MIL-STD-38784 Manuals, Technical: General Style And Format RequirementsThis standard covers the general style and format requirements for the preparation of standard Technical Manuals \(TM\) and changes thereto intended for military applications. This includes all technical documents assigned a TM identification number and controlled by a TM management information system, or subject to requisition from an inventory control point. This standard provides for Standard Generalized Markup Language \(SGML\) Document Type Definition \(DTD\) usage \(see Appendices B through E\) required for electronic data delivery, including PDF. This standard supplements the performance of detail specifications used for specific TM types and related publications, but does not deliver any technical data. Unless specified otherwise herein, the examples at the end of this standard are typical and may be adapted to fit the specific equipment or situation being covered. All appendices are intended for compliance when applicable.

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MIL-STD-38784A

g. Illustrations by igure number, including section letter/number when applicable, and the sheet

number for multisheet illustrations, when applicable. References shall be made only to illustrations

within the same manual or another volume of the same manual.

(F) (M) Electronic presentation: References to Illustrations shall be linked to the data to

which they apply.

h. Figure numbers irst, followed by the index number (see 3.2.16). For example: "(igure 2-6,

34)." However, when multiple references in a paragraph refer to the same igure, only the irst

reference needs to indicate the igure number. For an example, see the sample following 4.2.9. If

two or more igures are involved in the same sequence, the igure with the greater number of

items shall be cited as described above. Index callouts (see 3.2.3 and 3.2.16) for items on

remaining igures shall have the index number follow the igure number, e.g. "(igure 3-5, 21)."

In such cases, the paragraph lead-in shall contain a statement similar to the following: "Item

numbers below refer to igure 3-4 unless otherwise indicated."

(F) Electronic presentation: References to igures shall be linked to the data to which they apply.

Print presentation: When the sequence is unbroken for procedures requiring two or more pages,

the igure number followed by a dash and the word "Continued" shall be repeated after

the irst reference on each succeeding page.

i. Parts on diagrams by enough of their reference designator to identify the item. For example:

Resistor A6R11.

j. Tables by table number. Reference shall be made only to tables within the same manual or

another volume of the same manual.

(F) (M) Electronic presentation: References to tables shall be linked to the data to which they apply.

k. Other supporting paragraphs in the same manual or another volume of the same manual,

by exact paragraph title (without the paragraph number) in capital letters, followed by the

volume/part/chapter/section number in parentheses.

(F) Electronic presentation: References to paragraphs shall be linked to the data to which they apply.

l. Other subordinate paragraphs of the same primary paragraph as "above" or "below."

m. Other TM identiication numbers including exact paragraph title, when applicable, but omitting

dates, page, igure and paragraph numbers. Reference may be made only to publications in the

publication system(s) of the Service(s) that will use the publications and are authorized at user level.

n. Footnotes, when essential for reference, explanation, comments, etc. Numbering of footnotes shall

be in accordance with 4.2.2.2.3. Identical footnotes shall not be repeated within the chapter.

Footnotes in the text shall not be used for mandatory requirements. Footnotes to the text shall be

placed at the bottom of the page with a one inch horizontal rule placed lush left two spaces

below the text and the footnote placed under the rule. For footnotes to tables, see 4.2.7.4.

o. Series of items as follows:

1. By following the basic number with "-series" when all numbers in the series are included.

For example: "TO 00-20-series" includes all TM identiication numbers beginning with 00-20

2. By following the basic number with "series" (without dash) when the basic number is

immediately followed by a letter or is succeeding a higher number. For example: AFTO

Form 781 series could include AFTO Forms 781A, 781K, etc; DD Form 1570 series could

include DD Forms 1571, 1575, 1577, etc.

p. When a reference applies only to one sentence, it shall be enclosed in parenthesis and placed at

the end of the sentence with the period outside the parenthesis. For example: "...which will be

used for this purpose (igures 2-9 and 2-10)." When a reference applies to the entire paragraph it

shall be enclosed in parenthesis and placed after the paragraph title. For example: "5.3 Inspection

Requirements. (igure 3-2) Inspection shall be ..... system." When a reference applies to the entire

paragraph, but the paragraph has no title, it shall be enclosed in parenthesis outside the sentence.

For example: "...technical data change request. (TO 00-5-1)."