brycewang-stanford/latex-tables

LaTeX Tables

Purpose

This skill creates clean, publication-ready tables in LaTeX for regression results and summary statistics, using standard academic formatting.

When to Use

• Converting model output into LaTeX tables
• Standardizing table style across a paper
• Adding notes, significance stars, and labels

Instructions

Follow these steps to complete the task:

Step 1: Understand the Context

Before generating any code, ask the user:

• What type of table is needed (regression, summary stats, balance)?
• What software produced the results (Stata, R, Python)?
• Which formatting style is required (journal-specific, AEA, etc.)?

Step 2: Generate the Output

Based on the context, generate LaTeX code that:

1. Uses booktabs for clean horizontal rules
2. Includes labels and captions for referencing in the paper
3. Adds notes for standard errors and significance
4. Aligns numeric columns for readability

Step 3: Verify and Explain

After generating output:

• Explain how to compile the table
• Highlight any assumptions in the formatting
• Suggest refinements for journal submission

Example Prompts

• "Create a regression table with three models in LaTeX"
• "Format summary statistics with mean and sd columns"
• "Add significance stars and standard error notes"

Example Output

% ============================================
% Regression Table
% ============================================
\begin{table}[htbp]\centering
\caption{Effect of Treatment on Outcome}
\label{tab:main_results}
\begin{tabular}{lccc}
\toprule
 & (1) & (2) & (3) \\
\midrule
Treatment & 0.125*** & 0.118*** & 0.102** \\
 & (0.041) & (0.039) & (0.046) \\
Controls & No & Yes & Yes \\
Fixed Effects & No & Yes & Yes \\
\midrule
Observations & 2,145 & 2,145 & 2,145 \\
R-squared & 0.18 & 0.24 & 0.31 \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\begin{tablenotes}
\small
\item Notes: Standard errors in parentheses. * p<0.10, ** p<0.05, *** p<0.01.
\end{tablenotes}
\end{table}

Requirements

Software

• LaTeX distribution (TeX Live or MikTeX)

Packages

• booktabs
• threeparttable (optional for notes)

Best Practices

1. Keep tables compact and readable
2. Use consistent notation for standard errors and stars
3. Provide clear captions and labels

Common Pitfalls

• Overly wide tables that do not fit the page
• Missing notes for standard errors
• Inconsistent labeling across tables

References

• LaTeX booktabs documentation
• AEA Author Guidelines

Changelog

v1.0.0

• Initial release