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This help page provides information on [[wikipedia:citation|references or citation]], specifically the process of and format of referencing or citing a source of information.
This help page provides information on [[wikipedia:citation|references or citation]], specifically the process of and format of referencing or citing a source of information. Halopedia has introduced a new standard for citations with the aim of being easier, more consistent and more future-proofed as the wiki continues to grow.


== General ==
The new system we're working with is designed to do several things to improve on the standard <nowiki><ref></nowiki> tags you're no-doubt familiar with as standard on most wikis. In no particular order, this system is designed to be easier, quicker, more consistent and futureproof. For a detailed explanation, see below.  
=== Basic concept ===
This wiki uses [[wikipedia:mediawiki|mediawiki]] and, as such, the referencing process makes use of the mediawiki's <code>ref</code> tag. In order to cite source of information, users will be required to type in the tag around the source of information (e.g. <code><nowiki><ref>REFERENCE</ref></nowiki>)</code> and place the tag at the end of the sentence. The basic concept of the <code>ref</code> tag is that it inserts the text enclosed by the tag as a footnote in a designated section, which you indicate with the <code>references</code> tag (HTML tag for references: <code><nowiki><references/></nowiki></code>).  


If you don't include <code>references</code> tag at the end of the article, none of the footnotes will appear. Instead, an error message in red will appear at the end of the article, as a reminder to the editor to insert the <code>references</code> tag.
==Overview==
If you're familiar with using infobox templates already, the new sourcing system should come naturally to you. For a general jist, referencing works now by using a template to handle all layout, formatting and so forth of references - the only information you need to input is a link, a page name, chapter number or level. All bold and italic text, hyperlinking and placement of information is handled for you. As such, instead of having to write out;
:<code><nowiki><ref name="H5MeridianStation">''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', campaign level [[Meridian Station]]</ref></nowiki></code>
To render<ref name="H5MeridianStation1">''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', campaign level [[Meridian Station]]</ref>, you simply have to write;
:<code><nowiki>{{Ref/Level|Id=H5MeridianStation|H5G|Meridian Station}}</nowiki></code>
To render this.{{Ref/Level|Id=H5MeridianStation|H5G|Meridian Station}} Both methods produce the same outcome to the end reader, but the second option ensures that all citations use the exact same formatting and placement order for text and information, as a result making our pages look cleaner and more organised. For example, compare [[Magnetic accelerator cannon|this page's]] reference section versus the one seen on [https://www.halopedia.org/index.php?title=United_Nations_Space_Command&oldid=1372609 this] revision of the UNSC page. With multiple editors employing slightly different styles for how references are formatted, things look messy - something this new system avoids entirely! Additionally, by using a lot of automation, we can ensure that reference formatting styles can be easily updated across the site in the future by updating the source template alone or using bots - something that massively helps with making the site as a whole adaptable for the future.


This page itself uses footnotes, such as the one at the end of this sentence.<ref>An example source</ref> If you view the wikicode of this page by clicking "Edit this page", you can see a working example of footnotes.
If the stuff written above seems confusing or intimidating, that's fine. Below is written a deep-dive into some different referencing scenarios and what you'd do, but it doesn't cover anything. If you get stuck with anything, feel free to message one of our [[Halopedia:Administrators|Admins]] or [[Halopedia:Patrollers|Patrollers]] on the site or on the [[Halopedia:Discord Server|Discord server]] and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.


;Example:
==The crunch==
<div class="darker" style="border:1px solid #999; background:#eeeeee;">
As explained prior, referencing is handled now via a template, the root of which can be found at [[Template:Ref]]. You may notice I said ''root'', that's because I lied. It's not a template, it's a system of several templates. Due to how many types of references we may want to do, we can't fit everything into one template, so it's broken into several specialist ones - luckily, they're all listed in the link I just provided. Additionally, typing <code><nowiki>{{Ref/</nowiki></code> in your wikitext editor will bring up a list of them in a little drop down menu, so you don't need to remember them all.
*According to scientists, the Sun is pretty big.<ref>E. Miller, The Sun, (New York: Academic Press, 2005), 23-5.</ref>
*The Moon, however, is not so big.<ref>R. Smith, "Size of the Moon", Scientific American, 46 (April 1978): 44-6.</ref>
</div>


=== Multiple uses of the same footnote ===
Some of the most common scenarios are listed below.
To give a footnote a unique identifier, use <code><nowiki><ref name="name"/></nowiki></code>. You can then refer to the same footnote again by using a ref tag with the same name. The text inside the second tag doesn't matter, because the text already exists in the first reference. You can either copy the whole footnote, or you can use a terminated empty ref tag that looks like this: <code><nowiki><ref name="name"/></nowiki></code>.


In the following example, the same source is cited three times.
===Referencing webpages===
This section covers referencing websites. In general, the method for referencing a webpage is fairly standard, and we have some nifty tools to make sure that even deadlinks are workable via the automatic generation of Archive.org links. To use an example, take the example at the end of this sentence.{{Ref/Site|Id=CFRaven|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/thats-so-raven|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - That's So Raven|D=04|M=4|Y=2021}}


;Example:
<div class="darker" style="border:1px solid #999; background:#eeeeee;">
This is an example of multiple references to the same footnote.<ref name="multiple">Remember that when you refer to the same footnote multiple times, the text from the first reference is used.</ref>


Such references are particularly useful when citing sources, if different statements come from the same source.<ref name="multiple">This text is superfluous, and won't show up anywhere. We may as well just use an empty tag.</ref>
Here's how this is broken down;
<nowiki>{{Ref/Site
|Id=CFRaven                                                      - (This parameter is the name we want to store in case we want to reuse this reference - see the Reusing Citations section below)
|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/thats-so-raven      - (The URL of the webpage we want to link to)
|Site=Halo Waypoint                                          - (The name of the website hosting the article such as Bungie.net, Halo Waypoint, IGN, Gamespot etc..)
|Page=Canon Fodder - That's So Raven                          - (The name of the article being linked to)
|D=04                                                            - (The day you are writing the article; most be two digits)
|M=4                                                              - (The month you are writing the article)
|Y=2021                                                          - (The year you are writing the article)
}}
</nowiki>


A concise way to make multiple references is to use empty ref tags, which have a slash at the end. Although this may reduce redundant work, please be aware that if a future editor removes the first reference, this will result in the loss of all references using the empty ref tags.<ref name="multiple" />
In this case, the <code>|D=|M=|Y=</code> parameters are there to provide date information to the template, allowing it to generate a link to Archive.org and the {{C|Retrieved on...}} text. This means that if the article being referenced is on a website that has since gone down, an auto-generated webarchive link will be provided without any input needed on the part of the user!
</div>


=== Columns ===
There are some other options available for citing websites such as quotations; these additional optional parameters are covered in the [[Template:Ref/Site|Ref/Site]] documentation. We also have some other templates for citing web media including [[Template:Ref/YouTube|Ref/YouTube]] and [[Template:Ref/Twitter|Ref/Twitter]].
If you have a lot of references in the designated section, they can be placed in columns to save space and ease reading. Instead of using <code><nowiki><references/></nowiki></code>, just add the following code:
<code><nowiki>{{reflist|NUMBER OF COLUMNS}}</nowiki></code>


== Format ==
===Referencing media===
The wiki employs different citation format for particular references. It is recommended that editors should always refer to the following format when citing a source for an article.
This section covers the most common referencing you'll likely do; books, novels, comics, games and such. In general, referencing of these media forms all follows the same basic idea, with some slight changes depending on what exactly you're doing. For example, take this reference;{{Ref/Novel|Id=HO15|Oblv|Chapter=15|Page=123-124}}


=== Main format ===
Here's now this reference is broken down, with accompanying notes in brackets to explain what's what.
The main format for citation is primarily composed of two elements: the first element is the title of the media, with the second element being the page number. The first element should always be in ''italics'', and the second element should always be left normal. The main format is as such:
<pre>
''Title of media'', page number
</pre>


In addition to these two elements, editors can consider adding an additional element which is an excerpt from that media. Do note that this third optional element should only be added at the end of the main citation format, and only if the cited information requires it as to provide verification on what is being cited. Consider the following scenario: a dispute may arise due to phrasing of a sentence concerning whether Kurt-051 had any final words before he died. In this consider, the third element should be added with an actual excerpt from the media as to provide clarification on the phrasing of that sentence. The format for this third element is as such:
<nowiki>{{Ref/Novel          - (The specific reference template we want to use to cite this media)
<pre>
|Id=HO15                    - (This parameter is the name we want to store in case we want to reuse this reference - see the Reusing Citations section below)
''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx'', page 372 (Kurt-051: ''"Spartans never die"'')
|Oblv                        - (This is an Acronym that allows us to call this media title easily. See the Acronyms section below)
</pre>
|Chapter=15                  - (Should be self-explanatory - place your chapter number here)
|Page=123-124                - (Should be self-explanatory - place your page number(s) here. In general for novels, we prefer chapter numbers over page ones though.)
}}</nowiki>


=== Reissued/republished ===
Depending on circumstance, you'll need a different referencing template. For referencing novels, you'd use [[Template:Ref/Novel|Ref/Novel]]. For reference books (IE ''Warfleet'' or the EVGs) you'd use [[Template:Ref/Book|Ref/Book]], for comics [[Template:Ref/Comic|Ref/Comic]] and so forth - you get the idea. Notably, we have several for games including [[Template:Ref/Level|campaign levels]], [[Template:Ref/Map|Multiplayer maps]], [[Template:Ref/Mode|gamemodes]] and a generic [[Template:Ref/Game|Ref/Game]] for misc. info. Below, I'll cover some scenarios so you can get an idea of how to use these templates.
For reissued/republished media, i.e. updated with new information or less mistakes, simply add a semicolon at the end of the main citation format. The format is as such:
<pre>
''Title of media'', page number; ''Date of new publish'', page number
</pre>


Thus, a working example would be as such:
One important thing to note is that when referencing novels, Halopedia always prefers the use of simple chapter numbers over specific page numbers. Due to the prevalance of dozens of reissues of some books across the world and the growing presence of digital releases, managing page numbers is simply infeasible, whereas chapters are universal. When referencing hardback reference books, page numbers are still perfectly fine.
<pre>
''Halo: Fall of Reach'', page ??; ''2010'', page ??
</pre>


=== Webpages ===
====Acronyms====
The format for citing webpages is largely similar to the main citation format. The first element is in ''italics'' and the second element is left normal. However, rather than capturing the page number of the webpage, the second element is used for the title of the webpage. The first element is always the source of the webpage. As per above section, editors can also consider adding in the third element if they are required as to provide further verification on what has been cited. Also note that the third element should not be part of the link.
As mentioned above, Acronyms are a system developed to make referencing media quicker than easier. As seen in the example used in the Overview section, this system essentially allows you to be <s>lazy</s>-efficient. Instead of having to write out particularly long source names such as ''Halo 5: Guardians'' or ''Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn'', this system simply allows you to type in the acronym of the appropriate media and the automation handles the rest. For example, typing out <code>H5G</code> will automatically translate to the reference displaying ''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]''.


The format is as such:
Pretty simple right? For a full list of all (and I do mean ''all'') supported acronyms, see [[Halopedia:Acronyms]]. It's a very comprehensive list.


<pre>
===Reusing citations===
[URL-HERE ''Source of webpage'': Title of webpage]
Often times, you'll want to use the same citation to reference multiple pieces of information because you're a civilised person and understand the benefit of calling the same variable several times. As touched on above, this is handled easily in the new templates system. As a recap, how you're used to reusing citations right now is by typing out something like <code><nowiki><ref name="HO15"></nowiki></code>.
</pre>


Thus, an example of a working webpage format would be like the following:
In the new system, all reference templates have a field called <code>Id=</code>. This works exactly the same way as our <code>name=</code>, except you type the name ''without'' quotation marks. To go back to our ''Halo: Oblivion'' citation{{Ref/Reuse|HO15}}, what we've got here in our field is this field; <code>|Id=HO15</code>
<pre>
[http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/112/1126799p3.html ''IGN'': Beyond the Ring: Bungie's Renegade Development of Halo's Fiction] (''Joseph Staten'': ""Bungie was maintaining creative oversight over all these initiatives -- we really did have a lot of control over what stories got told. Historically, over the decade of Halo storytelling, Bungie would maintain creative ownership and direction of these various projects." ")
</pre>


Note that webpages format requires a working URL link. This essentially means that you would need to enter <code>"http://www.wwwdotcom.com"</code> (this is an example of a URL by the way). If the URL no longer exist, simply add "(dead link)" at the end of the format and leave a notice on the article's talk page so that others can find a more suitable source to replace that dead link.
If we want to call the ''Halo: Oblivion'' citation later, all we need to use is following; <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Reuse|HO15}}</nowiki></code>. I'm not sure if there's much that needs explaining here - you simply add the tag of the reference you wish to call in the field.


=== Game ===
===Notes===
The citation format for games is similar to the main citation format. As always, first element should be in ''italics'', the second element should be left normal and the third element should be considered only if it is required. The citation format for citing games are as such:
To create a note for a specific text, simply type in <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Note|Your Text Here!}}</nowiki></code> to generate the following;{{Ref/Note|Your Text Here!}}


<pre>
To display notes the bottom of the article, simply enter the template <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Notes}}</nowiki></code>. Doing so will list all notes using the aforementioned notes template.
''Title of game'', campaign level/multiplayer map/Spartan Ops, Title of Level/Map/Episode
{{Ref/Notes}}
</pre>


The following are examples. For citing a campaign level, it would be as such:
===Citation lists===
<pre>
To add a list of sources, you're likely used to typing out <code><nowiki><references/></nowiki></code> at the bottom of articles. This one is a pretty simple chance, as where you would type <code><nowiki><references/></nowiki></code> you now simply use the <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Sources}}</nowiki></code> tag. This is done so that we can customise reference list stylings consistently, should we need to. Typing <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Sources}}</nowiki></code> still gives you the below list;
''Halo: Combat Evolved'', campaign level, The Truth and Reconciliation ("Captain Keyes: They call it Halo")
{{Ref/Sources}}
</pre>


For citing a multiplayer map:
{{Ref/Sources|2}}
<pre>
''Halo 3'', multiplayer map, Avalanche
</pre>


If you're citing a Spartan Ops episode:
===Worked examples===
<pre>
The below table covers a large variety of referencing scenarios for various forms of media. If you're stuck, try copying one of the below codes and replacing the information!
''Halo 4'', Spartan Ops, Departure (Roland: "Welcome aboard, Spartans. I'm Roland - ship's AI, at your service. On the line, Spartans; someone will be along to show you around shortly.")
 
</pre>
====Games====
The below section covers referencing any game-related element. All quote and detail parameters are shared across all of these templates.
{| class="wikitable" width="75%"
! Type of reference !! Wikitext !! What you see !! Reference template used
|-
| Generic game || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Game|HFR|Detail=Ava Lang in-game model}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Game|HFR|Detail=Ava Lang in-game model}} || [[Template:Ref/Game|Ref/Game]]
|-
| Campaign level || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Level|H3ODST|Mombasa Streets}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Level|H3ODST|Mombasa Streets}} || [[Template:Ref/Level|Ref/Level]]
|-
| Campaign level, in which the Halopedia article name does not match up with the level name || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Level|HR|The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Reach level)|The Pillar of Autumn}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Level|HR|The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Reach level)|The Pillar of Autumn}} || [[Template:Ref/Level|Ref/Level]]
|-
| Campaign level dialogue quote || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Level|H2|Metropolis|Quote=This here is sixty-six tons of straight up, H-E-spewing dee-vine intervention!|Quotee=Avery Johnson}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Level|H2|Metropolis|Quote=This here is sixty-six tons of straight up, H-E-spewing dee-vine intervention!|Quotee=Avery Johnson}} || [[Template:Ref/Level|Ref/Level]]
|-
| Multiplayer map || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Map|HW|Beasley's Plateau}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Map|HW|Beasley's Plateau}} || [[Template:Ref/Map|Ref/Map]]
|-
| Multiplayer map specific detail || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Map|HCE|Blood Gulch|Detail=Red base Forerunner symbols}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Map|HCE|Blood Gulch|Detail=Red base Forerunner symbols}} || [[Template:Ref/Map|Ref/Map]]
|-
| Firefight map || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/FFMap|HW2|The Last Bastion}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/FFMap|HW2|The Last Bastion}} || [[Template:Ref/FFMap|Ref/FFMap]]
|-
| Spartan Ops level || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/SpOps|Catherine|Shootout in Valhalla}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/SpOps|Catherine|Shootout in Valhalla}} || [[Template:Ref/SpOps|Ref/SpOps]]
|-
| Specific gametype || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Mode|H4|Flood (gametype)|Flood|Detail=Infected Spartan in-game model}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Mode|H4|Flood (gametype)|Flood|Detail=Infected Spartan in-game model}} || [[Template:Ref/Mode|Ref/Mode]]
|}
 
====Books, comics and other print media====
The below section covers referencing any print-related element including novels, short stories, anthology collections, comics and reference books. All specific quote and detail parameters are done in the same way as the game examples above.
{| class="wikitable" width="75%"
! Type of reference !! Wikitext !! What you see !! Reference template used
|-
| Novel chapter citation || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Novel|TFOR|Chapter=22}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Novel|TFOR|Chapter=22}} || [[Template:Ref/Novel|Ref/Novel]]
|-
| Reference book page || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Book|Id=WF38|HWF|Section=Frigates|Page=38-39}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Book|Id=WF38|HWF|Section=Frigates|Page=38-39}} || [[Template:Ref/Book|Ref/Book]]
|-
| Anthology short story || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Anthology|Id=MonaLisa|Evo|Story=The Mona Lisa}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Anthology|Id=MonaLisa|Evo|Story=The Mona Lisa}} || [[Template:Ref/Anthology|Ref/Anthology]]
|-
| Comic series issue || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Comic|HE|Issue=17}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Comic|HE|Issue=17}} || [[Template:Ref/Comic|Ref/Comic]]
|-
| Comic anthology story || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Comic|HGN|Story=Breaking Quarantine}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Comic|HGN|Story=Breaking Quarantine}} || [[Template:Ref/Comic|Ref/Comic]]
|}
 
====Web-based citations====
The below section covers referencing any website, YouTube video or Twitter post. To easily write a Twitter citation, simply copy and paste the individual tweet URL, then delete all the information except the poster's username and the ID number at the end, then simply add the rest of the information as needed.
{| class="wikitable" width="75%"
! Type of reference !! Wikitext !! What you see !! Reference template used
|-
| Webpage citation || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Novel|Id=TFOR27|TFOR|Chapter=27}}{{Ref/Site|Id=CFLocalUnits|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-local-units|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Local Units|D=19|M=3|Y=2021}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Site|Id=CFLocalUnits|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-local-units|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Local Units|D=19|M=3|Y=2021}} || [[Template:Ref/Site|Ref/Site]]
|-
| Twitter post || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/Twitter|Id=TwitterDLC1|zaphodgjd|727601612441559045|Graeme Devine|Y=2020|M=10|D=19|Quote=Found this old @halowarss email today with story ideas for the DLC expansion.}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/Twitter|Id=TwitterDLC1|zaphodgjd|727601612441559045|Graeme Devine|Quote=Found this old @halowarss email today with story ideas for the DLC expansion.|D=19|M=10|Y=2020}} || [[Template:Ref/Twitter|Ref/Twitter]]
|-
| YouTube video || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/YouTube|Id=H2CE|DWI7AhQFpTE|Bungie|Cutting Room Floor Weapons Vehicles and Characters|Y=2020|M=12|D=17|Detail=Official Bungie upload of the BTS video from the ''Halo 2'' Collector's Edition}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/YouTube|Id=H2CE|DWI7AhQFpTE|Bungie|Cutting Room Floor Weapons Vehicles and Characters|Y=2020|M=12|D=17|Detail=Official Bungie upload of the BTS video from the ''Halo 2'' Collector's Edition}} || [[Template:Ref/YouTube|Ref/YouTube]]
|-
| YouTube video with timestamp || <code><nowiki>{{Ref/YouTube|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|9BURsPjNKck|Time=3132|Channel=IGN|VideoName=Ex-Bungie Dev Shares Halo 2 Stories - Podcast Unlocked|Detail=52:12}}</nowiki></code> || {{Ref/YouTube|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|9BURsPjNKck|Time=3132|Channel=IGN|VideoName=Ex-Bungie Dev Shares Halo 2 Stories - Podcast Unlocked|Detail=52:12}} || [[Template:Ref/YouTube|Ref/YouTube]]
|}


==Sources==
==Sources==
<references/>
{{Ref/Sources}}


== External link ==
== External link ==

Revision as of 11:07, April 5, 2021

This help page provides information on references or citation, specifically the process of and format of referencing or citing a source of information. Halopedia has introduced a new standard for citations with the aim of being easier, more consistent and more future-proofed as the wiki continues to grow.

The new system we're working with is designed to do several things to improve on the standard <ref> tags you're no-doubt familiar with as standard on most wikis. In no particular order, this system is designed to be easier, quicker, more consistent and futureproof. For a detailed explanation, see below.

Overview

If you're familiar with using infobox templates already, the new sourcing system should come naturally to you. For a general jist, referencing works now by using a template to handle all layout, formatting and so forth of references - the only information you need to input is a link, a page name, chapter number or level. All bold and italic text, hyperlinking and placement of information is handled for you. As such, instead of having to write out;

<ref name="H5MeridianStation">''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'', campaign level [[Meridian Station]]</ref>

To render[1], you simply have to write;

{{Ref/Level|Id=H5MeridianStation|H5G|Meridian Station}}

To render this.[2] Both methods produce the same outcome to the end reader, but the second option ensures that all citations use the exact same formatting and placement order for text and information, as a result making our pages look cleaner and more organised. For example, compare this page's reference section versus the one seen on this revision of the UNSC page. With multiple editors employing slightly different styles for how references are formatted, things look messy - something this new system avoids entirely! Additionally, by using a lot of automation, we can ensure that reference formatting styles can be easily updated across the site in the future by updating the source template alone or using bots - something that massively helps with making the site as a whole adaptable for the future.

If the stuff written above seems confusing or intimidating, that's fine. Below is written a deep-dive into some different referencing scenarios and what you'd do, but it doesn't cover anything. If you get stuck with anything, feel free to message one of our Admins or Patrollers on the site or on the Discord server and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

The crunch

As explained prior, referencing is handled now via a template, the root of which can be found at Template:Ref. You may notice I said root, that's because I lied. It's not a template, it's a system of several templates. Due to how many types of references we may want to do, we can't fit everything into one template, so it's broken into several specialist ones - luckily, they're all listed in the link I just provided. Additionally, typing {{Ref/ in your wikitext editor will bring up a list of them in a little drop down menu, so you don't need to remember them all.

Some of the most common scenarios are listed below.

Referencing webpages

This section covers referencing websites. In general, the method for referencing a webpage is fairly standard, and we have some nifty tools to make sure that even deadlinks are workable via the automatic generation of Archive.org links. To use an example, take the example at the end of this sentence.[3]


Here's how this is broken down; 

{{Ref/Site
 |Id=CFRaven                                                       - (This parameter is the name we want to store in case we want to reuse this reference - see the Reusing Citations section below)
 |URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/thats-so-raven       - (The URL of the webpage we want to link to)
 |Site=Halo Waypoint                                           - (The name of the website hosting the article such as Bungie.net, Halo Waypoint, IGN, Gamespot etc..)
 |Page=Canon Fodder - That's So Raven                          - (The name of the article being linked to)
 |D=04                                                             - (The day you are writing the article; most be two digits)
 |M=4                                                              - (The month you are writing the article)
 |Y=2021                                                           - (The year you are writing the article)
 }}

In this case, the |D=|M=|Y= parameters are there to provide date information to the template, allowing it to generate a link to Archive.org and the (Retrieved on...) text. This means that if the article being referenced is on a website that has since gone down, an auto-generated webarchive link will be provided without any input needed on the part of the user!

There are some other options available for citing websites such as quotations; these additional optional parameters are covered in the Ref/Site documentation. We also have some other templates for citing web media including Ref/YouTube and Ref/Twitter.

Referencing media

This section covers the most common referencing you'll likely do; books, novels, comics, games and such. In general, referencing of these media forms all follows the same basic idea, with some slight changes depending on what exactly you're doing. For example, take this reference;[4]

Here's now this reference is broken down, with accompanying notes in brackets to explain what's what. 

{{Ref/Novel          - (The specific reference template we want to use to cite this media)
 |Id=HO15                     - (This parameter is the name we want to store in case we want to reuse this reference - see the Reusing Citations section below)
 |Oblv                        - (This is an Acronym that allows us to call this media title easily. See the Acronyms section below)
 |Chapter=15                  - (Should be self-explanatory - place your chapter number here)
 |Page=123-124                - (Should be self-explanatory - place your page number(s) here. In general for novels, we prefer chapter numbers over page ones though.)
 }}

Depending on circumstance, you'll need a different referencing template. For referencing novels, you'd use Ref/Novel. For reference books (IE Warfleet or the EVGs) you'd use Ref/Book, for comics Ref/Comic and so forth - you get the idea. Notably, we have several for games including campaign levels, Multiplayer maps, gamemodes and a generic Ref/Game for misc. info. Below, I'll cover some scenarios so you can get an idea of how to use these templates.

One important thing to note is that when referencing novels, Halopedia always prefers the use of simple chapter numbers over specific page numbers. Due to the prevalance of dozens of reissues of some books across the world and the growing presence of digital releases, managing page numbers is simply infeasible, whereas chapters are universal. When referencing hardback reference books, page numbers are still perfectly fine.

Acronyms

As mentioned above, Acronyms are a system developed to make referencing media quicker than easier. As seen in the example used in the Overview section, this system essentially allows you to be lazy-efficient. Instead of having to write out particularly long source names such as Halo 5: Guardians or Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn, this system simply allows you to type in the acronym of the appropriate media and the automation handles the rest. For example, typing out H5G will automatically translate to the reference displaying Halo 5: Guardians.

Pretty simple right? For a full list of all (and I do mean all) supported acronyms, see Halopedia:Acronyms. It's a very comprehensive list.

Reusing citations

Often times, you'll want to use the same citation to reference multiple pieces of information because you're a civilised person and understand the benefit of calling the same variable several times. As touched on above, this is handled easily in the new templates system. As a recap, how you're used to reusing citations right now is by typing out something like <ref name="HO15">.

In the new system, all reference templates have a field called Id=. This works exactly the same way as our name=, except you type the name without quotation marks. To go back to our Halo: Oblivion citation[4], what we've got here in our field is this field; |Id=HO15

If we want to call the Halo: Oblivion citation later, all we need to use is following; {{Ref/Reuse|HO15}}. I'm not sure if there's much that needs explaining here - you simply add the tag of the reference you wish to call in the field.

Notes

To create a note for a specific text, simply type in {{Ref/Note|Your Text Here!}} to generate the following;[Note 1]

To display notes the bottom of the article, simply enter the template {{Ref/Notes}}. Doing so will list all notes using the aforementioned notes template.

  1. ^ Your Text Here!

Citation lists

To add a list of sources, you're likely used to typing out <references/> at the bottom of articles. This one is a pretty simple chance, as where you would type <references/> you now simply use the {{Ref/Sources}} tag. This is done so that we can customise reference list stylings consistently, should we need to. Typing {{Ref/Sources}} still gives you the below list;

  1. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Meridian Station
  2. ^ Halo 5: Guardians, campaign level Meridian Station
  3. ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - That's So Raven (Retrieved on Apr 4, 2021) [archive]
  4. ^ a b Halo: Oblivion, chapter 15, page 123-124

Worked examples

The below table covers a large variety of referencing scenarios for various forms of media. If you're stuck, try copying one of the below codes and replacing the information!

Games

The below section covers referencing any game-related element. All quote and detail parameters are shared across all of these templates.

Type of reference Wikitext What you see Reference template used
Generic game {{Ref/Game|HFR|Detail=Ava Lang in-game model}} [1] Ref/Game
Campaign level {{Ref/Level|H3ODST|Mombasa Streets}} [2] Ref/Level
Campaign level, in which the Halopedia article name does not match up with the level name {{Ref/Level|HR|The Pillar of Autumn (Halo: Reach level)|The Pillar of Autumn}} [3] Ref/Level
Campaign level dialogue quote {{Ref/Level|H2|Metropolis|Quote=This here is sixty-six tons of straight up, H-E-spewing dee-vine intervention!|Quotee=Avery Johnson}} [4] Ref/Level
Multiplayer map {{Ref/Map|HW|Beasley's Plateau}} [5] Ref/Map
Multiplayer map specific detail {{Ref/Map|HCE|Blood Gulch|Detail=Red base Forerunner symbols}} [6] Ref/Map
Firefight map {{Ref/FFMap|HW2|The Last Bastion}} [7] Ref/FFMap
Spartan Ops level {{Ref/SpOps|Catherine|Shootout in Valhalla}} [8] Ref/SpOps
Specific gametype {{Ref/Mode|H4|Flood (gametype)|Flood|Detail=Infected Spartan in-game model}} [9] Ref/Mode

Books, comics and other print media

The below section covers referencing any print-related element including novels, short stories, anthology collections, comics and reference books. All specific quote and detail parameters are done in the same way as the game examples above.

Type of reference Wikitext What you see Reference template used
Novel chapter citation {{Ref/Novel|TFOR|Chapter=22}} [10] Ref/Novel
Reference book page {{Ref/Book|Id=WF38|HWF|Section=Frigates|Page=38-39}} [11] Ref/Book
Anthology short story {{Ref/Anthology|Id=MonaLisa|Evo|Story=The Mona Lisa}} [12] Ref/Anthology
Comic series issue {{Ref/Comic|HE|Issue=17}} [13] Ref/Comic
Comic anthology story {{Ref/Comic|HGN|Story=Breaking Quarantine}} [14] Ref/Comic

Web-based citations

The below section covers referencing any website, YouTube video or Twitter post. To easily write a Twitter citation, simply copy and paste the individual tweet URL, then delete all the information except the poster's username and the ID number at the end, then simply add the rest of the information as needed.

Type of reference Wikitext What you see Reference template used
Webpage citation {{Ref/Novel|Id=TFOR27|TFOR|Chapter=27}}{{Ref/Site|Id=CFLocalUnits|URL=https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/news/canon-fodder-local-units|Site=Halo Waypoint|Page=Canon Fodder - Local Units|D=19|M=3|Y=2021}} [15] Ref/Site
Twitter post {{Ref/Twitter|Id=TwitterDLC1|zaphodgjd|727601612441559045|Graeme Devine|Y=2020|M=10|D=19|Quote=Found this old @halowarss email today with story ideas for the DLC expansion.}} [16] Ref/Twitter
YouTube video {{Ref/YouTube|Id=H2CE|DWI7AhQFpTE|Bungie|Cutting Room Floor Weapons Vehicles and Characters|Y=2020|M=12|D=17|Detail=Official Bungie upload of the BTS video from the ''Halo 2'' Collector's Edition}} [17] Ref/YouTube
YouTube video with timestamp {{Ref/YouTube|D=01|M=6|Y=2020|9BURsPjNKck|Time=3132|Channel=IGN|VideoName=Ex-Bungie Dev Shares Halo 2 Stories - Podcast Unlocked|Detail=52:12}} [18] Ref/YouTube

Sources

  1. ^ Halo: Fireteam Raven: Ava Lang in-game model
  2. ^ Halo 3: ODST, campaign level Mombasa Streets
  3. ^ Halo: Reach, campaign level The Pillar of Autumn
  4. ^ Halo 2, campaign level Metropolis: "This here is sixty-six tons of straight up, H-E-spewing dee-vine intervention!" - Avery Johnson
  5. ^ Halo Wars, multiplayer map Beasley's Plateau
  6. ^ Halo: Combat Evolved, multiplayer map Blood Gulch: Red base Forerunner symbols
  7. ^ Halo Wars 2, Firefight map The Last Bastion
  8. ^ Halo 4 - Spartan Ops, episode Catherine, level Shootout in Valhalla
  9. ^ Halo 4, gamemode Flood: Infected Spartan in-game model
  10. ^ Halo: The Fall of Reach, chapter 22
  11. ^ Halo: Warfleet - Frigates, page 38-39
  12. ^ Halo: Evolutions - The Mona Lisa
  13. ^ Halo: Escalation, issue 17
  14. ^ Halo Graphic Novel - Breaking Quarantine
  15. ^ Halo Waypoint, Canon Fodder - Local Units (Retrieved on Mar 19, 2021) [archive]
  16. ^ Twitter, Graeme Devine (@zaphodgjd): "Found this old @halowarss email today with story ideas for the DLC expansion." (Retrieved on Oct 19, 2020) [archive]
  17. ^ YouTube - Bungie, Cutting Room Floor Weapons Vehicles and Characters: Official Bungie upload of the BTS video from the Halo 2 Collector's Edition (Retrieved on Dec 17, 2020)
  18. ^ YouTube - IGN, Ex-Bungie Dev Shares Halo 2 Stories - Podcast Unlocked: 52:12 (Retrieved on Jun 1, 2020)

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