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Example 1 - Table

Study the table below and answer the questions that follow. Once you have entered your thoughts in the box provided click on the 'Check your answer' button to see a suggested answer.

Table 1: Colon carcinoma cell line HCT-116 was treated with DNA-damaging agents, oxaliplatin (50μM) or etoposide (40μM) for 0, 12, 24 and 36 hours. Cells were exposed to γ-radiation (10Gy) and cell lysates prepared at 0, 12, 24 and 36 hours after exposure. Apoptotic cell death was measured using the Annexin V assay. Data represents the mean (± SEM) of three independent experiments.

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Questions:

1. Is a table the best format in which to present this data?
2. Is the data presented in the table complete or is any additional information required?
3. Is the caption under the table sufficient to make the data comprehensible to the reader without having to refer to the main text of the article?

Although it is acceptable to present this data in table format, the trends could be much more effectively visualized if the data were presented in the form of a bar chart (but do not make the mistake of presenting the same data in both table and graph format!).

The columns in the table are appropriately labelled with units. However, the data in the main body is incomplete; it is necessary that the author includes the ± SEM values.

The caption under the table is also incomplete. The table has been assigned a number but does not have a title. Ideally, the table number and title should be placed above the table and any explanatory footnotes under the table.

The table could be re-designed and presented as follows:

Table 1: Effect of DNA-damaging agents on cell viability of colon cancer cells

Colon carcinoma cell line HCT-116 was treated with DNA-damaging agents, oxaliplatin (50μM) or etoposide (40μM) for 0, 12, 24 and 36 hours. Cells treated with γ-radiation were exposed to γ-radiation (10Gy) and cell lysates prepared at 0, 12, 24 and 36 hours after exposure. Apoptotic cell death was measured using the Annexin V assay. Data represents the mean (± SEM) of three independent experiments.

The data could also be presented in the form of a bar chart as follows (and this would be the preferred format):

Figure 1: Effect of DNA-damaging agents on cell viability of colon cancer cells.
Colon carcinoma cell line HCT-116 was treated with DNA-damaging agents oxaliplatin (50μM) or etoposide (40μM) for 0, 12, 24 and 36 hours. Cells treated with γ-radiation were exposed to γ-radiation (10Gy) and cell lysates prepared at 0, 12, 24 and 36 hours after exposure. Apoptotic cell death was measured using the Annexin V assay. Data represents the mean (± SEM) of three independent experiments.

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