, in title case, on the next double-spaced line.
• Only three horizontal lines: top, under the header row, and at the bottom.
• Abbreviations for statistics (M, SD) are not spelled out in the header; they’re standard.
• A single general note explains the scale.

This is one of the best examples to model for any basic statistics assignment.

Example of APA table for Likert scale survey items

Survey-based research lives and dies by clear tables. Here’s an example of how to format Likert scale item summaries.

Context: Education paper on student satisfaction with online learning.

Table 2

Student Ratings of Online Course Experience (N = 210)

Note. Items were rated on a 5-point scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree).

Why this works as one of the best examples of APA table formatting:

• Items are numbered and written exactly as they appeared in the survey.
• The note spells out the Likert scale anchors.
• Decimal places are consistent across the column.

If you need examples of examples of example of APA table formatting for survey research, this layout will keep you safely within APA expectations.

Example of APA demographic characteristics table

In many fields—especially psychology, nursing, and public health—reviewers expect a demographic table. These real examples often look more complex but follow the same basic rules.

Context: Nursing study of 156 patients in a diabetes education program.

Table 3

Participant Demographic Characteristics (N = 156)

Note. Percentages may not total 100 because of rounding.

This is one of the best examples of how to handle subheadings inside a table:

• Category labels (Gender, Age group, Race/ethnicity) are bolded but not numbered.
• Subrows are indented visually by the text, not by extra formatting tricks.
• The note anticipates a common reviewer complaint (percentages not summing to 100).

If you compare this to demographic tables in current health research (for example, studies indexed through NIH or CDC), you’ll see a very similar structure.

Example of APA correlation table (Pearson r)

Correlation tables are another place where people go hunting for examples of examples of example of APA table formatting because of the symbols and notes.

Context: Psychology study examining relationships among anxiety, depression, and sleep quality.

Table 4

Correlations Among Anxiety, Depression, and Sleep Quality (N = 132)

Note. Anxiety and depression scores range from 0 to 30; higher scores indicate higher symptom severity. Sleep quality scores range from 0 to 10; higher scores indicate better sleep. *p* < .001.

Key things this example of APA table formatting shows:

• The diagonal is replaced with dashes instead of repeating 1.00.
• Only the upper triangle is filled; the lower triangle is left blank.
• The minus sign is the real minus symbol, not a hyphen.
• The significance symbols are explained in the note.

If you scan correlation tables in APA journals (for instance, via a university library or Harvard’s library guides), you’ll see this same style.

Example of APA regression results table

Regression tables can look intimidating, but APA prefers a simpler layout than many statistics texts. Here’s an example of how to keep it readable.

Context: Social work study predicting burnout from workload and social support.

Table 5

Multiple Regression Predicting Burnout From Workload and Social Support (N = 178)

Note. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. CI = confidence interval. p* < .01. p < .001.

Why this lands on the list of best examples of APA table formatting:

• The model statistics (R², F, etc.) can go in the text or above/below the table; here, they might be reported in the Results paragraph.
• Confidence intervals are clearly labeled and formatted with brackets.
• Abbreviations like CI are explained in the note.

When you need examples of examples of example of APA table formatting for regression, look for tables that keep the number of columns manageable and explain every symbol.

Example of APA table combining text and numbers (coding scheme)

Sometimes you’re not just reporting numbers—you’re explaining categories or codes. Here’s an example of how to format a qualitative coding scheme in APA style.

Context: Qualitative study of teacher comments in middle school classrooms.

Table 6

Coding Scheme for Teacher Feedback Comments

This kind of table shows that real examples in APA are not just about statistics. The same formatting rules apply:

• Clean header row with clear labels.
• No vertical lines or unnecessary shading.
• Parallel structure in definitions and examples.

You’ll see similar tables in education and social science journals and in teaching guides from universities such as Harvard’s Bok Center.

Example of APA table note types (general, specific, probability)

One thing that separates weak tables from the best examples of APA tables is how the notes are handled. APA 7th edition uses three kinds of notes:

• General notes (start with Note. and explain the whole table)
• Specific notes (use superscript letters attached to particular cells)
• Probability notes (explain p-value symbols)

Here’s a compact example of how all three can appear in a single table.

Table 7

Summary of Intervention Outcomes by Group (N = 96)

|
| Remission rate a | 29% | 54% |
| Treatment adherence b | 68% | 89% |

Note. Values for depression score are means and standard deviations in parentheses. a Remission defined as a score ≤ 10 on the PHQ-9. b Adherence defined as attending ≥ 80% of sessions. *p < .01 for group differences in remission rate and adherence.

This is one of the best examples of how to:

• Use superscripts (a, b) in the stub column and define them in the note.
• Combine a general note (explaining the format of the numbers) and specific notes.
• Add a probability note at the end.

If you’re gathering examples of examples of example of APA table formatting for your own templates, copy this note structure verbatim and just swap in your own variables.

2024–2025 trends in APA table formatting

APA 7th edition hasn’t changed since 2019, but how people apply it in 2024–2025 has shifted slightly in practice:

• More student papers use tables to shorten long results sections, especially in online and hybrid courses.
• Instructors often expect at least one table in quantitative research projects, even when not explicitly required.
• Many programs encourage students to mimic tables seen in current journal articles accessed through campus libraries or public sources like PubMed at NIH.

So when you look for real examples or best examples of APA tables, prioritize:

• Recent articles (2019 onward) that explicitly say they follow APA 7
• University writing center guides that show formatted tables, not just rules

Use those as examples of examples of example of APA table formatting to calibrate your own work.

Practical tips to copy from these examples

Pulling this all together, here are patterns you can safely imitate from the real examples above:

• Put each table on its own page in a manuscript or at the end of a student paper, unless your instructor wants tables embedded in the text.
• Number tables in the order you mention them: Table 1, Table 2, and so on.
• In the text, refer to them like this: “As shown in Table 3, participants were primarily middle-aged adults.” Never say “the table above.”
• Keep column headings short and clear; use notes to unpack details.
• Use consistent decimal places within each column (usually two decimal places for most statistics in student work).
• Explain all abbreviations and symbols in the table note.

If you’re still unsure, skim a few open-access APA-style articles from health or education journals via NIH or CDC. Treat those as live examples of examples of example of APA table formatting and compare them to the models in this guide.

FAQ: APA tables, examples, and common questions

Q1. Where can I find more real examples of APA table formatting?
Look at recent articles in psychology, education, nursing, or public health that state they use APA Style 7th edition. Many university libraries and writing centers host sample papers with tables. These are excellent examples of how tables are actually used in context.

Q2. Do I always need a note under the table?
No. If everything in the table is obvious (for example, a simple list of variables with means and standard deviations), you can omit the note. But as the examples of examples of example of APA table formatting above show, notes are very handy for defining scales, abbreviations, and p-value symbols.

Q3. Can I add colors, shading, or vertical lines to my APA table?
APA strongly favors simple black-and-white tables with no vertical lines and minimal horizontal lines. Some instructors allow light shading in student papers, but if you want to stay close to the best examples of APA tables, keep the design plain and let the content do the work.

Q4. What’s an example of a common APA table mistake students make?
One very common error is mixing different numbers of decimal places in the same column (for example, 3.4, 3.45, 3.456). Another is forgetting to explain symbols like * or abbreviations like CI. If you compare your draft to the real examples in this guide, you’ll catch those quickly.

Q5. Do student papers have to match journal-level APA tables exactly?
Not perfectly, but the closer you are to the best examples from APA-style journals and university sample papers, the happier your grader will be. In 2024–2025, most instructors expect at least the basics: correct numbering, clear titles, clean lines, and appropriate notes.

Use the models in this article as your personal library of examples of examples of example of APA table formatting, and you’ll be in very good shape for most assignments and early research projects.