Help:Contents: Difference between revisions

From MediaWiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
Undo revision 168513 by 218.186.12.11 (talk) You take less than a second to fix.
 
(28 intermediate revisions by 21 users not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
The following pages are designed to help new users of this Wiki to get acquainted with our guidelines and traditions. These pages should be taken into consideration when creating and editing entries, as they represent a loose consensus among the most active editors of '''{{SITENAME}}'''. Please try to follow these guidelines unless you have a good reason not to. It is recommended that editors not make (significant) changes to the help pages without first proposing them on a talk page to see if other editors agree.
These pages are for acquainting new users with our guidelines and traditions. They represent a loose consensus among our active editors. As such, please follow these guidelines while creating and editing articles unless there is a good reason not to (in which case you should first bring up your reason on the article's talk page). We recommend that editors not make (significant) changes to the help pages without first proposing the changes on a talk page for consensus.


==Super-Fast Tips (for the incredibly impatient)==
#Our wiki has a lot of jokes, particularly in [[Transformers Wiki:Captions|image captions]]. As long as it doesn't interfere with providing accurate information, humor is ''not considered vandalism''. Further, occasional profanity is also tolerated (keep it at or under PG-13, please!), so any attempts to censor articles will likely be reverted.
#*On the other hand, this site is not [https://en.uncyclopedia.co/wiki/Content-free Uncyclopedia.] False article text is unwelcome, even if it's funny, unless it's blatantly obvious to all that it is in jest (and maybe not even then). Filling up entire pages with silly jokes, nonsense, or lies will be deleted or reverted. Those of you who enjoy such things should try Uncyclopedia, where your edits will be far more appreciated.
#*Editing that consists solely of replacing existing jokes with different jokes is also unwelcome.
#Add only correct and objective information. Random personal theories are not helpful. Speculation to fill gaps should be minimized, and preferably eliminated entirely. Don't post rumors or hearsay; post only [[Help:Official info|information you know]] and [[Help:Citing sources|can verify]].
#Use proper English while editing. If you have difficulty with spelling, grammar, or capitalization, have a friend or spell/grammar checker clean it up for you before posting. Edits are not helpful unless they follow our [[Help:Style guide|Style Guide]], since otherwise someone else will have to spend time cleaning them up afterwards.
#We require anyone wishing to edit to register an account via the link in the upper-right corner. We used to allow anonymous edits, but a flood of spambots has forced our hand.
#Read our [[Help:Introduction|introduction]] for more quick, basic information on our wiki.


==Super-fast tips for the incredibly impatient==
==Policies==
#Our wiki has a lot of jokes, particularly in image captions.  As long as they don't get in the way of true, accurate information, these jokes are ''not considered vandalism''.  False article text is not welcome, even if it is funny, unless it is blatantly obvious to all readers that it is put forth in jest (and maybe not even then).
You should read the [[Transformers Wiki:Policies|full overview of our various policies]] regarding conduct, humor, not-being-Wikipedia, and more. Some of our policies are also expanded on in separate articles:
#Along those lines, please be sure that what you add is ''correct'' and objective. Random theories you and your buddies came up with don't belong here. Speculation to fill in gaps should be minimized if not eliminated entirely. Don't post stuff you think you heard some guy in a forum say once. Post stuff you know and can verify.
*[[Help:Official info|Official info]] - How to tell if your information's source is one we consider acceptable for our Wiki's purposes.
#If all you plan on doing here is replacing existing jokes with different jokes, please just leave right now.  Also, don't bother editing out the occasional profanity you might come across, as your changes will be reverted, probably within 10 minutes.  It's not even worth your time.
**[[Help:Citing sources|Citing sources]] - How to specify which official source you used for your information.
#This wiki is '''not''' [[Wikipedia:Uncyclopedia|Uncyclopedia]]. Don't fill up entire pages with silly jokes, nonsense, or lies. They '''will''' be deleted or reverted on sight. For those of you who enjoy doing such things, please take a look at Uncyclopedia, where your edits will be far more appreciated.
**[[Help:Coming soon|Coming soon]] - Our policy on when your information on recent toys or fiction becomes eligible for adding to the Wiki (and how to handle articles where information exists that can't yet be added).
#For the love of [[Primus]], please write ''well''.  If you can't type two sentences without committing half a dozen errors of spelling, grammar, or capitalization, please do not contribute to our wiki. We would rather have a blank article than one which looks like it was written by a troglodyte.
* [[Transformers Wiki:Spoilers|Spoilers]] - How to add information that is a spoiler for recent toys or fiction.
#Get an account. (The link should be in the upper-right corner.)  Changes credited to anonymous IP addresses are scrutinized more closely, and are more likely to be reverted.
*[[Transformers Wiki:Images|Images]] - What to do and consider when uploading files.
**[[Transformers Wiki:Captions|Captions]] - Dos and don'ts about our most common type of humor.
**[[Transformers Wiki:File deletion policy|File deletion policy]] - Information on when and why we delete uploaded files.
*[[Transformers Wiki:Copyrights|Copyrights]] - How we handle copyrighted material added to the Wiki.
**[[Transformers Wiki:Copyleft|Copyleft]] - One possible type of copyright.
*[[Transformers Wiki:User page|User page]] - Etiquette regarding yours and other people's user pages.
*[[Transformers Wiki:Ads|Ads]] - Policies and information regarding the advertising that supports this site.
*[[Transformers Wiki:Speedy deletion|Speedy deletion]] - How to deal with articles that should be quickly deleted due to vandalism or technical problems that can't be fixed another way.


==Main policies and guidelines==
==Style Guidelines==
*[[Help:Introduction|Introduction]] - Start here!  Very basic info about the purpose of this site and using Wikis.
In addition to our main policies, we also have a [[Help:Style guide|full overview of how we structure our articles]] to maintain consistency. Some separate articles also expand further on aspects of our article styles:
*[[Help:New Pages|New Pages]] - How to create new pages that meet our standards and guidelines.
**[[Help:Article types and titles|Article types and titles]] - How to properly name your new page according to its content.
**[[Help:Nameless|Nameless]] - What to do when writing about things that don't have official names.
**[[Help:Disambiguation|Disambiguation]] - What to do when more than one article has (or should have) the same title.
**[[Help:Franchise identifiers|Franchise identifiers]] - Our standard names and abbreviations for the several dozen Transformers franchises. See also our comprehensive [[Series|Series List]].
* [[Help:Categories|Categories]] - Everything you need to know about handling categories.
*[[Help:Timelines is not a continuity family|Timelines is not a continuity family]] - Covering one of the more... ''difficult'' aspects of [[continuity family]] identifiers.


*[[Transformers Wiki:Policies]] - The policies and practices of this wiki as reached by general consensus, regarding conduct, ''humor'', not-being-Wikipedia, and more.
===Example Articles===
Some overviews and explanations on the structures of our most frequently-used article types:
* [[Help:Example character article|Example character article]]
* [[Help:Example book article|Example book article]]
* [[Help:Example comic issue article|Example comic issue article]]
* [[Help:Example episode article|Example episode article]]
* [[Help:Example video game article|Example video game article]]


*[[Transformers Wiki:Images]] - Help with what we expect of images uploaded here.
==Editing Tips==
 
Last, but not least, we have an [[Help:Editing|overview of basic wiki formatting and article organization]], as well as other expanded articles:
*[[Help:Franchise identifiers|Franchise identifiers]] - Names and abbreviations for all the different franchises that have been part of the ''Transformers'' brand.
*[[Help:Interwiki linking|Interwiki linking]] - How to easily link to articles on other wikis.
 
*[[Transformers Wiki:Preview|Preview]] - Please be kind to our [[Special:Recentchanges|Recent Changes]] page - make regular use of the "Preview" button.
*[[Help:Article types and titles|Article types and titles]] - The main types of articles on this Wiki and how to title them.
 
*[[Help:Disambiguation|Disambiguation]] - Instructions for how to deal with things like needing more than one article called "Optimus Prime".
 
*[[Help:Style guide|Style guide]] - Lots of little things to keep in mind when working on pages.  How we like to ''employ humor'', capitalize things, how to cite your sources of information, and stuff like that.
 
*[[Transformers Wiki:User_page|User Page]] - Tips and etiquette for your own user page and others'.
 
*[[Transformers Wiki talk:Community Portal]] - Community discussion about ongoing issues.  If you've got questions or comments that affect multiple pages, this is the place to ask.
 
==Other helpful documents==
*[[Help:Editing|Editing]] - Instructions on using the mediawiki software to actually change pages.  Syntax examples for making links, page headings, tables, etc..
 
*[[Help:Coming soon|Coming soon]] - Usually we update the wiki with new information as soon as it's released, but only if that information was ''actually'' released to the public as opposed to stolen and sold on eBay, leaked from a production house, or published just-yesterday in a members-only fan club newsletter.  This article explains our policy and how to mark articles as being intentionally-incomplete.


==Other Helpful Pages==
*[[Transformers Wiki talk:Community Portal|Community Portal]] - Community discussion about ongoing issues. If you've got questions or comments that affect multiple pages, this is the place to ask.
* [[Transformers Wiki:Tech|Tech]] - Information on the wiki's underlying technical issues and functions.


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:Contents Wikipedia Help Contents] - Since this wiki uses the same software as Wikipedia, you may find their help documents useful.
*{{w|Help:Contents|Wikipedia Help Contents}} - Since this wiki uses the same software as Wikipedia, you may find their help documents useful.


==Postscript==
After you've read, absorbed, and learned to love the policies and guidelines that cover about 99% of wiki editing situations...
* [[Help:Ignore all standards|Ignore all standards]] - What to do in the other 1% of situations.


[[Category:Help]]<div id="wikia-credits"><br /><br /><small>From [http://transformers.wikia.com Teletraan I: The Transformers Wiki], a [http://www.wikia.com Wikia] wiki.</small></div>
[[Category:Help]]

Latest revision as of 16:14, 30 August 2025

These pages are for acquainting new users with our guidelines and traditions. They represent a loose consensus among our active editors. As such, please follow these guidelines while creating and editing articles unless there is a good reason not to (in which case you should first bring up your reason on the article's talk page). We recommend that editors not make (significant) changes to the help pages without first proposing the changes on a talk page for consensus.

Super-Fast Tips (for the incredibly impatient)

  1. Our wiki has a lot of jokes, particularly in image captions. As long as it doesn't interfere with providing accurate information, humor is not considered vandalism. Further, occasional profanity is also tolerated (keep it at or under PG-13, please!), so any attempts to censor articles will likely be reverted.
    • On the other hand, this site is not Uncyclopedia. False article text is unwelcome, even if it's funny, unless it's blatantly obvious to all that it is in jest (and maybe not even then). Filling up entire pages with silly jokes, nonsense, or lies will be deleted or reverted. Those of you who enjoy such things should try Uncyclopedia, where your edits will be far more appreciated.
    • Editing that consists solely of replacing existing jokes with different jokes is also unwelcome.
  2. Add only correct and objective information. Random personal theories are not helpful. Speculation to fill gaps should be minimized, and preferably eliminated entirely. Don't post rumors or hearsay; post only information you know and can verify.
  3. Use proper English while editing. If you have difficulty with spelling, grammar, or capitalization, have a friend or spell/grammar checker clean it up for you before posting. Edits are not helpful unless they follow our Style Guide, since otherwise someone else will have to spend time cleaning them up afterwards.
  4. We require anyone wishing to edit to register an account via the link in the upper-right corner. We used to allow anonymous edits, but a flood of spambots has forced our hand.
  5. Read our introduction for more quick, basic information on our wiki.

Policies

You should read the full overview of our various policies regarding conduct, humor, not-being-Wikipedia, and more. Some of our policies are also expanded on in separate articles:

  • Official info - How to tell if your information's source is one we consider acceptable for our Wiki's purposes.
    • Citing sources - How to specify which official source you used for your information.
    • Coming soon - Our policy on when your information on recent toys or fiction becomes eligible for adding to the Wiki (and how to handle articles where information exists that can't yet be added).
  • Spoilers - How to add information that is a spoiler for recent toys or fiction.
  • Images - What to do and consider when uploading files.
  • Copyrights - How we handle copyrighted material added to the Wiki.
    • Copyleft - One possible type of copyright.
  • User page - Etiquette regarding yours and other people's user pages.
  • Ads - Policies and information regarding the advertising that supports this site.
  • Speedy deletion - How to deal with articles that should be quickly deleted due to vandalism or technical problems that can't be fixed another way.

Style Guidelines

In addition to our main policies, we also have a full overview of how we structure our articles to maintain consistency. Some separate articles also expand further on aspects of our article styles:

Example Articles

Some overviews and explanations on the structures of our most frequently-used article types:

Editing Tips

Last, but not least, we have an overview of basic wiki formatting and article organization, as well as other expanded articles:

Other Helpful Pages

  • Community Portal - Community discussion about ongoing issues. If you've got questions or comments that affect multiple pages, this is the place to ask.
  • Tech - Information on the wiki's underlying technical issues and functions.
  • Wikipedia Help Contents - Since this wiki uses the same software as Wikipedia, you may find their help documents useful.

Postscript

After you've read, absorbed, and learned to love the policies and guidelines that cover about 99% of wiki editing situations...