Tardis:Resources

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There are several resources that may prove useful in researching articles for the TARDIS Index File.

These resources, and the articles on which they are used broadly fit into two categories narrative-based and behind the scenes.

This article primarily concerns non-fiction or non-narrative sources with which you can use to write the real world or behind the scenes sections or articles.

This article represents all the reference texts we currently have articles for, there are many others, you can help by creating more reference work articles.

For in-universe pages information about valid sources can be found on our aptly named valid sources page, there is also a page that contains a more detailed list of sources.

For questions about specific parts of the Doctor Who universe, or those people, places and things that help create the DWU you can ask at the Reference desk forum or your question may have already been asked you can check in the Reference desk archives to see if it has.

Reference books

These are books that contain any information about the making of Doctor Who, Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures or any thing else that is connected to or part of Doctor Who.


Doctor Who handbooks

These were a series of seven books that were published by in the mid-1990s by Doctor Who Books, written by David J Howe, Mark Stammers and Stephen James Walker. These handbooks have been highly regarded as Doctor Who reference works.


Doctor Who reference books

These books are a range of texts that cover everything from programme guides, books covering behind the scenes information, in-universe books detailing information that was not covered within the narrative and purely illustrated books that showcase a particular artist's work.


Doctor Who analysis books

These are Doctor Who books that provide analysis or breakdown of Doctor Who stories or of the universe as a whole. These can be books that provide an in-depth media anaylsis, or a running commentary of stories, or individual breakdowns and analysis of stories be it TV, novel or audio based.


Script books

Script books are useful for behind the scenes information and can be a source of information that was not present in stories (or is not present in the case of missing stories).


Torchwood reference books

Video-based documentaries

Categories containing video documentaries

These categories contain articles about various subject matters. They are all contained within the Documentaries category.

DVD special features

Since the advent of DVD editions of various serials, the amount of audio and and video material about the production of Doctor Who has risen dramatically. Any information found on any official BBC release may of course be considered a valid resource for the writing of real world articles andbehind the scenes sections of articles. Documentaries, commentaries and info text are all appropriate.

However, care must be taken to avoid using information that appears in these resources, but not within the narrative itself. Thus, if Philip Hinchcliffe were to hypothetically claim in the commentary to Terror of the Zygons that the Brigadier was actually a Dalek in disguise, this information could not be added to the in-universe portion of the article about the Brigadier or the article about Daleks, as there is no narrative evidence to support Hinchcliffe's claim. It could, however, be added to the behind-the-scenes sections of those articles.

Some care must be taken to balance views expressed in DVD commentaries against those seen in reference works. For instance, what William Russell might say in a 2009 commentary about the production of The Keys of Marinus can certainly be included in the article about that serial. But it must be remembered that Russell was at a considerable distance from the 45-year-old production, and was not reading from notes when he took part in the commentary. Thus, if a reference work like Doctor Who: The Sixties or even the DVD info text give alternative views on the same subject, these other accounts should be presented alongside Russell's. It is important, though, that Russell's views not be discounted as wrong. While it is certainly possible that Russell is misremembering, it's equally possible that he isn't. It may simply mean that Russell's view of things, as an actor who was there on the day, may be different to that of whatever other sources the researcher uncovered.

Radio documentaries

Websites

Only official sites should be cited on articles, but many fan sites can be a good "launch point" for further research. Most well researched sites will cite their sources, allowing you to double check their information prior to citation.

When using any websites also keep in mind our spoiler policy and our policy regarding out of universe sources.

Official sites

Official Twitter pages

Story guides

These are fan created or maintained story and episode guides. Their information should be used as a launch point for further research.

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