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{{guideline}}
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{{Proposed update|guideline|oldid=427096}}
 
{{shortcut|[[SP:MoS]]}}
  
{{shortcut|[[SP:MoS]]}}
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This '''Manual of Style''' is a style guide that aims to make the wiki easy to read, write, and understand.
 +
This '''Manual of Style''' is a style guide that aims to make the wiki easy to read and understand by standardizing how it is written.
   
 
==Article titles==
  
==Article titles==
−
* Article names should be in singular form, not plural.
 +
* Article titles should be in singular form rather than plural.
  +
* Titles should be nouns rather than any other part of speech.
 
* The titles of articles about individual characters should be the name by which the character is most commonly known in their corresponding series.
  
* The titles of articles about individual characters should be the name by which the character is most commonly known in their corresponding series.
  +
* Articles about fighter info should be named according to what the character is called in-game and have a suffix appropriate to the game the info in the article is about (eg. "_(SSB)", "_(SSBWU/3DS)").
 
* Unless the name of the article contains (or is) a proper noun, none of the words should be capitalized except the first.
  
* Unless the name of the article contains (or is) a proper noun, none of the words should be capitalized except the first.
   
 
==Links==
  
==Links==
  +
* Efficiency in linking (ie. using redirects as needed, avoiding pipelinking) is preferred to always linking to a full article name.
−
*Do not use incorrect links. For example, if you are linking to ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', then use ''<nowiki>[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]</nowiki>'', not ''<nowiki>[[SSBB]]</nowiki>''. In other words, do not use abbreviations for links.
  
  +
** Example: If you are linking to ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', then <nowiki>[[SSBB]]</nowiki>, <nowiki>[[Brawl]]</nowiki>, or <nowiki>[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]</nowiki> would be acceptable. It will never be necessary to link to <nowiki>[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl|SSBB]]</nowiki> or the like.
  +
** Example: If the context of a page requires that a link to [[Item]] be plural, then it is preferred that the link be formatted as <nowiki>[[Item]]s</nowiki> rather than <nowiki>[[Item|Items]]</nowiki>.
  +
* Linking to the same article multiple times should only be done if the links are sufficiently far apart. A general rule of thumb is not to link to the same article if it was already linked to in the same paragraph or section.
  ⚫
* When including links in an article, there is no need to use underscores, as the software produces them automatically. Capital letters besides the first letter in a link ''do'' need to be included in the link.
  +
** Examples: <nowiki>[[Super_Smash_Bros.]]</nowiki> and <nowiki>[[super Smash Bros.]]</nowiki> are functionally identical to <nowiki>[[Super Smash Bros.]]</nowiki>, but <nowiki>[[Super Smash bros.]]</nowiki> is not.
   
 
==Sections and headings==
  
==Sections and headings==
 
===Markup===
  
===Markup===
−
Use two equal signs (<nowiki>==</nowiki>) style markup for headings. Start with <nowiki>==</nowiki>, add the heading title, then end with <nowiki>==</nowiki>.
 +
* Most headings should be formatted with two pairs of equals signs (<nowiki>==<heading title>==</nowiki>). Subheadings should be formatted with one more pair of equals signs than the heading they are underneath.
  ⚫
** Examples: This section's heading was created with the markup:
−  
  ⚫
**: <code><nowiki>==Sections and headings==</nowiki></code>
⚫
This section's heading was created with the markup:
  
  ⚫
** This subsection's heading was created with the markup:
−  
−
:<code><nowiki>==Sections and headings==</nowiki></code>
 +
**: <code><nowiki>===Markup===</nowiki></code>
−  
⚫
This subsection's heading was created with the markup:
  
−  
⚫
:<code><nowiki>===Markup===</nowiki></code>
  
   
 
===Wording===
  
===Wording===
−
* In a heading, '''capitalize only the first letter of the first word and the first letter of any proper nouns''', and leave all of the other letters in lowercase.
 +
* Only the first letter in a heading and the first letters of any proper nouns should be capitalized.
−
* '''Avoid putting links in headings'''.
 +
* Avoid putting links in headings.
 
* Keep headings short.
  
* Keep headings short.
   
 
==Text==
  
==Text==
  +
* The first reference to any given subject should never be abbreviated.
⚫
*Long bodies of text should be divided into paragraphs. In the case of very long bodies of text, consider dividing the content and arranging it under a number of subheadings.
  
  +
** Example: When referring to ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' for the first time, it should be written as <nowiki>[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]</nowiki> rather than <nowiki>[[SSBM]]</nowiki> or <nowiki>[[Melee]]</nowiki>.
⚫
*Language should be gender-neutral unless referring to a character or person.
  
  ⚫
* Long bodies of text should be divided into paragraphs. In the case of very long bodies of text, consider dividing the content and arranging it under a number of subheadings.
  ⚫
* Language should be gender-neutral unless referring to a specific character or person.
   
 
===Text formatting===
  
===Text formatting===
−
*''Italic text'' is used to emphasize certain words and names, though they should be used sparingly for this purpose. Game names should always be in italics. Use a pair of apostrophes (<nowiki>''</nowiki>) on either side of text you wish to italicize.
 +
* ''Italic text'' is used to emphasize certain words and names, though they should be used sparingly for this purpose. Game names should always be in italics. Use a pair of apostrophes (<nowiki>''</nowiki>) on either side of text you wish to italicize.
−
*'''Bold text''' is used to distinguish the subject of an article within the first paragraph of its content. Use three apostrophes (<nowiki>'''</nowiki>) on either side of text you wish to make bold.
 +
* '''Bold text''' is used to distinguish the subject of an article within the first paragraph of its content. Use three apostrophes (<nowiki>'''</nowiki>) on either side of text you wish to make bold.
−
*Colored text can be used sparingly, though not in very bright colours.
 +
* ALL CAPS should never be used for emphasis in articles.
  +
* Colored text can be used sparingly, though not in very bright colors.
  +
  +
===Numbered lists===
  ⚫
* Numbered lists can be used for listing steps in a process.
   
 
==Images==
  
==Images==
  +
:''This is formatting info for images. For this wiki's general image policy, see [[SP:IMAGE]].''
−
*Right-alignment is preferred to left- or center-alignment.
 +
* Right-alignment is preferred to left- or center-alignment.
−
*If there are too many images in a given article, consider making a gallery with a level two heading.
  
  +
* Images should be arranged next to the text where they are most relevant. Images which are relevant to the page as a whole rather than a given section should be added to a gallery, formatted with a level two heading (<nowiki>==Gallery==</nowiki>).
−
*Use captions to explain the relevance of the image to the article.
  
−
*Make large images a thumb.
 +
* Large images should be made into thumbnails.
−
*Specifying the size of a thumb image is not recommended.
 +
* Specifying the size of a thumb image is not recommended.
−  
−
=== Uploading Images ===
  
−
*Please name your files descriptively to avoid confusion. Uploading an image with the name "0239235jgjgkdgdf" will be deleted.
  
−
*'''Do not upload images we already have'''. If you plan on uploading an image, look around the Super Smash Bros. Wiki first to see if it has already been uploaded by someone else.
  
−  
−
==Captions==
  
⚫
Complete sentences in captions should always end in a period. If the caption is not a complete sentence, it generally should not have a period at the end. Captions should also not be italicized.
  
   
−
==Numbered lists==
 +
===Naming images===
  +
* Images should be named descriptively. An image that is just named "Screenshot at <date> <time>" is likely to be renamed or deleted.
⚫
Numbered lists can be used for listing steps in a process.
  
   
−
==Wikilinking==
 +
===Captions===
  +
* Images whose relevance to a page are self-evident do not necessarily need a caption. Instead, captions should be used to succinctly explain what is happening in an image.
−
*Every time an article is mentioned on the page, you don't have to link to every single one. For example, [[Samus Aran]] may be mentioned five times. You only have to link to Samus Aran once. You can link to articles more than once if the page is very long.
  
  ⚫
* Complete sentences in captions should always end in a period. If the caption is not a complete sentence, it generally should not have a period at the end. Captions should also not be italicized.
−
*Use efficient link formats, especially for plurals. For example, do <nowiki>[[Item]]s instead of [[Item|Items]]</nowiki>.
 
⚫
*When including links in an article, there is no need to use capitalization or underscores, since the software produces them automatically.
  

Latest revision as of 22:19, 5 November 2018

Stop Hand

The current version of this page is a proposed update to an existing guideline. Until consensus to accept/reject these changes is reached on this page's talk, the version of this page as written here (changes) will remain in effect.


Shortcut:
SP:MoS

This Manual of Style is a style guide that aims to make the wiki easy to read and understand by standardizing how it is written.

Article titles

  • Article titles should be in singular form rather than plural.
  • Titles should be nouns rather than any other part of speech.
  • The titles of articles about individual characters should be the name by which the character is most commonly known in their corresponding series.
  • Articles about fighter info should be named according to what the character is called in-game and have a suffix appropriate to the game the info in the article is about (eg. "_(SSB)", "_(SSBWU/3DS)").
  • Unless the name of the article contains (or is) a proper noun, none of the words should be capitalized except the first.

Links

  • Efficiency in linking (ie. using redirects as needed, avoiding pipelinking) is preferred to always linking to a full article name.
    • Example: If you are linking to Super Smash Bros. Brawl, then [[SSBB]], [[Brawl]], or [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]] would be acceptable. It will never be necessary to link to [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl|SSBB]] or the like.
    • Example: If the context of a page requires that a link to Item be plural, then it is preferred that the link be formatted as [[Item]]s rather than [[Item|Items]].
  • Linking to the same article multiple times should only be done if the links are sufficiently far apart. A general rule of thumb is not to link to the same article if it was already linked to in the same paragraph or section.
  • When including links in an article, there is no need to use underscores, as the software produces them automatically. Capital letters besides the first letter in a link do need to be included in the link.
    • Examples: [[Super_Smash_Bros.]] and [[super Smash Bros.]] are functionally identical to [[Super Smash Bros.]], but [[Super Smash bros.]] is not.

Sections and headings

Markup

  • Most headings should be formatted with two pairs of equals signs (==<heading title>==). Subheadings should be formatted with one more pair of equals signs than the heading they are underneath.
    • Examples: This section's heading was created with the markup:
      ==Sections and headings==
    • This subsection's heading was created with the markup:
      ===Markup===

Wording

  • Only the first letter in a heading and the first letters of any proper nouns should be capitalized.
  • Avoid putting links in headings.
  • Keep headings short.

Text

  • The first reference to any given subject should never be abbreviated.
    • Example: When referring to Super Smash Bros. Melee for the first time, it should be written as [[Super Smash Bros. Melee]] rather than [[SSBM]] or [[Melee]].
  • Long bodies of text should be divided into paragraphs. In the case of very long bodies of text, consider dividing the content and arranging it under a number of subheadings.
  • Language should be gender-neutral unless referring to a specific character or person.

Text formatting

  • Italic text is used to emphasize certain words and names, though they should be used sparingly for this purpose. Game names should always be in italics. Use a pair of apostrophes ('') on either side of text you wish to italicize.
  • Bold text is used to distinguish the subject of an article within the first paragraph of its content. Use three apostrophes (''') on either side of text you wish to make bold.
  • ALL CAPS should never be used for emphasis in articles.
  • Colored text can be used sparingly, though not in very bright colors.

Numbered lists

  • Numbered lists can be used for listing steps in a process.

Images

This is formatting info for images. For this wiki's general image policy, see SP:IMAGE.
  • Right-alignment is preferred to left- or center-alignment.
  • Images should be arranged next to the text where they are most relevant. Images which are relevant to the page as a whole rather than a given section should be added to a gallery, formatted with a level two heading (==Gallery==).
  • Large images should be made into thumbnails.
  • Specifying the size of a thumb image is not recommended.

Naming images

  • Images should be named descriptively. An image that is just named "Screenshot at <date>

Captions

  • Images whose relevance to a page are self-evident do not necessarily need a caption. Instead, captions should be used to succinctly explain what is happening in an image.
  • Complete sentences in captions should always end in a period. If the caption is not a complete sentence, it generally should not have a period at the end. Captions should also not be italicized.
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