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{{sc|T:PREFIX|T:LOP}}
{{mosnav|p=Citation|In-universe citation|Out-of-universe citation|Citation in articles about living people|c=Citation}}
'''Prefixes''' are used to preface a story name, given as the [[T:SOURCES|source]] for a statement of fact in an article. In the example, "The [[Tenth Doctor]] once ate a part of a [[chocolate]] [[Easter egg]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[Planet of the Dead (TV story)|Planet of the Dead]]'')", the ''prefix'' is [[DW]].
{{sc|T:PREFIX|T:LOP}}{{moss|We decided many years ago to prefer in-line citation over a more formalised footnote style. In most cases — particularly with in-universe articles — we cite a statement by giving a prefix followed by the name of a story or publication. This page identifies what prefixes to use.
== Origin and consensus for this system ==
This method of inline source citation was decided by community consensus in the first year of the wiki's operation and has survived several challenges to uproot it. The longest and most sustained challenge to the system can be found at [[Forum:Can we change how stories are cited?]] Given [[Tardis:About#Early history|early administrators' admiration]] for [[memoryalpha:Memory Alpha|Memory Alpha]], the ''Star Trek'' wiki, this prefixing system is likely to have derived from MA.


The following article explains how prefixes are used on this wiki, then gives a list ordered by medium.
As a rule of thumb, stories are identified by a prefix related to the '''medium of the story''', like [[TV]], [[COMIC]] or  [[AUDIO]].


== Usage ==
Non-narrative source prefixes are more about '''type''', like [[DOC]] and [[ICOM]].}}
Prefixes may be a foreign concept to users coming from academia, Wikipedia, or other reference projects. They are a kind of shorthand which obviates the need for laborious in-line citation or footnotes. They allow a few letters and a linked story name to subsitute for anything more formal.
'''Prefixes''' are used to preface a source name, given as the [[T:SOURCES|origin]] of a given statement of fact in an article. In the example,
:The [[Tenth Doctor]] once ate a part of a [[chocolate]] [[Easter egg]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Dead (TV story)|Planet of the Dead]]'')
the ''prefix'' is [[TV]].


For instance, an obvious use of a prefix would be
Note that prefixes are a different and, in some ways, simpler system than [[Tardis:Disambiguation term|dab terms]] (the parentheticals you find in page titles). Most prefixes cover several dab terms.
:[[Sarah Jane Smith]] met the [[Third Doctor]] whilst pretending to be her aunt, [[Lavinia Smith]]. ([[DW]]: ''[[The Time Warrior]]'')
The [[DW]] saves the editor the bother of having to type,
:[[Sarah Jane Smith]] met the [[Third Doctor]] whilst pretending to be her aunt, [[Lavinia Smith]], in the ''[[Doctor Who]]'' television [[serial]], ''[[The Time Warrior]]''.


New editors may wish to bookmark this page for easy reference, at least until they become more familiar with the more arcane prefixes used on this site.
==In-universe sources ==
Prefixes that are used on this site for the citation of stories are:
{|class=wikitable
!Prefix
!When used
!Covers dab terms
|-
|[[TV]]
|stories originally broadcast on television (or in cinemas)
|"(TV story)", "(theatrical film)"
|-
|[[PROSE]]
|short stories, novels, novellas, novelisations, prose non-narrative fiction
|"(novel)", "(short story)", "(feature)", "(reference book)"
|-
|[[AUDIO]]
|sources original to the aural media. Useful to distinguish between different versions of what only appears to be the same thing. For instance, [[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Stones of Blood (audio story)|The Stones of Blood]]'' is not just an audiobook of ''[[Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood (novelisation)|Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood]]'', but a wholly different telling of it. 
|"(audio story)"
|-
|[[COMIC]]
|sources told via sequential art, regardless of length
|"(comic story)"
|-
|[[HOMEVID]]
|all sources told via direct-to-video releases
|"(home video)"
|-
|[[GAME]]
|fiction contained within games that are [[T:VS|valid sources]], such as ''[[The Adventure Games]]''
|"(game)", "(video game)"
|-
|[[WC]]
|video fiction released over the Internet
|"(webcast)"
|-
|[[POEM]]
|written fiction written in verse, or otherwise identifying itself as a poem
|"(poem)"
|-
|[[GRAPHIC]]
|fiction taking the form of a non-narrative graphic source, such as a diagram or illustration
|"(illustration)"
|}
=== Invalid sources ===
Although invalid fiction can belong to various media, we find it easiest to use one catch-all prefix when citing invalid sources.  


== Television/Film/Video/Web ==
This helps make sure that no invalid sources are accidentally used by editors when writing an in-universe page in the main namespace: as their name implies, invalid sources can ''only'' be used as citations for in-universe pages that also bear the {{tlx|invalid}} tag, or, alternatively, in the "Behind the scenes" section of a normal in-universe page.
=== BBC ===
==== In-universe ====
* [[DW]] - ''[[Doctor Who]]'', by which is meant "any episode or [[serial]] of ''[[Doctor Who]]'' to have premiered in the [[United Kingdom]] on [[BBC One]], [[BBC Two|Two]], [[BBC Three|Three]] or [[BBC Red Button|Red Button]], which does not offend our [[Tardis:Canon policy|canon policy]]." [[DW]] cannot, therefore, be used for the two [[1960s]] [[Dalek]] theatrical films, or for ''[[Dimensions in Time]]'', ''[[The Curse of Fatal Death]]'', or any other parodic material. Per [[forum:Meanwhile in the TARDIS|a forum discussion]], however, '''DW''' is the appropriate prefix for the DVD and Blu-ray releases of the [[BBC Wales]] series, such as the ''[[Meanwhile in the TARDIS]]'' vignettes.
* [[KAC]] - ''[[K9 and Company]]''. Because there was only one episode ever made, this prefix has exactly one usage: "([[KAC]]: ''[[A Girl's Best Friend]]'')". Note that writing "([[KAC]]: ''[[K9 and Company]]'')" is both redundant and incorrect, and that using "[[KAC]]" in conjunction with spin-off material, like [[K9 Annual 1983|the 1983 ''K9'' annual]], is also incorrect.
* [[SJA]] - ''[[The Sarah Jane Adventures]]''
* [[SJAF]] - ''[[Sarah Jane's Alien Files]]''
* [[TS]] - Doctor Who [[Tardisode]]s. To the extent that these are even remembered, many will recall them as having appeared on the official DW website. One might therefore be tempted to use the prefix [[WC]] to describe them. However, their intended platform was the mobile phone, making them unique amongst DW narratives, and necessitating a unique prefix.
* [[TW]] - ''[[Torchwood (TV series)|Torchwood]]''
* [[WEB]] - refers to fictional information on a limited number of official, [[:Category:In-universe websites|in-universe websites]] that are wholly fictional. Not to be confused with [[WC]], which refers to an individual feature on an official website that is mostly '''not''' an in-universe website.
* [[VG]] - refers to a video game, which, with the advent of [[Doctor Who: The Adventure Games]], may therefore include material found on the BBC website. Not all video games, of course, are made by the BBC, but this prefix may be used, so long as the game was licensed by the BBC.


==== Real world ====
Consequently, while some dab terms, like "(stage play)", will always be linked to the [[NOTVALID]] prefix, it is possible to see [[The Final Script (comic story)|a comic story]] or even [[Dimensions in Time (TV story)|a TV story]] cited with [[NOTVALID]].
Generally, the following sources should be used on real world pages. However, information from these sources could conceivably be used in "behind the scenes" sections of in-universe articles.
{|class=wikitable
* [[CON]] - ''[[Doctor Who Confidential]]''
!Prefix
* [[TWD]] - ''[[Torchwood Declassified]]''
!When used
* [[INFO]] - [[BBC DVD]] [[info text]]s
!Covers dab terms
* [[PCOM]] - BBC podcast commentaries
|-
* [[DCOM]] - [[BBC DVD]] commentaries
|-
==== Mixed use ====
|[[NOTVALID]]  
* [[WC]] - [[Webcast]], by which is usually meant, "comic, prose or animated fiction, published to websites of entities who produce licensed ''Doctor Who'' material", such as [http://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho the BBC's official website]. A good example of proper usage is [[WC]]: ''[[Real Time (webcast)|Real Time]]''. However, official sites have, in exceptional circumstances, published behind-the-scenes material, such as [[WC]]: ''[[Doctor Who Video Explorer]]'', or any one of a number of videos on the [[BBC America]] website. Thus the prefix can actually mean that the cited resource is ''either'' in- or out-of-universe. It can also be used beyond BBC websites, so long as that website is officially licensed, as with [[Big Finish Productions]]' website.
|Use when citing an officially released story that is ''not'' considered a [[T:VS|valid source]].
|"(stage play)", misc.
|}


=== Non-BBC ===
== Out-of-universe sources==
* [[K9TV]] - episodes of the ''[[K9 (TV series)|K9]]'' TV series
Confined mostly to reference sources, the following prefixes may be used in any "real world" article, or in the "behind the scenes" section of an in-universe article.  While the in-universe prefixes are ''strictly'' by medium, the out-of-universe ones emphasise ''type'' of material.
** [[K9CP]] - "Character Profiles" from the ''K9'' [[Series 1 (K9)#DVD releases|Series 1 DVDs]]. Not for use in in-universe articles.
{|class=wikitable
* [[BBV]] - [[BBV Productions]]
!Prefix
* [[RP]] - [[Reeltime Pictures]]
!When used
!Covers dab terms
|-
|[[REF]]
|reference '''books''' seen as valid under [[T:OOU SRC]]
|"(reference book)"
|-
|[[DOC]]
|Any sort of documentary, regardless of medium. ''[[Doctor Who Confidential]]'' and ''[[Torchwood Declassified]]'' episodes, DVD documentaries, [[Big Finish]] extras, [[Myth Makers]]' releases — they're all [[DOC]]
|"(documentary)", "(DWE episode)", "(CON episode)"
|-
|}


== Audio ==
===Commentaries===
Commentaries are especially tricky, thanks in large measure to the [[Tenth Doctor]]'s era, where some episodes have multiple commentaries.  It's important to use the correct prefix, because, for example, [[PCOM]]: ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]'' is a wholly different thing to [[ICOM]]: ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|Doomsday]]''.


=== [[Big Finish Productions]] ===
There is n associated dab term for commentary prefixes, because we do not give audio commentaries their own page; instead, we cover them in the "Behind the scenes" sections of the stories themselves.  
==== In-universe ====
{|class=wikitable
* [[BFA]] - [[Big Finish Doctor Who Audio Dramas]]
!Prefix
* [[BFBS]] - [[Big Finish Bernice Summerfield Series]] audio stories
!When used
* [[BFC]] - [[Cyberman (audio series)]]
|-
* [[BFD]] - [[I, Davros]]
|[[DCOM]]
* [[BFDE]] - [[Dalek Empire (Big Finish)]]
|Short for "DVD commentary", this is for the vast majority of ''audio'' commentaries found on DVD/Blu-ray.
* [[BFG]] - [[Gallifrey (audio series)]]
|-
* [[IW]] - [[Iris Wildthyme (series)]]
|[[PCOM]]
* [[JAL]] - [[Jago and Litefoot]]
|Short for "podcast commentary", this is for commentaries that were part of the official BBC podcasts during the RTD era
* [[BFSJS]] - [[Sarah Jane Smith (audio series)]]
|-
* [[BFU]] - [[UNIT (audio series)]]
|[[ICOM]]
* [[CC]] - [[The Companion Chronicles]]
|Short for "[[in-vision commentary]]".
* [[BFDWU]] - [[Doctor Who Unbound]]
|-
* [[GRC]] - [[Graceless]]
|}
 
==== Real world ====
* [[BFX]] - CD extras from any range of Big Finish releases
 
=== [[BBC]] ===
* [[BBCR]] - [[Doctor Who universe|''Doctor Who'' universe]] stories which were originally made public as '''broadcasts''' on [[BBC Radio]].
* [[BFA]]/[[BBCR]] - Collaborations between Big Finish and BBC Radio (i.e. series 1 of [[The New Eighth Doctor Adventures]])
* [[NSA]] - [[BBC New Series Adventures]]
* [[SJAA]] - ''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' audiobooks.
* [[TWA]] - ''Torchwood'' audiobooks.
=== [[AudioGO]]===
* [[AG]] - Long-time editors will know that this prefix ''used'' to be BBCA. However, owing to the purchase of BBC Audiobooks by [[AudioGo]], the entity known as "BBC Audio" was downgraded to a mere imprint, and the entire back catalogue of ''Doctor Who'' material became AudioGo's to play with. This abbreviation is therefore used for anything released under the BBC Audio or AudioGo logos '''which does not fall into other categories'''. For example the ''[[Hornets' Nest]]'' range, the various soundtracks to [[missing episode]]s, and the new audio novelisation of ''[[The Stones of Blood]]'' would be prefixed by AG, but not any of the audiobooks that appear on the [[New Series Adventures]] page, nor those audios which would be better tagged with [[SJAA]] or [[TWA]]. [[Target Books]] novelisations would generally be prefaced with [[DWN]], unless one were discussing something specific to the audio, in which case it ''would'' be prefaced with [[AG]]. ''[Please note that [[BBCA]] is now a redirect for [[BBC America]].]''
 
=== Others ===
* [[BBV]] - [[BBV Productions]] output (note that not everything made by BBV is a [[valid source]] on this wiki)
* [[KC]] - [[Magic Bullet Productions]]' [[Kaldor City]] audios
 
== Prose ==
=== Novels ===
==== [[Sparrow Books]]====
* [[AK9]] - ''[[The Adventures of K9]]'' (1980)
==== [[Target Books]] ====
* [[DWN]] - ''Doctor Who'' novelisations (1964-1994)
* [[TC]] - [[Target Companions of Doctor Who]] (1986-1987)
* [[TME]] - [[Target Missing Episodes]] (1989-1990)
==== [[Virgin Publishing]]====
* [[BNA]] - [[Virgin Bernice Summerfield New Adventures]] (1997-1999)
* [[MA]] - [[Virgin Missing Adventures]] (1994-1997)
* [[NA]] - [[Virgin New Adventures]] (1991-1997)
 
==== [[BBC Books]] ====
* [[DYD]] - [[Decide Your Destiny]] series (2007-present)
* [[EDA]] - [[BBC Eighth Doctor Adventures]] (1997-2005)
* [[NSA]] - [[BBC New Series Adventures]] ([[Ninth Doctor|Ninth]], [[Tenth Doctor|Tenth]] and [[Eleventh Doctor]] novels) (2005-present)
* [[PDA]] - [[BBC Past Doctor Adventures]] (1997-2005)
* [[QR]] - [[Quick Reads]] (2006-present)
* [[TDL]] - [[The Darksmith Legacy]] series (2009)
* [[TWN]] - [[BBC Torchwood novels]] (2007-present)
* [[DWN]] - The novelisations ''[[Doctor Who - The Novel of the Film]]'' (1996) and ''[[Shada (novelisation)|Shada]]'' (2012)
 
==== [[Big Finish Productions]] ====
* [[BFBS]] - [[Big Finish Bernice Summerfield Series|Big Finish Bernice Summerfield Adventures]] novels (2000-present)
* [[BFNW]] - [[Big Finish New Worlds]] (2005)
 
==== [[Penguin Character Books]] ====
* [[SJAN]] - [[The Sarah Jane Adventures novelisations|''The Sarah Jane Adventures'' novelisations]] (2007-2010)
 
=== Telos Novellas ===
* [[TN]] - [[Telos Doctor Who novella|Telos ''Doctor Who'' novellas]] (2001-2004)
* [[THN]] - [[Time Hunter]] novellas (2003-2007)
 
=== Short prose fiction ===
* [[BFBS]] - [[Big Finish Bernice Summerfield Series|Big Finish Bernice Summerfield Adventures]] prose anthologies (2000-present)
* [[BE]] - [[Brief Encounter]] prose stories published in ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' and ''Doctor Who Yearbooks''
* [[RT]] - ''[[Radio Times]]'' prose stories
* [[ST]] - [[Short Trips (series)|Short Trips]] anthology prose stories (includes both BBC Books and Big Finish) (1998-2009)
* [[VD]] - [[Virgin Decalogs]] anthology prose stories (1994-1997)
=== Annual publications ===
There are a wide variety of prefixes used for publications which appeared annually. Note that these prefixes '''apply to both comic and prose stories'''.
* [[DAN]] - for works from the [[Dalek annual]]s, like ''[[Terry Nation's Dalek Annual 1976]]''
* [[DWAN]] - for works from [[Doctor Who annual|''Doctor Who'' annuals]], as published mainly by [[World Distributors (Manchester), Ltd]] and [[BBC Books]]. Basically, if the cover has the words "Doctor Who" and "Annual" on it, use this prefix.
* [[DWS]] - for works from ''[[Doctor Who Storybook]]s'', like [[Doctor Who Storybook 2007]]
* [[DWY]] - for works from the ''Doctor Who Yearbooks'', like [[Doctor Who Yearbook 1992]]
* [[IDW]] - for [[IDW Publishing]] annuals, such as ''[[Doctor Who Annual 2010]]'' and ''[[Doctor Who Annual 2011]]''
* [[K9AN]] — for works from [[K9 Annual 1983]] (and any annuals which may eventually arise from ''[[K9 (TV series)|K9]]'')
* [[PHS]] - Stories published by Polystyle, but not under either ''Countdown'' or ''TV Comic''. Thus, stories from [[Doctor Who Holiday Special 1973]], [[Doctor Who Holiday Special 1974]], and [[Doctor Who Winter Special 1977]].
* [[TVA]] - [[TV Action|''Countdown'' and ''TV Action'']] annuals
* [[TVC]] - ''[[TV Comic]]'' annuals
=== Other ===
* [[CP]] - [[Charity publications]], '''not''' allowable in in-universe articles. Such sources can only be cited in behind-the-scenes sections or real world articles, per [[Tardis:Canon policy|our canon policy]].
* [[IW]] - [[Iris Wildthyme (series)|Iris Wildthyme]] novels, novellas and short stories by [[Snowbooks Ltd]] and [[Obverse Books]].
 
== Comics ==
The important thing to remember about citing comic stories is that comic strips are frequently reprinted. It is important, therefore, that we cite the publication of ''first'' publication. For instance, [[DWM]]: ''[[The Stockbridge Horror]]' is correct, while [[DW84]]: ''[[The Stockbridge Horror]]'' should only be used when referring to ''differences'' between the original printing and the American reprint. The following list of prefixes is alphabetised. ''
=== Regular publications ===
* [[DH]] - [[Death's Head (1988)|''Death's Head'' (1988)]]
* [[DW84]] - material original to [[Doctor Who (1984)|''Doctor Who'' (1984)]] published in the US by [[Marvel Comics|Marvel]]
* [[DWA]] - ''[[Doctor Who Adventures]]'' comics and prose stories
* [[DWBIT]] - ''[[Doctor Who: Battles in Time (magazine)|Doctor Who: Battles in Time]]''
* [[DWC]] - [[Doctor Who Classics]]
* [[DWCC]] - [[Doctor Who Classic Comics]]
* [[DWF]] - ''[[Doctor Who Files]]''
* [[DWM]] - ''[[Doctor Who Magazine]]'' comics and prose stories.
* [[DWMI]] - ''[[Doctor Who: Monster Invasion (magazine)|Doctor Who: Monster Invasion]]'' magazine
* [[DWMS]] - [[Doctor Who Magazine (special issues)|''Doctor Who Magazine'' specials]]. Comics and prose stories '''originating''' in the holiday and season-specific specials and any other specials.
* [[DWPM]] - [[Doctor Who Poster Magazine]]
* [[DWMAC]] - material ''original'' to ''[[Doctor Who Marvel Adventure Comic]]''
* [[GN]] - Stories that were originally printed ''as'' graphic novels, such as ''[[The Only Good Dalek]]''. This prefix should not be used with collected editions of ''reprinted'' stories.
* [[IDW]] - [[IDW Publishing]]'s line of '''original''' ''Doctor Who'' comics
* [[IHP]] - [[Seventh Doctor]] comic strips '''original''' to ''[[The Incredible Hulk Presents]]''
* [[RT]] - ''[[Radio Times]]'' comics
* [[TM]] - [[Torchwood Magazine]]
* [[TV21]] - Short for ''[[TV Century 21]]'', the magazine that first printed what later became known as ''[[The Dalek Chronicles]]''.
* [[TVA]] - [[TV Action|''Countdown'' and ''TV Action'']] comics
* [[TVC]] - ''[[TV Comic]]'' strips
 
=== Annual publications ===
There are a wide variety of prefixes used for publications which appeared annually. Note that these prefixes '''apply to both comic and prose stories'''.
* [[DAN]] - for works from the [[Dalek annual]]s, like ''[[Terry Nation's Dalek Annual 1976]]''
* [[DWAN]] - for works from [[Doctor Who annual|''Doctor Who'' annuals]], as published mainly by [[World Distributors (Manchester), Ltd]] and [[BBC Books]]. Basically, if the cover has the words "Doctor Who" and "Annual" on it, use this prefix.
* [[DWS]] - for works from ''Doctor Who Storybooks'', like [[Doctor Who Storybook 2007]]
* [[DWY]] - for works from the ''Doctor Who Yearbooks'', like [[Doctor Who Yearbook 1992]]. This does not include the [[Brief Encounter]] series, which goes under [[BE]].
* [[IDW]] - for [[IDW Publishing]] annuals, such as ''[[Doctor Who Annual 2010]]'' and ''[[Doctor Who Annual 2011]]''
* [[K9AN]] — for works from [[K9 Annual 1983]] (and any annuals which may eventually arise from ''[[K9 (TV series)|K9]]'')
* [[PHS]] - Stories published by Polystyle, but not under either ''Countdown'' or ''TV Comic''. Thus, stories from [[Doctor Who Holiday Special 1973]], [[Doctor Who Holiday Special 1974]], and [[Doctor Who Winter Special 1977]].
* [[TVA]] - [[TV Action|''Countdown'' and ''TV Action'']] annuals
* [[TVC]] - ''[[TV Comic]]'' annuals
 
== Other ==
* [[REF]] - [[:Category:Reference books|Reference books]]
* [[DOC]] - [[:Category:Documentaries|Documentaries]]
* [[SP]] - [[:Category:Doctor Who stage plays|Stage play]]
* [[VG]] - [[:Category:Doctor Who video games|Video games]]


[[Category:Help]]
[[Category:Help]]

Latest revision as of 06:03, 25 February 2023

We decided many years ago to prefer in-line citation over a more formalised footnote style. In most cases — particularly with in-universe articles — we cite a statement by giving a prefix followed by the name of a story or publication. This page identifies what prefixes to use.

As a rule of thumb, stories are identified by a prefix related to the medium of the story, like TV, COMIC or AUDIO.

Non-narrative source prefixes are more about type, like DOC and ICOM.

Prefixes are used to preface a source name, given as the origin of a given statement of fact in an article. In the example,

The Tenth Doctor once ate a part of a chocolate Easter egg. (TV: Planet of the Dead)

the prefix is TV.

Note that prefixes are a different and, in some ways, simpler system than dab terms (the parentheticals you find in page titles). Most prefixes cover several dab terms.

In-universe sources

Prefixes that are used on this site for the citation of stories are:

Prefix When used Covers dab terms
TV stories originally broadcast on television (or in cinemas) "(TV story)", "(theatrical film)"
PROSE short stories, novels, novellas, novelisations, prose non-narrative fiction "(novel)", "(short story)", "(feature)", "(reference book)"
AUDIO sources original to the aural media. Useful to distinguish between different versions of what only appears to be the same thing. For instance, AUDIO: The Stones of Blood is not just an audiobook of Doctor Who and the Stones of Blood, but a wholly different telling of it. "(audio story)"
COMIC sources told via sequential art, regardless of length "(comic story)"
HOMEVID all sources told via direct-to-video releases "(home video)"
GAME fiction contained within games that are valid sources, such as The Adventure Games "(game)", "(video game)"
WC video fiction released over the Internet "(webcast)"
POEM written fiction written in verse, or otherwise identifying itself as a poem "(poem)"
GRAPHIC fiction taking the form of a non-narrative graphic source, such as a diagram or illustration "(illustration)"

Invalid sources

Although invalid fiction can belong to various media, we find it easiest to use one catch-all prefix when citing invalid sources.

This helps make sure that no invalid sources are accidentally used by editors when writing an in-universe page in the main namespace: as their name implies, invalid sources can only be used as citations for in-universe pages that also bear the {{invalid}} tag, or, alternatively, in the "Behind the scenes" section of a normal in-universe page.

Consequently, while some dab terms, like "(stage play)", will always be linked to the NOTVALID prefix, it is possible to see a comic story or even a TV story cited with NOTVALID.

Prefix When used Covers dab terms
NOTVALID Use when citing an officially released story that is not considered a valid source. "(stage play)", misc.

Out-of-universe sources

Confined mostly to reference sources, the following prefixes may be used in any "real world" article, or in the "behind the scenes" section of an in-universe article. While the in-universe prefixes are strictly by medium, the out-of-universe ones emphasise type of material.

Prefix When used Covers dab terms
REF reference books seen as valid under T:OOU SRC "(reference book)"
DOC Any sort of documentary, regardless of medium. Doctor Who Confidential and Torchwood Declassified episodes, DVD documentaries, Big Finish extras, Myth Makers' releases — they're all DOC "(documentary)", "(DWE episode)", "(CON episode)"

Commentaries

Commentaries are especially tricky, thanks in large measure to the Tenth Doctor's era, where some episodes have multiple commentaries. It's important to use the correct prefix, because, for example, PCOM: Doomsday is a wholly different thing to ICOM: Doomsday.

There is n associated dab term for commentary prefixes, because we do not give audio commentaries their own page; instead, we cover them in the "Behind the scenes" sections of the stories themselves.

Prefix When used
DCOM Short for "DVD commentary", this is for the vast majority of audio commentaries found on DVD/Blu-ray.
PCOM Short for "podcast commentary", this is for commentaries that were part of the official BBC podcasts during the RTD era
ICOM Short for "in-vision commentary".