L5r:Cite your sources the old way

The sources used within the L5R Wiki will generally be fairly limited in scope. Namely, nearly all, if not completely all, of the sources used will be published by Alderac Entertaiment Group either in print or online. As such, there is no need for an extensive bibliography on each page, because almost everyone reading these articles will know a book immediately merely from its abbreviated title. With this in mind, there are a few basic guidelines to citing sources.

Parenthetical Citation
Generally speaking, the majority of citations can easily be parenthetical citations (citations using parentheses). When an article has a paragraph or two of information -- certainly no more than a single subsection -- that comes from a page or two within a book, a card, or an online fiction, the source can be cited simply by placing a reference to it in parenthesis at the end of the paragraph. This is an abbrevaiated form, so the abbreviated titles of the sources should be used.

Books
The format for printed books is the abbreviated title of the book followed by the page number or numbers. Incidentally, "p." is the abbreviation for "page" and "pp." is the abbreviation for "pages".


 * (Unicorn p. 27)
 * (SoCrane pp. 43-44)
 * (3E p. 7)

Cards
The format for cards is the title of the card, including the standard "Exp", "Exp2", etc. abbreviations, followed by the abbreviation of the set in which it was printed. Includign the set is important as flavor text (which, in this context, we will get the most use of) changes from edition to edition.


 * (Ide Tadaji Exp, SotE)
 * (Bayushi Paneki, SW)
 * (Hoshi, SoSM)

Online Sources
The format for online sources is simply a link to the article in question. There is no need for a title in this format.


 * 
 * 
 * 

Combined Sources
It is possible to use information from more than one source in a single paragraph. In this case, simply combine the citations into a single list separated by commas. If cards are used in the citation, separate by semicolons instead.


 * (Phoenix pp. 38-39, )
 * (Crane p. 27, SoCrane p. 63)
 * (Hoshi, SoSM; Dragon p. 89; ; )

Major References
If a single work (or, in the case of a printed book, a single section of a work) is the source for more than just one or two paragraphs of information, then a parenthetical citation at the very end of the article just won't do, and identical parenthetical citations at the end of every paragrah will get overly redundant. Instead, a Major References section at the end of the article will help those looking to find the original source. This section should be a bulleted list includig the entire title of the book or online article; abbreviations should not be used.

The section is called "Major References" because parenthetical references do not need to be repeated in this section. This section is merely for portions of books or online sources that have contributed too much to an article to be cited in parentheses. Likewise, sources should only be listed in this section if they have contributed to an article. The entirety of Secrets of the Scorpion, for example, should not be listed in the Major References section for the Scorpion Clan article, because not every page of that book was used in the article. Nor should every Scorpion personality card ever printed be listed, because they did not contribute anything to the article, either (though the cards could possibly be listed as sources in the articles for the personalities in the cards).

Books
The format for books is the entire title of the book followed by the pages used. Abbreviateions should not be used. Book titles should be italicised.
 * Way of the Phoenix Pages 87-91.
 * Bearers of Jade Pages 23-28.
 * Unexpected Allies Pages 3-7.

Online Sources
The format for online sources is to link to the article, with the entire title of the article as the text for the link.
 * Blood Dawn, Part 2
 * The Gold-Diamond Divide Timeline
 * Gencon Barcelona: The Hidden Heart of Iuchiban

Cards
As this format is for sources that have contributed more than two or so paragraphs to the article, it is highly doubtful that a card could ever need to be listed. There is simply not enough information on the cards to fill that much space.

Combined Sources
Sources in the Major References section do not combine. Each item has its own separate entry in a bulleted list.