Difference between revisions of "BattleTechWiki:Manual of Style/BattleTech Style Guide"
m (→‎Military Commands: Changed the italics to boldface so that the emphasis is more prominent.)
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: ''Note: This style guide details stylistic elements that all editors should incorporate to help present a uniform style for the BattleTechWiki articles. It was borrowed from a similar guide being built by Editor [[User:Mbear|Mbear]].''
 
: ''Note: This style guide details stylistic elements that all editors should incorporate to help present a uniform style for the BattleTechWiki articles. It was borrowed from a similar guide being built by Editor [[User:Mbear|Mbear]].''
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==Abbreviations==
 
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* When ''writing'' an article, write out the full name and only use abbreviations in subsequent mentions. When ''editing'' an article, be careful to ensure that at least the first mention is written out. For example, any reference to [[House Davion]]'s preeminent university should first be "[[New Avalon Institute of Science]]", while only subsequent mentions may be abbreviated as "NAIS." This means that no page should ever have an abbreviated and linked word/phrase, unless that is the sole name for it (e.g. [[ROM]]).
 
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==Article titles==
 
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* Article titles should be in the form of a singular noun, such as [[BattleMech]].
 
  
 
==BattleTech-specific names==
 
==BattleTech-specific names==
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This section is an adaptable part of the guide; as new terms are introduced{{m}}in a stylistic way{{m}}with new products, they will be added here.
 
This section is an adaptable part of the guide; as new terms are introduced{{m}}in a stylistic way{{m}}with new products, they will be added here.
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==Boldface==
 
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Most commonly, the article's subject is stated as early as possible in the first sentence, and placed in boldface.
 
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: ''Ex: '''Nueva Castile''' is a small proto-state residing within the Deep Periphery.''
 
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Only the first occurrence of this word or term is placed in boldface.
 
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* If the subject of the article is often (or previously) known with an additional name (and has a redirect pointing to the article), it is common for that alternate name to appear in boldface in its first occurrence.
 
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: ''Ex: The '''Binary Laser Cannon''' was a laser weapon previously considered ineffectual, but its effectiveness underwent reconsideration following the re-introduction of double heat sinks. The Binary Laser Cannon is also known informally as the '''Blazer'''.''
 
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==Capitalization==
 
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* Standard grammatical rules should be followed with regards to capitalization. Should emphasis be needed, it should be given in the form of italics or boldface, not all caps.
 
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: Correct - BattleMechs are ''not'' robots.
 
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: Incorrect - BattleMechs are NOT robots.
 
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* One notable exception: Sarna capitalizes the proper name of military operations.
 
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: ''Ex: [[Operation BIRD DOG]], [[Operation SAKKAKU]]''
 
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* The families ruling the five [[Successor States]] should be referred to with capitals, i.e. House Davion, House Kurita, House Liao, House Marik, and House Steiner.
 
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* Clan commands are always capitalized, such as with Point, Star, Nova, Trinary, Supernova, Cluster, Galaxy, and Touman. Clans do not have an "officer" or "enlisted" corps. They have trueborn and freeborn, and every rank is a regimented form of their "Warrior Corps". These include Point Commander, Star Commander, Star Captain, Star Colonel, and Khan, which are capitalized.
 
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* "Clan" should be capitalized whenever referring to the descendants of Kerensky. Clan Jade Falcon. "I am a Clan warrior." The Northwind Highlanders also use the term "clan", of course, and should be capitalized only when used with a proper name: Clan McDougal. Yakuza clans are not capitalized excepted when used as part of a full name: the Nogachi Clan.
 
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* Military commands are also capitalized:
 
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: Correct - Twenty-first Galedon Regulars, Ninety-seventh Adder Sentinels, Seventh Deneb Light Cavalry
 
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: Incorrect - Fifth sword of light, 8th orloff grenadiers
 
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* The word "century" is not capitalized.
 
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: ''Ex: The 20th century, the 31st century
 
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''For the stylistic use of capitalization of certain BattleTech names, seee the [[Policy:BattleTech_Style_Guide#BattleTech-specific_names|BattleTech-specific names]] section.
 
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==English language==
 
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There are many different countries that speak and write in English, leading to different spellings of some words. Since BattleTech is created by an American company, it is most appropriate to write articles using American spelling and grammar. Editors who are familiar with other methods of spelling are not mandated to write articles in 'American' English since they are unfamiliar with it, but the article should be converted to American style by those that do.
 
  
 
== House vs State ==
 
== House vs State ==
 
In writing about the fates and fortunes of the characters from the various Great Houses, it is to be understood (by the reader) the state and ruling family are separate entities. When referring to a House,  the characters that belong to that specific family will be the focus of the statement; the state's name will specifically reference the nation, its government, and its collective people.
 
In writing about the fates and fortunes of the characters from the various Great Houses, it is to be understood (by the reader) the state and ruling family are separate entities. When referring to a House,  the characters that belong to that specific family will be the focus of the statement; the state's name will specifically reference the nation, its government, and its collective people.
 
: ''Ex: House Davion refers to Lucien Davion and his progeny; the Federated Suns refers to the Successor State founded by him.''
 
: ''Ex: House Davion refers to Lucien Davion and his progeny; the Federated Suns refers to the Successor State founded by him.''
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==Italics==
 
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{{details|Policy:Italics}}
 
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* Italics have several uses:
 
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# Sparingly for emphasis.
 
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# To indicate a specific class of 'Mech, AeroSpace Fighter, DropShip, WarShip, or JumpShip design, such as ''Dire Wolf'', ''Avalon'', or ''Shilone''. Italics should also be used for specific names of vehicles of all types, such as ''Kerensky's Blues'' and ''Prometheus''. ’Mech and aerospace fighter variant/configuration designations, such as AS7-K and STU-K15, are not italicized. Conventional aircraft and ground vehicles (combat and support) do not have their class names italicized. 
 
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# Non-English words.
 
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# Titles of books.
 
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* When italicizing a linked word or phrase, the wiki markup for the italics go outside the brackets for a link.
 
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: ''Ex: ''[[Emperor]]'' is <nowiki>''[[Emperor]]''</nowiki>''
 
  
 
==Military Commands==
 
==Military Commands==
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: ''Ex: [[1st Davion Guards]], [[304th Assault (Clan Ghost Bear)]]''
 
: ''Ex: [[1st Davion Guards]], [[304th Assault (Clan Ghost Bear)]]''
  
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* When writing about military commands ''in the body of an article'', the numerical portion of the command's title should be spelled out, unless it is higher than one hundred.
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* When writing about military commands '''in the body of an article''', the numerical portion of the command's title should be spelled out, unless it is higher than one hundred.
 
: ''Ex: First Davion Guards, 304th Assault (Clan Ghost Bear)''
 
: ''Ex: First Davion Guards, 304th Assault (Clan Ghost Bear)''
  
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* All Clan commands should have the Clan name after the title in parenthesis.
 
* All Clan commands should have the Clan name after the title in parenthesis.
 
: ''Ex: [[Golden Keshik (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)]]''
 
: ''Ex: [[Golden Keshik (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)]]''
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==Numbers==
 
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* Write out any number under 11.
 
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: ''Ex: Three, Seven, Nine, 13, 15, 23''
 
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* Use commas to aid in understanding every three spaces.
 
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: ''Ex: 2,983,802,928''
 
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* Use decimal points to indicate numbers smaller than one, not commas.
 
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: ''Ex: 394.09''
 
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''For the use of numbers in military commands, see the [[Policy:BattleTech_Style_Guide#Military_Commands|Military Commands]] section.''
 
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==Tables==
 
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Tables are perfect for organizing any information that is best presented in a row-and-column format.
 
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Often a list is best left ''as'' a list. Before you format a list in table form, consider whether the information will be more clearly conveyed by virtue of having rows and columns. If so, then a table is probably a good choice. If there is no obvious benefit to having rows and columns, then a table is probably not the best choice.
 
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Tables should not be used simply for layout, either. If the information you are editing is not tabular in nature, it probably does not belong in a table: try not to use tables for putting a caption under a photograph, arranging a group of links, or other strictly visual features. It makes the article harder to edit. Also, when compared with tables, wikimarkup is more flexible, easier to use, and less esoteric when used for desktop publishing, page elements, and page orientation and positioning.
 
  
 
==Titles==
 
==Titles==

Revision as of 09:41, 1 July 2021

Note: This style guide details stylistic elements that all editors should incorporate to help present a uniform style for the BattleTechWiki articles. It was borrowed from a similar guide being built by Editor Mbear.

BattleTech-specific names

The following words always appear in the form shown below:

  • AeroSpace Fighter
  • BattleMech
  • BattleTech
  • DropPort
  • DropShip
  • JumpShip
  • 'Mech
  • MechWarrior
  • OmniMech
  • OmniFighter
  • ProtoMech
  • WarShip

These words retain their capitalization wherever within a sentence they are used.

This section is an adaptable part of the guide; as new terms are introduced—in a stylistic way—with new products, they will be added here.

House vs State

In writing about the fates and fortunes of the characters from the various Great Houses, it is to be understood (by the reader) the state and ruling family are separate entities. When referring to a House, the characters that belong to that specific family will be the focus of the statement; the state's name will specifically reference the nation, its government, and its collective people.

Ex: House Davion refers to Lucien Davion and his progeny; the Federated Suns refers to the Successor State founded by him.

Military Commands

  • When military command article titles involve numbers, the text should always be represented as a number.
Ex: 1st Davion Guards, 304th Assault (Clan Ghost Bear)
  • When writing about military commands in the body of an article, the numerical portion of the command's title should be spelled out, unless it is higher than one hundred.
Ex: First Davion Guards, 304th Assault (Clan Ghost Bear)
  • The full name of a command should be used rather than an abbreviation, however common.
Ex: Valexa Capellan March Militia instead of Valexa CMM.
  • All Clan commands should have the Clan name after the title in parenthesis.
Ex: Golden Keshik (Clan Wolf-in-Exile)

Titles

  • In generic use, apply lower case to words such as president, professor, and emperor. Exceptions are made for non-English words and specific titles that incorporate as number into the title, such as "First Prince".
Ex:
- Edmund Davion served in the role of president for just over thirteen years. He, however, was never a First Prince.
- Stefan Amaris envisioned himself a galactic emperor.
  • Directly juxtaposed with the person's name, such words begin with a capital letter.
Ex:
- Coordinator Yama Von Rohrs served in that role from 2470 to 2508.
- Professor Emeritus Dietrich Mathers was a professor from the Lyran Alliance.
  • Standard or commonly used names of an office are treated as proper names. Royal styles are capitalized; exceptions may apply for particular offices.
Ex:
- Daniel Calderon was Protector of the Realm.
- "His Majesty, the first of his name, Lord of..."

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