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Therefore, only '''''valid''''' stories can be used to describe an "[[in-universe]]" topic. For instance, if we were writing about [[Sarah Jane Smith]]'s experience of the country of [[Italy]], we '''could''' use anything within ''[[The Masque of Mandragora]]'' or even ''[[The Ghosts of N-Space (audio story)|The Ghosts of N-Space]]''. But we '''could not''' use something from a 1986 fanzine in which Sarah Jane was described as having visited Florence. | Therefore, only '''''valid''''' stories can be used to describe an "[[in-universe]]" topic. For instance, if we were writing about [[Sarah Jane Smith]]'s experience of the country of [[Italy]], we '''could''' use anything within ''[[The Masque of Mandragora]]'' or even ''[[The Ghosts of N-Space (audio story)|The Ghosts of N-Space]]''. But we '''could not''' use something from a 1986 fanzine in which Sarah Jane was described as having visited Florence. | ||
For our real world articles — that is, articles about behind the scenes personnel and other things tagged with {{tlx|real world}} — it's equally important to know what sources you can use. After all, | For our real world articles — that is, articles about behind the scenes personnel and other things tagged with {{tlx|real world}} — it's equally important to know what sources you can use. After all, someone in South Dakota writing on ilovetennant.blogspot.com shouldn't be considered a valid source for our article about [[David Tennant]]. | ||
== In-universe sources== | == In-universe sources== | ||
The [[DWU|''Doctor Who'' universe]] is a tricky place when it comes to defining what should "count" and what shouldn't. You should make sure you understand [[tardis:canon policy|why the DWU isn't like other franchises]] before you go on. Suffice it to say here that ''any'' reference guide about the DWU must, of necessity, make certain choices about what to include – and what to kick off the farm. Our methods have long stressed the need to include as many different tales as possible, even if they are in explicit narrative contradiction. We specifically '''do not consider the quality of the narrative''' when deciding whether to exclude a story. Instead, we are guided by the '''legal status''' of a work as well as the '''authorial intent'''. Those things which don't have the permission of ''all'' relevant copyright holders, or those which were never meant to be continuous with the established DWU, are excluded. Except in the most obvious of cases, [[:category:inclusion debates|community discussion]] is required to declare a story invalid. In these discussions, sufficient evidence must be provided that that the story either doesn't have permission from all relevant copyright holders, or that there are solid non-narrative reasons to believe the story does not occur in the DWU. | The [[DWU|''Doctor Who'' universe]] is a tricky place when it comes to defining what should "count" and what shouldn't. You should make sure you understand [[tardis:canon policy|why the DWU isn't like other franchises]] before you go on. Suffice it to say here that ''any'' reference guide about the DWU must, of necessity, make certain choices about what to include – and what to kick off the farm. Our methods have long stressed the need to include as many different tales as possible, even if they are in explicit narrative contradiction. We specifically '''do not consider the quality of the narrative''' when deciding whether to exclude a story. Instead, we are guided by the '''legal status''' of a work as well as the '''authorial intent'''. Those things which don't have the permission of ''all'' relevant copyright holders, or those which were never meant to be continuous with the established DWU, are excluded. Except in the most obvious of cases, [[:category:inclusion debates|community discussion]] is required to declare a story invalid. In these discussions, sufficient evidence must be provided that that the story either doesn't have permission from all relevant copyright holders, or that there are solid non-narrative reasons to believe the story does not occur in the DWU. | ||