Editing Guide

Hey! In this page we'll detail the editing guidelines for this wiki. One goal in revamping this wiki is that pages are well organized, have proper documentation/sources, and are cohesive with one another.

## Page Format

* The first time a term is mentioned in the page, bold it. Eg.: **Term** refers to...
* Flags should be placed in the infobox with proper credit to the artist in the caption, phrased as "\_\_\_\_ flag by \_\_\_\_". Additional flags should be added in a gallery at the bottom of the page.
* If a trigger warning is needed on a page, it should be added uninterrupted to the top of the page. The trigger warning can be accessed through **insert** -> **template** -> **triggerwarning**.
* All pages should be in third person- avoid using personal pronouns and terms. Use **headmate** over alter/system member, and **plural** over system, except when system is more applicable than plural- eg, the phrase "system, subsystem, or headmate".
* Avoid summaries, restating, and rephrasing. Terms should be as close to what the original coiner stated as to not potentially misconstrue their intention.
* Use proper grammar in pages.
* Do not list every term that is similar to another term unless it is directly relevant- this is why we have categories. Try to avoid adding "related term(s)" that aren't directly linked to the original term.

In general, pages follow the format of:

* Trigger warning (if needed)
* Basic definition
* Additional information about the **term** or its history
* Coiner and flag creation - with **dates and proper references**. Try to avoid speculation- you should have at least some form of direct info.
* Flag explanation (if provided - do not speculate)
* Etymology (if obvious or provided)
* References
* Gallery (if needed)

Infoboxes should include any known information that is applicable. If something isn't known, leave the space on the infobox empty. Avoid adding complete sentences in the infobox, because it's intended to be a quick reference.

## Page Content

* Pages should not include personal experiences and should be written without personal terms.
* While you **can** provide terms with similar definitions, avoid adding a full definition for the secondary term.
* If speculation is necessary, make it clear that it's an assumption- something unknown should not be passed off as fact.
* Use the username of the coiner in place of their real name, and provide the platform on which a term was coined.

## Sourcing

* If a direct source from the coiner can be found, it should be added by default. Direct testimonies are better than using Pluralpedia or another wiki source as a reference.
* If the original page referenced has since been deleted, check archiving websited (like archive.is and Wayback Machine) to see if it's been preserved there. If not, do the best you can with what has been provided, and make it clear that you cannot confirm whether this information is credible. Eg: The original coining post appears to be deleted and is not archived- however, previous versions of this wiki/Pluralpedia/other source attribute it to Tumblr user plurgai on April 29th, 2021. It can be assumed that the flag was posted on the same day.
* Terms coined by users on the wiki should not be coined through the page. Discussion posts or posts on outside platforms are heavily encouraged so that each page can have valid references.