diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/StandardRecord.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/StandardRecord.java
index 347578c872..bb492c05f7 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/StandardRecord.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/record/StandardRecord.java
@@ -31,6 +31,13 @@ public abstract class StandardRecord extends Record {
 	public final int getRecordSize() {
 		return 4 + getDataSize();
 	}
+
+    /**
+     * Write the data content of this BIFF record including the sid and record length.<br/>
+     *
+     * The subclass must write the exact number of bytes as reported by
+     *  {@link org.apache.poi.hssf.record.Record#getRecordSize()}}
+     */
 	@Override
 	public final int serialize(int offset, byte[] data) {
 		int dataSize = getDataSize();
@@ -47,11 +54,14 @@ public abstract class StandardRecord extends Record {
 		return recSize;
 	}
 
-	/**
-	 * Write the data content of this BIFF record.  The 'ushort sid' and 'ushort size' header fields
-	 * have already been written by the superclass.<br/>
-	 *
-	 * The subclass must write the exact number of bytes as reported by {@link org.apache.poi.hssf.record.Record#getRecordSize()}}
-	 */
+    /**
+     * Write the data content of this BIFF record.  The 'ushort sid' and 'ushort size' header fields
+     * have already been written by the superclass.<br/>
+     *
+     * The number of bytes written must equal the record size reported by
+     *  {@link org.apache.poi.hssf.record.Record#getRecordSize()}} minus four
+     *  ( record header consiting of a 'ushort sid' and 'ushort reclength' has already been written
+     *  by thye superclass).
+     */
 	protected abstract void serialize(LittleEndianOutput out);
 }