Let’s talk about decimal alignment

When producing any form of content, it needs to be ‘easy on the eye‘; i.e. easy to navigate and absorb the information on the page. This is particularly the case for large amounts of numerical data presented in tables – especially when accompanied by minus signs (post to follow on use of the en-rule), different numbers of digits, different numbers of decimal places, and indicators of statistical significance (*,**,***). A column of untidy data can be migrane-inducing.

There is a function in Microsoft Word called decimal alignment. This allows you to line up the content of a column based on the decimal. Using decimal alignment can highlight serious errors in your data and is therefore useful in the drafting process and essential prior to submission. You may realise there is one digit too many/too little, inconsistent numbers of decimal places, or even missing data. Using decimal alignment can also showcase the findings from your research.

Using the decimal alignment function can be tricky at first, but simple when you have done it a few times. There are videos of how to do this on youtube – this one here is old but good. As the presenter says, it is surprising how few instructions there are about doing this. But that is not an excuse.

Instructions how to use the decimal alignment function

Before you get started you need to have the right set up. Open your document, go to the View tab at the top of Word and select Ruler (if not already selected). Then, on the top left hand side of the screen, where the vertical and horizontal rulers meet, there is a little box that contains an arrow. Click on this box until an arrow appears with a dot at the bottom and a vertical arrow pointing up. You are now ready.

• Select the data in the column you want to decimally align (you may not want to align all of the data in the column)
• Ensure data is aligned left (home tab, left align)
• While the text is selected, go to the top ruler and click in the position you want the decimals to line up. The symbol (dot with vertical arrow pointing up) will appear on the ruler.
• If you do not like where the alignment ended up, drag that symbol off the ruler (it disappears with a sound effect) and try again.

Common problems are forgetting to align left, or where there is more than one symbol on the top ruler (just drag extra ones off to remove).