Final answer:
If someone is authoring a guideline, it suggests that following it is not mandatory. Authors have the authority to accept or reject suggestions on their writing. It is common practice to provide reasons when diverging from conventions such as standard comma usage in nonessential versus essential information.
Step-by-step explanation:
If someone is authoring a guideline, it indicates that compliance with the document is not mandatory. This means the guidelines provided are not enforceable rules but are suggestions that you can choose to follow or not, based on what you believe will improve your work. When you are the author of a document, you maintain the authority to accept or disregard suggestions, especially those concerning writing style or structure, such as the use of commas for nonessential and essential information.
As the author, if you disagree with feedback, especially related to editing focus such as how to properly punctuate non essential versus essential information, you have the discretion to reject such suggestions. However, if you choose to diverge from conventional standards, as discussed in Section 8.6, it is often good practice to provide a rationale explaining your reasons along with the final draft of your report.
It is also important for the writer to show evidence of their intent to meet or challenge conventional expectations in a rhetorically effective way. By consciously deciding how to apply guidelines, the writer demonstrates an understanding of the topic and the flexibility required in the presentation of their work.