What are reference initials?

Reference initials are typically the initials of the individual who prepared the document and, in some cases, the initials of the individual who approved it. They are written in capital letters and are placed at the end of a document, indicating who was responsible for drafting it. This practice helps to maintain accountability and allows for easy identification of the authorship of the document.

The other options do not accurately describe reference initials: numbers at the bottom of a document do not convey authorship and are not related to reference initials; letters in small font may refer to footnotes or typesetting elements, which do not serve the purpose of indicating authorship; and signatures in lowercase do not fit the standard convention for reference initials, which are always formatted in uppercase letters to distinguish them as initials.