Standard: Timeless Text
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All standards and guidance
Content requirements
- Avoid words like today, recently, etc.
- Use specific dates.
- Consider flagging new content with the "NEW" icon (see the "NEW" icon standard)
- News releases, fact sheets issued in conjunction with new rules, and other content not intended to be updated should carry the date of issuance at the top of the page body.
- Rules and other binding documents, both draft and final, must carry the publication date at the top of the page body.
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Style requirements
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Examples
- Avoid: words such as yesterday, today, tomorrow, soon, or new (as in, "new data indicated ... ")
- Use specific dates: "... on April 15, 2005 ... " or "... in fall 2006 ... "
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Rationale
Readers expect Web content to be current. This includes knowing when something occurred or was issued. The strategy in the first bullet reduces the likelihood of our site describing old documents as "new" or saying that a date years in the past is "today". With respect to the second bullet, Web visitors assume that all information presented in HTML is current unless you tell them otherwise. If what they are viewing is static - that is, you don't intend to update it periodically -- then indicate as much by providing a date.
Don't rely on the automatic date at the bottom of the page; this changes anytime the page is uploaded.
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See Also
"NEW" icon
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Related governance documents
EPA
Related Policies
Related Procedures
Related Standards
Related Guidance
Non-EPA
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Full Metadata about this standard
Name Timeless Text
Tracking number NT00000000
Type Standard
Required or Recommended Required
Effective date 09/28/2005
Date approved 09/28/2005
Category Things to Avoid, Writing and Style
Web Council review by 09/07/2008 (or earlier if deemed necessary by the Web Council)
Governing Policy Web Governance and Management (PDF) (4 pp, 339K, About PDF)
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