Meaning and Objective of Tabulation

Introduction

Tabulations or tables that represent data in simple and easy form are helpful in understanding and comparing data. These are made to make easy decisions and in order to make meaningful insights about the position or condition of a quantity studied. This tutorial discusses what tabulation is, its types, the major objectives of tabulation, and the requirements that must be followed while creating it.

What is Tabulation?

Tabulation refers to a systematic representation of data in the forms of rows and columns to ease comparison and maintain accuracy and simplicity. Tabulation is a part of statistics and it has wide-ranging applications. However, just placing data in tabular form is not tabulation. In order for a table to be tabulation, some statistical rules must be followed.

Statisticians and researchers usually resort to tabulation for scientific and economic purposes. The tabulations in statistics and economics are considered to be a key part of assimilating and presenting data. As tabulations make comparisons and counting easier, it is often used to represent data that need to be classified and distributed into various characteristics.

Example of Tabulation

Scheduled Time of Start (Acclimated Time)	Maximum Flight Duty Period (hours) Based on Rest Facility and Number of Pilots
	Class 1 Rest Facility		Class 2 Rest Facility		Class 3 Rest Facility
	3 Pilots	4 Pilots	3 Pilots	4 Pilots	3 Pilots	4 Pilots
0000-0559	15	17	14	15.5	13	13.5
0600-0659	16	18.5	15	16.5	14	14.5
0700-1259	17	19	16.5	18	15	15.5
1300-1659	16	18.5	15	16.5	14	14.5
1700-2359	15	17	14	15.5	13	13.5

Types of Tabulation

Simple Tabulation

Also known as one-way tabulation, this type of tabulation has only one characteristic. It is the simplest form of tabulation and depends on only one type of data. An example of a one-way tabulation is a table that represents the people of the world in terms of one characteristic like literacy level.

Double tabulation

Double tabulation is also called two-way tabulation. This type of tabulation usually contains two characteristics of data. The two forms of data are placed in the table at the same time and it helps to compare two features related to the same data. For example, a table showing the sex and literacy levels in the same table is a double tabulation.

Complex Tabulation

When there are three or more characteristics included in a table, the process is called complex tabulation. It is an advanced form of tabulation that represents three or more features in a table at the same time. A tabulation that represents religion, sex, and literacy is a complex tabulation example.

Main Objectives of Tabulation

The major objectives of tabulation are as follows −

• Letting one make an easy comparison − One of the main objectives to arrange data in tabular form is to make it easier to compare two or more sets of data. When data is presented in a table, people can check data at two or more instances easily. This helps in comparing the data at various instances of time or any other comparative parameter

For example, when data about the increasing population in each decade is provided in tabular form, it becomes easier to check which decade had the maximum population increase. Otherwise, there will always be a chance of mistakes in checking the rate of increase in population when there is no table.

• Highlighting important information − Representing data in the tabular form helps in showing the most important data quickly. In a table, one can find the most relevant and useful data quickly. In all other forms, finding the data will be problematic. Therefore, tabulation makes it easier to highlight the important data.

• Simplifying complex data presentation − When the form of data is complex, tabulation can help them present in an easier form. This helps researchers and analysts to use the table for quick checks of various data in a simple and easy form. Without tabulation, data must be presented in texts which can increase the complexity of understanding and applying them.

• Helping in analyzing data − Tabulation helps statistical analysis of data. When data is presented in rows and columns, it becomes easier to analyze them statistically. In other words, tabulation optimizes statistical data analysis in its truest form.

For example, computing correlation, dispersion, average, etc. of data becomes easier when data is presented in tabular form.

• Saving Space − Building tables for data can save enough space in comparison to data that is presented in textual form. This is very important because text representation usually makes data representation complex and unreasonable in many cases.

Execution of Data Tabulation

Tabulation is mostly done by using computers nowadays. However, there are the following three methods of tabulating data manually.

Direct Tally Method

In this type of tabulation, tally sheets are used to record codes. One stroke is marked against each code to denote a response. This is carried out till the fourth code and the fifth code is marked as a horizontal cross on the four codes.

Sorting cards and counting method

It is the most effective manual data counting and representation method. A series of holes are used to organize data in cards of various sizes and shapes. Once this is done, cards are then segregated and accumulated depending on their categories. This helps in counting the frequency of data. This form of counting can be done for 40 items on a single page.

List and Tally Method

In this method, many questions of a questionnaire are listed on a page. The response to each question goes to one row while the codes are recorded in columns.

Best Ways for Tabulation

Some factors must be considered in order to make the tabulation excellent and useful to the maximum. These requirements can be listed as follows.

• For a tabulation to become effective, it must be self-explanatory, illustrative, and simple. No details should be required to understand the table.

• If the volume of data is huge, the tabulation should be increased. i.e. more tables should be created for easy reference.

• If one table is divided into many ones, each of them should serve the purpose and they must be complete in themselves.

• To keep the table effective, the number of rows and columns must be kept minimum.

• Data should be approximated wherever necessary before tabulation.

• The captions and other explanations must be self-complete; they must not need the help of footnotes for comprehension.

• Quantity and quality of data should be kept uncompromised even if the tabulation requires a further extension.

• A miscellaneous section should be added for data that cannot be included in footnotes, stubs, or the table.

Note − The form and types of tabulation may differ depending on the nature of the study and the subject. For example, the tables made for science may be different in nature than those that are made for commerce. However, the value of tables is universal in nature, meaning that tabulations are useful anywhere in the world irrespective of their origin.

Conclusion

Tabulation is a very important tool in statistics to compare and comprehend data. It helps in analyzing data sets and hence helps in making informed decisions. Apart from being universal in nature, tabulations provide meaningful ways to understand the variations in data from time to time. Hence, tabulations can be an ideal way to represent data to make them simple and attractive.

FAQs

Qns 1. What is meant by tabulation? Discuss briefly.

Ans. Tabulation refers to a systematic representation of data in the forms of rows and columns to ease comparison and maintain accuracy and simplicity. Tabulation is a part of statistics and it has wide-ranging applications.

Qns 2. What are the three types of tabulation?

Ans. Simple tabulation, double tabulation, and complex tabulation.

Qns 3. What is the best way to tabulate manually?

Ans. Card slot and count is the best way to tabulate manually.