[Tex/LaTex] Table formatting top left corner caption

captionstables

I have a pretty typical format I follow for tables due to restrictions imposed by professors. While we are not required to use LaTeX it makes my life easier in terms of formatting and so on. However, due to the table format we must follow I am unable to use captions in my tables because I have struggled with a way to try and move them to the correct location. This in turn forces me to keep track of table numbers and all the annoying things that LaTeX tracks for us. I've included the format and what I used to create it below.

\begin{table}[H]
        \centering
        \setlength{\arrayrulewidth}{2pt}
        \begin{tabular}{cccccc}
            \multicolumn{5}{l}{\textbf{Table 3} Main Effects and Interactions}\\
            \hline\\
            \underline{Combination} & \underline{$\sum\Delta T^{+}$} & \underline{$\sum\Delta T^{-}$} & \underline{Contrast} & \underline{Main Effect (E)} & \underline{Absolute Effect $|E|$}\\[0.25cm]
            A       &   251.03& 376.99& -125.96&    -10.49  & 10.49\\[0.125cm]
            B       &   372.03& 255.99& 116.04&     9.67    & 9.67\\[0.125cm]
            AB      &   305.82& 322.2&  -16.38&     -1.365  & 1.365\\[0.125cm]
            C       &   274.89& 353.13& -78.24&     -6.52   & 6.52\\[0.125cm]
            AC      &   324.9&  303.12& 21.78&      1.815   & 1.815\\[0.125cm]
            BC      &   337.3&  290.72& 46.58&      3.88    & 3.88\\[0.125cm]
            ABC     &   306.09& 321.93& -15.84&     -1.32   & 1.32\\[0.125cm]
            \hline
        \end{tabular}
        \label{tab:effects}
    \end{table}

I wanted to see if anyone knew of a way that I could position the table number and caption in the way that I have in the image so that I don't have to manually keep track of the numbers myself. I've tried things like defining the caption above the tabular environment and left justifying it but it hasn't worked. I don't necessarily agree with the positioning requirement but it effects our grade so I don't have much of a choice. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Best Answer

I would use the caption package to fine-tune the appearance of the captions to meet your professors' formatting requirements. In addition, I would load the siunitx package and its S column type to format the numeric data columns, and I would load the booktabs package for well-spaced horizontal lines. Don't use \underline, please; instead, use \cmidrule. Finally, consider using a tabular* environment instead of a tabular environment, to help the tabular material fit inside the width of the text block.

\documentclass{article} 
\usepackage{booktabs} % for sell-spaced horizontal lines
\usepackage{siunitx}  % for 'S' column type
\usepackage{caption}  % fine control over caption appearance
\captionsetup{labelfont=bf,singlelinecheck=false,
              labelsep=space,skip=2pt}
\begin{document}
\begin{table}
\setlength\heavyrulewidth{2pt} % does it have to be soooo wide?
\setlength\extrarowheight{2pt}
\setlength\tabcolsep{0pt}
\caption{Main Effects and Interactions} \label{tab:effects}
\begin{tabular*}{\textwidth}{@{\extracolsep{\fill}} 
                    c *{2}{S[table-format= 3.2]}
                           S[table-format=-3.2]
                           S[table-format=-2.3]
                           S[table-format= 2.3] @{}}
\toprule
Combination          & {$\sum\Delta T^{+}$} & 
{$\sum\Delta T^{-}$} & {Contrast}  & 
{Main Effect ($E$)}  & {Abs.\ Effect $|E|$} \\
\cmidrule{1-1} \cmidrule{2-2} \cmidrule{3-3} 
\cmidrule{4-4} \cmidrule{5-5} \cmidrule{6-6} 
  A       &   251.03& 376.99& -125.96&  -10.49  & 10.49\\
  B       &   372.03& 255.99&  116.04&   9.67   & 9.67 \\
  AB      &   305.82& 322.2 &  -16.38&  -1.365  & 1.365\\
  C       &   274.89& 353.13&  -78.24&  -6.52   & 6.52 \\
  AC      &   324.9 & 303.12&   21.78&   1.815  & 1.815\\
  BC      &   337.3 & 290.72&   46.58&   3.88   & 3.88 \\
  ABC     &   306.09& 321.93&  -15.84&  -1.32   & 1.32 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular*}
\end{table}
\end{document}

Related Solutions

[Tex/LaTex] Table and caption formatting

It's enough to load the caption package (you could even set a bigger skip, if needed).
Redefine \arraystretch locally.
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}

enter image description here

Additional improvements:

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

[Tex/LaTex] How to caption/subcaption a tabular? easily

Repeating the suggestions provided in the comments: Place the existing tabular environment inside a table environment. It is common -- though not mandatory -- to center the material inside a table environment. The command \centering achieves that objective. The table and figure environments are "floats", i.e., unless you explicitly instruct LaTeX not to do so, LaTeX will place them where it thinks it's best. For much more on floats and the LaTeX algorithm that determines float placement, see the posting How to influence the position of float environments like figure and table in LaTeX?

The table environment can be given a \caption and a \label. Assigning labels is useful if you want to cross-reference the table somewhere else in your document using the TeX/LaTeX command \ref.

If you do a lot of cross-referencing -- not only to tables, but to sections, figures, page numbers, etc -- you may want to get to know the cleveref package and its command \cref. For more on LaTeX's cross-referencing mechanisms and packages that provide enhanced cross-referencing macros see the posting Cross-reference packages: which to use, which conflict?

Here, finally, is your tabular environment encased in a table environment, with a couple of cross-referencing commands thrown in for good measure.