Hanging paragraph

What is a hanging paragraph according to ISO/IEC Directives Part 2?

If a clause contains one or more subclause(s), it should not have text attached to it. For example if the document includes the following structure:

Clause 5

I cannot write text here (this is considered a hanging paragraph) because there is a subclause 5.1

Subclause 5.1

I can write some text here... (because I don't have a subclause 5.1.1)

Subclause 5.2

I cannot write text here (this is considered a hanging paragraph) because there is a subclause 5.2.1

Subclause 5.2.1

I can write some text here....

Extract from ISO/IEC Directives Part 2, 22.3.3

Identify a hanging paragraph in OSD

First you need to turn on Quality checks.

Hanging paragraphs will be identified by a red warning icon.

A hanging paragraph is an unsupported structure of the document. In the above example, Clause 4 has a subclause 4.1 and therefore no text is allow in clause 4 (shown in yellow).

Resolve a hanging paragraph

To resolve a ‘hanging paragraph’, simply add a subclause and move the ‘hanging paragraph’ content into that subclause (as shown below), or move it elsewhere, or delete it.