---

name: generate-statistical-tables locale: caveman source_locale: en source_commit: 82c77053 fence_basis_commit: 82c77053 translator: "Julius Brussee homage — caveman" translation_date: "2026-04-24" description: > Generate publication-ready statistical tables using gt, kableExtra, or flextable. Covers descriptive statistics, regression results, ANOVA tables, correlation matrices, and APA formatting. Use when creating descriptive statistics tables, formatting regression or ANOVA output, building correlation matrices, producing APA-style tables for academic papers, or generating tables for Quarto and R Markdown documents. license: MIT allowed-tools: Read Write Edit Bash Grep Glob metadata: author: Philipp Thoss version: "1.0" domain: reporting complexity: intermediate language: R tags: r, tables, gt, statistics, publication

Generate Statistical Tables

Make publication-ready stats tables for reports + manuscripts.

When Use

• Make descriptive stats tables
• Format regression or ANOVA output
• Build correlation matrices
• Make APA-style tables for academic papers
• Make tables for Quarto/R Markdown docs

Inputs

• Required: Stats analysis results (model objects, summary data)
• Required: Output format (HTML, PDF, Word)
• Optional: Style guide (APA, journal-specific)
• Optional: Table numbering scheme

Steps

Step 1: Pick Table Package

Package	Best for	Formats
gt	HTML, general-purpose	HTML, PDF, Word
kableExtra	LaTeX/PDF documents	PDF, HTML
flextable	Word documents	Word, PDF, HTML
gtsummary	Clinical/statistical summaries	All via gt/flextable

Got: Table package picked by output format + use case. Package installed + loadable.

If fail: Package not installed? Run install.packages("gt") (or right one). gtsummary needs both gt + gtsummary installed.

Step 2: Descriptive Statistics Table

library(gt)

descriptives <- data |>
  group_by(group) |>
  summarise(
    n = n(),
    M = mean(score, na.rm = TRUE),
    SD = sd(score, na.rm = TRUE),
    Min = min(score, na.rm = TRUE),
    Max = max(score, na.rm = TRUE)
  )

gt(descriptives) |>
  tab_header(
    title = "Table 1",
    subtitle = "Descriptive Statistics by Group"
  ) |>
  fmt_number(columns = c(M, SD), decimals = 2) |>
  fmt_number(columns = c(Min, Max), decimals = 1) |>
  cols_label(
    group = "Group",
    n = md("*n*"),
    M = md("*M*"),
    SD = md("*SD*")
  )

Got: gt table object with formatted means, SDs, counts by category. Column headers use proper stats notation (italic M, SD, n).

If fail: group_by() unexpected? Verify grouping variable exists + has expected levels. fmt_number() errors? Target columns must be numeric.

Step 3: Regression Results Table

model <- lm(outcome ~ predictor1 + predictor2 + predictor3, data = data)

library(gtsummary)

tbl_regression(model) |>
  bold_p() |>
  add_glance_source_note(
    include = c(r.squared, adj.r.squared, nobs)
  ) |>
  modify_header(label = "**Predictor**") |>
  modify_caption("Table 2: Regression Results")

Got: gtsummary regression table with bold p-values, model fit stats (R-squared, N) in source note, descriptive caption.

If fail: tbl_regression() fails? Verify input is model object (lm, glm). add_glance_source_note() errors? Check broom can tidy: broom::glance(model).

Step 4: Correlation Matrix

library(gt)

cor_matrix <- cor(data[, c("var1", "var2", "var3", "var4")],
                  use = "pairwise.complete.obs")

# Format lower triangle
cor_matrix[upper.tri(cor_matrix)] <- NA

as.data.frame(cor_matrix) |>
  tibble::rownames_to_column("Variable") |>
  gt() |>
  fmt_number(decimals = 2) |>
  sub_missing(missing_text = "") |>
  tab_header(title = "Table 3", subtitle = "Correlation Matrix")

Got: Lower-triangle correlation matrix as gt table. Upper triangle blank, two decimal places, clear caption.

If fail: sub_missing() won't blank upper triangle? Verify NA set via cor_matrix[upper.tri(cor_matrix)] <- NA. Non-numeric variables → cor() fails; filter to numeric columns first.

Step 5: ANOVA Table

aov_result <- aov(score ~ group * condition, data = data)

library(gtsummary)

tbl_anova <- broom::tidy(aov_result) |>
  gt() |>
  fmt_number(columns = c(sumsq, meansq, statistic), decimals = 2) |>
  fmt_number(columns = p.value, decimals = 3) |>
  cols_label(
    term = "Source",
    df = md("*df*"),
    sumsq = md("*SS*"),
    meansq = md("*MS*"),
    statistic = md("*F*"),
    p.value = md("*p*")
  ) |>
  tab_header(title = "Table 4", subtitle = "ANOVA Results")

Got: Formatted ANOVA table with Source, df, SS, MS, F, p columns. Interaction terms labeled, p-values to three decimals.

If fail: broom::tidy(aov_result) unexpected columns? Verify model = aov object. Type III sums of squares → use car::Anova(model, type = 3) not base aov().

Step 6: Save Tables

# Save as HTML
gtsave(my_table, "table1.html")

# Save as Word
gtsave(my_table, "table1.docx")

# Save as PNG image
gtsave(my_table, "table1.png")

# For LaTeX/PDF (kableExtra)
kableExtra::save_kable(kable_table, "table1.pdf")

Got: Table saved to specified format (HTML, Word, PNG, PDF). Output file opens in right application.

If fail: gtsave() fails for Word? webshot2 package needed. PDF output via kableExtra → needs LaTeX distribution (TinyTeX or MiKTeX).

Step 7: Embed in Quarto Document

```{r}
#| label: tbl-descriptives
#| tbl-cap: "Descriptive Statistics by Group"

gt(descriptives) |>
  fmt_number(columns = c(M, SD), decimals = 2)
```

See @tbl-descriptives for summary statistics.

Got: Table renders inline in Quarto doc, cross-reference label (@tbl-*), proper caption. Table adapts to document output format automatically.

If fail: Table won't render? Chunk label must start with tbl- for Quarto cross-ref. Formatting lost in PDF → switch from gt to kableExtra for LaTeX output.

Checks

• Table renders correct in target format (HTML, PDF, Word)
• Numbers formatted consistent (decimals, alignment)
• Stats notation follows style guide (italicized, proper symbols)
• Table has clear caption + numbering
• Column headers meaningful
• Notes/footnotes explain abbreviations + significance markers

Pitfalls

• gt in PDF: gt has limited PDF support. Use kableExtra for LaTeX-heavy docs.
• Rounding inconsistency: Always use fmt_number() (gt) or format() not round() for display
• Missing values display: Set with sub_missing() in gt or options(knitr.kable.NA = "")
• Wide tables in PDF: Tables over page width need landscape() or smaller font
• APA number formatting: No leading zero for values bounded by 1 (p-values, correlations): ".03" not "0.03"

See Also

• format-apa-report - tables in APA manuscripts
• create-quarto-report - embed tables in reports
• build-parameterized-report - tables that adapt to parameters