Wookieepedia's Attribution policy defines how all information on the wiki's articles must be properly attributed to a reliable source—any reader should be able to independently verify an article's information through the attached citations. The Sourcing policy explains how to use citations, while the reliability of sources is defined below. Information should also be written from a neutral point of view, presenting verifiable facts without editorial bias.
Why attribution?
- To credit a source for providing useful information and to avoid claims of plagiarism.
- To show that your edit is not original research.
- To ensure that the content of articles is credible and can be verified by any reader or editor.
- To help users find additional reliable information on the topic.
- To improve the overall credibility and authoritative character of Wookieepedia.
- To reduce the likelihood of editorial disputes, or to resolve any that arise.
Fan fiction
The purpose of Wookieepedia is to document official Star Wars media licensed by Lucasfilm. The Canon policy further defines how Wookieepedia treats canonicity, including both the Legends and current canon continuities. All in-universe information must be attributable to a valid source.
Documenting individual elements in fan fiction ("fanon") is not the purpose of Wookieepedia. Any fanon element, including speculation not supported by an official published source, will be removed. Conversely, the Star Wars Fanon Wiki, which is a separate community with its own policies and practices, accepts exclusively fan-made material. Rare exceptions, such as the Book of Imperial Shuttle Plans: Cygnus Spaceworks, are governed by the Notability of fan projects policy and are limited to discussing the relevant fan project's impact on Star Wars canon and fanbase.
Reliability
Sourcing information alone is not sufficient—the source should be reliable. Official Star Wars media that are published with Lucasfilm's license are the only reliable sources for in-universe information. For real world, out-of-universe information, special care should be taken in judging a source's reliability.
Websites with crowd-sourced information may be unreliable—this includes pages on Wikipedia, IMDb, and indeed Wookieepedia itself. Depending on a file's provenance, some images on Wikimedia Commons and IMDb may be used as reliable sources, pursuant to the Files policy. Information generated by artificial intelligence (AI) is not reliable.
Sensational news media, rumors, and personal opinions should be avoided. For example, a movie review says: "The Empire Strikes Back is about as personal as a Christmas card from a bank."[1] A Wookieepedia article could claim "The Empire Strikes Back is not a great movie" (and reference the relevant source), but the claim is not attributable because the source is a personal opinion. In contrast, saying "The Empire Strikes Back received some negative reviews" (and referencing the relevant source) would fulfill the attribution policy.
Information leaked outside of official Lucasfilm, Disney, or partner media channels should generally not be discussed. A leak pertaining exclusively to projects that have been officially released for at least one year may be addressed on Wookieepedia if the information's provenance can be confirmed, such as set photographs attributable to a news website.
Reasonable assumptions
Editors may make straightforward mathematical calculations or logical deductions based on fully attributed data that neither change the significance of the data nor require additional assumptions beyond what is in the source. For example, the Fellfire article uses the following reference note to identify objects, and visual data from the attributed source clearly shows the number of each object.[2]
Language
For the purpose of verification, English-language sources are preferred. In lieu of official, published translations, editors providing their own translations should also provide the original-language material in either parentheses or reference notes. For an example, see the Metalorn article.
Handling misattribution
New edits that lack attribution may be reverted, and the burden of proof lies with editors wishing to add or retain the material. However, this policy should not be used to cause disruption by removing material for which reliable sources could easily or reasonably be found. If you encounter a harmless statement that lacks attribution, you can tag it with the {{Fact}} template (which will insert the following text: [source?]) or move it to the article's talk page with a comment requesting attribution. The {{Fact}} template should not be used to tag information you consider false. If that is the case, add the {{Disputed}} template to the top of the article or section and raise the issue on the corresponding talk page. If the whole article or an entire section is unsourced, you can use the {{Verify}} template. Absurd claims and original research should be deleted rather than tagged or moved to a talk page.
Notes and references
- ↑
Critical Opinion: The Empire Strikes Back's Original Reviews on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode VIII The Last Jedi depicts the Fellfire with what Star Wars: Card Trader Set: Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Schematics, Card: Finalizer Star Destroyer identifies as Destroyer Ion Engines and Gemon-8 ion engines.