tabulation
tab-yuh-LAY-shun
/ˌtæbjʊˈleɪʃən/
The act of arranging data into tables or systematic columns and rows.
Emphasizes the formal structural organization of raw data into readable tables.
The story behind the word. Derived from Latin 'tabula', meaning a wooden plank or writing tablet. Tabulation literally meant inscribing information onto flat wooden boards.
Word relationships
- systematization: General arranging into systems, while 'tabulation' specifically means putting data into tabular grids.
- cataloging: 'Cataloging' implies creating an index list rather than an analytical grid table.
- disorganization: State of lacking order or structure.
Commonly confused with
- titulation: Tabulation is table arrangement; titulation is conferring titles.
Word family
- tabulate (verb): To arrange data in tabular form.
- tabular (adjective): Organized into a table.
Collocations
- data tabulation
- cross-tabulation
- tabulation of results
- final tabulation
Example sentences
- "Final tabulation of survey results took three months following census completion." Census processing
- "Automated cross-tabulation revealed clear voting patterns among urban cohorts." Statistical software
Memory hook
TAB (table) + ULATION = putting data into tables. Arrange into tables.
When not to use
Do not use to mean simple arithmetic addition or writing narrative paragraphs.
Fun facts
- Herman Hollerith's electronic tabulating machine was created for the 1890 US Census, leading to the founding of IBM.
Related words
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