What is a double-entry table? Characteristics, functions and examples

Let's take a look at the characteristics of a double-entry matrix and tips on how to create one.

Among the graphic organizers, the double-entry table is one of the most popular, as it facilitates the review and understanding of different data by putting them in a convenient, visual and practical graphic.

This type of resource is very useful while studying to organize ideas, when presenting a topic, presenting it in an academic paper or simply to compare any data.

We will now take a closer look at what we are going to take a closer look at what double-entry tables are, what functions and features they haveHow to make one and we will also see a few examples.

What is a double-entry box?

A double-entry table, also called a double-entry matrix, is a table that helps to organize and equate knowledge about a given topic or data and results of different variables.. It is a graphic organizer that helps us to contrast different elements related to a topic, making it easier to relate the information collected in a more visual and simplified way.

As tables, these matrices are structured in rows and columns and in them you must write some key word or important reference that refers to the main theme. These rows and columns intersect, forming cells, which are the places where we will put our data.These rows and columns intersect, forming cells that are the places where we will put the information to be represented. The number of these rows and columns will vary depending on the topic you want to talk about, being really important to achieve a good comparison between the keywords that appear in them.

Characteristics and functions of a double-entry matrix

There are several main outstanding features of double-entry tables of double-entry tables:

• The number of rows and columns in the table is variable.
• They are made to compare between different elements that make up the table.
• The information must be distributed horizontally and vertically.
• Columns and rows must refer to a specific definition or keyword.
• The columns and rows intersect forming cells where the compared information will be placed.

As for the functions when organizing information, we can highlight the following we can highlight the following:

• Organize contents in a visual and practical way.
• To analyze different elements related to a topic.
• Compare the information found on a topic.
• Simplify relevant information.
• Describe and relate different variables of a study or topic.
• To present statistical or comparative data in research.

All these features and functions bring several benefits when using double-entry tables, especially when applied to the academic world such as studies or presenting research data. The main one is that they they allow to quickly appreciate data that are related to each other, facilitating their comparison and the detection of similar aspects.. They are also of great utility when it is desired to explain a subject or information that has two fixed variables.

Recommendations in its elaboration

In order to facilitate the realization of these graphic organizers, we give a series of general recommendations at the time of making a double-entry table so that it is as useful as possible for our study, presentations or organization of our academic work.

• To be clear about the information to be explained.

• To carry out a thorough documentation prior to the elaboration of the table.

• Establish the variables and the elements of the subject to be analyzed.

• Determine the best distribution to represent the data in the matrix.

• Carefully read all the information on the subject of study.

• Establish which will be the rows and columns and determine their number.

• Check that the data are in the cells that correspond to them.

• How to make a double-entry table?

  Now we will see which are the steps to follow to elaborate a double-entry table.

  1. Selecting and researching the topic to talk about

  The first step is to select the topic we are going to talk about and analyze it.. Once we are clear about the topic in question, we will proceed to carry out the most detailed research possible on that content, in order to ensure that we do not forget any important data.

  2. Drawing the table

  Once all the relevant information has been obtained, we will proceed to draw the double-entry table. It is in this step that we will draw a table, which will be the skeleton of our graphic organizer, and we will start to ask ourselves how much information we need to draw.We will start to consider how many columns and rows are necessary to explain everything we want to explain in it.

  At this point we will consider which are the important topics and subtopics of the subject we want to talk about, since these will be the ones that appear in the first boxes of the columns and rows.

  3. Indicate the key topics

  Once the topics and subtopics that make up what we want to talk about are known, we proceed to write them in the first boxes of the columns and rows, proceed to write them in the first boxes of the columns and rows..

  Normally what is done is to put at the top of each column the variables that represent the topic of study, while the subtopics should be added by subdividing the corresponding rows.

  Since the themes, key words and ideas are the most important, they should be highlighted. For this purpose, several graphic resources can be used, such as writing them in capital letters, putting them in bold or highlighting them with underlining or with a different color.

  4. Placing the comparative information

  Once we are clear about the key issues and we have placed all the columns and rows we consider necessary, we will proceed to place the comparative information. It is advisable to do it from right to left and from top to bottom, going from the simplest to the most complicated or complex..

  As the purpose of this is to highlight the information compared in a visual and practical way, it is not at all advisable to write long paragraphs in each of the cells that intersect rows and columns. Therefore, it is essential to verify that all the important information is there, but in a synthetic and easily memorable way.

  Examples of double-entry tables

  Finally, let's look at some cases of double-entry tables.

  1. Cases of disease X

  In this double-entry table we can analyze how many confirmed cases there are of a disease that is affecting an imaginary town..

  The first column shows the names of the four districts into which the town is organized, the second column shows the confirmed cases of the disease, the third column shows the persons discharged and, finally, we have the number of deaths per district. Each row represents the confirmed, discharged and deceased cases per neighborhood, except for the last row, which shows the number of deaths for the entire town.

  2. Table of types

  Here we present a double-entry table in which we see the weaknesses and strengths of the we see the weaknesses and strengths of different types in an invented video game.. Here we compare the type of the attack (first column) with the type of the one who receives it (first row).

  3. Percentages of different quantities

  This is a solved exercise in which the student had to solve which were the percentages (first column) of different quantities (first row). The student had to mark in the cells what was the exact amount of each of the numbers that appear in the top row taking into account the percentages that appear in the left column.