Generate Statistical Tables

Pub-ready stat tables for reports + manuscripts.

Use When

• Descriptive stats tables
• Regression / ANOVA output format
• Correlation matrices
• APA-style academic
• Quarto / R Markdown tables

In

• Required: stat results (models, summaries)
• Required: out format (HTML, PDF, Word)
• Optional: style guide (APA, journal)
• Optional: numbering scheme

Do

Step 1: Choose pkg

→ Pkg selected by format + use case, installed + loadable.

If err: missing → install.packages("gt") (or proper). gtsummary needs gt + gtsummary.

Step 2: Descriptive stats

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*")
  )

→ gt object w/ M, SD, n grouped, italic headers.

If err: group_by() unexpected → verify var + levels. fmt_number() err → numeric cols.

Step 3: Regression results

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")

→ Regression table w/ bold p, fit stats note, caption.

If err: tbl_regression() fail → verify model obj (lm, glm). add_glance_source_note() err → check 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")

→ Lower-triangle cor matrix w/ blanked upper, 2 dec, caption.

If err: sub_missing() not blanking → check NA set. Non-numeric → cor() fails → filter numeric.

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")

→ ANOVA w/ Source, df, SS, MS, F, p. Interactions labeled, p to 3 dec.

If err: broom::tidy(aov_result) unexpected cols → verify aov obj. Type III SS → car::Anova(model, type = 3).

Step 6: Save

# 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")

→ Saved to format. Opens correctly.

If err: gtsave() Word fail → install webshot2. PDF via kableExtra → install TinyTeX/MiKTeX.

Step 7: Embed in Quarto

```{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.

→ Renders inline w/ @tbl-* cross-ref + caption. Adapts to format.

If err: no render → chunk label tbl- prefix. PDF formatting lost → switch gt → kableExtra.

Check

• Renders in target format
• Consistent number format
• Stat notation per style (italic, symbols)
• Clear caption + numbering
• Meaningful headers
• Notes/footnotes explain abbrevs + sig markers

Traps

• gt in PDF: limited. Use kableExtra for LaTeX.
• Rounding inconsistency: fmt_number() (gt) / format() not round().
• Missing values: sub_missing() (gt) or options(knitr.kable.NA = "").
• Wide PDF: landscape() or font reduction.
• APA number: no leading zero when ≤1 (p, corr): ".03" not "0.03".

→

• format-apa-report — APA manuscript tables
• create-quarto-report — embed in reports
• build-parameterized-report — param-adaptive tables