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public:nnels:etext:tables [2020/07/15 13:52] rachel.osolen [Table Headers] |
public:nnels:etext:tables [2023/07/27 15:57] rachel.osolen [Insert Caption (if present)] |
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- | ===== Tables ===== | + | =======Creating Accessible |
- | When tables are not structured accessibly, the data they contain can quickly become a meaningless sea of numbers, facts and figures to someone moving through them a cell at a time. Readers who cannot see the table cannot use visual cheats like checking the alignment and scanning back to the top headings to orient themselves as they go. Equivalent information needs to be encoded into the table to facilitate comprehension. | + | This section will take you through the main steps for creating an accessible table. |
+ | |||
+ | When tables are not accessible, the data they contain can quickly become a meaningless sea of numbers, facts and figures to someone moving through them a cell at a time. Readers who cannot see the table cannot use visual cheats like checking the alignment and scanning back to the top headings to orient themselves as they go. Equivalent information needs to be encoded into the table to facilitate comprehension. | ||
Tables are meant to be used for tabular information (data). Tables should never be used to lay out documents. When editing a book, recreate charts and tables using the default functionality of the software (i.e. the '' | Tables are meant to be used for tabular information (data). Tables should never be used to lay out documents. When editing a book, recreate charts and tables using the default functionality of the software (i.e. the '' | ||
- | Tables have a logical reading order from left to right and top to bottom. | + | Tables have a logical reading order from left to right and top to bottom. |
- | Do not present non-tabular information in a table format even if it presented as such in a book (i.e. a grocery list with two columns). | + | < |
- | < | + | < |
- | ====How to insert | + | <note important> |
- | [[https:// | + | =====Insert a Table===== |
+ | To create and accessible | ||
+ | * Go to the '' | ||
+ | * Go to '' | ||
+ | * Choose the number of boxes you want across to create columns, and then choose the number of boxes you want down to create rows for your table. | ||
- | Keep your tables simple without any extra modifications. | + | When you add a table to your document, two new tabs appear in the ribbon: |
- | ====Descriptions and Captions==== | + | - Design |
+ | - Layout | ||
- | Captions come with the table (they’re provided by the publisher.) Descriptions, | + | These are the '' |
- | < | + | < |
- | ===Descriptions (Alt-Text)=== | + | Here is a quick demo for [[https:// |
- | A description | + | =====Create Header Row===== |
+ | Table cells should be marked as table headers or header rows when they serve as labels | ||
- | Descriptions should answer | + | To set the Header Row: |
+ | * Navigate to the '' | ||
+ | * Select '' | ||
+ | * Enter the text into the top row of the table for each column | ||
+ | * Your table now has a header row! | ||
- | <WRAP center round box 80%> | + | Having a Header Row will make it easier to understand the information that the table contains. Some screen readers can be set up to read column names at any time, which can help when working with a large table. |
- | **Example: | + | Next, ensure '' |
- | "A sample order form with separate columns for the item name, price and quantity." | + | To enable '' |
+ | * Place the cursor in the first row of the table. | ||
+ | * Right click to open the menu and select '' | ||
+ | * This will open the '' | ||
+ | * Select the '' | ||
+ | * Uncheck '' | ||
+ | * Check '' | ||
- | </WRAP> | + | Here is a quick demo on [[https:// |
- | Remember to keep the description short and direct. A good guideline it to keep it around 140 words. See the [[public: | + | =====Create Table Description |
- | < | + | The last step is to enter a description and a title for the table. These should |
+ | For example: '' | ||
- | ==Create a description | + | Remember to keep the description |
- | * Right click on the table and choose '' | + | |
- | * Under the Alt text tab, insert your description in the '' | + | |
- | ===Captions=== | + | < |
- | Captions are provided by the publisher, | + | To add a Description and Title: |
+ | * Select the Table | ||
+ | * Right click to open the menu and select '' | ||
+ | * This will open the Table Properties dialog box | ||
+ | * Select the Alt-Text Tab in the Properties dialog box | ||
+ | * Enter the title into the title textbox | ||
+ | * Enter the description into the description textbox | ||
+ | * Select Ok. | ||
- | ==Add a caption to your table:== | + | Here is a quick demo on [[https:// |
- | * Select the entire table or right click near the edge of the chart, graph or table, and choose '' | + | =====Insert Caption |
- | * In the Caption dialog box, type in a short description. | + | |
- | * For tables, the caption should be **above** the table. | + | |
- | For more information on Captions | + | Captions |
- | ====Table Headers==== | + | To Insert a Caption: |
- | Table cells should be marked as table headers | + | * Select the entire |
+ | * Select '' | ||
+ | * In the Caption dialog box, type in a short description | ||
+ | * Remove | ||
+ | * Type or copy and paste the book's caption in the caption field | ||
- | ===Identify a " | + | < |
- | * Click anywhere in the table. | + | |
- | * Go to the Table Tools Design tab at the top of the page. Check the '' | + | |
- | * Type (or retype) your column headings. | + | |
- | * Press the Enter key. | + | |
- | ===Ensure '' | + | Here is a quick demo on [[https://screenpal.com/ |
- | This ensures the header row is repeated across pages. Do this even if the table does not go over multiple pages: | + | |
- | * Place the cursor anywhere in the first row of the table. Right click and select Table Properties from the pop-up menu. | + | |
- | * Select the Row tab in the Properties dialog box. | + | |
- | * Check '' | + | |
- | < | + | Congratulations! You now have an accessible table! Remember, for even more accessibility, |
- | ===Identify | + | =====How to Convert |
- | * Click anywhere in the table. | + | If a table is used as layout, you will have to remove |
- | * Go to the Table Tools Design tab at the top of the page. Check the '' | + | |
- | * Type (or retype) your column headings. | + | |
- | * Press the Enter key. | + | |
- | ===Apply '' | + | To convert a Table to Text |
- | This ensures the header row is repeated across pages. Do this even if the table does not go over multiple pages so the screen reader can identify the header row from the rest of the table: | + | * First you highlight |
- | * Click anywhere | + | * This will open the '' |
- | * Go to the Table Tools Layout tab at the top of the page | + | * Select |
- | * select the '' | + | * On this menu select the '' |
- | * Note: It the Header Row does not automatically repeat on each page, then do the next step. | + | * This will open a pop up, you then choose the paragraph break option to separate |
- | ===Ensure '' | ||
- | * Place the cursor anywhere in the first row of the table. Right click and select Table Properties from the pop-up menu. | ||
- | * Select the Row tab in the Properties dialog box. | ||
- | * Check '' | ||
- | |||
- | ===Ensure '' | ||
- | * Do not use split or merged cells in a Table. Screenreaders can’t handle it. | ||
- | * In Table Properties, under the Row tab, ensure '' | ||
- | ====Avoid blank cells==== | + | <note tip>If you have any questions, check the archive below, if still not clear, post your question on the [[public:nnels: |
- | * Do not use blank rows or columns in a table for formatting. Blank cells, rows, or columns could mislead someone using a screenreader into thinking that there is nothing more in the table. You can fix this by: * | + | </note> |
- | * removing unnecessary blank cells, rows, or columns. | + | |
- | * adding some text indicating the cell is intentionally blank, i.e. N/A, “No data” or a hyphen. | + | |
=====Further Help===== | =====Further Help===== | ||
- | [[https:// | + | * [[https:// |
+ | * [[https:// | ||
- | =====Other tips===== | + | ---- |
- | **Formatting Tip** | ||
- | * Use Word tools to create desired format, i.e. borders, line spacing, and other cell styles. | ||
- | * You can add more spacing by going to Table properties > Table > Options > Set the Top, Bottom, Left and Right margins to add more spaces around the text | ||
- | * If you have multiple tables, you can create a Table style and apply this style to all new tables. | ||
- | * [[http:// | ||
- | **How to Convert a Table to Normal Text** | + | ===== Q&A Archive ===== |
- | * Sometimes you will need to convert a table to normal text: | + | Q: Unsure if the tables were formatted correctly |
- | * First you highlight | + | |
- | * This will create the 'Table Tools' section | + | |
- | * Select | + | |
- | * On this menu select the ' | + | |
- | * This will open a pop up, you then choose the paragraph break option to separate the text and hit okay | + | |
- | **Tips for Fitting Large Tables | + | From the Tables |
- | * If the table is very large, | + | |
- | * You can use landscape layout instead of portrait for the pages that the table falls on. In order to enable this, you must first put a section break before and after the table, | + | I am interpreting the ' |
- | * If the table still does not fit within | + | |
- | * If you have done both of these, and the table still does not fit, you can try decreasing | + | A: I will fix the wording in the wiki, but every table should have Alt-Text. |
- | * Still having issues? Time to ask for assistance! | + | When it comes to not being able to access the Alt-Text in the table priorities, it looks like this is an issue with they way the document was saved. |
+ | |||
+ | I creates a short video to illustrate what I mean: https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | Word is a finicky beast! | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | Q: Follow up question regarding | ||
+ | |||
+ | A: Yes, adding the heading | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | Q: I have come to the appendixes at the end of this book and there is a very long and complex table in Appendix D (starts on page 195 of the PDF, titled Mills Brothers Discography--by song title) that I could use some direction on. It's going to take a lot of time and I just want to make sure I'm tackling it the best way before I start. The issue I'm having is the subheadings for each song title. Here's a screenshot of one way I thought of to deal with them. But I'm also wondering if it would be better | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{ : | ||
+ | |||
+ | A: In this case you should create separate tables for each song title. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Set the heading | ||
+ | |||
+ | Set each table tile as simply the song title. | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
+ | Q: There is a table in "The Canadian Prairies" | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | |||
+ | A:You can combine it into the same table. If you follow the instructions on header rows in the wiki it will be fine: [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
- | ===== Q&A Archive ===== | ||
Q: I am editing a book that has very long tables that are images. | Q: I am editing a book that has very long tables that are images. | ||
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{{: | {{: | ||
- | A: You've got that right - none of the tables in this book should be there (as far as I can tell). As you say, they' | + | A: You've got that right - none of the tables in this book should be there (as far as I can tell). As you say, they' |
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | Q: I have a question regarding tables in Satan is a Socialist. There are a few simple tables in the book formatted similar to the image of the table below. The tables usually have two rows, one header row and one with all the content. Should I be adding separate rows for each element in the list (e.g. one row for high/low government control, one row for high/low level of entitlements, | ||
+ | |||
+ | A: It looks like none of these are actually tables, but they used tables to create a columns for comparative lists. You can reformat them as nested lists. | ||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | Q: I am currently working on "The Red Road and Other Narratives of the Dakota Sioux" and in part 1 there are three lists of tribes presented in tables. The first column contains the tribes name and the second column contains the english meaning of the tribes name. Because there are no column headers, I am wondering if it would be better to reformat the information in normal style? | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | |||
+ | A: So this is an example of a publisher using a table for layout purposes. If the information is a list, then it must be reformatted as a list to be accessible. See the [[public: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * Title of List | ||
+ | * First Language; Indigenous Name | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | Q: I'm working on People, State, and War Under the French Regime in Canada and in the appendices at the end are several images of tables that I'm transcribing into text. I have two questions about these tables (I put the question here instead of the image Q&A because I felt like it was more applicable to tables). Some of the tables have arrows connecting the data in different cells, and a Note at the end of appendix A reads " | ||
+ | |||
+ | Second question, in Appendix A, in the second last table the edge of the last column is cut off, so I cant read all the text. I can infer what the words are intended to be? Or I can leave as is which will mean some partial words and individual letters. How should I proceed? | ||
+ | |||
+ | A: It seems like the Arrows are in the '' | ||
+ | |||
+ | If you can with confidence fill in those missing letters and words, then go for it! | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | Q: Can we use lists within a cell in a table? For example, in "I Had the Craziest Dream," | ||
+ | |||
+ | A: No. Lists within tables are not accessible. Could you give me a specific example of what you are trying to reformat? | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | Q: One of the tables in "I Had the Craziest Dream" is formatted a little funky. It looks like this: | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | |||
+ | I'm hoping you can help me decide what exactly is going on in number 228. I think that it's meant to still be under the song title column? And how should I write that up so it's accessible? | ||
+ | |||
+ | A: Great question! There looks to be 4 columns in this table, (and the publisher used a list to also order the information fun!): | ||
+ | |||
+ | |-(Number, Song Title, Orchestra details)| Recorded (includes place and year)|Label|Number| | ||
+ | |||
+ | It seems to me the best way to do this is as follows (only write the number not list format): | ||
+ | |||
+ | |-| Recorded|Label|Number| | ||
+ | |228." | ||
+ | |issued in album They Sold...|-|-|W-1216(mono)/ | ||
+ | |issued in album....|Hollywood 1961|-|W-1426(mono)/ | ||
+ | |||
+ | Note: I used shorthand in my example. In your version you need to type out the full titles and phrases. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ---- | ||
+ | |||
+ | Q: Atlantic’s Last Stop. What is the difference between the title and the caption of a table? What if the caption provided is essentially the title? (For an example, see the table in Chapter 18.) | ||
+ | |||
+ | A: If the caption is a title, then just repeat it in the title in the properties. All accessible tables require titles in the properties as per the wiki instructions. | ||
+ | |||
---- | ---- | ||
WCAG 2.0 — H39: [[https:// | WCAG 2.0 — H39: [[https:// | ||
+ | |||
+ | [[public: |