Tables

Tables are a part of the compuscript and should appear at the end of the file. Every table must have a complete caption and the correct number of descriptive column headings. Tables may be narrow (8.6 cm or 3.4 in.\ wide), medium (14 cm or 5.5 in. wide), or wide (17.8 cm or 7.0 in.\ wide), in galley style. An example of each appears in the sample compuscript input. The final tables will be sized by the production compostion system to be set narrow, medium, or wide (according to the number of columns, type of material, etc.). (When using the preprint style for REVTeX , all tables will be set 6.5 in. wide. REVTeX will ignore \narrowtext, \mediumtext, and \widetext commands if the front matter of the file calls for the preprint style.)

Each table must begin with \begin{table}, and end with \end{table}. Follow current journal style concerning placement of table lines. (See examples in this guide and recent issues of the journal.) The table commands will set double horizontal lines appearing at the beginning and end of the table; a single horizontal rule should be set after the column headings with the use of the \hline command. Extra sets of column headings within the table will require another \hline to separate the headings from the column entries. Do not insert any other horizontal or vertical lines in the body of the table.

Since tables are automatically numbered, the \label{#1} command is used with the \ref{#1} command to cite tables in text. The \label{#1} command should appear after the \caption{#1} command and before the \end{table} command.

Some special table considerations:

• Numerical columns should align on the decimal point (or decimal points if more than one is is present). The column specifier ``d,'' should be used for simple numeric data with a single decimal point. Material without a decimal point is simply centered. Notes: entries that start with a decimal point (e.g., .003) will not be aligned by the decimal point; you should add a prezero to align the number correctly (e.g., 0.003). The prezero is also editorial style! Additionally, the entry is typeset in separate parts separated by any decimal point(s) present, so parts of the entry to the left and right of a decimal point must be able to be typeset separately. For example, $-1.23$ will not work in a d column. You will get a ``missing $'' error because $-1 is typeset separately from 23$. Use instead $-$1.23. If multiple decimal points are present then the last is used for alignment. To escape from the d column use \multicolumn as usual. See apssamp.tex for examples.

• Use $ delimiters for all math in a table (no displayed equation commands).

• Footnotes in a table must be labeled a, b, c, etc. Tablenote commands that act just like regular footnotes have been added. See apssamp.tex for examples and explanations of use.

• Extra wide tables that will not fit into the 17.8-cm or 7.0-in. designation can be manipulated by the production composition system to produce a turned table that will appear lengthwise on a page. A cover letter requesting this special handling should accompany file submittal. The author can use the \squeezetable command with tables that do not fit on the page. This command will make the fonts in the body of the table smaller, allowing larger tables to fit onto the page.

Tables in REVTeX do not normally float. The floats style option restores floating behavior for figures and tables. Tables in REVTeX will break across pages if they are more than a full page in length, unless the floats option has been selected. (The floats option has been added for the author's personal use. It should not be used in any file destined for submission to the APS.)