InuYasha Wiki:Reference and source policy

Suggestions
If I've asked for your suggestions/input on this, please leave your comments in this section. Keep in mind this is a draft, and won't be implemented until a consensus has been reached by a wiki-wide discussion (probably the next daimyō-kai). So, it's still able to be changed. Thanks in advance for your input! I value constructive criticism. :)

The addition of information into articles must be referenced to maintain the integrity of the the InuYasha Wiki. Because of the "in-universe" POV used in articles, references must be made by putting the source of the information between reference tags. The InuYasha Wiki is not a publisher of original thought (opinions, experiences, arguments, etc.). For information to be included in the InuYasha Wiki, the information must be attributable to a reliable published source.

Although everything on the InuYasha Wiki must be attributable, in practice not all material is attributed. Editors need only provide attribution for material that is challenged or likely to be challenged, or it may be removed. The burden of evidence lies with the editor wishing to add or retain the material. If an article topic has no reliable sources, the InuYasha Wiki should not have an article on it. The following guidelines should be used when adding or editing information to the Wiki.

No original research
Original research refers to material that is not attributable to a reliable, published source. This includes unpublished facts, arguments, ideas, statements, and s; and any unpublished analysis or synthesis of published material that appears to advance a position. Material added to articles must be directly and explicitly supported by the cited sources.

Material counts as original research if it: or
 * introduces a theory, speculation, or any other original idea;
 * defines or introduces new terms, or provides new definitions of existing terms;
 * introduces an argument without citing a reliable source who has made that argument in relation to the topic of the article;
 * introduces an analysis or synthesis of published facts, opinions, or arguments without attributing that analysis or synthesis to a reliable source who has published the material in relation to the topic of the article.

Reliable sources
Any in-universe articles must be based on canonical sources. For out-of-universe articles and trivia material, the situation is more complicated.

Generally, reliable sources are credible published materials with a reliable publication process; their authors are generally regarded as trustworthy or authoritative in relation to the subject at hand. As a rule of thumb, the more people engaged in checking facts, analyzing legal issues, and scrutinizing the writing, the more reliable the publication. How reliable a source is depends on context; what is reliable in one topic may not be in another.

Language
English-language sources should be used whenever possible, because this is the English InuYasha Wiki. Sources in other languages are acceptable if no English equivalents have been found. Published translations are preferred to editors' translations; when editors use their own translations, the original-language material should be provided too, preferably in a footnote, so that readers can check the translation for themselves.

Placement
Stylistically, reference tags should be placed after the punctuation mark at the end of a statement. If an entire paragraph has information all found in one place, the reference can be added after the last sentence of that paragraph, as opposed to adding references to every sentence.

Reference naming
To utilize reference names to the fullest extent, using the  tags is preferred over using the regular. When naming a reference that is not directly from one of the source-specific references described below, use a short phrase.

Multiple insertion of the same reference
If you need to use the same reference later in the article, just use  for every instance it comes up after the initial reference naming.

Producing the reference list
Most importantly, add the reflist at the end of an article under a "References" heading. This code will automatically display the reference list, showing nearly everything tagged with ref tags.

Manga references
When referencing information found in the manga, you only need to know the chapter number the information can be found in. You should name the reference after this number, then use Cite manga for the source. For example, if you want to reference information found in Chapter 5 of the series, you should use the following after the information:.

Anime references
When referencing information found in the manga, you should know the chapter number the information is in. Name the reference after this number, then use Cite anime for the source. For example, if you want to reference information found in Episode 137, you should use the following after the information:. Similarly, if you want to reference information found in Episode 3 of InuYasha: The Final Act, you would use the following:.

Movie references
When referencing information found in one of the four InuYasha movies, you only need to know the movie number. You should name the reference after this number, then use Cite movie for the source. For example, if you want to reference information found in Movie 1, you should use the following after the information:.

Unreferenced information
Any edits made without references can be reverted indefinitely and without warning, so please reference information.