# Table and caption formatting

I'm having some problems getting my table and caption formatting to look right. Below is a sample of the code from my thesis. I've included all the packages that I'm using in my thesis, so that you can get an idea of what else might be affecting the look of the table. I've also attached a picture of my output.

The main issues that I have with the table are:

1. The caption text sits too close to the top of the table. Is there a way to get this to sit a little higher (0.5-1 line spaces) above the table?
2. The rows are too closely spaced, making it a little hard to read the nuclide and atomic mass numbers for the elements. Does line spacing not affect tables? How can I can increase the spacing between rows?
3. The text underneath the table needs to sit directly beneath the table and be no wider than the width of the table. How do I go about this?

Thanks for the help!

.

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{report}
\usepackage{setspace}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{layout}
\usepackage{lscape}
\usepackage[round]{natbib}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\usepackage{tensor}

\begin{document}
\doublespacing
\begin{table}
\centering
\caption{Naturally occurring long-lived radionuclides and their stable radiogenic daughters frequently used in geochronology.}\label{tab:001}
\addtolength{\tabcolsep}{-2pt} % slight reduction of intercolumn space
\begin{tabular}{*{4}{c} >{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{3.5cm}}
\toprule
Parent & Decay Modes$^a$ & Half-life (years) & Daughters \\
\midrule
$^{40}_{19}$K & $\varepsilon$: $10.72\%$, $\beta^{+}$: $1.0\times 10^{-3}\%$ & $1.248 \times 10^{9}$ & $^{40}_{18}$Ar \\
$^{40}_{19}$K & $\beta^{-}$: $89.28\%$ & $1.248 \times 10^{9}$ & $^{40}_{20}$Ca \\
$^{87}_{37}$Rb & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & $4.81\times 10^{10}$ & $^{87}_{38}$Sr \\
$^{147}_{62}$Sm & $\alpha$: $100\%$ & $1.06\times 10^{11}$ & $^{143}_{60}$Nd \\
$^{176}_{71}$Lu & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & $3.76\times 10^{10}$ & $^{176}_{72}$Hf \\
$^{187}_{75}$Re & $\alpha$: $1.0\times 10^{-4}\%$, $\beta^{-}: 100\%$ & $4.33\times 10^{10}$ & $^{187}_{76}$Os \\
$^{232}_{90}$Th & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $1.1\times 10^{-9}\%$ & $1.40\times 10^{10}$ & $^{208}_{82}$Pb \\
$^{235}_{92}$U & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $7.0\times 10^{-9}\%$ & $7.04\times 10^{8}$ & $^{207}_{82}$Pb \\
$^{238}_{92}$U & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $5.5\times 10^{-5}\%$ & $4.468\times 10^{9}$ & $^{206}_{82}$Pb \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
$^{a}$ $\varepsilon$ = electron capture decay; $\beta^{+}$ = positron decay; $\beta^{-}$ = negatron decay; $\alpha$ = alpha decay.
\end{document}

• i'll try to tackle the rest of this later, but for a first suggestion, you'll probably need to put in some explicit vertical space between the caption and the tabular; try \medskip. also, the way the notes are now outside the table environment, they might well end up on a different page -- table is a floating body, while the notes will stay where they are. for the lines too close together, since you have loaded array, you can \renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.2} or some other factor to expand the distance between lines (may require experimentation). Jan 24, 2014 at 19:32

## 3 Answers

1. It's enough to load the caption package (you could even set a bigger skip, if needed).

2. Redefine \arraystretch locally.

3. Build your table and its footnote using the ctable package.

The code:

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{report}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\usepackage{chemmacros}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{ctable}

\begin{document}

{
\renewcommand\arraystretch{1.3}
\addtolength{\tabcolsep}{-2pt} % slight reduction of intercolumn space
\ctable[
caption = {Naturally occurring long-lived radionuclides and their stable radiogenic daughters frequently used in geochronology.},
label= {tab:001},
mincapwidth = \textwidth,
footerwidth
]
{ccS[table-figures-exponent=2,table-figures-integer=2,table-figures-decimal=3,table-number-alignment=center]c
}
{%
\tnote{$\varepsilon$ = electron capture decay; $\beta^{+}$ = positron decay; $\beta^{-}$ = negatron decay; \\ $\alpha$ = alpha decay.}%
}
{%
\toprule
Parent & Decay Modes & {Half-life (years)} & Daughters \\
\midrule
\ch{^{40}_{19}K}   & $\varepsilon$: \SI{10.72}{\percent}, $\beta^{+}$: \SI{1.0e-3}{\percent} & 1.248e9 & \ch{^{40}_{18}Ar} \\
\ch{^{40}_{19}K}   & $\beta^{-}$: \SI{89.28}{\percent} & 1.248e9 & \ch{^{40}_{20}Ca} \\
\ch{^{87}_{37}Rb}  & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & 4.81e10 & \ch{^{87}_{38}Sr} \\
\ch{^{147}_{62}Sm} & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 1.06e11 & \ch{^{143}_{60}Nd} \\
\ch{^{176}_{71}Lu} & $\beta^{-}$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 3.76e10 & \ch{^{176}_{72}Hf} \\
\ch{^{187}_{75}Re} & $\alpha$: \SI{1.0e-4}{\percent}, $\beta^{-}$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 4.33e10 & \ch{^{187}_{76}Os} \\
\ch{^{232}_{90}Th} & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{1.1e-9}{\percent} & 1.40e10 & \ch{^{208}_{82}Pb} \\
\ch{^{235}_{92}U}  & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{7.0e-9}{\percent} & 7.04e8 & \ch{^{207}_{82}Pb} \\
\ch{^{238}_{92}U}  & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{5.5e-5}{\percent} & 4.468e9 & \ch{^{206}_{82}Pb} \\
\bottomrule
}
}

\end{document}


### Additional improvements:

1. The siunitx package was used to format the entries in the third column.

2. The chemmacros package was used to properly format the sub/superscripts in the first and third columns.

• I’d also suggest to add a small space, e.g. \,, before percent signs, especially when preceded by powers of ten. Is it standard practice to have nuclide and atomic mass numbers left-aligned? You already use siunitx, have a look at what tabular column styles it adds, e.g. regarding the half-life column. Finally, is it really plural “Daughters”? Jan 24, 2014 at 19:58
• @Crissov I incorporated your suggestions. Thanks. Jan 24, 2014 at 20:58
• @GonzaloMedina Thanks for the code - it's done the job beautifully! Jan 25, 2014 at 13:57
• @cjms85 You're welcome! Glad I could help. Jan 25, 2014 at 15:32

Another approach for the third problem is to use the »threeparttable« package. For formatting and alignment of the numbers it is suggestive to let »siunitx« do that job. The isotopes can be formatted easier by chemformula (from the »chemmacros« bundle).

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{report}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{array,booktabs,threeparttable}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\usepackage{chemformula}

\begin{document}
\begin{table}[!ht]
\caption{Naturally occurring long-lived radionuclides and their stable radiogenic daughters frequently used in geochronology.}
\label{tab:nuclides}
\centering
\begin{threeparttable}
\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.5}
\begin{tabular}{
c
c
S[table-figures-exponent=2,table-figures-integer=2,table-figures-decimal=3,table-number-alignment=center]
c
} \toprule
Parent & Decay Modes\tnote{a} & {Half-life (years)} & Daughters \\ \midrule
\ch{^{40}_{19}K}   & $\varepsilon$: \SI{10.72}{\percent}, $\beta^{+}$: \SI{1.0e-3}{\percent} & 1.248e9 & \ch{^{40}_{18}Ar} \\
\ch{^{40}_{19}K}   & $\beta^{-}$: \SI{89.28}{\percent} & 1.248e9 & \ch{^{40}_{20}Ca} \\
\ch{^{87}_{37}Rb}  & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & 4.81e10 & \ch{^{87}_{38}Sr} \\
\ch{^{147}_{62}Sm} & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 1.06e11 & \ch{^{143}_{60}Nd} \\
\ch{^{176}_{71}Lu} & $\beta^{-}$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 3.76e10 & \ch{^{176}_{72}Hf} \\
\ch{^{187}_{75}Re} & $\alpha$: \SI{1.0e-4}{\percent}, $\beta^{-}$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 4.33e10 & \ch{^{187}_{76}Os} \\
\ch{^{232}_{90}Th} & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{1.1e-9}{\percent} & 1.40e10 & \ch{^{208}_{82}Pb} \\
\ch{^{235}_{92}U}  & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{7.0e-9}{\percent} & 7.04e8 & \ch{^{207}_{82}Pb} \\
\ch{^{238}_{92}U}  & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{5.5e-5}{\percent} & 4.468e9 & \ch{^{206}_{82}Pb} \\ \bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\begin{tablenotes}
\footnotesize
\item[a]$\varepsilon$ = electron capture decay; $\beta^{+}$ = positron decay; $\beta^{-}$ = negatron decay; $\alpha$ = alpha decay
\end{tablenotes}
\end{threeparttable}
\end{table}
\end{document}


• Re »The isotopes can be formatted easier by chemformula« -- this also aligns the subscripts right. I think (although I'm not sure) that the alpha- and beta-particle also should be upright... Jan 24, 2014 at 20:18
• @cgnieder: That's why I used chemformula here. And regarding the α- and β-particles you are probably right. But I wanted to leave some minor tasks to the interested reader. Packages like »textgreek« or »upgreek« should do the trick in this regard. XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX would make things easier with Unicode characters. Jan 24, 2014 at 20:54
• I just remembered that we have a question about them :) Jan 24, 2014 at 20:57

A solution using the caption and floatrow packages, so that the caption width is equal to the table width:

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{report}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage[justification = centerlast]{caption}
\usepackage{floatrow}
\floatsetup[table]{footnoterule = none}
\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.5}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}
\addtolength{\tabcolsep}{-2pt} % slight reduction of intercolumn space
\centering
\ttabbox%
{\caption{Naturally occurring long-lived radionuclides and their stable radiogenic  daughters frequently used in geochronology.}\label{tab:001}}
{\begin{tabular}{*{4}{c} >{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{3.5cm}}
\toprule
Parent & Decay Modes\mpfootnotemark & Half-life (years) & Daughters \\
\midrule
$^{40}_{19}$K & $\varepsilon$: $10.72\%$, $\beta^{+}$: $1.0\times 10^{-3}\%$ &  $1.248 \times 10^{9}$ & $^{40}_{18}$Ar \\
$^{40}_{19}$K & $\beta^{-}$: $89.28\%$ & $1.248 \times 10^{9}$ & $^{40}_{20}$Ca \\
$^{87}_{37}$Rb & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & $4.81\times 10^{10}$ & $^{87}_{38}$Sr \\
$^{147}_{62}$Sm & $\alpha$: $100\%$ & $1.06\times 10^{11}$ & $^{143}_{60}$Nd \\
$^{176}_{71}$Lu & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & $3.76\times 10^{10}$ & $^{176}_{72}$Hf \\
$^{187}_{75}$Re & $\alpha$: $1.0\times 10^{-4}\%$, $\beta^{-}: 100\%$ &  $4.33\times 10^{10}$ & $^{187}_{76}$Os \\
$^{232}_{90}$Th & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $1.1\times 10^{-9}\%$ & $1.40\times 10^{10}$ & $^{208}_{82}$Pb \\
$^{235}_{92}$U & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $7.0\times 10^{-9}\%$ & $7.04\times 10^{8}$ & $^{207}_{82}$Pb \\
$^{238}_{92}$U & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $5.5\times 10^{-5}\%$ & $4.468\times 10^{9}$ & $^{206}_{82}$Pb \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\floatfoot{\quad\textsuperscript{\thempfootnote}\:$\varepsilon$ = electron capture  decay; $\beta^{+}$ = positron decay; $\beta^{-}$ = negatron decay;  \\ $\alpha$ = alpha  decay.}}
\end{table}

\end{document}