Post 2: Title, Foreword, Introduction and Scope

Let’s start by discussing these first four main elements of standard texts.

Structuring the Title

Every European Standard shall have a title, or main element, which clearly indicates the subject of the document and distinguishes it from other documents. The title should be as concise as possible. If the subject is not well defined in the main element, the title shall also include an introductory element indicating the broader field to which the document belongs. When it's necessary to distinguish the aspects of the subject covered, or to identify a particular part in a series, a further complementary element shall also be added.

EXAMPLE             Drilling and foundation equipment - Safety - Part 1: Common requirements

Please remember that the introductory element and main element shall be the same for all parts in the same series.

If you have the French and German translations of the title you can provide these to CCMC, preferably on the first page of the draft.  However, the French and German translators have the right to modify the translations as they best see fit.

Information to include in the Foreword

One important piece of information that we need drafters to provide in the Foreword is the superseding note. The superseding note shall be followed by an indication of the technical changes that have been made in the new document or, if you prefer, a reference to an annex containing this information. When appropriate, the Foreword shall also indicate the relationship of the document to other documents or parts in a series.

Is it necessary to have an Introduction?

In most cases, no. An Introduction is a conditional element that describes the content of the standard and gives additional information on why the standard is needed. If patent rights have been identified in a document, the information regarding the patent rights shall appear in an Introduction. The Introduction shall not contain disclaimers, requirements or recommendations and does not need to be numbered.

And finally the Scope

Appearing at the beginning of the text, the Scope shall clearly describe the subject of the document and the aspects covered through a series of statements of fact. The Scope shall not contain requirements. When introducing the Scope, the following forms of expression should be used:

“This European Standard…

·         …establishes
·         …specifies
·         …gives guidelines for
·         …defines”

The wording needs to be altered depending on the document type, i.e. European Standard, Technical Specification, Technical Report, etc.

Any questions about the above topics? Send us a comment!

And don’t forget to follow us – next week we will be blogging about normative references…

Elysia Booth

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Please note that the CCMC posted information is drawn from a variety of sources already publicly available on the CEN and CENELEC websites.