diff --git a/CONTRIBUTING.md b/CONTRIBUTING.md
index 485fb7c59..63275e317 100644
--- a/CONTRIBUTING.md
+++ b/CONTRIBUTING.md
@@ -4,9 +4,24 @@ Any open source product is only as good as the community behind it. You can part
 
 See our [high level overview](http://silverstripe.org/contributing-to-silverstripe) on silverstripe.org on how you can help out.
 
-Or, for more detailed guidance, read one of the following pages:
+## Contributing to the correct version
 
- * [Sharing your opinion and raising issues](http://doc.silverstripe.org/framework/en/trunk/misc/contributing/issues)
- * [Providing code, whether it's creating a feature or fixing a bug](http://doc.silverstripe.org/framework/en/trunk/misc/contributing/code)
- * [Writing and translating documentation](http://doc.silverstripe.org/framework/en/trunk/misc/contributing/documentation)
- * [Translating user-interface elements](http://doc.silverstripe.org/framework/en/trunk/misc/contributing/translation)
\ No newline at end of file
+SilverStripe core and module releases (since the 3.1.8 release) follow the [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org) 
+(SemVar) specification for releases. Using this specification declares to the entire development community the severity 
+and intention of each release. It gives developers the ability to safely declare their dependencies and understand the
+scope involved in each upgrade.
+
+Each release is labeled in the format `$MAJOR`.`$MINOR`.`$PATCH`. For example, 3.1.8 or 3.2.0.
+
+* `$MAJOR` version is incremented if any backwards incompatible changes are introduced to the public API. 
+* `$MINOR` version is incremented if new, backwards compatible **functionality** is introduced to the public API or 
+	improvements are introduced within the private code. 
+* `$PATCH` version is incremented if only backwards compatible **bug fixes** are introduced. A bug fix is defined as 
+	an internal change that fixes incorrect behavior.
+
+Git Branches are setup for each `$MINOR` version (i.e 3.1, 3.2). Each `$PATCH` release is a git tag off the `$MINOR` 
+branch. For example, 3.1.8 will be a git tag of 3.1.8.
+
+When contributing code, be aware of the scope of your changes. If your change is backwards incompatible, raise your 
+change against the `master` branch. The master branch contains the next `$MAJOR` release. If the change is backwards 
+compatible raise it against the correct `$MINOR` branch.