Catechism Database:Manual of Style

The articles of Catechism Database, are editable by anyone with an account, allowing anyone to collaboratively share the Teachings of the Catholic Church. In order to be truthful accurate and remain true to the Show the Church Teaching, we maintain a **Manual of Style** (**MOS**) For Better Organization.

Please don't be intimidated by these guidelines. Your contributions are welcome even if they do not perfectly conform to what's below. These guidelines are meant to channel—not impede—your efforts! If what you contribute doesn't conform precisely to these guidelines, no doubt it will be honed by other members of the community. Catechism Database is, after all, always a work in progress.

## Introduction

This **Style Manual** constitutes the official style protocols for the Entire **Catechism Database**. When editing articles or creating new ones, this document should be used as a reference point and guidelines for all content. It is strongly recommended that you add it to your watchlist so that you can track whenever it's updated and incorporate the changes into your editing, helping to keep the whole site in conformity.

The Style Manual is "enforced" primarily by the users of the site but also by the administrators. Enforcement comes in the form of composing articles according to the manual the first time they're created and also by continual editing to conform to the Style Manual. That means that **we rely on you to help us keep things in order by using the Style Manual**.

**Note**: All the following rules about articles and their names **also apply to internal links**, because clicking on an as-yet-to-be-written article linked in an existing article will give the new article that name by default. Thus, when making links to articles, those links must conform to the naming practices defined here.

### Writing Style

Given the **Manual of Style** there are certain rules and procedures of grammar that must be followed for an article to obey:

1. **All content should be in a past-tense**. The exceptions to this are on currently applicable doctrines (such as Love), spiritual beings (God, Angels) and unfulfilled prophecies. Present tense phrasing should only be used in aspects of the listed exceptions that are still applicable or are ongoing.
2. **All content should be in third person.** Content directly addressing the reader using "you" or referring to Christians using "we" who is not a Note should be avoided. This type of content is allowed in blogposts and other non-article content.

### Tone

Though there are certainly exceptions, the atmosphere being developed for most Catechism Database articles is generally encyclopedic, i.e., the style of writing one would expect from an encyclopedia. That doesn't mean that articles have to conform to academic writing characteristic of secular scholarship, but it does mean that a certain level of professionalism and consistency is desired.

At the same time, our approach is hagiographical—that is, attempting to write with reverence and humility regarding the awesome subjects which we're addressing. As such, try to develop your writing here in that manner. We're trying accurately and humbly to convey the truth of the Catholicism in an easy-to-use, thorough and readable resource, an accessible compendium of Catholicism. Always keep that in mind when contributing.

### Point of View

*Main article: Catechism Database:Catholic Point of View*

## Guidelines

### Cite everything

*Main article: Catechism Database:Citation*

This should be self-explanatory. Nothing is taken for granted here. This is very strict... it's not enough just to mention that something happened, you have to mention where it happened. By citing sources for Catechism Database content, you enable users to verify that the information given is supported by reliable sources, thus improving the credibility of Catechism Database while showing that the content is not original research. You also help users find additional information on the subject; and by giving attribution you avoid plagiarising the source of your words or ideas.

In particular, sources are required for material that is challenged or likely to be challenged, if reliable sources cannot be found for challenged material, it is likely to be removed from the article. Sources are also required when quoting someone, with or without quotation marks, or closely paraphrasing a source. However, the citing of sources is not limited to those situations – editors are always encouraged to add or improve citations for any information contained in an article.

Citations are especially desirable for statements about living persons, particularly when the statements are contentious or potentially defamatory. In accordance with the biography of living persons policy, unsourced information of this type is likely to be removed on sight.

### Types of Articles

*Main article: Catechism Database:Notability*

## References

1. ↑ 2 Corinth 4:11, Romans 16:17, 1 Tim 6:3, Gal 1:9