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<center>''For the layout style guide, see [[Halopedia:Layout Guide]].''</center>
{{Status|Halopedia}}
{{shortcut|HP:MOS}}
{{Center|For the layout style guide, see [[Halopedia:Layout guide]].}}
{{Policy}}
{{Policy}}
{{Policies}}
 
This '''Manual of Style''' is a guide applicable to all {{SITENAME}} articles. It reflects {{SITENAME}}'s standards, and is intended to help editors to produce articles with language, layout, and formatting that are consistent, clear, and precise. The goal of {{SITENAME}} is to make the whole encyclopedia easier, intuitive to use and the most definitive source for all Halo information.
This '''Manual of Style''' is a guide applicable to all {{SITENAME}} articles. It reflects {{SITENAME}}'s standards, and is intended to help editors to produce articles with language, layout, and formatting that are consistent, clear, and precise. The goal of {{SITENAME}} is to make the whole encyclopedia easier, intuitive to use and the most definitive source for all Halo information.


== General ==
== General ==
=== Editing ===
=== Editing ===
It is recommended that you should know how to perform copy editing and content editing. Copy editing requires the basic knowledge of the English language. This covers from correcting spelling and grammar errors, using the proper verbs tense and fixing common punctuation mistakes. On the other hand, content editing expands this knowledge by assessing whether the written content meets the standards of a good encyclopaedic entry. Elements of a good encyclopaedic entry are explored further in the following sections.
It is recommended that you should know how to perform copy editing and content editing. Copy editing requires the basic knowledge of the English language. This covers from correcting spelling and grammar errors, using the proper verbs tense and fixing common punctuation mistakes. On the other hand, content editing expands this knowledge by assessing whether the written content meets the standards of a good encyclopedic entry. Elements of a good encyclopedic entry are explored further in the following sections.


=== Do not copy-paste content ===
=== Do not copy-paste content ===
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=== Follow the sources ===
=== Follow the sources ===
{{main|Project:Notability Policy|Help:References}}
{{main|Project:Notability policy|Help:References}}
Many points of usage, such as the treatment of proper names, can be decided by observing the style adopted by high-quality sources. Unless there is a clear reason to do otherwise, follow the usage of reliable English-language secondary sources on the subject. If the sources can be shown to be unrepresentative of current English usage, follow current English usage instead—and consult more sources.
Many points of usage, such as the treatment of proper names, can be decided by observing the style adopted by high-quality sources. Unless there is a clear reason to do otherwise, follow the usage of reliable English-language secondary sources on the subject. If the sources can be shown to be unrepresentative of current English usage, follow current English usage instead—and consult more sources.


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=== Styles ===
=== Styles ===
Much of the styles you see in this manual of style is based on Wikipedia's [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Manual of Style|manual of style]], however in some cases Halopedia will differ from Wikipedia. You can find a more detailed guide of this in the [[Project:Layout Guide|Layout Guide]] The following specific style conventions will be used by Halopedia:
Much of the styles you see in this manual of style is based on Wikipedia's [[wikipedia:Wikipedia:Manual of Style|manual of style]], however in some cases Halopedia will differ from Wikipedia. You can find a more detailed guide of this in the [[Project:Layout guide|layout guide]] The following specific style conventions will be used by Halopedia:


*'''Spelling''': unless written as otherwise, the preferred spelling is American English.
*'''Spelling''': *Halopedia has no preference as to whether to use [[wikipedia:American English|American English]] or [[wikipedia:British English|British English]] - however, once one style is defined within an article it should be employed consistently. Article titles, however, still preference American spellings.
*'''Italics''': titles of any media and ships in the Halo universe should always be italicized (i.e. ''Halo 3'', ''The Art of Halo'', ''Halo: Landfall'', UNSC ''Forward Unto Dawn'', ''Truth and Reconciliation''). An exception to this would be those for [[Help:References|citation purposes]].
*'''Italics''': titles of any media and ships in the Halo universe should always be italicized (i.e. ''Halo 3'', ''The Art of Halo'', ''Halo: Landfall'', UNSC ''Forward Unto Dawn'', ''Truth and Reconciliation''). An exception to this would be those for [[Help:References|citation purposes]].
*'''Boldface''': in any article introduction, the article's title/name must be '''bolded'''. The introduction title/name should not have links within them.
*'''Boldface''': in any article introduction, the article's title/name must be '''bolded'''. The introduction title/name should not have links within them.
*'''Measurement''': unless presented as such, always use the [[wikipedia:Metric system|Metric system]] over [[wikipedia:United States customary units|US customary units]] as the primary measurement. Make sure to present the US customary units in brackets after the metric system (i.e. 130 kg (286 lbs), 2.18 meters (7'2")).
*'''Measurement''': unless presented as such, always use the [[wikipedia:Metric system|Metric system]] over [[wikipedia:United States customary units|US customary units]] as the primary measurement. Make sure to present the US customary units in brackets after the metric system (i.e. 130&nbsp;kg (286&nbsp;lbs), 2.18 meters (7'2")).


=== Perspectives in articles ===
=== Perspectives in articles ===
Articles in Halopedia use two perspectives: '''In-universe''' and '''Real-world'''.
Articles in Halopedia use two perspectives: '''In-universe''' and '''Real-world'''.


Articles and sections written from an in-universe point of view are presented as though the information in canon sources were factual, much like how record-keepers within the ''Halo'' universe might document their world and the events within (similar to in-universe records like the ''[[CAA Factbook]]'' or ''[[The Punished Deeds]]''). However, Halopedia's point of view is that of a neutral observer rather than any particular group. "Past" events should always be narrated in the past tense (with the exception of [[:Template:Timeline|timeline]] articles, which are written in the present tense).
Articles and sections written from an in-universe point of view are presented as though the information in canon sources were factual, much like how record-keepers within the ''Halo'' universe might document their world and the events within (similar to in-universe records like the ''[[CAA Factbook]]'' or ''[[The Punished Deeds]]''). However, Halopedia's point of view is that of a neutral observer rather than any particular group. "Past" events should always be narrated in the past tense (with the exception of [[:Category:Timeline|timeline]] articles, which are written in the present tense). However, subjects that remain in existence as of most recent knowledge should be described in the present tense. This practice is based, on a fundamental level, on the presentation of canon material by 343 Industries; for example, most official reference materials (such as [[Halo Waypoint]]'s Universe articles) use the present tense when describing "existing" subjects. What constitutes the "present day" of the ''Halo'' universe is not fully defined, but in practice the "now" of the mainline narrative (as of 2017) is in the late 2550s even though the latest documented events in the ''Halo'' timeline technically take place as late as [[2610]].


Meanwhile, real-world content (that is, everything marked with the "Real World" era icon, as well as gameplay- and development-related sections in articles) use an out-of-universe perspective. For example, while [[Battle of Installation 00 (2559)]] seeks to present a neutral, broad picture of the events and is written in the past tense, the plot summary for ''[[Halo Wars 2]]'' relates the same events in the manner the narrative of the game presents them, and is written in the present tense. Similarly, in content written from a real-world perspective, more well-known nomenclature should take precedence; for example, in a section discussing gameplay strategies, it can be more apt to use "Elites" instead of "Sangheili". Do note that certain instances of "popular" terminology (e.g. titles such as "the Master Chief" and "the Arbiter" in reference to [[John-117]] and [[Thel 'Vadam]], respectively) are also proper in-universe terms and their use is perfectly acceptable in in-universe content as long as the subject's proper name has been previously established in the article's context.
Real-world content (that is, everything marked with the "Real World" era icon, as well as gameplay- and development-related sections in articles) use an out-of-universe perspective. For example, while [[Battle of Installation 00 (2559)]] seeks to present a neutral, broad picture of the events and is written in the past tense, the plot summary for ''[[Halo Wars 2]]'' relates the same events in the manner the narrative of the game presents them, and is written in the present tense. Similarly, in content written from a real-world perspective, more well-known nomenclature should take precedence; for example, in a section discussing gameplay strategies, it can be more apt to use "Elites" instead of "Sangheili". Do note that certain instances of "popular" terminology (e.g. titles such as "the Master Chief" and "the Arbiter" in reference to [[John-117]] and [[Thel 'Vadam]], respectively) are also proper in-universe terms and their use is perfectly acceptable in in-universe content as long as the subject's proper name has been previously established in the article's context.


Phrases like "his ultimate fate is unknown" or "what happened to the ship after that is a mystery" should not be included in most cases in which the subject's fate is simply not covered in released media. However, if the subject's status is unknown to the characters ''in-universe'' (or has been specifically noted in official media), this is acceptable to mention in the article.
Phrases like "his ultimate fate is unknown" or "what happened to the ship after that is a mystery" should not be included in most cases in which the subject's fate is simply not covered in released media. However, if the subject's status is unknown to the characters ''in-universe'' (or has been specifically noted in official media), this is acceptable to mention in the article.


All articles are to be written in the third person.
All articles are to be written in the third person; avoid addressing the reader directly as "you", etc. It is acceptable to make an exception to this on Walkthrough pages, which by their nature are written to guide the reader.


=== Article focus and scope ===
=== Article focus and scope ===
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=== Do not use conversational style ===
=== Do not use conversational style ===
As {{SITENAME}} is an open encyclopedia site, it should read like [[wikipedia:online encyclopedia|online encyclopedia]]. To be more specific, it should be something like [[Wikipedia:Wikipedia|Wikipedia]].
As {{SITENAME}} is an open encyclopedia site, it should read like an [[wikipedia:online encyclopedia|online encyclopedia]]. To be more specific, it should be something like [[wikipedia:Wikipedia|Wikipedia]].


*Check your spelling and grammar. Do not use internet slang (ex. "How r u?" or "c u 2nite"). If you are not 100% sure about the way a word is spelled, type it into <span class="plainlinks">[http://www.google.com/ Google]</span> or <span class="plainlinks">[http://dictionary.reference.com/ Dictionary.com]</span>. If you know that you are not the strongest speller, compose your edits in a word processor like Microsoft Word or use an Internet browser like Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome, which has spell-checking built in.
*Check your spelling and grammar. Do not use internet slang (ex. "How r u?" or "c u 2nite"). If you are not 100% sure about the way a word is spelled, type it into <span class="plainlinks">[http://www.google.com/ Google]</span> or <span class="plainlinks">[http://dictionary.reference.com/ Dictionary.com]</span>. If you know that you are not the strongest speller, compose your edits in a word processor like Microsoft Word or use an Internet browser like Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome, which has spell-checking built in.
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Halopedia's article titles aim to provide basic information about the subject, either in the form of its official name (if known) or a description given by editors if the subject is not identified in official media. For examples of the latter, see [[:Category:Articles with conjectural titles|here]]. If necessary, a description should be brief and informative, and any terms that are not proper nouns should not be capitalized.
Halopedia's article titles aim to provide basic information about the subject, either in the form of its official name (if known) or a description given by editors if the subject is not identified in official media. For examples of the latter, see [[:Category:Articles with conjectural titles|here]]. If necessary, a description should be brief and informative, and any terms that are not proper nouns should not be capitalized.


In most cases, weapons and vehicles are titled with the item's formal designation or model number followed by its more colloquial, in-game moniker (as opposed to the full technical name, which is conveyed in the introductory section of the article). Examples of these titles include [[Type-32 Ghost]] and [[BR55 battle rifle]]. Capitalization of terms in titles follows our capitalization policy, discussed in an earlier section of this article.
In most cases, weapons and vehicles are titled with the item's formal designation or model number followed by its more colloquial, in-game moniker (as opposed to the full technical name, which is conveyed in the introductory section of the article). Examples of these titles include {{Pattern|Karo'etba|Ghost}} and [[BR55 battle rifle]]. Capitalization of terms in titles follows our capitalization policy, discussed in an earlier section of this article.
 
When possible, Covenant [[design pattern]] or Brute [[clan workshop]] names are favoured over the UNSC-given [[Type classification system|type-]] designations. This is to help present a more neutral point-of-view into the ''Halo'' universe as opposed to an explicitly human lens, and also for standardisation - as 343 Industries move forward, type-designations are being phased out in favour of design patterns and workshops. Typical page title formats prefer the ''XYZ''-pattern or XYZ Workshop and then the colloquial moniker - as detailed above. Nicknames (such as Ghost, Wraith, Spiker, Chopper etc) should remain capitalised, while descriptive terms (assault rifle, energy sword, battlecruiser, etc) should remain lower-case.


==== Disambiguating titles ====
==== Disambiguating titles ====
If there are two or more subjects with the same name, it is necessary to disambiguate the article titles from one another. When disambiguating titles with bracketed addendums, in-universe subjects should always be treated as primary; for example, the page for the Covenant ship is titled ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'', while the level of the same name is disambiguated as ''[[Long Night of Solace (level)]]''. If two or more in-universe subjects share the same name, the more notable subject should be treated as primary; for example, the article title for the AI [[Roland]] is not disambiguated while [[Roland (Spartan-III)]] is.
If there are two or more subjects with the same name, it is necessary to disambiguate the article titles from one another. When disambiguating titles with bracketed addendums, in-universe subjects should always be treated as primary; for example, the page for the Covenant ship is titled ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'', while the level of the same name is disambiguated as ''[[Long Night of Solace (level)]]''. Note that exceptions to this policy can be made if the real-world subject is considerably more notable than its canonical counterpart; an example of this would be the titling of the real-world [[343 Industries]] and [[343 Industries (manufacturer)]] which, while an in-universe subject, is too obscure and canonically insignificant in comparison to the real company to take precedence. If two or more in-universe subjects share the same name, the more notable subject should be treated as primary; for example, the article title for the people named [[John]] is not disambiguated while [[John (newscaster)]] is.


Separate disambiguation pages with the addendum ''"(disambiguation)"'' are used when there are more than two articles with the same title, with a link to the disambiguation page placed on top of the "primary" (i.e. non-disambiguated) article with that name.
Separate disambiguation pages with the addendum ''"(disambiguation)"'' are used when there are more than two articles with the same title, with a link to the disambiguation page placed on top of the "primary" (i.e. non-disambiguated) article with that name.
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It is also unnecessary to use piped links when only a given part of a term is linked, as long as the rest of the term is not separated from the linked portion (wikilinks automatically convert the rest of the word into a link). For example, <code><nowiki>[[human]]ity</nowiki></code> is shown as [[human]]ity, or <code><nowiki>[[Thel 'Vadam]]ee</nowiki></code> as [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee.
It is also unnecessary to use piped links when only a given part of a term is linked, as long as the rest of the term is not separated from the linked portion (wikilinks automatically convert the rest of the word into a link). For example, <code><nowiki>[[human]]ity</nowiki></code> is shown as [[human]]ity, or <code><nowiki>[[Thel 'Vadam]]ee</nowiki></code> as [[Thel 'Vadam]]ee.
===Article size rule===
When deciding as to whether an article should be divided, please refer to the following table.
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="background:transparent;"
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"| '''Readable prose size''' || '''What to do'''
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"| &gt; 100 KB || Almost certainly should be divided
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"| &gt; 60 KB || Probably should be divided (although the scope of a topic can sometimes justify the added reading time)
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"| ≥ 40 KB || May need to be divided (likelihood goes up with size)
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center;"| &lt; 40 KB || Length alone does not justify division
|-
| style="vertical-align:top; text-align:center; width:10%;"| &lt; 1 KB || If an article or list has remained this size for over a couple of months, consider combining it with a related page. Alternatively,  why not fix it by adding more info? See [[wikipedia:Stub]].
|}


== Editing ==
== Editing ==
=== Avoid making multiple edits in an article ===
=== Avoid making multiple edits in an article ===
Halopedia is a [[Help:User Levels|point system-based]] wiki. Whenever one makes an edit, one is rewarded 50 points regardless of the amount of content contributed. Though it sounds fun, excessive amount of edits in an article can lead to a [[Project:Blocking Policy#Point system abuse|block]]. As such, a maximum of three successive edits in an article is acceptable within a short amount of time; regardless of the editor's intent, exceeding this limit may be seen as an attempt to abuse the point system.
While Halopedia encourages editing of articles, an [[Halopedia:Blocking policy#Editing a page too many times in a short period of time|excessive amount]] of saved edits on a single article may be seen as spam. As such, a maximum of three successive edits in an article is acceptable within a short amount of time; regardless of the editor's intent, exceeding this limit may be seen as an attempt to spam and a staff member will inform you to stop and explain the scenario. If the staff member is ignored it may result in a ban for up to a week to a few months, depending on the extent of the infraction.


A simple way of avoiding this problem is to practice using the Preview button which allows you to review the contributions you made before saving them.
A simple way of avoiding this problem is to practice using the Preview button which allows you to review the contributions you made before saving them.


=== Use the "Minor Edit" button ===
=== Use the minor edit button ===
If you are making a minor edit (e.g. fixing a spelling error or tweaking formatting), check the "This is a minor edit" button below the Summary box before saving the page. Again, this will make things easier for the rest of us.
If you are making a minor edit (e.g. fixing a spelling error or tweaking formatting), check the "This is a minor edit" button below the Summary box before saving the page. Again, this will make things easier for the rest of us.


=== Use the Preview Button ===
=== Use the preview button ===
The preview button is right next to the save edit button, and is there for a reason. It's your own personal spell checker, link checker, whatever-else checker. Use it. Users that purposefully do not preview edits as to inflate their edit count are not well regarded amongst Halopedians, and you may find yourself in trouble with an administrator.
The preview button is right next to the save edit button, and is there for a reason. It's your own personal spell checker, link checker, whatever-else checker. Use it. Users that purposefully do not preview edits as to inflate their edit count are not well regarded amongst Halopedians, and you may find yourself in trouble with an administrator.


=== Always use the Summary box ===
=== Always use the summary box ===
Before you touch that "Save page" button, ''always'' fill in the "Summary" box above the Save/Preview buttons before saving, and make sure that you fill it in with something useful describing the edit you made and, if it's not obvious, why. For example, "fixed spelling error" or "added fun fact" or "reverted from troll 127.0.0.1" are all acceptable. Saying "made some changes" or just filling in the name of the page is not helpful, because it's information that we already have.
Before you touch that "Save page" button, ''always'' fill in the "Summary" box above the Save/Preview buttons before saving, and make sure that you fill it in with something useful describing the edit you made and, if it's not obvious, why. For example, "fixed spelling error" or "added fun fact" or "reverted from troll 127.0.0.1" are all acceptable. Saying "made some changes" or just filling in the name of the page is not helpful, because it's information that we already have.


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=== Do not sign your edits ===
=== Do not sign your edits ===
All contributions are appreciated, but if every user left their mark on every contribution they made, the Wiki would be nothing but signatures. If you have made an edit that you are particularly proud of (such as a transcript or screenshot), the correct place to take credit is on your own [[Wikipedia:User page|user page]]. If you do not have a user account, we respect your anonymity, but your edits will remain anonymous, too.
All contributions are appreciated, but if every user left their mark on every contribution they made, the wiki would be nothing but signatures. If you have made an edit that you are particularly proud of (such as a transcript or screenshot), the correct place to take credit is on your own [[wikipedia:User page|user page]]. If you do not have a user account, we respect your anonymity, but your edits will remain anonymous, too.


=== Do sign your talk posts ===
=== Do sign your talk posts ===
If you make a post on a ''discussion'' page, please sign it. If you have a user account, this is as easy as typing <code><nowiki>~~~~</nowiki></code> at the end of your post. If you do not have a user account, just sign it with your name or nickname so everybody can tell who is who when reading long conversations. Even better, create an account anyway and use the signature method described. There really is no reason not to if you are going to stick around.
If you make a post on a ''discussion'' page, please sign it. If you have a user account, this is as easy as typing <code><nowiki>~~~~</nowiki></code> at the end of your post. If you do not have a user account, just sign it with your name or nickname so everybody can tell who is who when reading long conversations. Even better, create an account anyway and use the signature method described. There really is no reason not to if you are going to stick around.


=== Using Images/Files ===
=== Using images/files ===
{{Main|Help:Images}}
{{Main|Help:Images}}
*Add only [[Project:Canon Policy|canon]] image, not screenshots from customized/tweaked canon games or mods.
*Add only [[Project:Canon policy|canon]] image, not screenshots from customized/tweaked canon games or mods.
*Avoid uploading pictures you don't have a purpose for, unless they can add to a subject gallery. Before uploading, read [[Help:Images]] for more information on image use.
*Avoid uploading pictures you don't have a purpose for, unless they can add to a subject gallery. Before uploading, read [[Help:Images]] for more information on image use.


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=== External links ===
=== External links ===
External links are links that point to sites other than the Wiki. The links should be in the form of a bullet list. External links typically look like this:
External links are links that point to sites other than the wiki. The links should be in the form of a bullet list. External links typically look like this:
<pre>[http://www.bungie.net/filename.html '''The Website''': ''Title of the article'']</pre>
<pre>[http://www.bungie.net/filename.html '''The Website''': ''Title of the article'']</pre>


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==See also==
==See also==
*[[wikipedia:Wikipedia:MOS|'''Wikipedia''':''Manual of Style'']]
*[[wikipedia:Wikipedia:MOS|'''Wikipedia''':''Manual of Style'']]
*[[Project:Layout Guide]]
*[[Project:Layout guide]]
*[[Project:Canon Policy]]
*[[Project:Canon policy]]


{{Helplist}}
{{Halopedia HAGP}}


[[Category:Help]]
[[Category:Help]]
[[Category:Project Pages]]
[[Category:Halopedia]]
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