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Language and punctuation
Stem sentences, glue text, and other transitional information
Transitional information, such as stem sentences, is largely redundant in DITA's minimalist, topic-based, semantic mark-up architecture. The role of transitional information in contextualising the content has been eliminated through the use of smaller chunk sizes, meaningful titles, information typing, structure, and demarcation labels automatically-generated in the output.
Stem sentences in task topics
Stem sentences cannot be used to introduce steps in a task topic. The topic title provides sufficient context for the user to understand the purpose of the procedure.

Introduction
Information types and topics
Topics are the building blocks of modular documents, and organising topics by semantic information types is one of the architectural features of DITA.
DITA map files
Syntax and mark-up
Language and punctuation
- Avoiding writing for output
  Do not include formatting information in your DITA content topics.
- Stem sentences, glue text, and other transitional information
  Transitional information, such as stem sentences, is largely redundant in DITA's minimalist, topic-based, semantic mark-up architecture. The role of transitional information in contextualising the content has been eliminated through the use of smaller chunk sizes, meaningful titles, information typing, structure, and demarcation labels automatically-generated in the output.
  - Transitional information in semantic blocks
    Headings, stem sentences and transitional text phrases should not be used as a way of introducing semantic text blocks such as pre-requisites. The publishing process is capable of systematically adding the necessary transitional information, leading to consistency and simplicity.
  - Stem sentences in task topics
    Stem sentences cannot be used to introduce steps in a task topic. The topic title provides sufficient context for the user to understand the purpose of the procedure.
- Punctuation in lists
  Ordered and unordered list items should have no terminating punctuation marks, such as commas, semicolons, and full stops, except when all items in a list are complete sentences. This approach maximises re-usability.
- Titles and headings
  Titles are used in a number of mark-up structures in DITA. Titles are a mix of content and metadata. The mark-up in titles should be kept as simple as possible, and workarounds to achieve specific formatting outcomes should not be used.
- Crafting paragraphs
  A paragraph should contain one unit of thought or action, or main point, and should be typically three to eight sentences in length. All of the sentences in a paragraph should relate to its main point.
- Different languages
  The xml:lang attribute stores the human language of the content, and can be applied to any DITA element.
- Quotation marks
  Quotation marks should not be included in DITA content. The marks should be added, if required, during the publishing process.
Graphics and figures
Cross-referencing
Cross-references are a means of binding individual topics into a coherent and navigable document.
Content re-use
Metadata, conditional processing, and indexing
The DITA documentation process
DITA authoring concepts
Moving from style-based authoring to a structured authoring methodology such as DITA requires a radically different approach to writing.

Stem sentences in task topics

Stem sentences cannot be used to introduce steps in a task topic. The topic title provides sufficient context for the user to understand the purpose of the procedure.

The DITA task information task doesn't have a dedicated element for a stem sentence to introduce the steps. The assumption that can be drawn is that a stem sentence (eg, To change the wheel, proceed as follows) is not required. A descriptive topic title will obviate the need for a stem sentence, particularly when used in conjunction with a carefully crafted short description.

Do not break the semantics of your content by trying to force a stem sentence into a structure where it is not clearly permitted. For example, do not include a stem sentence as the last paragraph in the context element, using the logic that it will be rendered immediately before the step block.

The DITA Technical Committee did not forget to include a stem sentence element. It was deliberately not included, after careful consideration and consensus amongst the committee members.