Arkham Wiki:Style guide
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Style guide
This page defines the writing and formatting standards used across Arkham Wiki.
The goal is to keep articles consistent, readable, neutral, and easy to verify.
General writing style
Articles should be written in a clear, neutral, encyclopedic tone.
Avoid:
- Fan language
- Excessive praise or criticism
- Jokes inside factual sections
- Writing directly to the reader
- Unsupported speculation
- Statements presented as fact when the source is uncertain
Prefer:
Batman confronted Joker at the Monarch Theatre.
instead of:
Batman finally has an awesome confrontation with Joker.
Tense
Use past tense when describing story events.
Example:
Batman entered Arkham City and investigated Hugo Strange's plans.
Use present tense for characteristics that remain generally true.
Example:
Batman is a vigilante operating in Gotham City.
For development information, use whichever tense is grammatically appropriate.
Article introductions
The first paragraph should briefly explain:
- Who or what the subject is
- Its role in the Arkham universe
- Its most important identifying information
Do not overload the lead with detailed plot summary.
Example:
'''Bruce Wayne''', better known as '''Batman''', is a vigilante and the primary protagonist of the ''Batman: Arkham'' series.
Names
Use the most commonly established Arkham-universe name as the article title.
Examples:
Batman Joker Harley Quinn James Gordon Arkham City
Real names may redirect to the primary article where appropriate.
Example:
Bruce Wayne → Batman Jack Ryder → Jack Ryder
Do not assume a character's identity when the source does not establish it.
Titles of works
Italicize titles of games, novels, films, and similar complete works.
Examples:
''Batman: Arkham Asylum'' ''Batman: Arkham City'' ''Batman: Arkham Knight''
Individual missions, chapters, recordings, and similar smaller works should generally use quotation marks.
Example:
"Cold, Cold Heart"
Comic issue titles may follow their published naming convention.
First mention
The first appearance of the article subject in the lead should normally be bolded.
Example:
'''Harley Quinn''' is...
Do not repeatedly bold the subject throughout the article.
Section order
Character articles should generally use:
Lead
Biography
Early life
Arkham Origins
Arkham Asylum
Arkham City
Arkham Knight
Personality
Abilities
Equipment
Relationships
Behind the scenes
Appearances
References
Not every article needs every section.
Use chronology where practical.
Plot summaries
Plot summaries should describe relevant events without becoming complete transcripts.
Focus on:
- Important actions
- Character decisions
- Relationships
- Consequences
- Information relevant to continuity
Avoid describing every combat encounter or gameplay objective unless it matters to the story.
Spoilers
Arkham Wiki does not hide major story information by default.
Articles are reference material and may contain spoilers for all Arkham media.
A general spoiler notice may be used on the Main Page or site information pages, but individual factual sections should not be censored for spoilers.
Citations
Important factual claims should be cited according to Arkham Wiki:Sourcing policy.
Place citations immediately after the claim they support.
Example:
Joker was transferred to Arkham Asylum after the events of the Blackgate incident.<ref>Source information here.</ref>
Do not place one citation at the end of a large paragraph if it only supports one sentence.
Citation needed
Use:
{{Citation needed}}
when a claim is plausible but lacks a reliable source.
Use the reason parameter when useful:
{{Citation needed|reason=No source has been found identifying this Robin.}}
Do not use citation-needed tags as a substitute for discussing clearly false information.
Canon status
When continuity status requires clarification, use:
{{Canon status|status=confirmed}}
{{Canon status|status=implied}}
{{Canon status|status=disputed}}
{{Canon status|status=unknown}}
{{Canon status|status=non-canon}}
{{Canon status|status=cut}}
Speculation
Do not write speculation as fact.
Avoid:
This proves Sarah Essen existed in the Arkham universe.
when the source only establishes:
The code "Sarah" appears in Arkham City.
Instead write:
The code "Sarah" appears in ''Batman: Arkham City''. Its intended reference has not been officially confirmed.
If an interpretation is worth documenting, clearly identify it as an interpretation.
Contradictions
Do not silently rewrite contradictory information to make the continuity appear consistent.
Instead:
- Describe both versions
- Cite both sources
- Explain the contradiction neutrally
- Use
DISPUTED
when appropriate
Do not invent explanations.
Developer information
Behind-the-scenes information should be separated from in-universe biography where practical.
Use wording such as:
According to creative director... During development... An unused model indicates... Concept art depicts...
Do not mix abandoned concepts into the fictional biography as if they occurred.
Cut content
Cut content should normally appear under:
== Development ==
or:
== Cut content ==
Clearly label it as unused.
Example:
{{Canon status|status=cut}}
Do not use cut content as evidence that an event occurred in the released continuity unless another source establishes it.
Gameplay mechanics
Avoid treating mechanics as literal story events unless supported by the narrative.
Examples include:
- Respawning
- Challenge-map scoring
- Health bars
- Upgrade points
- New Game Plus mechanics
- Player-selected cosmetic skins
- Glitches
- Sequence breaks
If a mechanic has confirmed in-universe significance, explain the evidence.
Alternate skins
Do not list every selectable costume as a canonical suit.
Separate:
- Story suits
- Canonically depicted alternate suits
- Cosmetic skins
- Non-canon crossover skins
Images
Images should:
- Be relevant to the article
- Have descriptive captions
- Avoid unnecessary duplication
- Be placed near the text they illustrate
File names should be descriptive.
Good:
Batman-Arkham-City-church.jpg
Bad:
Screenshot293848.png
Image captions
Captions should explain what the reader is looking at.
Good:
Batman confronting Hugo Strange in Wonder Tower.
Avoid:
Batman.
unless nothing more specific is necessary.
Galleries
Do not use galleries as storage dumps.
Include images that provide meaningful visual information, such as:
- Costume changes
- Character designs
- Location changes
- Development concepts
- Promotional artwork
Duplicate or near-identical screenshots should generally be omitted.
Article links
Link the first useful occurrence of another article.
Example:
Batman entered [[Arkham City]] after being arrested by [[Hugo Strange]].
Avoid linking the same term repeatedly in a short section.
Red links
Red links are acceptable when the subject reasonably deserves a future article.
Do not create excessive links for trivial subjects unlikely to receive their own page.
Categories
Articles should use relevant categories.
Examples:
[[Category:Characters]] [[Category:Villains]] [[Category:Arkham City characters]]
Avoid adding dozens of extremely narrow categories unless they are useful for navigation.
Redirects
Create redirects for:
- Real names
- Common alternate names
- Common spelling variations
- Former names
- Frequently searched abbreviations
Example:
Bruce Wayne → Batman
Do not create misleading redirects that imply an unconfirmed identity.
Disambiguation
Use disambiguation pages when the same term reasonably refers to multiple subjects.
Example:
Arkham
may refer to multiple locations, institutions, or titles depending on context.
Capitalization
Follow the official capitalization of names and titles when known.
Examples:
Arkham Asylum Wayne Enterprises GCPD Wonder Tower
Do not capitalize generic terms unnecessarily.
Numbers and dates
Use exact dates when the source provides them.
Do not convert vague chronology into exact dates without evidence.
Write:
Several years before the events of ''Arkham Asylum''
rather than inventing a calendar year.
Quotes
Use quotations when exact wording matters.
Keep quotations reasonably short.
Always identify the speaker or source.
Example:
Batman described the situation as "...".<ref>...</ref>
Avoid reproducing long dialogue scenes or transcripts when a summary would be sufficient.
Trivia
Avoid large trivia sections.
Information that matters should usually be incorporated into the relevant article section.
Trivia may be used for genuinely notable facts that do not fit elsewhere.
Do not include:
- Coincidences
- Personal opinions
- Obvious observations
- Unverified Easter eggs
- Fan theories presented as facts
References to other Batman continuities
Similarities to comics, films, television, or other games may be mentioned in development or notes sections when reliably sourced or clearly identifiable.
Do not imply that an Arkham event occurred simply because a similar event occurred in another Batman continuity.
Article quality
Before considering an article well-developed, editors should check:
- Is the lead clear?
- Are major claims sourced?
- Is chronology understandable?
- Are canon uncertainties labeled?
- Are speculation and fact separated?
- Are images useful?
- Are sections organized consistently?
- Are major contradictions documented?
- Are sources traceable to originals?
Edit summaries
Use meaningful edit summaries.
Good:
Added source for Robin identity claim Corrected Arkham City chronology Removed unsupported Year One claim Added developer interview citation
Avoid:
fixed stuff edit lol