Wookieepedia:Layout Guide


The Layout Guide (LG) is one of the core article policies on Wookieepedia. It regulates how Wookieepedia articles should be structured. The in-universe and out-of-universe Layout Guides contain further rules that only apply to one type of article.

For rules regarding the formatting of Wookieepedia articles, refer to the Manual of Style.

Top template


Example (from Obi-Wan Kenobi/Legends):

  • The Top template should be placed at the top of every article. Depending on parameters added to the template, Top will insert navigation symbols and the continuity indicator into the title bar of an article, display tabs linking to an article's counterpart in the alternate continuity, and modify various other aspects of an article, such as its displayed title and the table of contents.
  • The following order should be used for parameters on the template:

Hypothetical complete order of IU Top template: {{Top|fa|pfa|ffa|ga|pga|fga|ca|pca|fca|fprot|sprot|ssprot|mprot|noncanon|leg|legends=Ackbar (2)|canon=Ackbar|title=''Gial Ackbar''|title2=''Imperial''-class|notitle=1|notoc=1|audio=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMqNDgBhOPg}}

Note: In-universe articles may not use parameters pertaining to publishing eras in the Top template. Those parameters may only be used on out-of-universe articles.

Disambiguation templates


Example:

Another example:

Correct title template


Example:

Spoiler tag


Example:

A spoiler tag on an article alerts users to any plot spoilers from new sources.

  • This header template is to be used at the tops of articles to indicate that a given article contains spoilers from a certain product.
  • See Template:Spoiler

Example:

  • This template should be used on articles for subjects original to major movie releases such as the sequel trilogy or the Star Wars Anthology Series as well as their directly related material, such as novelizations. Articles about subjects not original to major movie releases but contain spoilers from them will continue to use {{Spoiler}}.
  • See Template:Moviespoiler

Nomination templates


Example:

Articles nominated for Featured, Good, or Comprehensive status will have the status article nomination templates placed directly below any disambiguation templates.

Maintenance templates


Example:

Header templates


Example:

  • These tags are used to indicate an article's level of canonicity, or if an article is about a subject from a cancelled or future source.
  • See Category:Header templates.

Infobox


Example (from Belaya):

The infobox is a compact right-aligned box at the top of articles, used to present vital statistics of subject.

  • See Wookieepedia:Template messages/Infoboxes and Category:Infobox templates
  • Various infoboxes can be accessed by using the standard preloads just below the "Save changes" button.
  • All infobox material must be detailed in the article proper, unless exempted by the Layout Guides.
  • The name field of the infobox is reserved for the article's title, in accordance with the Naming policy and pursuant to this section's clause on article titles with parenthetical descriptors, and no additional alternate name may be listed in the said field unless specifically exempted by the in-universe or out-of-universe Layout Guides, respectively.
  • Conjecturally titled articles will always include parenthetical descriptors in the infobox name field as standard; parenthetical descriptors will be excluded from the infobox name field for articles with canonical names
  • When listing multiple items in a single infobox field, including cascading items, use bullets to offset each item, including the first item listed. Do not use blank indentations.
  • Articles should not contain empty infoboxes. An empty infobox is defined as one in which no fields can be filled out other than the name of the subject due to limited information. Such infoboxes should be removed from the article until such time as more information can be added.
  • All infobox parameters should be listed on their own line, as should the closing brackets for the infobox as a whole.

Main image


  • Images used in infoboxes will be scaled to 250px (the minimum size to fit the infobox width in desktop view) for all infoboxes except conflict infoboxes (battles, wars, etc.), which use either 300px, 350px, or 400px, depending on specific template size. Larger default sizes are identified on the respective template pages. Images smaller than the default infobox size should not be scaled up.
  • Main infobox images shall be at least 400px in width whenever possible. This is done to accommodate the infobox's minimum width on most mobile devices in vertical view. Note that conflict infobox images do not currently show in mobile skin.

Opening quote


Example (from Cad Bane/Legends):

The opening quote (also known as "lead quote" or "intro quote"), being at the top of an article, should be descriptive of the article subject.

  • Opening quotes are subject to the same rules as all other quotes. See the Quotes section below.

Introduction


The introduction ("intro") provides a short summary of the article proper.

  • Articles shall only have an introduction section if the article body reaches 165 words in length, not counting the "Behind the scenes" section or any other content (infobox, captions, quotes, etc.). Such articles will then employ sectioning in the article body. However, articles on out-of-universe products, such as books or comics, may still have an introduction even if the article body is less than 165 words long.
  • There is no set limit for introduction length, but it should be proportionate to the length of the article.

Table of contents


A table of contents (TOC) is automatically generated directly above the first heading when an article contains four or more headings.

  • The table of contents should be removed if an article has no in-universe prose sections (e.g. "History" or "Powers and abilities").
  • This means articles that have content sections other than "Behind the scenes," such as "History" or "Powers and abilities," should not remove their table of contents, whereas articles whose only prose section is "Behind the scenes" should remove their table of contents.
  • Use "notoc=1" in the Top template to remove the table of contents.

Sectioning


Example (from Zek Peiro):

Sectioning is essential to presentation and navigation. This is accomplished by adding headings and subheadings as appropriate.

  • Articles on certain types of subjects, like characters, have established layouts. These can be found in the in-universe and out-of-universe Layout Guides, respectively. While there is no established layout for articles on other types of subjects, it is recommended editors look at existing articles, particularly Status articles, for precedent.
  • Headings and subheadings are usually not required for very small articles.
  • Section length should be based on the content of the article. Two to three paragraphs of prose per section usually works well, but this is by no means a hard rule.

Quotes


Example:

  • In addition to the Opening quote, further quotes may be used throughout the article body.
  • Although quote templates may be placed in the body of the article, a maximum of one quote is allowed only at the beginning of each section. However, do not place quotes under headings that are immediately followed by a subheading.
  • Audio may be included in quote templates. Per the Files policy, use MP3, WAV, FLAC, OGA, OggVorbis, or Opus for audio.
  • For formatting rules, refer to the Quotes section of the Manual of Style.

Images


Example:

  • Images should be placed where they are most relevant and should not interrupt the flow or the aesthetics of the article.
  • Placing them immediately underneath a heading or subheading usually works quite well.
  • Images should typically alternate from the right-side to the left-side. If there is a long infobox at the start, multiple images can be left aligned until the infobox ends.
  • Images placed in articles must be as high quality as possible, as source availability and technical restraints permit. For example, certain leeway may be granted to video game screenshots, which present particular difficulty for obtaining high-resolution images.
  • Images are to be formatted for ideal presentation in the default FandomDesktop skin (standard width, right rail shown).

Tables


Example of a basic table:

Which displays as:

Example of a more complex table:

Which displays as:

  • Some articles may require the use of tables to display information in an easy-to-read or sortable format, where specified for that article type (refer to LG:IU or WP:OOU).
  • Basic tables can use the above coding, adding additional columns/rows where needed. Some tables may use additional parameters/features such as background colors and cells taking multiple rows or columns.

Stub


Example (for a stub about a creature):

Sources


The Sources section is a bulleted list of officially licensed Star Wars material to mention the subject.

  • For in-universe articles, list all officially licensed Star Wars reference material, typically presented from a non-narrative, "out-of-universe" perspective.
  • For out-of-universe articles, list all officially licensed Star Wars media to mention the real-world article subject.
  • The Sources list is ordered chronologically by real-world publication date
  • Listed items include even the smallest mentions of given subjects
  • Listed items are italicized by default, except where differentiated in citation templates
  • Individual cards from card games should be listed according to the release date of the corresponding set. If an article needs to list multiple cards from a single set, they should be listed in Sources using the {{CardGameSet}} template, which will display the set on its own line followed by the individual cards from that set, sorted alphabetically in a hideable list. If a card game does not have individual sets, then the game itself should be given in the set parameter for the template. The appropriate card game citation template should still be used to list the set and each card within the wrapper template.

Notes and references


Example:

  • Items are added to the list by placing <ref>Source goes here</ref> after the information tidbit in question.
  • To get the references to show up in this section, use the {{Reflist}} template.
  • Reference lists may not be multi-columned. This feature has been removed from {{Reflist}}.
  • References will only use periods at the end of the citation if the citation is a complete sentence. References that are not complete sentences will not use periods.
  • As a general rule, Wookieepedia recommends reserving scroll boxes for reference lists to articles that employ no less than forty to fifty individual references. However, this is by no means a hard figure, and final decisions for the use of scroll boxes should be determined by what best suits each individual article.

To use a scroll box with a reference list, use the following code:


The External links section is a bulleted list of links from websites outside of Wookieepedia. These links are commonly unlicensed and/or unofficial sources of information, such as social media profiles, commercial pages, news articles, fan websites, Wikipedia articles, databases, and more.

  • The section is called "External links," even if the article only has one external link
  • The list must be ordered following a specific hierarchy, with items listed in alphabetic order (primarily following the name of the websites, and secondly the name of individual pages) within each level, and formatted using available citation templates:
  • For Wikipedia articles and IMDb pages, if the Wookieepedia's article title and Wikipedia's article or IMDb's page title are the same, simply format it with for Wikipedia, and for IMDb. Only specify the article title if they are not the same. For example, on John Glover, because the Wikipedia link is under a different name (John Glover (actor)), it should be formatted like this:
  • Restrict "other relevant pages" listings only to the most critically relevant pages with respect to an article's coverage. Furthermore, those pages should be listed in chronological order of publication, instead of alphabetic order.
  • Official websites, social media profiles, and databases are considered a convenience, and as such, do not require the inclusion of an archival link, and should be delisted if no longer available. This does not apply to official websites associated with Lucasfilm and Star Wars products, nor to websites providing insights into an individual's creative process, such as personal blogs of Star Wars creators. If an official website responding to one of those criteria goes offline, then an archival link should be provided in the following format:

Navigation boxes (navboxes) are templates that help readers find articles about similar subjects.


Example (from Anakin):

Interwiki links, also known as interlanguage links, are links to Star Wars wikis in other languages.

  • Interwiki links should be listed in the {{Interlang}} template placed before an article's categories. The "xxFA=" operator will indicate that an article has reached "featured" or equivalent status on its host wiki.

Categories


Example (from Mace Windu):

  • Every article must have all applicable categories.
  • Categories should be listed in alphabetical order.
  • MediaWiki allows use of the DEFAULTSORT magic word to eliminate unnecessary coding while still achieving the desired result of categorizing articles by last name (ie, one need not use [[Category:Jedi Masters|Windu, Mace]]; use the above method)
  • Articles beginning with an article ("a," "an," or "the") should be categorized by the first significant word; for example, [[Category:Reference books|New Essential Guide to Vehicles and Vessels, The]].
  • Articles placed in categories should not also be placed in that category's parent category; for example, articles in Category:Aquatic sentient species should not also be placed in Category:Sentient species.
  • {{RelatedCategories}} is used to include a category in the category listing at the bottom of an article without actually including the article in that category. For example,

can be included at the bottom of Toprawa. The planet is neither a location on itself nor a person, but including links to the two categories helps readers find related content. {{RelatedCategories}} should be placed below the actual categories.

Example: (A sample from Index:C2-B5)

An index page is an optional subpage that can be created in the Index namespace as Index:PAGENAME for any mainspace article. The index page contains a single list of all media from the article's appearances and sources sections listed in chronological release order with release date and without any accompanying quotes or images. Material from the notes and references section or external links section may also be included if the material is directly related to the subject of the article, such as autobiographies or podcast interviews. If no release date is available at all this should be stated and the entry included at the end of the list. The date should be referenced, with a notes and references section at the bottom of the article. The media links should be formatted as in the three aforementioned lists including any media templates and include any additional information templates like {{1st}} or {{Po}}.

Separated from the media with an mdash; each entry in the list will then provide information to aid a reader in locating the information on the subject of the article in said piece of media, including page numbers, timestamps, or other locational aids depending on the type of media in question. A list of the formats for this information is suggested below, but the level of detail that a users adds is up to them: someone providing just chapters rather than page numbers is still more likely to help a future reader then adding nothing at all. Likewise, creating an index page does not require you to fill out every source, even if you can only add locational aids for a single piece of media this is still useful. Notes may also be included if necessary for unusual cases, for example, information no longer present on a still live webpage.

It is also important to note that as index pages are totally optional, they will not be considered during the nomination of status articles or for existing status articles. The only requirement for a status article regarding index pages is that if an index page does exist, it is linked to on the mainspace article, similar to the treatment of the {{Mediacat}} template. The link on the article should use the {{Indexpage}} template, which should be placed directly below the Appearances section heading. If no Appearances section exists, then it should be placed directly below the Sources heading, and if the article also lacks that then place it directly below the External Links section heading.

Index page media type formats


For any piece of media with multiple page ranges or time stamps, separate them with a comma. For consecutive ranges of pages or time stamps, utilize en dashes. For any piece of media with multiple editions, separate those editions with a semi-colon. For any character appearing throughout the vast majority of the entire media simply "Throughout"

  • Film — For each differing edition or service give time range(s) using format provided in the media. Alternatively, scene selection chapters can be provided in place of time stamps for physical media (e.g., Disney+: 0:43:05–0:46:53, 1:45:20; Star Wars: The Complete Saga: Chapter 1; Chapter 12)
  • Audiobook — Timestamp or range. Alternatively, chapters may also be used, especially for frequently appearing characters.
  • Book — For each differing edition give page or page range (e.g., p. 23, pp. 50–53). If page numbers not given, count starting from first page after inside cover of the book. Alternatively, chapters can be used for frequently appearing (e.g., Chapters 2, 3–4, 6). For Encyclopedia style books with multiple entries per page, the specific entry may also be listed with the page number if necessary (e.g., "Farns Monsbee" p. 124). Note if information is hidden behind a moveable component of the book such as a pull tab or lift-able flap.
  • Comic — For each differing edition give page or page range (e.g., p. 23, pp. 50–53).
  • Board games and card games — List all relevant cards or other pieces as well as any page ranges in rulebooks (e.g., "Luke Skywalker" card; Game Piece, Rulebook pp. 30–31)
  • Video games — Commonly suggested aids include Codex or Database Entry, Level, Coordinates, or Location but given the variable nature of game design other relevant locational aids may be used as needed.
  • Webpages — Note timestamps for any relevant videos and slide or page numbers or names for any relevant subpages or embedded galleries and tables. (e.g. Story Gallery slides 8, 11, 13; Trivia Gallery slide 6)
  • Toys — Note if the subject is mentioned only on packaging or in an insert (e.g., Jedi Force File p. 3)

An Interactive Map is an optional feature that can be created in the Map namespace as Map:NAME. Interactive Maps can be used in a variety of different ways to illustrate information in a visual format. Some common usages include presenting map markers on a map like the Star Wars Galaxy Map or detailing a specific subject's features, such as the individual components of Padmé Amidala's Senate gown.

Appearances