itut-recommendations

# ITU-T Recommendations -- structure & approval ## Document types by lifecycle stage | Document type | Meaning | Approval | |---------------|---------|----------| | **Recommendation** | Normative output of a study group | TAP or AAP | | **Amendment** | Changes/additions to published Recommendation | Same approval as the Recommendation | | **Corrigendum** | Corrections to published Recommendation | Same approval as amendment | | **Erratum** | Publication/editorial error fix | Published by TSB with Chairman concurrence (no SG approval) | | **Annex** (integral) | Material necessary for completeness | Same approval as Recommendation | | **Appendix** (non-integral) | Supplementary, not essential | Agreed by study group (not full approval) | ______________________________________________________________________ ## Recommendation clause structure Per the Rules for presentation of ITU-T | ISO/IEC common text, a Recommendation is organized as follows: | Clause | Element | Content | |--------|---------|---------| | *(preliminary)* | Cover page, Contents, Foreword, Introduction | Roman numeral pages | | 1 | **Scope** | Defines subject and limits; no requirements | | 2 | **Normative references** | Documents whose provisions are referenced normatively | | 3 | **Definitions** *(optional)* | Terms defined for this Recommendation. Subdivided into 3.1 "Terms defined elsewhere" and 3.2 "Terms defined in this Recommendation" (if both are used). See term formatting below. | | 4 | **Abbreviations** *(optional)* | All abbreviations used in the text | | 5 | **Conventions** *(optional)* | Any particular notation used | | 6+ | **Text** | Body of the Recommendation | | Annex A+ | **Integral annexes** | Normative material (same approval as Recommendation) | | Annex (continues) | **Non-integral annexes** | Informative/supplementary (SG agreement, not full approval) | | *(last, optional)* | **Bibliography** | Informative references not cited normatively; heading style `Appendix_No & title` with page break before | | *(last)* | **Index** *(optional)* | | ### Canonical skeleton template For new Recommendation drafting and for checking currently published Word style definitions, use the local downloaded skeleton first: - `assets/itu-t-recommendation-skeleton.docx` Upstream source URL (for refresh): - `https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/studygroups/Documents/Doc-ITUT-Recs-Skelet.docx` ### Term formatting (clause 3) Terms in clause 3 are formatted as **pseudo-subclauses**: they carry subclause-style numbering (3.1.1, 3.1.2, ...) but are not real heading paragraphs and do **not** appear in the table of contents. Each term follows this pattern: ```text <bold>3.1.N\tTERM NAME</bold>: definition text ``` - The number prefix (`3.1.N`) and term name are **bold** - A **tab** separates the number from the term name - The term name ends with a **colon** and space, followed by the definition text (not bold) - The paragraph uses `body-text` style with a manually set tab stop at 1.5 cm (851 twips) — this tab stop is not part of the default `Normal` style in the ITU-T template This format applies to both 3.1 "Terms defined elsewhere" and 3.2 "Terms defined in this Recommendation". ### Subdivision numbering - Digits separated by periods: 1, 1.1, 1.1.1 - No trailing period after single number - Do not create subclause 1.1 unless 1.2 also exists ______________________________________________________________________ ## Bibliography The Bibliography is an **optional, non-normative** clause containing informative references (sources not cited normatively in the body). - **Position:** Always the last clause of the Recommendation, after all integral and non-integral annexes (and before the Index if present). - **Heading:** Formatted with style `Appendix_No & title` (the same style used for non-integral appendix headings). Write only the word `Bibliography` — no number prefix. - **Page break:** There **must** be a page break immediately before the Bibliography heading. Apply it as `pageBreakBefore: true` on the heading paragraph, not as a separate break paragraph. - **Entries:** Each entry uses style `References` — the same style as normative reference entries in clause 2. Format: `[N]\t<citation text>` with a `{SEQ Ref \* ARABIC}` field and bookmark. See `itut-drafting` for the concrete style-name mapping and officecli commands. ______________________________________________________________________ ## Notes (from the Rules) - Integrated in text: shall **not** contain requirements. Use "NOTE -- " for single note, "NOTE 1 -- ", "NOTE 2 -- " for multiple. - Notes to tables/figures: **may** contain requirements. Start with "NOTE 1 -- ". Located within table frame or above figure title. - Notes are indented from the main text margin. ______________________________________________________________________ ## Use of normative words | Word | Meaning | |------|---------| | **shall** | Mandatory requirement | | **shall not** | Prohibition | | **may** | Permission; indicates an action that is permitted but not required | | **need not** | Negative of "may" (avoid "may not") | ______________________________________________________________________ ## Figures and tables (from the Rules) ### Figures - Numbered with Arabic numerals, independent of clauses (e.g. Figure 1, Figure 2) - **Title below figure**, centred: "Figure x -- title" - Referenced as "see Figure 1" (uppercase "F") ### Tables - Numbered with Arabic numerals, independent of clauses (e.g. Table 1, Table 2) - **Title above table**, centred: "Table x -- title" - Columns framed, headings separated by horizontal line - Spanning pages: "(continued)" / "Table x (concluded)" ______________________________________________________________________ ## ITU-T | ISO/IEC common text When a Recommendation is jointly developed with ISO/IEC: ### Terminology - **Common text**: Identical text in both ITU-T Rec and ISO/IEC IS - **Identical Recommendations | International Standards**: Same text - **Paired Recommendations | International Standards**: Technically aligned but not identical ("twin text") ### Self-reference - In Scope/boilerplate: "this Recommendation | International Standard" - Elsewhere: use a capitalized descriptive term (e.g. "this Specification") ### Dual notation External references use ITU-T first: "see Rec. ITU-T X.882 | ISO/IEC 13712-3" ### Title - Introductory element: "Information technology" - Up to 3 elements, general to particular - First letter of each element capitalized ______________________________________________________________________ ## References - [references/rules-recommendation-structure.md](references/rules-recommendation-structure.md) -- detailed extract from Rules for presentation ## Cross-references - `itut-basics` -- ITU-T organization, roles, meeting procedures - `itut-contributions` -- contribution submission and TDocs - `itut-drafting` -- ITU-T contribution .docx template and formatting - `itut-patents` -- patent policy, IPR disclosure, licensing declarations - `sdo-docx-formatting` -- formatting rules (delegated)