Wookieepedia:Layout Guide

From Wookieepedia, the Star Wars wiki.

This page is considered an official policy on Wookieepedia. It has wide acceptance among editors and is considered a standard that everyone should follow. Except for minor edits, please make use of the discussion page to propose changes to this policy.

This Layout Guide is an official guide as to how an in-universe article should be structured. Feel free to discuss the Layout Guide on the talk page.

[edit] Title tag

Example:

{{Title|''{{PAGENAME}}''}}

• Used to alter the appearance of the article's title at the top of a page.
• Main uses include to italicize the name of a ship or a novel.
• Do not use this to alter the actual title (ex: Only displaying "Title" instead of "Title (disambiguation)")

[edit] Eras tag

Example:

{{Eras|imp|reb|new|njo|leg|former}}

• This tag inserts symbols in the title bar of the article, to indicate in which era the subject of the article exists in.
• Symbols may also indicate if the article was a featured article in the past.
• For usage instructions, see Template:Eras.
• Is usually included in non-timeless articles such as characters, organizations, vehicles, weapons.

→ See Forum:CT Archive/Era symbols

[edit] Otheruses or Youmay tags

Example:

 {{Otheruses|Katarn}}
 

Another example:

 {{Youmay|the type of [[warship]]|[[The Emperor's New Clothes]]' song "[[Star Destroyer (song)|Star Destroyer]]"}}
 

• Generally used when it is possible that a user has found one article when they were actually looking for another of a similar or same name.
• See Wookieepedia:Template messages/Redirects and Category:Disambiguation and redirection templates

[edit] Maintenance templates

Example:

 {{Citation}}
 

• A series of tags used when the article is in need of some sort of maintenance.
• See Category:Maintenance templates

[edit] Header templates

Example:

 {{Noncanon}}
 

• These tags are used to indicate an article's level of canonicity, or if an article is a about a subject from a cancelled or future source.
• See Category:Header templates.

[edit] Spoiler tag

Example:

 {{Majorspoiler}}
 

• Spoiler tags on an article alerts a user to any major plot spoilers that come from new sources that are less than a month old
• See Template:Majorspoiler

[edit] Infobox

Example (for an article about a Jedi Character):

{{Jedi character infobox
|image=
|name=Halagad Ventor
|homeworld=[[Alderaan]]
|birth=
|death=
|species=[[Human]]
|gender=[[Sexes|Male]]
|height=1.90 meters
|hair=Black
|eyes=Brown
|era=*[[Rise of the Empire era]]
*[[Rebellion era]]
|affiliation=*[[Jedi Order]]
*[[Galactic Republic]]
|masters=[[Everen Ettene]]
|apprentices=
}}
 

• Used to present vital statistics of subject
• See Wookieepedia:Template messages/Infoboxes and Category:Infobox templates

[edit] Opening quote

Example:

 {{Quote|I can't take it anymore. That ''tocking'' is driving me nuts.|Han Solo|Tempest}}
 

• An opening quote is welcome for almost any type of article.
• Quotes can be said by the article's subject, or said by someone else about the article's subject.
• Do not use links within a quote, unless it is the only mention in the article of a certain subject.

[edit] Article body

Example (for an article about a Character):

 '''Joe Bloggs''' was... (insert introductory sentence or paragraph)
 
==Biography==
===Early days===
 ...
 ...
 ...
 
===Clone Wars===
 ...
 
====Duel with the Dark Lord====
 ...
 
====Back from the dead====
 ...
 

• headings and subheadings are usually not required for very small articles.

[edit] Images

Example:

 [[Image:Kylekatarn-pre-talay.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Kyle Katarn during the briefing on his Mission to Talay.]]
 

• Images should be placed where they are most relevent and should not interrupt the flow or the aesthetics of the article.
• Placing them immediately underneath a heading or subheading usually works quite well.

[edit] Quotes

Example:

 {{Quote|…he's my brother.|Leia to Han on Endor referring to Luke|Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi}}
 

• In addition to the introductory quote, further quotes may be used throughout an article.
• Quotes are usually placed immediately underneath a heading or subheading, though they can also be used between paragraphs.
• Quotes are included "as-is", with the original spelling and formatting found in the source of the quote. In the case of a typo or other error, [sic] may be included to indicate that the error is from the original source and not the article.

[edit] Non-canon sections

Example:

 {{Noncanonstart}}
 ...
 ...
 {{Noncanonend}}
 

• Articles are allowed to contain non-canon or Infinities information, provided that it is clearly labeled with the above tags.
• See Category:Advisory templates

For ambiguous canon from Star Wars Tales use the following.

{{Talesstart}}
...
{{Talesend}}
 

[edit] Spoiler sections

Example:

{{Spoiler|upcoming media title}}
...
...
{{Endspoiler}}
 

• Articles can contain new spoiler information, provided that it is clearly marked with the above tags.
• See Category:Advisory templates

[edit] Stub

Example (for a stub about a creature):

 {{Creature-stub}}
 

• used at the bottom of the article body when the article is too vague or brief, AND when there is clearly more information that can be added
• See Wookieepedia:Template messages/Stubs and Category:Stub templates

[edit] Character articles

[edit] Planet and moon articles

[edit] Species articles

[edit] Non-sentient and semi-sentient species articles

[edit] Behind the scenes (notice the capitalization)

• portrayal information (for characters appearing in films, computer games, cartoons, radio dramatizations)
• origin of subject - subject's first appearance, who was responsible for creating and/or naming the subject, how the subject came about, was it based on anything, who did the concept art, etc.
• retcon information - how (if) subject's story has been changed in a retcon
• any related Infinities or non-canon information
• contradictions - point out if one official source contradicts another, and which (if any) is accepted as canon
• speculation - only included if the speculation is WIDELY believed by fans, or any speculation made by authors
• filming - if it has a real world location, point out where it is and when it was filmed

[edit] Appearances

• Bulleted list of films, novels, comics, cartoons, roleplaying adventures, and computer games that the subject has appeared in
• These are de facto references or sources, but they are listed separately because they are in-universe
• Includes even the smallest mentions in dialogue, narration, or visual appearance
• Should be sorted in order of in-universe chronology
• If a subject's appearance in a specific film/book/comic is only a brief mention, apply the {{Mo}} template, e.g. for Grand Admiral Thrawn:
  • Specter of the Past (Mentioned only)
• For a subject's first appearance in the saga (in order of publication, not in order of internal chronology), use the {{1st}} template, e.g. for Kyle Katarn:
  • Star Wars: Dark Forces (First appearance)
• If a subject's first appearance in the saga is only a mere mention, use the {{1stm}} template, e.g. for Dantooine:
  • Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (First mentioned)
  • Tales of the Jedi: Dark Lords of the Sith (First appearance)
• A subject might not be named in its first appearance, but is identified in a later source. In this case, use {{1st}} and {{1stID}}, e.g. for Senator Grebleips:
  • Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (First appearance)
  • Cloak of Deception (First identified as Grebleips)
• For novels, make reference to the actual book, not the trilogy.
• For comics, link to the individual issue, unless a subject appears in every issue of a story arc.
• Format: name of title only, e.g.:
  • Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
  • Star Wars: Dark Forces
• For generic comments, use {{C}}. For example, {{C|Stock footage from ''A New Hope''}} will produce:
  • The Star Wars Holiday Special (Stock footage from A New Hope)
• See Wookieepedia:Template messages/Sources of articles for other applicable templates.

[edit] Sources

• Bulleted list of reference books, including sourcebooks from West End Games and Wizards of the Coast, Databank entries, pages on the WotC website, StarWars.com articles, LucasArts websites, game strategy guides, Insider articles, and any other official non-fiction sources.
• For Databank entries, use the {{DB}} template. Links to the Databank should be under the name of the article being linked to, not the article's name here. For example, the proper citation for the OG-9 Homing spider droid is: {{DB|vehicle|homingspiderdroid|Homing spider droid}}
• Includes even the smallest mentions
• Should be sorted by date of publication
• Apply {{1stm}} and {{1stID}} as per "Appearances" section above. If subject first appeared in a vignette within source material, use {{1st}} in conjunction with {{C|Vignette}}.
  • If an article has (First appearance) and (First mentioned), that means that the "mention" came first.
  • If something originated in a source, it would have either (First mentioned), or (First appearance) (Vignette) if part of a narrative vignette in a source. If (First appearance) has not been used by this point, then the first actual appearance would get the {{1st}} template. Not all articles will use this tag.
  • If it originated in an appearance, just that appearance (no sources) would have (First appearance) or (First mentioned). An additional appearance or source may warrant the use of {{1stID}}, {{1stdesc}}, etc.
  • See Wookieepedia:Template messages/Sources of articles for other applicable templates.
• Format: name of title only, eg:
  • The New Essential Guide to Characters
  •  Stormtroopers in the Databank

[edit] Notes and references

• List of sources for information in the "Behind the scenes" section.
• Items are added to the list by placing <ref>Source goes here</ref> after the information tidbit in question.
• To get the references to show up in this section, use the {{Reflist}} template.

[edit] See also

• Links to related topics not already linked in article
• Usually links to family pages and the {{Imagecat}} template which don't really belong in the main article

[edit] External links

• It is called "External links" even if there is currently only one link
• Links to other unofficial sources, e.g. Star Wars: Blogs, fan sites, Wikipedia articles
  • For Wikipedia articles, use the {{WP}} template (ex: {{WP|Star Wars}} gives you: Star Wars on Wikipedia)
• NO Databank entries here - Databank is an official source and should be treated that way

[edit] Succession box

Succession boxes serve two purposes: to list the time period for which an individual held a certain post/title, and to provide links to their immediate predecessor and/or successor. Due to the tendency of contributors to insert speculation and fanon into succession boxes, part of the Wookieepedia community dislikes them. To avoid issues and disputes, it is best to follow these "do nots":

• Do not insert succession boxes for titles that were unique to a certain individual and, therefore, result in no predecessors or successors. The same applies if the individual is the only known holder of the title.
• Do not insert succession boxes if the individual's position in the succession sequence is unclear. This applies, for instance, for such out-of-chronology Dark Lords of the Sith as Tulak Hord and Darth Andeddu.
• Do not insert succession boxes for something that is not a proper title. For example, a succession box for Palpatine where the title is "Secret de facto leader of the Separatists" (this is a real precedent on Wookieepedia) is most likely to be deleted.

If the individual was the first (last) person to bear a certain title, the "Preceded by" ("Succeeded by") section should read "None". If there are no known predecessors/successors, the corresponding section should read "Unknown". However, if there are some known predecessors/successors, the section should read "Unknown, eventually <name of the chronologically nearest individual>". (Example: Darth Revan's immediate predecessor as Dark Lord of the Sith is unknown, therefore, the succession box reads "Unknown, eventually Exar Kun".)

In contrast, "Unknown" should not be used in the dates of succession boxes. (Example: "Unknown–0 ABY" should only be "—0 ABY") See Wookieepedia:Manual of Style/Proper use of the dash for more information.

The phrase "the last person to bear a certain title" means that there are no successors because the title was made obsolete. If the individual in question continues to hold the title "currently" (where the "present" is defined as the date of the last published Star Wars work), the "Succeeded by" section should read "Incumbent".

All succession boxes should be contained within two templates: {{Start box}} and {{End box}}. This ensures that there are no line breaks within succession boxes.

[edit] Category

• Every article should have at least one category
• Categories should be listed in alphabetical order
• People should be categorized by their last name; for example, [[Category:Jedi Masters|Windu, Mace]] or [[Category:Galactic Alliance characters|Solo, Leia Organa]].
  • An update to MediaWiki now allows use of DEFAULTSORT to eliminate unnecessary coding while still achieving the same result:

{{DEFAULTSORT:Windu, Mace}}
[[Category:Jedi Masters]]
[[Category:Males]]

• Articles beginning with an article ("a," "an," or "the") should be categorized by the first significant word; for example, [[Category:Reference books|New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels, The]].
• Articles placed in categories should not also be placed in that category's master category; for example, articles in Category:Aquatic sentient species should not also be placed in Category:Sentient species.

[edit] Interwiki links

• Links to other Star Wars wikis
• Interwiki links should be listed in alphabetical order and are placed after an article's categories.

[[Category:Example category]]

[[de:Example German interwiki link]]
[[es:Example Spanish interwiki link]]