While a certain amount of speculation is natural in a project such as this, statements should be phrased in ways that are verifiably true and clearly communicate uncertainty. In general, any statement that might be disputable (even if wrongly so) should provide a source to facilitate verification.
Books[]
A reference to a particular chapter in a particular book should be sufficient; page numbers vary from edition to edition, and thus should not be used within articles (they may be helpful for detailed analysis on the talk page, of course).
Book reference templates are made using {{ref/book}}. For example, {{ref/book|12|3}} creates [1]. New Spring can be referenced using 0 as the book number. River of Souls can be referenced using 15 as the book number. TWORJTWOT, The Wheel of Time Companion, and Origins of the Wheel of Time can be referenced using "bwb", "c", or "origns" respectively in place of the book number. See Template:Ref/book/doc for more information and examples.
Theoryland Interview Database[]
Theoryland↗ is the de facto source of truth for statements by Robert Jordan, Brandon Sanderson, and other real-life individuals with varying degrees of "authority" to make extra-textual claims about the Wheel of Time canon.
Specific interviews, questions, and even keyword searches can be referenced with {{ref/tidb}} and {{ref/tidbkw}}. See Template:Ref/tidb/doc for more information.
Miscellaneous[]
Other sources, including offline sources, may be referenced using the generic form of {{ref}}.
Verify[]
Statements that lack sources but should be sourced can be flagged for verification with {{verify}}. This is equivalent to Wikipedia's↗ Citation needed↗ tag.
What does "verify" mean?[]
The "verify" tag is used to indicate that a claim made in an article requires a reference to a reliable source in the books. This helps ensure the accuracy and verifiability of information within the wiki. Tagged claims are usually thought to be correct, but need better sourcing. Incorrect claims are instead removed, possibly following discussion in talk pages or on the Discord. Reasonable but unverifiable claims (which can neither be proven nor disproven) (such as many ) may instead be rephrased to reflect the level of certainty, but should also contain citations to supporting sources.
How to use the "verify" template[]
To add the "verify" template to a claim, use the following syntax: {{verify|reason=Your reason here}}.
This will add the tag to the specific claim and notify editors that the information requires verification. The page containing the claim will show up on Category:Citation needed.
When to use the "verify" template[]
You should use the template whenever you see any significant statement about the books that is not referenced, especially statements that may be doubted by readers of varying levels of familiarity with the books. Referencing sources enhances credibility and allows readers to follow up on the original material for more context.
That being said, not every statement needs an immediate source. For example, not every sentence that refers to Rand as tall needs a reference. But claims of his specific height (6'6") merit a reference. And the section on Rand's page describing his appearance should contain sources to any claims about his appearance.
Best practices[]
- If the information is widely known and verifiable, a citation may not be necessary, but it's always good practice to include one.
- Avoid using the "verify" tag for common knowledge or universally accepted facts unless explicitly questioned.
Removing the "verify" tag[]
The "verify" tag should be removed once a reliable source has been provided to back up the claim.
See also[]
Wotwiki:Responsible point of view