Third, tables and figures ought to be self-explanatory. A reader should not have to resort to looking to the text in order to figure out what the display means. Instead, a reader should be able to look at a table or figure apart from the rest of the paper and understand the information the display is trying to convey. It is not uncommon for busy readers to gravitate toward tables or figures, looking at them without having read the rest of the paper. Make it easy for your readers to find the information they need. Variable labels should be clear descriptors and not abbreviations.