diff --git a/docs/source/methods/cross_sections.rst b/docs/source/methods/cross_sections.rst
index a4d0f7d248..b9043a944d 100644
--- a/docs/source/methods/cross_sections.rst
+++ b/docs/source/methods/cross_sections.rst
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ Other Methods
 A good survey of other energy grid techniques, including unionized energy grids,
 can be found in a paper by Leppanen_.
 
+.. _windowed_multipole:
+
 Windowed Multipole Representation
 ---------------------------------
 
@@ -141,6 +143,40 @@ but not always the case.  Future library versions may eliminate this issue.
 The data format used by OpenMC to represent windowed multipole data is specified
 in :ref:`io_data_wmp`.
 
+.. _temperature_treatment:
+
+Temperature Treatment
+---------------------
+
+At the beginning of a simulation, OpenMC collects a list of all temperatures
+that are present in a model. It then uses this list to determine what cross
+sections to load. The data that is loaded depends on what temperature method has
+been selected. There are three methods available:
+
+:Nearest: Cross sections are loaded only if they are within a specified
+          tolerance of the actual temperatures in the model.
+
+:Interpolation: Cross sections are loaded at temperatures that bound the actual
+                temperatures in the model. During transport, cross sections for
+                each material are calculated using statistical linear-linear
+                interpolation between bounding temperature. Suppose cross
+                sections are available at temperatures :math:`T_1, T_2, ...,
+                T_n` and a material is assigned a temperature :math:`T` where
+                :math:`T_i < T < T_{i+1}`. Statistical interpolation is applied
+                as follows: a uniformly-distributed random number of the unit
+                interval, :math:`\xi`, is sampled. If :math:`\xi < (T -
+                T_i)/(T_{i+1} - T_i)`, then cross sections at temperature
+                :math:`T_{i+1}` are used. Otherwise, cross sections at
+                :math:`T_i` are used. This procedure is applied for pointwise
+                cross sections in the resolved resonance range, unresolved
+                resonance probability tables, and :math:`S(\alpha,\beta)`
+                thermal scattering tables.
+
+:Multipole: Resolved resonance cross sections are calculated on-the-fly using
+            techniques/data described in :ref:`windowed_multipole`. Cross
+            section data is loaded for a single temperature and is used in the
+            unresolved resonance and fast energy ranges.
+
 ----------------
 Multi-Group Data
 ----------------
diff --git a/docs/source/usersguide/input.rst b/docs/source/usersguide/input.rst
index b724d7f109..38e997e9cf 100644
--- a/docs/source/usersguide/input.rst
+++ b/docs/source/usersguide/input.rst
@@ -729,11 +729,12 @@ The ``<temperature_method>`` element has an accepted value of "nearest",
 "interpolation", or "multipole". A value of "nearest" indicates that for each
 cell, the nearest temperature at which cross sections are given is to be
 applied, within a given tolerance (see :ref:`temperature_tolerance`). A value of
-"interpolation" indicates that cross sections are to be interpolated between
-temperatures at which nuclear data are present. A value of "multipole" indicates
-that the windowed multipole method should be used to evaluate
-temperature-dependent cross sections in the resolved resonance range (a
-:ref:`windowed multipole library <multipole_library>` must also be available).
+"interpolation" indicates that cross sections are to be linear-linear
+interpolated between temperatures at which nuclear data are present (see
+:ref:`temperature_treatment`). A value of "multipole" indicates that the
+windowed multipole method should be used to evaluate temperature-dependent cross
+sections in the resolved resonance range (a :ref:`windowed multipole library
+<multipole_library>` must also be available).
 
   *Default*: "nearest"