Basic Format for Creating or Revising an ASABE Standard

Guidelines

When wishing to create or revise an ASABE standard or engineering practice document, one needs to review the ASABE Standardization Procedures. The ASABE Standardization Procedures can be found at the ASABE Web site. Click here - Procedures (PDF format) - to access the Standardization Procedures.

ASABE follows the general format set forth by ISO as stated in section 14 of the ASABE Standardization Procedures. Furthermore, the format of adopted international standards is covered in section 20 of the ASABE Standardization Procedures. Additional information on this topic is available in the ISO style guide, templates, and tools. This information can be found on the Internet at the Standards Developers Information Site: http://isotc.iso.org/livelink/livelink/fetch/2000/2122/3146825/4229629/sds_edit.htm.

Audience

Please remember to take into consideration who the users of a standard will be and draft accordingly. Also, it is imperative to review current domestic and international standards to avoid duplication. Whenever appropriate, ISO documents should be given priority for harmonization and reference. Also, whenever appropriate, ASABE standards should be developed with the expectation of eventual international adoption.

Three- or Four-Column Format

When creating or revising a standard it is useful to utilize a three- or four-column format in tabular form. Each column has a specific purpose and each cell of the table provides orderly separation. The first column is the original text of the standard. The second column is the revised text. The third column is optional and can be used for additional comparison information with another standard or any other additional information. The fourth or last column contains the rationale or explanation for the revision. Such a document could be printed "landscape" for additional column width. For an example, click here - three-column example (Word format) - from the ASABE Standards Development Tools page.

If you have any questions please contact:

Carla VanGilder (VanGilder@asabe.org); or

Scott Cedarquist (cedarq@asabe.org).

Department of Standards and Technical Activities
ASABE - American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
2950 Niles Rd. St. Joseph, MI 49085-9659 USA
telephone 269.428.6331; fax 269.429.3852