CreditsDescriptions by
The people who wrote the descriptions for the sequences.
Captures by
The people whose image captures are included on the page.
Editions by
The people who made small edits to the page over time.
Video captures courtesy of
The people whose videos are included in the page.
The people who wrote the descriptions for the sequences.
Captures by
The people whose image captures are included on the page.
Editions by
The people who made small edits to the page over time.
Video captures courtesy of
The people whose videos are included in the page.
OSCA:Tutorials
From Opening Sequences & Closings Archive
Tutorials
Our goal at OSCA is to document as many title sequences as possible, and how you can help, is by writing articles for the wiki.
This tutorial is designed to give users a rundown of how articles on OSCA should be formatted, as well as comprehensive descriptions on page elements you may run into.
How Do I...
New to MediaWiki?
No problem! If you need help learning the features of the MediaWiki editing system, please refer to MediaWiki Help. This will give you a quick guide on how to edit on the MediaWiki system. This manual may not be needed if users are already familiar with editing on Wikipedia, FANDOM, Miraheze, ShoutWiki, or other WikiForge wikis.
Article Elements
Articles on OSCA use a standard format. In order, the article formatting elements used are:
- Page Buttons - Use this template if there are additional pages connected to the company, such as sequence Variations or Trailers.
- Credits - Credits should be added to all new pages. It informs the reader the users worked on the article they're reading. *
- Infobox - A template that summarizes the company's background. Useful for articles of larger studios.
- Background - A crash course on the program's history. This may prove more helpful than infoboxes, in certain scenarios. *
- Table of Contents - Helps for easier navigation in an article. Three different types are presented.
- Header - Shows the time period the sequence was used between, as well as where it is placed chronologically. *
- Gallery - Where images and videos of the sequence are displayed. *
- Description Sections - The most important part of any article. *
- External Links - Add supplementary material about the program's history.
- Chronology - Links programs to its successors (and/or predecessors).
- Navboxes - A small box at the bottom of the page which allows for easy navigation between pages.
- Categories - Where articles with a common trait or topic are placed for sorting. *
Any elements tagged with "*" are required on all pages.
Page Buttons
(optional element)
Where a page also has a Sequence Variations page or you intend to create them, you should add the {{PageButtons}} template to allow for easy navigation between these pages. The markup for this is as follows:
{{PageButtons|title=company name|Sequence Variations=1|Trailers=1}},
which results in: Template:PageButtons You can add or remove any of the three additional parameters depending on your needs, for example:
{{PageButtons|title=company name|sequence Variations=1}},
Template:PageButtons
{{PageButtons|title=company name|Trailers=1}},
Template:PageButtons
If using this template, be sure to put it on all the pages you added buttons for to ensure coherent and smooth navigation between them.
Credits
See OSCA:Adding Credits for guidelines on how to add credits. An example is provided below:
The following syntax was used:
{{PageCredits|description=The people who wrote the descriptions for the sequences.|capture=The people whose image captures are included on the page.|video=The people whose videos are included in the page.|edits=The people who made small edits to the page over time.}}
Infobox
(optional element)
Infoboxes are used to give the reader bite-sized information about the program being described in the article. Remember, not all articles have infoboxes, as some companies do not have sufficient information to warrant it.
Example
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Description Elements
Lead Section
This is the lead section. The paragraph you type here will describe the history of the media whose title sequences you're describing. Talk about information such as who created the media, the company that produces it, its reputation, and more. It's a good section to write for those who may not know about the media's backstory. Remember, it is required to bold any program name the first time it is mentioned. Also, if the background needs to be split into multiple paragraphs, you are able to do so. If very little about the program is known, then a simple statement such as "(Program name) is a (country name) production" or something similar may suffice, provided there is actually very little information on the Internet. If any companies are mentioned to produce or distribute the work, it is suggested to link to their AVID articles.
Example
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After Walt Disney lost the rights to his star character Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, he created Mickey Mouse as a new series, which became the first cartoon series with sound. The series ran from 1928-1942 and from 1947-1953. They were distributed by Celebrity Productions (1928-30), Columbia Pictures (1930-32), United Artists (1932-37) and RKO Radio Pictures (1937-53). Disney's own Buena Vista Distribution company reissued older cartoons after 1953. |
Table of Contents
(optional element)
When an article has more than three separate sections, a Table of Contents is automatically included for easier navigation on the page. Typically, they look like this:
However, there are cases where visual previews of the sequences may be desired. For that, the ImageTOC template is available, which supports up to a hundred different sequences. An example of it is below:
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Contents | |||
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| 1st Sequence | 2nd Sequence | 3rd Sequence | 4th Sequence |
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| 5th Sequence | 6th Sequence | 7th Sequence | 8th Sequence |
The following syntax was used:
{{ImageTOC
|Dot.png|1st Sequence
|Dot.png|2nd Sequence
|Dot.png|3rd Sequence
|Dot.png|4th Sequence
|Dot.png|5th Sequence
|Dot.png|6th Sequence
|Dot.png|7th Sequence
|Dot.png|8th Sequence
}}
Sometimes, when a program has gone through one or more name changes, the SeparateTOC template may be of use instead, which supports up to ten name changes. An example of it is below:
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The following syntax was used:
{{SeparateTOC
| Old Name|
{{ImageTOC
|Dot.png|1st Sequence
|Dot.png|2nd Sequence
|Dot.png|3rd Sequence
}}
| New Name|
{{ImageTOC
|Dot.png|1st Sequence
|Dot.png|2nd Sequence
|Dot.png|3rd Sequence
}}}}
Header
At the top of a sequence description, you will see this header. This is an example of what it looks like:
??? Sequence/Intro/OP/Outro/ED (????-????)
The header provides some info about the sequence's lifespan: The first set of question marks are used to identify if the sequence is the 1st in the article, 2nd, 3rd, and so on.
The second set is to signify what year the sequence is introduced. Remember, if specific dates are available, use those. If the sequence is still being used today, omit the fourth question mark set, otherwise insert the year/date the sequence was last used. Additionally, the set has to cover the sequence's official lifespan, meaning where the sequence officially debuted and ended. The following will not factor into the sequence's lifespan:
- Trailers and TV spots
- Premieres at film festivals and other similar events
- Home media releases (for film and television only)
- Unreleased media (e.g. beta builds of video games)
- A news article, webpage, or video revealing the new sequence
However, if the sequence made its only appearance on any of the above options, then they can be counted into their lifespans. They are also permitted to be mentioned in the Availability section if necessary. Also, dates in which the sequence was used or revived for a brief period of time should not be included unless if it has seen normal use since. If the dates are close to each other in terms of time, then they can be consolidated into one lifespan. A sequence that briefly returned 10 years after the time it was retired will not include the newer date in the header.
There is a simplified way to do this; the {{Ordinal}} template. When adding sequences, simply add the number you're up to into this template (1, 2, etc.) and it will automatically change to 1st, 2nd, etc. This template simplifies the process of re-adding the suffixes (st, nd, rd, th) to the numbers if a sequence is removed or relocated on the page for some reason.
Examples
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Header for only one sequence:
Header for sequence with an official revival:
2nd Ssequence (1994-2012, November 25-27, 2021)
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Gallery
This is where images and videos of the sequences will be displayed, for readers to get an idea of what the sequence looks like, as well as to view videos of the sequence's full animation. For more specific info, see OSCA:Adding Captures.
Description Sections
Logo: You know the ones, it's the short video segments that serve to identify the production company or companies that worked on the program! If a program's sequence uses a production logo to open or close a program, add them within this segment.
- Shall a page be available, use the syntax
{{AVID link|Production Company name goes here}}to link to a description of the logo on the Audiovisual Identity Database. - If the logo appears before the start of an opening sequence, place it in front of Visuals. If the logo appears after the credits, please place it after Audio.
- If a logo combination exists on the media, use a forward slash (/) to separate the two companies.
- If a logo/logo combination changes based on print of the media, please describe those below the original print.
Examples
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Single logo examples: Multiple logo examples: Home Media: United Plankton Pictures, Inc. |
Visuals: The heart of it all. This is used to describe what happens in the visual identity. Start by stating what the background looks like, and then describe any animations that happen during the sequence. Be very descriptive on this part - try to describe some smaller details if possible. This section should be written in a neutral point-of-view (NPOV) and in third-person; avoid using first-person pronouns.
- Colored text in descriptions are strongly discouraged, which also includes text visualizations. Doing this does not benefit the text at all, and especially not the reader, because it only sacrifices readability for the sake of unnecessary flair.
- If the visual is a still image, describe it as best as possible, including the background and objects depicted in the image.
- Take your time on these, and make sure you revise. Leaving certain details out may lead to discrepancies between the description and the actual visuals.
- You can also list what specific font(s) a sequence uses if you're able to identify it, which we recommend using MyFonts' WhatTheFont tool for. Simply upload the capture containing the font you want to identify, click on one of the highlighted texts containing the desired font, and review the results from there. Make sure to check for any design inconsistencies between the original sequence's font and the results before adding.
- If the visuals are the same as another but with a minor difference, do not simply redirect to that section and state the differing detail. You may copy and paste that sequence's description over to the new one with the small detail re-worded. Identities sharing the same as another's with no indicators for the specific division should be taken out or replaced with a note mentioning this fact.
- If applicable (e.g. voices on opening or closing sequences and live actors), mention the name of the actor who portrays the character.
Examples
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Animated sequence example:
Visuals: A golden-yellow sun rises. As the sun approaches the center, a rotating CBS eye appears, surrounded by a ring rotating outwards consisting of the words "movies", "theater", "television", "personalities", "art", "books", "music", and "opinion" (in a Frutiger typeface). As the ring of text continues to rotate, the sun from the last intro forms with its rays rotating around the middle of the sun. The CBS eye moves forward and fades out, and then the box from the last intro, this time with "ART", "MOVIES", "THEATER", "DESIGN", "MUSIC" and animated words representing the stories featured in the episode scroll downwards as the camera begins moving towards the right eye of the sun. "S U N D A Y M O R N I N G", with the letters spaced apart, flies in as the letters move back together. As the camera move through the eye, "Charles Osgood" wipes in from the left below "SUNDAY MORNING". A cloud with the set inside appears and zooms in, eventually covering the entire screen. Still sequence example: Incorrect example - Description is written in a conversational tone (first-person plural is used to address the sequence): Incorrect example - The appearance of the actual sequence is not described: Incorrect example - Usage of stylized fonts or colored text diminishes readability: Incorrect example - Describes the visuals that are the same as another sequence with a minor difference by redirecting it: |
Trivia (optional): If there is some trivia about the sequence, put them in this section. Examples include: the person/company that designed the sequence, what software was used, some behind-the-scenes facts, official or notable nicknames the sequence was given, etc.
- Avoid putting information that is pop culture related/doesn't relate directly to the sequence or its production. We recommend putting those in our dedicated pop culture sequences page instead.
Examples
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Single trivia examples: Multiple trivia examples:
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Variant(s) (optional): If there are different variants of a sequence (such as a prototype or an extended variation), add and describe them here. It's suggested to underline key portions of the variant being described, to make locating it easier.
- Do not describe one-off variations here. In other words, the variant is specific to only one movie/show. These should go on a separate sequence variations page.
- If a variant is rare or unusual, be sure to avoid inserting POV terms such as "surprise", "strange", "odd", etc. If you think a rarity of a variant is notable, mention it in the Legacy section below, though it may need a form of community consensus.
Examples
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If the sequence has only one variant: If the sequence has multiple variants: Variants:
Variants:
Variants:
Variants:
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Technique: This is a short section. State the animation technique and/or the type of effects being used in the sequence. These are some of the usage examples:
- Analog computer/Scanimate animation/switcher/effects: This sequence was animated using effects from an analog device, such as Scanimate or switcher. This animation style can be characterized by the use of trail effects, shines, panning/zooming, etc.
- (2D/3D) CGI/computer animation/effects: This sequence was made using computer software, either in 2D or 3D. Some examples of 2D software include Adobe-Animate (formerly Flash) and Toon-Boom.
- Live-action: This sequence was produced entirely using live-action footage.
- Motion/Camera-controlled animation: This sequence was designed/animated using a computerized stop-motion camera. More often than not combined with cel animation.
- Traditional/Cel animation: This sequence was drawn traditionally using ink and/or animated frame-by-frame on cel sheets. Recent sequences with this technique would colorize the drawings digitally, via digital ink-and-paint.
For a comprehensive guide on identifying more of these animation techniques, visit this page.
If two or more of these techniques are combined, you can put both in this manner: "A mix of (TECHNIQUE) and (TECHNIQUE)."
You may not redirect Techniques to another sequence in this manner: "Same as Example Media".
If the sequence is still, do not put "None" as the technique, as that implies identities are made out of thin air. Instead, you may describe that the technique of a still sequence includes digital graphics, superimposed, a cel sheet, printed image, etc.
Examples
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Single animation technique example:
Multiple animation technique examples:
Incorrect example - Not specific enough:
Incorrect example - Describing what moves in the sequence:
Incorrect example - Unnecessarily praising the sequence's animation:
Incorrect example - Unnecessarily criticizing the sequence's animation:
Incorrect example - Redirecting the Technique to another sequence which encourages misuse:
Incorrect example - Implies the identity is made with nothing:
Incorrect examples - No. Too lazy. You can do better.
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Audio: Describe the music theme played, whether as a genre (e.g., rock) or as specific instruments (e.g., guitar and drums), and/or the type of sounds are being used in the sequence.
- If possible, also mention how the theme or sound is made and who made it.
- If a specific piece of music is used, identify it and consider inserting a link to an upload of the music on YouTube, Vimeo or a similar site if available, in cases where the music and/or artist is less well-known.
- One way you can try identifying specific pieces of music is to use the Google app's Voice Search function (specifically "Search a song") and playing the sequence's audio for Google to identify. You may also visit this page to identify other commonly used instruments and techniques used to compose the audio.
- If a sequence doesn't contain audio or is silent, put "None".
Examples
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sequence only used one music track in its lifetime:
Incorrect example - Description is written in a conversational tone (first-person plural is used to address the audio):
Incorrect example - Does not specifically describe the audio:
Incorrect example - Unnecessarily praising the sequence's audio, or using adjectives to describe the audio (this can also violate the OSCA:POV policy):
Incorrect example - Redirects the audio to another sequence that encourages misuse:
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Audio Trivia (optional): If there is some interesting trivia about the sequence theme or sounds, such as who composed it, add them in this section.
Example
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Audio Trivia: The music, taken from the beginning of Franz von Suppé's "Leichte Kavallerie: Ouverture", was used at the beginning of some old Hong Kong movies. |
Audio Variant(s) (optional): If there are one or more variants of the sequence theme or sound, add them here. Again, underline key parts of the variant to make locating it easier.
Examples
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Single variant example: Multiple variants example:
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Voiceover(s) (optional): Used whenever any sequence has a voiceover.
Lyric(s) (optional): A good title sequence needs a theme song, and a good theme song needs lyrics! Write down a transcription of the lyrics in this section, so our visitors can sing along to the theme song!
Examples
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Lyrics example: |
Availability Notes (optional): This section serves as an optional addendum to the availability table below. State any networks/home media/consoles the sequence is found in and/or where it was last seen. Don't forget to italicize titles (or use "quotation marks" for episode names of television shows) from where the sequence can be found.
- As with the Variant section, POV should be avoided when describing appearances, which include using "tiers" such as "common" or "rare", describing a source as a "surprise appearance", etc. The rarity of a sequence, if community consensus on its status is notable, should be mentioned in the Legacy section.
- If there is little to no information to which hosting media the sequence has appeared, you may want to use the "Unknown" label at the beginning of the section.
- This section is optional for sequences that fall under categories in which the sequence was only seen for a limited time. If there is no extra information regarding its availability (e.g. revivals, home media releases, specific name or types of ads), then omit this section.
- Do not state the lifespan of when the sequences are seen, whenever in theaters or airing on television. The header already stated the obvious on when the identities were used for.
- When describing where sequences are found, include specific examples. Add a table where you can find everywhere you can find the sequence.
- Also specify if something that should have the sequence doesn't for some reason.
- Personal online uploads of sequences are not credible sources. The point of Availability is to describe what primary sources the sequence appeared on. However, if the sequence upload came from the company itself and/or the person/studio that created it, it is acceptable to include that in the section.
- Don't just say "found on the franchise's releases at the time", name at least some of the releases the sequence is known to be on.
- Don't make predictions on any upcoming shows or films that you think new sequences will appear on, as they may not even use them.
- For similar reasons, do not attempt to predict when a sequence will make its final appearance. This also includes saying "this sequence's days are numbered".
- If a sequence had been spotted on a certain source in the past or now, avoid using the word "recent" to ensure the timeliness of the descriptions.
Examples
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Single availability source example: Multiple availability sources example:
Availability Notes: It can be seen on the earliest films under the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer name. Some films were still around, while others are destroyed.
Availability Notes: Seen on films of the era, such as Freaks (1932), Grand Hotel (1932), Manhattan Melodrama (1934), The Thin Man films from 1934 to 1947, The Girl From Missouri (1934), Riptide (1934), A Night at the Opera (1935), Fury (1936), Libeled Lady (1936), Camille (1936), Romeo and Juliet (1936), The Good Earth (1937), Captains Courageous (1937), Topper (1937), A Day at the Races (1937), the Andy Hardy films from 1937 to 1946, The Wizard of Oz (1939), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), Ninotchka (1939), The Philadelphia Story (1940), Ziegfeld Girl (1941), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Gaslight (1944), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), Pat and Mike (1952), as well as the 1930s The Captain and the Kids cartoons.
Availability Notes:
Incorrect example - Uses a personal YouTube channel as a source: Incorrect examples - Does not mention any specific sources:
Incorrect example - Uses uninformative phrases: Incorrect example - Predicts when a sequence will debut: Incorrect example - Predicts when a sequence will retire: Incorrect example - Adds a "Tier": Incorrect example - Uses POV phrases: |
Legacy (optional): Write about how the sequence has affected the sequence community and/or broader popular culture and how much of an impact it's left on them (i.e. if the sequence is well-liked or disliked by the community, such as for the visuals, music, or it appearing on a specific program). If not that important, omit this section.
- Be sure the section is relevant to the sequence itself. Avoid citing the reputation of a company, show, person, etc., as a sequence's influence, as they may not have anything to do with its impact. Instead, mention it in the Background section.
- Do not add comments that are opinionated and are only based on your sole judgement, as it violates the OSCA:POV policy. All statements added to Legacy need some form of community consensus. If you think the reception of a sequence is notable, consensus should be required as well. You are also required to cite sources about a reception of a sequence to provide points as well.
- Legacy is also not a place to be talking about how similar it looks or sounds to a specific sequence, or how that sequence was the first/last appearance of a specific element. Those are more trivial statements and thus should be in Trivia.
- Legacy also doesn't allow what the community speculates for a sequence, as it has nothing to do with its reception.
Examples
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Correct examples:
Incorrect examples - Opinionated comments:
Incorrect examples - Irrelevant trivia about the sequence:
Incorrect example - Using a related entity's reputation for the sequence's legacy:
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Availability Section
At the end of a description, add an availability table. If there is no extra information regarding its availability, then omit this section.
This table is important - gather all of the information about where this sequence can be found. State any networks/home media/consoles the sequence is found in and/or where it was last seen. To generate this table, use the following syntax:
{{safesubst:Availability|Lifespan of sequence}}
Afterwards, an "Edit Table" button and a transclusion will be generated when the page is saved. Click the "Edit Table" button to create or edit the table. The table contains the following fields:
- Title - the name of the media the sequence originates (use the English title if it has one);
- Original Title - the original name of the media if it has an English title;
- Date of Release - the date when the media was released;
- Additional Notes - any additional info about the sequence's appearance, such as specifying if it is a variant or not, if it is plastered on certain prints, etc;
- Video Link - if available, supply a video link to the sequence's appearance (either YouTube or streaming prints).
There are also additional, optional fields such as:
- IMDB/TMDB/MobyGames - add a link to any of these databases;
- Final Date of Usage and Episode - useful for television media if a sequence is only used for a specific set of episodes;
- Format - the format of the media the sequence appeared on (check the "Enable format field" box for this to work);
- Print - the specific print the media is on, such as a television station's print or a home video company's print (check the "Enable print field" box for this to work);
- Platform - the platform the media is on (check the "Enable platform field" box for this to work);
- Country/Region - the country or region from which the media originates (check the "Enable country/region field" box for this to work).
Each table supports up to 60 entries. You would need to make a new subpage and table if there are more than 60 entries. You can do so by using tabbers and copying the "Edit Table" button's code and specify the target page for the new table.
Don't make predictions on any upcoming shows or films that you think new sequences will appear on, as they may not even use them. For similar reasons, do not attempt to predict when a sequence will make its final appearance. As with the variants table, if a sequence or a variant of it seems rare to you, please avoid using POV terms in Additional Notes by calling the sequence "rare" or "extinct". Any notable information as such should be in the Legacy section above.
Final Note
(optional element)
This can be used on defunct company pages. Here, describe the fate of the company and/or how it became defunct, whether if it merged with another company or if it filed for bankruptcy.
Examples
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Final Note From 2017 onwards, HIT Entertainment programming now has the Mattel Creations (and later the Mattel Television) sequence instead of the HIT sequence. However, the 2007 HIT sequence is still used on DVD releases and trade ads. Final Note: Between 1920 and 1921, films from Universal would either have an in-credit notice, or none at all. It won't be until 1922 that Universal have an on-screen sequence again. |
External Links
(optional element)
If there is a site you believe will further inform our readers on the history and/or branding of the company, you can create an external links section. Examples of what you might list here include:
- A relevant Wikipedia article
- An IMDB filmography for the company
- The company's official website
- A site or article discussing the branding of the company, e.g. a page on TVARK or a similar branding compilation site/forum, an article about how the sequence was made.
If you have level 2 headings on your page, this should be a level 2 heading to ensure the table of contents is formatted properly. Otherwise, a level 3 heading is acceptable.
Example
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External Links
External links
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Chronology
(optional element)
The chronology template is used for linking defunct companies to their successors (i.e. Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, & Louis B. Mayer Pictures link to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios), or for linking major rebrands (i.e. MGM/CBS Home Video links to MGM/UA Home Entertainment and CBS/Fox Video). Two examples are provided below:
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'Company' Other company (for mergers.) |
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'Old Name' |
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Navboxes
(optional element)
You can add a Navbox to the bottom of your page for easy navigation between related pages. You can add more than one Navbox if you choose, though typically an article would have a section Navbox, e.g. TV, Film, Home Entertainment and a company navbox, e.g. Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony, Disney, Comcast, Amazon, Paramount Global, Fox, Versant, Nexstar, Hearst, Sinclair, Gray, Tegna, Scripps, Cox, Rincon, Allen Media Group. For a full list of currently available Navbox templates, see Category:Navboxes. Five examples are below:
Categories
Once you've finished your page, you should add it to our category system. You can add a page to a category by adding [[Category:Your Category Here]]. You can see this in action at the bottom of this page, where you will note that this page is in the "Tutorials" Category.
Alternatively, you can turn on HotCat, which can be found on the Gadgets section of your Preferences. This will enable buttons to remove, change or add categories on the category bar.
Which categories do I use?
- Sequences appearing in film, including theatrical film, short film, direct-to-video film and newsreels are categorized into Category:Film.
- Sequences appearing in television series are categorized into Category:Television.
- Sequences (trailers) used by movie theaters/cinemas are categorized into Category:Cinema trailers.
- Sequences appearing in music entertainment are categorized into Category:Music entertainment.
- Sequences appearing online are categorized into Category:Online.
- Sequences appearing in educational media, including classroom films and educational videos, are categorized into Category:Education
- Sequences appearing in video games are categorized into Category:Video games.
After adding the section categories, be sure to add the country categories according to the media's country of origin, and if available, the company category. For example, the categories for The Three Stooges are as follows:
[[Category:Comedy show title sequences]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Television]]
Description Tips
With that, we conclude the article elements section. However, we would like to provide some other tips to remember when writing an article:
- When creating a new page, you can load a standard template to simplify the editing process. When creating a new page, a box will appear above the editor asking you to choose a boilerplate. Ensure that you have selected the appropriate page template, then click Load. This will load in a blank description template that you can use to build your page. We currently have boilerplates for Standard Pages and sequence Variations.
- When writing two or more sequence descriptions, make sure you add a line break in between each one so each description will have enough breathing room.
- If your page mentions a company which has its own article on AVID, please add a link to the company's article with the
{{AVID link}}template - for example: {{AVID link|Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios}} produces Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios
. This helps tie both wikis together. - Use formal lanugage instead of informal/colloquial language (e.g., use "atmosphere" or "feel" in place of "vibe(s)").
Other Tips & Tricks
Page Templates
- Main article: OSCA:Page Templates
Adding Citations
If there is a statement written in an article that some are likely to challenge, why not back it up with a reputable source? That is where the References feature comes in. To add references, simply type the following code:
<ref>[URL]</ref>
[1]
The code is to be written directly after the statement in the article in which you want to add a citation. The reference will automatically be listed at the bottom of the page, like so:
- ↑ [URL]
You can also add text sources if you really wanna go there. Write the reference in the following format:
<ref>Author, ''Title'', (Publisher, YEAR), Pg#-Pg#</ref>
[1]
- ↑ Author, Title, (Publisher, YEAR), Pg#-Pg#
Moving Pages
If your page title has a typo in it or the subject of your page has changed their name, you may wish to move your page to a new title. To do this, simply go to the "More" menu at the top of the page and select the move button. You will be prompted to provide your changed title. If you are simply moving your page to a new namespace, click on the dropdown that says (Main) and select the namespace you want.
Once you have made the desired change, click the button to confirm your change and the page will be moved. Your original title will be preserved as a redirect, so you won't need to update any wikilinks to your page. If your move was to correct a typo in the title, please blank the resulting redirect page and mark the page for speedy deletion using {{SpeedyDelete|Typo}}. An admin will then delete your page promptly.
Creating Redirects
If the subject of your page is known by another title or an abbreviation, you might like to create a redirect so that any user who searches or links using this alternate name will easily find your page. To make one, simply create a new page with the desired alternate name and put the following on the page:
#REDIRECT [[Your Title Here]].
The markup should produce something like this:
Once you save your redirect page, any user who follows a link to this alternate title will be sent directly to your page.
If your page has Level 2 headings, you might want to use this markup to create a redirect to a certain section of a page:
#REDIRECT [[Your Title Here#Section Name Here]].
The markup should produce something like this:
Alternatively you can use Special:CreateRedirect to make a redirect in a more user-friendly manner. This page also allows you to create multiple redirects at once.
Conclusion
We've reached the end of this comprehensive tutorial guide! We hope this has quelled a few questions regarding how to write articles on the wiki.
Provided are three different demo pages containing examples of proper formatting. They are simply shorter excerpts of an OSCA page, but demonstrate good examples of following the Tutorial Guide.
That's about it. Have fun!
The
Team
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