View source for Gojipedia:Style guide

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Gojipedia:Style guide}}
{{Policy}}
A '''style guide''' for article creation is essential for keeping our wiki as organized, consistent, and easy to read as possible. This article is meant to lay out and detail how articles should be written and formatted. 

There are pages exempt from this rule as they occupy other namespaces. These include user pages and blog posts, for example.
==Creating an article==
Creating an article is an easy process on the wiki, and one that's greatly encouraged in the event we're missing content, or are in need of content for new releases, be they films, books, and anything in between. Before a viewer creates an article however, one should be wary and ensure the articles doesn't already exist. One can...
*Search for the article with the search bar located at the top of the webpage.
*Ensure the article doesn't already exist, but just under a differing title.
*Ask an administrator or bureaucrat in the event either fails, just to be sure.

In addition, extra little precautions must be taken, such as...
*Ensuring the article in question isn't fan-made in origin.
*Not recreating a deleted article that may very well have proper reasons behind its deletion, or may have been deleted to be placed elsewhere.
*Consider whether the content is relevant and/or related to the Godzilla series, such as a crossover, or if it is more suitable for a different wiki on the subject. Asking the wiki's current administrators about performing actions like this is also available.
**The same goes for creating and/or adding from an article that exists somewhere else, such as another wiki; complete reproduction of its content is considered plagiarism and '''will be removed''' from the wiki. Therefore, always strive to create original information.

==Tone==
Before creating an article, tone is also a very important thing to nail down. Articles should be written in an informative, encyclopedic tone. Personal opinions and excessively flowery language are inappropriate for article content. Parenthesis should also be avoided in most circumstances. 
===Tense===
Articles on Gojipedia are written in both the present and past tenses, however each tense should be reserved for specific uses. Generally speaking, all descriptions of real-world things (persons, films, companies, etc.) should be written in the present tense, for example... {{Quote|[[Toho Company Ltd.|Toho Company, Limited]] {{Nihongo|東宝株式会社|Tōhō Kabushiki-Kaisha|lit. Toho Co., Ltd.}} '''''is''''' a large Japanese film studio.}} However, when providing biographies or histories of such real-life subjects, past tense should be used.

Present tense should also be used when providing out-of-universe descriptions of fictional objects and characters, for example... {{Quote|[[Godzilla (disambiguation)|Godzilla]] is a daikaiju created by {{TohoCo}}...}} Plot summaries for films, books and shows and walkthroughs for video games should be written in the present tense, while the "History" sections on various pages, which are written from an in-universe perspective, should be written in the past tense. 

Past tense should also be used when chronicling real-life events. For any scenarios not covered by those listed above, tense may be determined on a case-by-case basis.
==Article titles==
Articles should be known as, and named by their correct designation. Nicknames are not to be used as official article titles. They are to be listed in the article's infobox under the nicknames section, if applicable.

Pages detailing species, or films, such as ''[[Tyrannosaurus rex]]'' or [[Godzilla (2014 film)|''Godzilla'']] should have their article titles italicized. This can be done with the text seen below.
<pre>{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Shin Godzilla''}}</pre>

The following article types are to have their titles italicized. 
*Films - (''[[Shin Godzilla]]'')
*Books or novels - (''[[The Art of Shin Godzilla]]'')
*Video games - ([[Shin Godzilla (Playstation 4 VR Demo)|''Shin Godzilla'' (Playstation 4 VR Demo)]])
*Soundtracks - ([[Shin Godzilla (Original Soundtrack)|''Shin Godzilla'' (Original Soundtrack)]])
*Species - (''[[Gojirasaurus quayi]]'')

In the event a certain creature or character is seen across or identically named across multiple continuities, the article should be split up into articles of respective continuity, and the article should have a qualifier in the title name (in parentheses). This qualifier is dependant on the work they appeared in and whether it is a stand-alone or part of an era-spanning series. If the article is part of a continuity-shared film era and/or multi-entry series, a series name qualifier can be substituted. For example, the Showa series of films all share the same continuity, thus all articles are affixed with the era name "(Showa)". When there are more than two identically-named characters in a continuity, the qualifier is the title of the media they first appeared in within the article's title. Examples include "[[Godzilla (Godzilla Raids Again)|Godzilla (Godzilla Raids Again)]]" for ''[[Godzilla Raids Again]]'', the movie in which this character initially appears in and is used over "Showa", as another Godzilla appeared before it within the same continuity. The same case applies for characters that appear in isolated continuities of the same era. For example, each of the [[Godzilla (Millennium)|Millennium Godzillas]], which are all separated and titled by the film they appeared in. In general, article should avoid using the original name as their title in the case of multiple individuals with the same name.

However, some pages may exhibit slight exceptions to this rule. One example is [[Godzilla (1954)]], which utilizes "(1954)" to identify the year of emergence, and not the film, as this specific Godzilla has appeared across multiple different continuities, and consistently identified from the year 1954. Another example is the characters of the Mothra trilogy, which utilize " (Rebirth of Mothra)" to distinguish them from those in the Heisei film series. In the event that an article raises issues such as these, you may inquire with a staff member for how to address it.

Gojipedia uses the official international names for movies, and the North American names of games, toys, and other such things. If it has an official English name, do not use the literal Japanese translation. For pieces of media or physical content that only have a Japanese name, use a translation (if applicable) or a transliteration--try not to use Romaji. For example:
*Use ''Godzilla'' (1954 film) instead of ''Gojira'' (1954 film).
*Use ''[[Ghost Godzilla]]'' instead of ''Gōsuto Gojira''.
*Use ''[[Battle Soccer: Champion of the Field]]''　instead of ''Battle Soccer: Field no Hasha''.
*Use ''[[Stegodzillas]]'' instead of ''Sutegojiras''.
For the names of Japanese people, try not to use characters that cannot be accessed on the spot by a keyboard. In other words, try not to use ā, ē, ī, ō or ū as the primary way to identify an article.

==Article layout==
===Hatnotes===
Hatnotes are generally utilized to get readers to other related and potentially more relevant pages quickly. They're listed in italics, and placed at the top of an article for quick and easy visibility.

<pre>{{For|the cell-divided relative of this Godzilla|Godzilla Filius}}</pre>

Which renders, 

{{For|the cell-divided relative of this Godzilla|Godzilla Filius}}
===Infoboxes===
Infoboxes are simple methods of presenting and organizing information on a subject, including content that may or may not be on an article, specifically. This can include height, and weight stats, for example. 
<pre>{{Website_Infobox
|name=Gojipedia
|image=Gojipedia_Wordmark.png
|era=
|color=#000000
|textcolor=#FFFFFF
|languages=English
|status=Active
|launched=2005
|run=2005-present
|address=[http://godzilla.fandom.com godzilla.fandom.com]
}}
</pre>
All articles follow the same baseline format for infoboxes, however, differences lay in color coding. Below is a table which details which codes apply for each specific article type. To change the infobox into a set color theme, type in one of the "Series" names into the <code>era</code> parameter:
{| class=wikitable width=50%
|-
! Series !! Box Color !! Text Color
|- align="center"
|[[Showa era]]
|class="Showa" | #32333C
|#FFFFFF
|- align="center"
|[[Heisei era]]
|class="Heisei" | #919191
|#000000
|- align="center"
|[[Millennium series]]
|class="Millennium" | #FFCD00
|#000000
|- align="center"
|[[TriStar series]]
|class="TriStar" |#00460D
|#FFFFFF 
|- align="center"
|[[MonsterVerse]]
|class="MonsterVerse" | #FF5500
|#000000
|- align="center"
|[[Reiwa era]]
|class="Reiwa" | #70009E
|#FFFFFF
|}

{| class=wikitable width=50%
|-
! Media !! Box Color !! Text Color
|- align="center"
|[[Marvel Comics]]
|class="Marvel" | #FF0000
|#FFFFFF
|- align="center"
|[[Dark Horse Comics]]
|class="DarkHorse" | #330766
|#FFFFFF
|- align="center"
|[[IDW Publishing]]
|class="IDW" |#0080FF
|#000000
|- align="center"
|Manga
|class="manga" | #01A30F
|#000000
|- align="center"
|Miscellaneous
|class="Miscellaneous" | #01ECF3
|#FFFFFF
|}
{| class=wikitable width=50%
|-
! Video games !! Box Color !! Text Color
|- align="center"
|1970s
|style="background: #d4d4d4;" | <span style="color:#000000 !important">#d4d4d4</span>
|#000000
|- align="center"
|1980s
|style="background: #FF9600" | <span style="color:#000000 !important">#FF9600</span>
|#000000
|- align="center"
|1990s
|style="background: #1CFF2C;" | <span style="color:#000000 !important">#1CFF2C</span>
|#000000
|- align="center"
|2000s
|style="background: #00C6FF;" |<span style="color:#000000 !important">#00C6FF</span>
|#000000
|- align="center"
|2010s
|style="background: #65007E;" | <span style="color:#FFFFFF !important">#65007E</span>
|#FFFFFF
|- align="center"
|2020s
|style="background: #17684F;" | <span style="color:#FFFFFF !important">#17684F</span>
|#FFFFFF
|}

===Leads===
Leads are the introductory paragraphs to an article. The mention of the article's name should be emboldened here. Take for example, the lead to the ''[[Shin Godzilla]]'' film article.

{{Quote|'''''Shin Godzilla''''' {{Nihongo|シン・ゴジラ|Shin Gojira|}}, also known as '''''Godzilla Resurgence''''', is a [[2016]] [[Japan]]ese {{Daikaiju eiga}} produced by [[Toho Company Ltd.]], and the 31st installment in the [[Godzilla (franchise)|''Godzilla'' series]].

It was released in Japanese theaters on July 29, 2016, and was also theatrically released in limited runs during late 2016 in 100 international territories, including North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.}}

The lead contains a basic, general summary of the subject. It also tends to be broad, offering the most rudimentary but important information to the reader. All articles should possess a lead. 

Depending on the length of an article, a lead may need to be shorter or longer, given its purpose of encapsulating the article in a few scant paragraphs. This also means that editors shouldn't refrain from repeating certain information within the article to fill the lead. 

To reiterate, italicization should be utilized in the case of games, movies, books, and species. 

Below is a list showcasing layout styles for the specific article types found on the wiki.
===Table of contents===
Depending on the size of articles, a table of contents may be present. To put it simply, it's just a small list of the page's content, allowing a reader to jump to a specific portion of the page.

If one were to force a page to utilize a table of contents, regardless of content or the like, the simple injection of the below code is needed.
<pre>{{TOC}}</pre>
===Kaiju article layout===
{{Collapse|{{Main|Godzilla (Shin Godzilla)}}
#Infobox
#Lead
#Name
#Design
## Design name {{C|if applicable}}
##Development
##Appearance
##Portrayal
##Roar
#Personality
#Origins
#History
#Abilities
#Weaknesses
#Gallery {{C|If gallery's under 12 images}}
#Trivia
#List of appearances
#References}}

===Character article layout===
{{Collapse|{{Main|Joseph Brody}}
#Infobox
#Lead
#Appearance
#Personality
#Relationships
#History
#Gallery {{C|If applicable}}
#Trivia
#List of appearances
#References}}

===Weapon and vehicle article layout===
{{Collapse|{{Main|s=s|Electromagnetic Induction Rifle| and [[Exosuit]]}}
#Infobox
#Lead
#Appearance
#History
#Function
#Arsenal {{C|Replaces the "Function" section of vehicle articles}}
#Gallery {{C|If applicable}}
#Trivia
#List of appearances
#References}}

===Film article layout===
{{Collapse|{{Main|Godzilla (2014 film)}}
#Infobox
#Lead
#Plot
#Staff
#Cast
#Appearances
#Development
#Marketing
#Theatrical releases
#Box office
#Reception
#Awards {{C|If applicable}}
#Home media releases
#Sequel(s) {{C|If applicable}}
#Trivia
#External links
#References}}
===Soundtrack article layout===
{{Collapse|{{Main|Shin Godzilla (Original Soundtrack)}}
#Infobox
#Lead
#Track list
#Bonus tracks {{C|If applicable}}
#Trivia
#References}}
===Track article layout===
{{Collapse|{{Main|Who Will Know (24 bigslow)}}
#Infobox
#Lead
#Lyrics 
#Trivia {{C|If applicable}}
#References}}
===Galleries===
{{Main|Gojipedia:Media}}
Galleries are sections of an article dedicated to images of the article's content. They properly group up all images that we currently possess on the subject at hand. In the event a gallery exceeds twelve images, a tabber system will be used, dependent on the article's continuity, and all images will be moved and organized there.

Galleries also follow a strict guideline with relation to how they're organized, as seen below.

<pre>
<gallery widths='120' position='center' captionalign='center' spacing='small'>
InsertImage.png
</gallery>
</pre>

===Trivia===
Trivia should comprise of information that's notable or widely viewed as interesting. Trivia points can include things like film mistakes, facts about how a film was uniquely made (Such as ''Shin Godzilla's'' original use of a hand operated puppet over CGI), or facts about once included, but cut monsters in a film. It should be noted that trivia isn't exclusive to these topics as anything that could assist in furthering article understanding could be added as trivia.

However, if these trivia points can be expanded upon and moved to another section of the article, or fit better as a footnote within said segment of an article, that would be the better course of action.
===External links===
External links are just that, links to external websites, be they official movie sites, twitter accounts, or any other means of providing information on a given subject.

There is no specific limit to the amount of potential external links that can be placed on an article, however, they should be specifically relevant to the article. 

===References===
{{Main|Gojipedia:Citation}}
Citations on articles should be utilized for information that isn't easily verifiable, or has been provided by another source as a form of proper citation, to avoid plagiarism. This can also serve to lessen the risk of editing disputes, or fix any that arise.

For more information on how to cite your sources, read the above linked article.
===Categories===
Categories are used to organize similar articles and topics, allowing for easy access into a specific area of the database. Such examples include [[:Category:MonsterVerse|MonsterVerse]], which allows users to find sub categories and  articles pertaining specifically to the [[MonsterVerse]] series of films and media. Ideally, each article should have one category based on the subject they pertain to and prepended with the era they first appeared. For example, 1954's [[Godzilla (1954)|Godzilla]], who is a kaiju and first appeared in the Showa era, is categorized under "[[:Category:Showa era - Kaiju|Showa era - Kaiju]]".

Category adding should be taken into the same consideration as externally linking something. Categories should be specifically relevant to the page and its content.

==Formatting==
===Bullets and pound signs===
Bullets and pound signs are generally used for lists, such as those located on [[Shin Godzilla (Original Soundtrack)|soundtrack articles]], and articles containing a [[Godzilla (Godzilla Raids Again)#List of appearances|list of appearances]] segment. 

Using them within article names is generally disapproved of, as software will recognize the pound sign as a section, even if it just refers to the issue number of a comic, making hyperlinking specific sections of said comics impossible.

e.g. ''<nowiki>Godzilla: Rulers of Earth Issue 1</nowiki>'', not ''<nowiki>Godzilla: Rulers of Earth Issue #1</nowiki>''

To reiterate once more, pound signs are generally used for numbered lists, such as those on soundtrack articles. This is due to soundtracks possessing numerical lists for their tracks.

#Track 1
#Track 2
#Track 3

Bullets are used in the same way, but lack any numeric value. These are to be used more commonly on articles, and can be seen in action on [[Godzilla (Godzilla Raids Again)#List of appearances|list of appearance]] sections for articles.

*Film 1
**Film 1.5 {{C|Used in the case of Americanized versions of films, for example.}}
*Film 2
*Film 3

Pound signs can be used to link to a specific part of an article. For example, <nowiki>[[Godzilla (SG)#Name]]</nowiki> will send the viewer to the segment of the article titled "Name" on [[Godzilla (SG)#Name|Godzilla (SG)]]. Improper capitalization or spelling of the link won't create a redlink, but when the viewer goes to the article, it won't jump to any specific segment.
===Capitalization===
Only proper nouns and the first word of article headers should be capitalized. [[Wikipedia:Ampersand|Ampersands]] and [[Wikipedia:Hashtag|pound signs]] should be excluded from headers as well.

Proper capitalization: 
<pre>
==Showa era==
</pre>
<pre>
==Notes and references==
</pre>

Improper capitalization: 
<pre>
==Showa Era==
</pre>
<pre>
==Notes & References==
</pre>
===Emphasis===
*'''Bold:''' Bold text is used to emphasize the name of the article the first time it's mentioned within said article. This function can be utilized by highlighting a word and pressing the large '''B''' within the editor. Alternatively, one can encapsulate a word with three apostrophes. 
*''Italics:'' Italics apply to specific articles. These include films, books, soundtracks, songs, video games, comics, and species.
*CAPITALIZATION: Should rarely be used unless a character, device or film is officially recognized with a fully capitalized name. Such articles include [[M.O.G.U.E.R.A.]].
===Hyperlinking===
Hyperlinking should be done for every first instance of a film, year, location, company, etc on an article. This is generally the only time an article should be linked to.
<pre>[[Policy]]</pre>
Hyperlinks in quotations are acceptable, especially when quoting a line of dialogue from a movie and listing said movie as the source of origin. A good example is that of the [[Godzilla (Heisei)|Heisei Godzilla's page quotation]].

{{Quote|He's a product of civilization.  Men are the only real monsters.  Godzilla's more like a nuclear weapon.  …  A living nuclear weapon destined to walk the Earth forever.  Indestructible.  A victim of the modern nuclear age.|Dr Hayashida (''[[The Return of Godzilla]]'')}}
Hyperlinks can also link to external sites, which is done by following the source code below.
<pre>[http://www.bbc.co.uk BBC Website]</pre>

===Disambiguation links===
Given the multiple continuities and series of ''Godzilla'' alone, disambiguation pages are a must for organizing multiple characters of the same name on an article. For disambiguation pages on the multiple incarnations of a topic, make sure the disambiguation title is appended with "(disambiguation)".

In the event a hyperlink on a page is linked only as [[Godzilla (disambuguation)|Godzilla]] despite being in a defined page with a specific continuity, please correct this with the relevant incarnation of the monster.

===Unknown information===
If, for whatever reason you don't possess the information required to fill in a page, or a specific section to one, don't just fill it in with speculative information. In addition, don't fill in the article with "TBD" (To be determined) or any synonymous phrasing. Simply make use of the <nowiki>{{stub}}</nowiki> or <nowiki>{{SectionStub}}</nowiki> templates. 

This will not only put the article in a category to be looked at and filled in later by people who may know the information, but will also keep inaccurate and fan-made information out, allowing for more credibility as a site.

[[Category:Gojipedia Policy]]