Integrating Essential Skills into Training - National Adult Literacy ...

READING AND NAVIGATING REGULATIONS
Table of Contents
• use the table of contents to locate regulations according to their subject area or according to
their regulation number
• the table of contents is located at the front of the regulations document (in this case, the Act)
• the table of contents lists the titles of the sections contained in the regulations document, the
subject addressed by the regulation, and the number of each regulation
• the table of contents is arranged according to the order in which the regulations appear in the
regulations document (they are in numerical order)
• the table of contents provides an overview of all the regulations contained in the regulations
document
Index
• the index (if there is one) is used to locate specific information (words, names, concepts, etc.)
found in the regulations document
• the index is located at the end of the regulations document
• the index lists key words and phrases, and all of the pages on which each can be found
• the index is arranged alphabetically
Glossary (Definitions)
• the glossary defines terms used in the regulations
• the glossary usually addresses technical vocabulary and not “reg talk”
• the glossary provides the specific meanings of words according to how the words are actually
used in the regulations
• the glossary is a good place to start for “teachable” vocabulary
Reg Talk
• “reg talk” is the terminology that appears in most regulations documents (the “legalese”)
• “reg talk” is the words and phrases that must be understood in order to understand any
regulations document (e.g. shall, wherein, in accordance with, hereby, section repealed)
Roman Numerals
• many Canadians cannot read Roman numerals beyond the lowest levels, and there are
usually Roman numerals in a set of regulations.
• the basic rules for reading Roman numerals are:
� there can never be more than three i’s in a row (iii)
� for most regulations documents, the key numerals are i, iv, v, x, xv, xx
i = 1
iv = 4
v = 5
x = 10
xv = 15
xx = 20
� v, x, xv, xx are centerpoints – any number to the right of the centerpoint is added to the
centerpoint number; any number to the left of the centerpoint is subtracted. For
example: