FamilySearch Wiki:WikiProject Washington - Style and Guidelines

WikiProject Washington Style and Guidelines

Project Guidelines
These guidelines are for the Washington WikiProject, which is scheduled to end in October or November, 2013. Other contributors are encouraged to use these guidelines, but are certainly not constrained by them.

Style
The following styles have one major purpose—to help users decide whether to use the resources listed or not. Therefore:
 * 1) Wording is clear and to the point.
 * 2) Important resources are highlighted, not buried in long lists.
 * 3) Dates of the records are given where appropriate.
 * 4) Typical contents of the resources are briefly mentioned. Will this record help for their research?
 * 5) Consistency from county to county to increase understanding with minimal reading.

Style includes but is not limited to:
 * All Washington county pages match in format:
 * The look at the top:
 * Breadcrumb and SEO are consistent. SEO includes date county was formed and links to the "County Formation" heading.
 * Image size is consistent and pertains to that county.
 * The Quick start is indented and links to headings for that county.
 * The tops of Contents and the Infobox are even with each other.
 * Topic headings—wording and heading levels are the same.


 * Consistency in presentation of information:
 * Introductory statements are standardized paragraphs (templates) for most topics.
 * If a topic is unique for a county, copy the wording from the template, paste it to the appropriate place, then adapt it to that county.
 * Use bullets for each of the specific collections or links described under a topic heading.
 * Explain links briefly to help the user know what to expect, such as ($) after a for-fee site.


 * Miscellaneous:
 * Image, table, or template positions and size need to be consistent.
 * Prefer sharp images relevant to the topic on the page
 * Use references to cite sources of information.
 * Use Italics for titles of published books.
 * Example: Use two apostrophes around words to italicize, displays: Use two apostrophes around words to italicize.

FYI: Links in Wikitext

 * Internal links go to another wiki page or to a specific heading on a page.
 * Style: Two left and right square brackets and  at each end of the link.
 * Option: use a pipe |  to display the only the words you want the user to see.
 * Example: History Timeline displays as History Timeline.
 * The # sends the search to the specific heading on that page.


 * External links go to another web site.
 * Style: 1) One left square bracket ( [ ), 2) the URL, 3) a space, 4) the wording you want users to see, and 5) ending the link with one right square bracket ( ] ).
 * Example: Seattle Passenger Lists 1890-1957 results in Seattle Passenger Lists 1890-1957.
 * Identify the website, such "a FamilySearch Historical Records Collection (free)" or "at Ancestry.com ($)."


 * Special external links:
 * FamilySearch Library catalog:
 * Please use the template "FHL". (When the engineers change catalog search parameters, this prevents us from having to go back and change every link.)
 * Wikipedia:
 * Use the template "Wpd" for Wikipedia.

Citations and Sourcing

 * Please use the full Chicago Manual of Style footnote style (modified):


 * Author(s), followed by a comma
 * Title (book titles in italics)
 * Publication data in parenthesis:
 * - Publication place, followed by a colon
 * - Publisher
 * - Year of publication
 * - comma, and the the page number(s) followed by a period
 * Access information:
 * - link to free online copy, if any. IF a free online copy is available no further access data needs to be added.
 * - IF NO free online edition is available, then add:
 * - WorldCat template:.
 * - FS Library template:.
 * - Brief annotation explaining the content, or why, or how a reader would want to use the source.

Example of bibliographic entry in article:  As it appears on the page:


 * Carpenter, V.K. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850, Fentress County, Tennessee. (Huntsville, Arkansas: Century Enterprises, Genealogical Service, 1969). - Book online at Google books;

In wikitext:


 * :*Carpenter, V.K. Seventh Census of the United States, 1850, Fentress County, Tennessee. Huntsville, Arkansas: Century Enterprises, Genealogical Service, 1969. - Book online at Google books;

Example of bibliographic citation at the end of the article - using &lt;R&gt;: 

As it appears on the page:


 * P. William Filby, A Bibliography of American County Histories (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1985), 99–100. ;

In wikitext:


 * P. William Filby, A Bibliography of American County Histories (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1985), 99–100. ;

Links with Purpose
The Wiki is not a links repository. It uses links to support the genealogical educational purpose of a page or section of a page. Show and explain links with an educational purpose in mind. Annotate each external link briefly but well enough for the reader to realize what they will be getting if they click that link.

Seek out Local and Unique
Seek out local and unique genealogical search strategies, records, or repositories and explain them to readers.

Wording Changes
Before changing the saved wording of another team member who followed these rules you must get their consent (except for obvious minor typos).

Describe Each Edit - Summary
Describe each edit in theSummary field before clicking the Save button.