Tardis:Prefixes: Difference between revisions

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{{mosnav|p=Citation|In-universe citation|Out-of-universe citation|Citation in articles about living people|c=Citation}}
This article is now protected from editing.  It will remain so until the [[forum:prefix simplification|prefix simplification]] project has been completed.  As the project progresses, this page will undergo gradual change.  It will serve as a roadmap of the changes being made, and may become quite messy. For a time, the original state of the article may be seen [[Tardis:Prefixes/Original|by clicking here]]. {{user:CzechOut/Sig}}{{User:CzechOut/TimeFormat}} 05:58: Sun 16 Sep 2012</span>
{{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.
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{{sc|T:PREFIX|T:LOP}}
'''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]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Planet of the Dead (TV story)|Planet of the Dead]]'')", the ''prefix'' is [[TV]].


The main prefixes that are used on this site are:
As a rule of thumb, stories are identified by a prefix related to the '''medium of the story''', like [[TV]], [[COMIC]] or  [[AUDIO]].


* [[TV]] - for all stories originally broadcast on television
Non-narrative source prefixes are more about '''type''', like [[DOC]] and [[ICOM]].}}
* [[PROSE]] - for all short stories, novels, novellas, and novelisations
* [[AUDIO]] - for all stories original to the aural media  
'''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,
* [[COMIC]] - for all stories told via sequential art, regardless of length
: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]].
 
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.
 
==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.
 
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.
 
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]].
{|class=wikitable
!Prefix
!When used
!Covers dab terms
|-
|-
|[[NOTVALID]]
|Use when citing an officially released story that is ''not'' considered a [[T:VS|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.
{|class=wikitable
!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 (TV story)|Doomsday]]'' is a wholly different thing to [[ICOM]]: ''[[Doomsday (TV story)|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.
{|class=wikitable
!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]]". 
|-
|}


[[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".