Help:Manual of Style

The , abbreviated as MOS or MoS, is an important document and policy which serves the purpose of maintaining consistency throughout the wiki in order to create articles which are easy to read and edit for all. The Manual of Style should be followed by all editors in order to ensure clear and consistent language, layout, and formatting in all of Destiny Wiki's articles.

In events which the Manual of Style does not cover, editors should contact an Administrator for advice and guidance. Issues or suggestions regarding the Manual of Style can be discussed on the policy talk page.

Article Titles
Article titles, commonly known as page names, are the large headings displayed above the content of any article and found to the left of the edit button. They should always be the name or a description of the subject of an article. For example, an article detailing the human species should be entitled "Humans", and an article detailing the effects of space on the body should be entitled "Effects of space on the body".

In a nut shell, article titles should aim to be:
 * Recognizable – Titles should be names or descriptions of the topic that are recognizable to someone familiar with (though not necessarily expert in) the topic.
 * Natural – Titles should be those that readers are likely to look for or search with, as well as those that editors naturally use to link from other articles. Such titles usually convey what the subject is actually called in English.
 * Precise – Titles should usually be names and terms that are precise enough to unambiguously identify the topical scope of the article, but not overly precise.
 * Concise – Titles are concise, and not overly long.
 * Consistency – Titles should follow the same pattern as those of similar articles. These patterns are documented in further detail below.

Article titles should be written following a title format, and not a sentence format. This means that unlike in sentences where only the first word is capitalized, all words in an article title should be capitalized unless the word is a coordinating conjunction or an article. Article titles should be capitalized in the same fashion as when writing a title for a book, when in doubt, ask an Administrator for help.

Examples of coordinating conjunctions:
 * and
 * but
 * or
 * yet
 * for
 * nor
 * so

Examples of articles:
 * an
 * a
 * the
 * it

Exceptions to this rule exist where the name of the subject contains capitals in a fashion that does not match the wiki's accepted title capitalization format. In these instances, the subject name should be titled exactly as it appears in the game. If you are in doubt about a name, double check it on the game before proceeding to rename a page or write a new page article title.

In some occasions, article titles may be ambiguous and therefore therefore need to be made more distinguishable by adding further description within parentheses. For example, two characters may have the same name, and therefore require further differentiation by adding the characters rank or appearance, such as "Name (captain)" and "Name (private)". These articles should then be linked together using a disambiguation page.

Lead Section
The lead section is the first section of an article. The lead section should never be titled with a section heading, and should be considered the introduction to the article. The section should contain a brief summary of the article's subject without detailing anything which will be visited later in the article. The name of the page should be turned bold in the lead section through use of the "B" (bold) button.

Section Headings
Section headings should be a short descriptive title of the section below, following the same guidelines for capitalization as article titles. Headings are used for the navigation of an article through the use of the table of contents, and for the organization of text on an article. Never link the section heading to another article or offsite; instead use the  template, and place it below the section heading.

Sections headings can be placed by selecting "Heading 2", "Heading 3", "Heading 4", or "Heading 5" from the drop down box in the visual editor, and then filling the space above the created line with the heading. Alternatively, it can be placed by wrapping the heading between two to six equals symbols (=) on either side in source mode, depending on the sub-section heading you want to produce.

Sub-sections decrease in size as you increase the heading number. Heading 2 is the largest section heading with Heading 6 being the smallest. This table shows which selections produce which heading. The top/bold selection represents the options available on the visual editor, whilst the bottom selection represents which code options are available in source mode.

{| class="wikitable" style="width:40%; font-size:smaller; text-align:center;" !Selecting !Produces
 * width="50%" align="center" |Heading 2
 * width="50%" align="center" |Heading 2

Heading 2

 * width="50%" align="center" |[[File:Heading_2_Example.png]]
 * Heading 3
 * Heading 3

Heading 3

 * [[File:Heading_3_Example.png]]
 * Heading 4
 * Heading 4

Heading 4

 * [[File:Heading_4_Example.png]]
 * Heading 5
 * Heading 5

Heading 5

 * [[File:Heading_5_Example.png]]
 * ======Heading 6======
 * [[File:Heading_6_Example.png]]
 * }
 * }

Images
Images are an important feature for helping detail a subject in articles, give examples of a subject, or just to make the article look more appealing. Images featured in an article must always be official and of canon content; fan made images, altered images, or images of modified content. To ensure that images do not have an adverse effect on the aesthetics of the articles, this policy must be followed. Misplaced images can detract from the article, so images must always be placed in an appropriate manner within an article's text, or within designated image zones such as galleries or information boxes.

Images should always be placed into an article using the file name tag:   as this links the image to it's original file destination page. Several tags can be placed after the file name in order to change the shape and attributes of the image.

When placing images into an infobox, the image must show only the subject at hand and no surrounding enviroment, where possible, in order to ensure the subject within the image is easy to see. Infobox images must be no wider than 250px, this can be achieved by adding a "|250px" tag to the end of a file name such as:  . This will ensure the image has a maximum width of 250px whilst still maintaining normal aspect ratios.

When placing images within the article itself, the image must always be placed to the left of the text and be turned into a tumbnail. This can be achieved by adding a "|thumb" tag to the end of a file name, such as:  . This will result in the image as it appears on the right! A caption should also be added to the image to explain what the image is trying to detail. Captions should be short and descriptive, and can be placed by adding a caption tag to the end of the file name, such as:   - where you replace the words "Image caption" with the description you wish to add.

When there are multiple images which can be placed on an article but run the risk of over-cluttering the article and detracting from the text, an image gallery should be used. Galleries can be placed using the "Gallery" button under the "Add features and media" section of the editor mode - this feature is available in both source mode and visual mode on the right hand side. Gallery images should always be set to no larger than 160px, and the columns should always be set to fit the page and aligned to the left with no forced changes to image shapes. This will produce:

Under no circumstances should a slideshow or slider gallery be added to an article without the express permission of an administrator. Image should follow our image standard policy, if images do not follow these standards then they will be removed from the article, and the author warned. Authors of images which are deemed damaging enough or perform repeat offenses are at risk of being banned from the wiki.

Videos
Unlike images, videos should not be placed within infoboxes or within the article text itself. Videos should be placed within a gallery, below an article's image gallery and follow the same format.

Font Styles
Font styles can be used to bring attention to certain words or phrases within an article, however, over use of these font styles can lead to an off putting visual effect to readers - for this reason, font styles should only be used in selected occasions.


 * Italics should only be used for Media - therefore game titles, book titles, and videos should always be italicized. An exception for this exists when used in templates or referencing.
 * Bold text should only be used to highlight the article subject within a lead section, or to bring emphasis to names and system messages in transcripts. An exception for this exists when used in templates or referencing.
 * Bold Italics are used only under rare circumstances such as article titles. always consult an Administrator before using bold italics.
 * Color changes should never be used. Font colors should always be white, excepted when linked where the color change takes place automatically - never force font to change color.
 * Size changes should never be used - never force font to change size.

Font can be italicized by using the "i" button on the top bar of the visual or source editor mode, or by wrapping the text between two double-apostrophe ( '' ) tags in source mode. Font can be made bold by using the "B" button on the top bar of the visual or source editor mode, or by wrapping the text between two triple-apostrophe ( ''' ) tags in source mode. Font can be made into bold italics by wrapping the text between two sets of five apostrophes ( ' ) in source mode.

Over all font style standards maybe overlooked when express permission is given by an Administrator, and only under these circumstances. If you think that font styles could be beneficial and yet this section says not to use it in that circumstance, then contact an administrator via their talk page to discuss it.

Templates
Templates can be used to order information on articles which share similar attributes, such as height, mass, model numbers, capacities, etc. Templates can range from infoboxes to pre-formatted lists, and can be placed on an article by wrapping the template page name within double curly-braces. For example, placing the template on Template:Policy Header into an article can be done with the following code:

When typing the first two curly-braces ( {{ ) the edit mode will automatically attempt to auto fill the rest, so simply type the page name in until it appears on the drop down box below the code, and then click the option you want. Further information on using a template will be offered on the templates specific page under "use".

Lists
Lists can be used to neatly organize multiple sets of data which may be set out in list forms, such as bonus material included in a game or rewards included in a mission. Lists can be produced in two formats, numbers or bulleted.

Numbered lists can be produced by placing a hash-tag ( # ) before each sentence:

#One
 * Two
 * 1) Three
 * 2) Four
 * 3) Five


 * One
 * Two
 * 1) Three
 * 2) Four
 * 3) Five

Bulleted lists can be produced by placing an apostrophe ( * ) before each sentence:

*One
 * Two
 * Three
 * Four
 * Five


 * One
 * Two
 * Three
 * Four
 * Five

Links
Links can be used within articles to link a word to it's own page in order to save writing an explanation for the subject. Authors should always try to link a subject internally and never to an external website, unless the website contains important information that can not be replicated here on the wiki.

Text can be linked by using the button on the top bar of the visual editor and then filling the appropriate fields before selecting ok. Alternatively you can link text internally by using the   Ab  button on the top bar of the source editor which will paste the following code: Link title - simply replace "Link title" with the article name you wish to link. Or you can link text externally by pasting the following code into the source editor: Text, and replacing " http://www.website.com " with the website URL and "Text" with the text you wish to link.

Headings and titles should never be linked. Any external links which lead to vulgar websites or pages clearly intended for wiki destruction will be removed and the author punished on the premise of vandalism.

Proper Referencing
References should be used in order to source information back to it's original destination as both proof of the authenticity and accreditation for the original authors work. References should be placed after any information which has come from a source, such as another website, a book, a video, or the game itself - information which is not referenced is at risk of deletion on the premise of being false.

Referencing should be consistent throughout the wiki in order for readers to easily understand and follow sources to their original destination. To ensure this consistency, we have a designated set of reference formats which should be used when referencing. References can be placed by posting one of the following codes after the information which needs to be sourced, and replacing the fields with the correct information.

Referencing a Game

 * Replace "Article #1" with the game's article title - e.g. Destiny (series)
 * Replace "Game Name" with the game's name - e.g. Destiny
 * Replace "Article #2" with the level/mission/map's article title.
 * Replace "Level Name" with the level/mission/map's name

Referencing a Website

 * Replace "Website URL" with the URL of the website's mainpage - e.g. http://www.ign.com
 * Replace "Website Name" with the name of the website - e.g. IGN
 * Replace "Article URL" with the URL of the website article/page where the information has originated.
 * Replace "Article Name" with the name of the article/page where the information has originated.

Referencing a Video

 * Replace "Host URL" with the URL of the video's host website's mainpage - e.g. http://www.youtube.com
 * Replace "Host Name" with the name of the video's host website - e.g. YouTube
 * Replace "Video URL" with the URL of the video on it's host website.
 * Replace "Article Name" with the name of the video as it appears on it's host website.
 * Replace "time" with the time of the video where the information can be seen - e.g. 04:33

Multiple References
Where the same source needs to used multiple times, replace with  (replacing "Description" with a short description of the source) for the first bit of information, and then use instead of the normal reference code for any information from the same source, from then on. This will link all the information to the same reference in the source list.

Trivia and DYK
Trivia facts and "Did you know?" facts about an article's subject which can not be fit into the article's main sections, without disrupting the ease of flow of writing, should be placed under the "trivia" section, organised in a bullet pointed list. Trivia should be relevant to the article itself, and should avoid being speculation unless it has sufficient evidence to be true. What constitutes a trivial fact should be decided on the basis of common sense, you should decide whether it is truly necessary to include the fact - trivia which is not considered necessary by administration or seasoned editors may be removed.

Stubs
Stubs are articles which do not contain all information possible on the subject. Editors should add an article to the stub category when they know that there is more information available than what is detailed on the article. Articles can be added to stubs by adding the following code to the top of a page:

Editors can find stubs in the stub category and then expand them with more information, in order to remove the article from the stubs.

Disambiguation
Disambiguation pages should be created in order to link readers to multiple articles of an ambiguous subject. Disambiguation page article titles should not be the name of the subject, and instead the name of the subject appended with "disambiguation" in parentheses; for example: "subject (disambiguation)". The subject name should always lead to the article of most common use, with a warning of other uses placed at the top of the page via use of the  template.

The disambiguation page should contain a warning of disambiguation at the top of the page through the use of the  template, with a short description of the subject. The ambiguous multiple articles should then be arranged as link in a bulleted list.

Redirects
Sometimes several names could refer to one article, in these cases redirects should be used to direct less common names to the article. This allows users to find an article through using less used or colloquial terms, when using the wiki search module. Redirects can be made by clearing a page from it's text and categories, or creating a new page all together, and then placing the following code on the page: #REDIRECT Article Name - replacing "Article Name" with the name of the article you wish to redirect too.

Pasting Information
Editors should never copy and paste information straight from the source, unless the information is going to be used in a direct quote or in transcripts. Information should always be re-written in a way that best reflects the style of writing on the wiki, and to ensure quality of clarity. Sources of information should always be referenced using standardized wiki referencing guidelines,

Perspective
Destiny wiki is an online encyclopedia, and therefore to ensure clarity and professional legibility all material should be written in a 3rd person perspective. For this reason words such as I, me, we, us, and you, should not be used when writing articles as they are 1st and 2nd person.

Articles or sections of an in-universe subject, such as weapons or characters, should written in past tense, whilst articles or sections of an out-universe subject, such as real world people, should be written in present tense.

Speculation
Editors should avoid placing speculation into articles, unless the article has very little information about an upcoming addition and there is enough evidence for speculation of future content. When speculation is added, it should be placed between two speculation templates,  &   - this will place a header showing that the following text is speculation, and a footer showing that the speculation has ended. Speculation which is believed to be unnecessary or without sufficient evidence is at risk of being removed. If you wish to place speculation but are unsure, then place a discussion on the article's talk page.

Spoilers
Spoilers are information about an upcoming expansion, installment, or other media's plot. Spoilers should never be placed on an article until the official release date, spoilers which are placed before this could ruin a readers future experience and also infringes on copyright, for this reason the spoiler will be removed and the author banned for a minimum of 1 week.

Spoiler policies come into place for a subject when it is officially announced, and run to up to one week after official release. During this period any spoilers should not be discussed on any of the social features of the article, this includes the forums, the chat, the blog system, and on talk pages. So long as it is after the official release date, then spoilers may be placed into an article.

Preview Button
The preview button is available in both source mode and visual mode of the editors, and should always be used before submission of any changes. The preview button allows editors to scan through their changes to ensure no mistakes have been made, and also allow the editor to quickly search for any other corrections/additions in order to avoid making multiple edits.

Multiple Edits
Due to this wiki utilizing a points system to rank contributors based on the number of contributions rather than the size of contributions; because of this, multiple edits can be used to cheat the system, and therefore they must be avoided at all times. Multiple edits within a short period of time to an article are strictly forbidden, and users who perform this regularly or persistently are at risk of being banned from the wiki on the grounds of attempting to cheat our ranking system - sometimes referred to as point-hoarding.

A general rule of thumb is to avoid performing more than three edits to an article within a period of 24 hours. If an edit really needs to be performed, but you have already performed too many edits, leave a message on the article's talk page for someone else to do it. This rule of thumb is also a guideline, so users should not persistently perform triple edits to articles, otherwise it will be considered and attempt to perform multiple edits. Editors should use the preview button to ensure they have not missed any edits that they would need to return for.

Minor Edits
Edits made for the purpose of correcting minor grammatical or spelling mistakes, or to add minor details/corrections to an article should be marked as a minor edit. To mark an edit as a minor edit, merely click the tick box on the top right of the edit summary section before clicking the publish button, alternatively you can activate the minor edit tag as default using personal preferences, under editing.

Signing Edits
Whilst contributions to the wiki are appreciated, edits to articles should never be signed, as if every author was to sign their contribution the wiki would be an ugly mess of nothing but signatures - recognition of a contribution is given in the article's history page, where an author of any contributions can be seen.

However, at the same time any additions to any talk pages must be signed in order for the message to be tracked to the contributions author. Users can be warned by administration if they persistently forget to sign their posts, and can even be punished if they do not heed this warning. Remember, sign talk pages, do not sign articles!

Edit Wars
Edit wars are considered to be persistent edits by two or more editors in an attempt to reverse the previous contributors work. Edit wars should be avoided by all costs as they unnecessarily spam an articles history page. For this reason, Destiny Wiki imposes a 3-revert rule. The 3-revert rule requires that a page may not be reverted more than three times by editors over a particular subject within 24 hours, if you have concerns about material on the article that you believe should not be there, such as vandalism or incorrect information, or that should be there but is being reverted by another editor, then raise the issue on the article's talk page, otherwise contact an administrator via their talk page for assistance.

Ownership of articles
All material on this wiki are under the ownership of Wikia and not the authors who write them. Removal of additions on the premise of ownership is not acceptable and will be considered vandalism, as authors do not own the material they submit.

Use of English
This is an English wiki of Destiny, and therefore English should be the only language used on the wiki, with exception of where foreign languages are used in games, books, or other media and therefore need to be used in articles. Talk pages, blog posts, the wiki chat, and the forums should be English only, disregard for this rule can result in punishment.

As Destiny was created by Bungie LLC, a games studio based in America, American English is the standard of English used on this wiki. British English, Australian English, and other dialects of English should not be used in articles unless the subject appears in that dialect in games, books, or other media.

Clarity
Articles must be clear and easy to read for age groups past 16, and understandable for ages from 13 to 15. This means text must be concise, and avoid the use of overly vague or complex words. Aim your writing for readers with proficient reading skills, whilst baring in mind that not all readers are specialists of a subject, and therefore may need explanation. General rule of thumb, if you have to use a dictionary to understand a word, then it's best you find a more commonly used synonym.

Spelling and Grammar
Good spelling and grammar are expected of an editor, and should follow the normal expectations of any public publication. Use correct American English spellings and grammar, and ensure correct placement of punctuation such as commas, and speech marks. Punctuation should not be over used, such as multiple question marks, or exclamation marks. Use of online or text slangs should not be used, such as text speak or internet slang (2nite is kewl & hey how r u).

Vulgar language must never be used, any use of profanity or vulgar language without particular reason, such as it's appearance in canon material, will be deleted and the author punished.

Spell Check and Wiktionary.com
Users should use browsers which support spell check, such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox in order to ensure correct use of grammar and spelling. If editors do not have access to such browsers, then typing article's and text on a word processing program such as Microsoft Word before copy and pasting those corrections onto the wiki is the next best option. When in doubt about spelling use wiktionary.com.

Numbers
Whilst the use of English on this wiki is only American English, numbers on the wiki vary in formats depending on the style of numbers used. Some numbers may be used in American format, whilst others might be used in European format.

Measurements
Measurements of speed, length, and weight should always be written using the metric system, and then converted into imperial using the  template. Metric measurements are used due to the small number of English speaking countries who use imperial measurements still.

Dates
Dates should be written in American format (Month Day, Year) when used on articles, such as release dates.

Floor numbers
Floor numbers should follow an American format with the floor at ground level being referred to as 1st floor, the above level being referred to as 2nd floor, and so on. It should not follow the British format of Ground floor, then 1st floor, and so on.

Time Zones
Time zone should always be placed at UTC as this time zone is the only time zone to remain consistent through the year without being affected by day light saving time.