◆ Very brief details of the sources for data are normally useful.
They are given in a special source note immediately under
tables and charts, along with any very short methods notes
that would assist readers’ interpretation of the attention
point as a whole – for instance, brief essential information
about how composite variables are defined or on how
indices have been computed. By contrast, purely referencing
material, small details or extensive methods descriptions
should all be handled in endnotes to the chapter in the
normal way wherever possible, to avoid cluttering up the
bottoms of tables or figures with long messy-looking
addenda.
◆ Many business reports include a short explanatory
comment at the top of tables or charts. It can be placed just
underneath the heading (often in a contrast colour and
smaller font) and should sum up in one or two lines the
exhibit’s key message. This practice is still rare in academic
circles but it is one well worth copying, because it can
greatly assist readers’ interpretation of what is shown.
A subsidiary principle for effective attention points is total
quality control. There are often good reasons for notloading
graphics especially, but also tables held on spreadsheets, into
your main text files. Although modern word processors can
easily accommodate these elements, including them tends to
create very large files that are harder to save on diskettes and to
send via e-mail. So especially at draft stages most authors still
hold these elements in separate files. But then ‘version control’
problems can arise when the text is remodelled and revised,
while the attention points held in separate files are not simi-
larly updated. It is important to ensure that your main text and
accompanying attention points are always reviewed and revised
together, so that they stay in sync even in small ways. For
instance, how a graph is labelled must agree completely with
the description of the graph in the accompanying main text.
Total quality control should also reflect the changing
expectations that examiners and other readers now have about
how tables, charts and diagrams should be done. As in other
areas, advances in information technology have had ambiguous
effects. On the one hand, it is now easier to make sure that
164 ◆AUTHORING A PHD