Textual Tables
Textual tables present examples, or text descriptions, often grouped or themed into categories. Such tables are common to thematic content analysis. (Graphing -Designing Tables, 2004). An example of a textual table is seen below.
This table provides a thematic framework for a study examining women-centered care during pregnancy and birth in Ireland (Hunter et al., 2017). You can see that care themes are grouped together and described with text.
| Protecting Normality | • Normalising • Respect • Public perceptions |
| Education and Decision-making | • Decision making • Information sharing • Educational impact |
| Continuity | • Continuity of service • Fragmented care • Staff continuity and availability |
| Empowerment for WCC | • Genuine choice in WCC • Lack of choice • Promoting women’s autonomy • Individualised care |
| Building capacity for WCC | • Not providing WCC • Staff competency • Practice organisation |
Another Example of a Textual Table is Seen Below:
The table provides a qualitative assessment of data management and reporting systems in Botswana (Ledikwe et al., 2014).
| Five Functional Components of a Data Management and Reporting System | Questions |
| Functions, and capabilities | Are key M&E and data management staff identified with clearly assigned responsibilities? Have the majority of key M&E and data management staff received the required training? |
| Indicator definitions and reporting guidelines | Are the operational indicator definitions meeting relevant standards that are systematically followed by all service points? Has the program/project clearly documented (in writing) what is reported to who, and how and when reporting is required? |
| Data collection and reporting forms and tools | Are there standard data-collection and reporting forms that are systematically used? Is data recorded with sufficient precision/detail to measure relevant indicators? Are data maintained in accordance with international or national confidentiality guidelines? Are source documents kept and made available in accordance with a written policy? |
| Data management processes | Does clear documentation of collection, aggregation, and manipulation steps exist? Are data quality challenges identified and are mechanisms in place for addressing them? Are there clearly defined and followed procedures to identify and reconcile discrepancies in reports? Are there clearly defined and followed procedures to periodically verify source data? |
| Links with the national reporting system | Does the data collection and reporting system of the program/project link with the National reporting? |