Optional Files
Tables help the reader understand larger data by summarising it concisely.
They must be numbered in Arabic numbers and should include a title.
- All abbreviations in the table must be explained.
- Footnotes in tables are denoted by superscript lower-case letters (or asterisks for significance values and other statistical data).
- Indicate significance of any special characters/symbols or font typeface (bold, italic) in the footnote.
- Cite each table in numerical order in the main text.
- Make tables understandable by themselves without reference to the results section.
- Don’t use visual aids to distinguish results (no coloured letters, highlighted cells, images, or emoticons; the typesetting does not allow for these in the tables).
Figures present elements or findings of your study. Figures must include captions.
Figure Captions
Figures captions should be understandable even when not reading the full paper. They must be brief and provider clear, concise explanations of the illustrations.
- Explain all images comprising the figure.
- Address and explain any symbols/visual aids used in the figure (arrows, arrowheads, asterisks, lines, colour shades), and make sure that any symbols/visual aids are clearly visible and of appropriate size.
- Define all abbreviations appearing in the images and include all units.
- Any uncommon abbreviations used in the caption must be written in full when first mentioned.
- Multiple images (panels) within one figure should be indicated in in-text references with a lowercase letter (e.g., Figure 1a, Figure 2b) for each of the panels. These should be addressed in the Figure captions using the same lowercase letters bolded.
- Image interpretation should be a part of main text, not the fire caption.
ESM should consist of information that supplement the study but are not essential for its understanding. This can include material that is more convenient in electronic form: animations, video clips, sound recordings, and/or information that expands on the study, such as sequences, spectral data, or additional tables and illustrations, appendices. The material must be included with the original submission and is subject to peer review. After acceptance, ESM will be published as received from the author and made accessible via SpringerLink.