Paragraph
Paragraph (Rn RN in the legal literature . Paragraph ), with point (.. Rz, Rdz) or margin note (RDC), also note (. Tz), is a mostly relied on the right or left edge of a paragraph and highlighted serial number which is used to refer to exact places in the text in order to be able to quote them. The abbreviations mentioned above are common both with and without a period. (e.g. Rn. instead of Rn).
Margin numbers occur mainly in larger works and are often used in legal texts. Unlike page numbers , they are conceptually linked to the content and do not depend on any random formal text formatting. Usually there are several marginal numbers per page, so that the content structure of the text is finer than that of page numbers. This enables a more precise citation, whereby the specified reference often remains stable with regard to the subsequent editions of the work. A reference to a margin number can then e.g. B. read as follows: Mustermann, M .: The sample text, in: Sample texts for sample applications, Munich 2009, RN 27.
Margin numbers are often used in textbooks , legal commentaries , administrative regulations , court decisions and scripts , but also in other complex works such as transcripts .
In the table of contents , the marginal numbers and the page numbers are usually listed, possibly also the text structure by means of paragraphs . In the work itself, technical references are usually not made by referring to other chapters or pages, but by means of marginal numbers. These internal references usually do not have to be adjusted by the author in subsequent editions, except for complete revisions. If new marginal numbers are inserted, they are given a small letter so that the numbering of the remaining marginal numbers does not have to be adjusted and thus the relevant point can still be found even with references to older editions.