Each critical apparatus entry that we want to add to the text is included with the <app>tag, which contains two tags: the <lem>tag, to indicate the lemma in the body of the text, and the <rdg> (readings) to list the different readings that our edition takes into account.

An example in an epic poem might be:

<p>
	<l n="13">Dicta dies aderat. Cadit ingens rite Tonanti</l>
	<l n="14">Gradiuoque pecus, nullisque secundus in extis</l>
	<l n="15">pallet et armatis simulat sperare sacerdos.</l>
	<l n="16">Iamque suos circum pueri
		<app>
			<lem>nuptaeque</lem>
			<rdg wit="#P #ς">nuptaeque</rdg>
			<rdg wit="#ω #Walker #Dübner">innuptaeque</rdg>
			<rdg wit="#C">innuptae</rdg>
		</app>
	patresque</l>
	<l n="17">funduntur mixti summisque a postibus obstant.</l>
	<l n="18">Nec modus est lacrimis: rorant clipeique iubaeque</l>
	<l n="19">triste salutantum, et cunctis dependet ab armis</l>
	<l n="20">suspiranda domus; galeis iuuat oscula clausis</l>
	<l n="21">inserere amplexuque truces deducere conos.</l>
</p>

As we can see in the example, <app> is inserted right at the point in the text where we find the annotated lemma. We do not need to duplicate the text of the lemma, since it appears exactly how we want to publish it inside the <lem>. When the <rdg>end, the </app>is closed, and the rest of the verse or text continues to the end.

For the syntax and structure of <lem> and <rdg>, see their respective chapters below.

This structure complicates the display of text in code format somewhat, but makes it much easier for us to write the apparatuses and anchors that link the apparatus to the text.