AVID:Tutorials
From the Audiovisual Identity Database, the motion graphics museum
Tutorials
Tutorial by
YingYong , mr3urious, Hb1290, LogoFun13-YT, and Compooper
Editions by
LogicSmash, mr3urious, Shadeed A. Kelly, kidinbed,jrStudios, and Logohub
YingYong , mr3urious, Hb1290, LogoFun13-YT, and Compooper
Editions by
LogicSmash, mr3urious, Shadeed A. Kelly, kidinbed,jrStudios, and Logohub
Our goal at AVID is to document as many company identities as possible, and how you can help, is by writing articles for the wiki.
This tutorial is designed to give users a rundown of how articles on AVID should be formatted, as well as comprehensive descriptions on page elements you may run into.
New to MediaWiki?
No problem! If you need help learning the features of the MediaWiki editing system, please refer to MediaWiki Help. This will give you a quick guide on how to edit on the MediaWiki system. This manual may not be needed if users are already familiar with editing on Wikipedia, FANDOM, Miraheze, ShoutWiki, or other WikiForge/WikiTide wikis.
Article Elements
Articles on AVID use a standard format. In order, the article formatting elements used are:
- Page Buttons - Use this template if there are additional pages connected to the company, such as Logo Variations or Trailers.
- Credits - Credits should be added to all new pages. It informs the reader the users worked on the article they're reading. *
- Infobox - A template that summarizes the company's background. Useful for articles of larger studios.
- Background - A crash course on the company's history. This may prove more helpful than infoboxes, in certain scenarios.
- Table of Contents - Helps for easier navigation in an article. Three different types are presented.
- Header - Shows the time period the logo was used between, as well as where it is placed chronologically. *
- Gallery - Where images and videos of the logo are displayed.
- Description Sections - The most important part of any article, this format has mostly stayed the same for over 20 years. *
- Final Note - If a company no longer exists, this short description essentially explains the fate of the company and how it went defunct.
- External Links - Add supplementary material about the company's history.
- Chronology - Links companies to its successors (and/or predecessors).
- Navboxes - A small box at the bottom of the page which allows for easy navigation between pages.
- Categories - Where articles with a common trait or topic are placed for sorting. *
Any elements tagged with "*" are required on all pages.
Page Buttons
(optional element)
Where a page also has a Logo Variations page or you intend to create them, you should add the {{PageButtons}} template to allow for easy navigation between these pages. The markup for this is as follows:
{{PageButtons|title=company name|Logo Variations=1|Trailers=1}},
which results in:
You can add or remove any of the three additional parameters depending on your needs, for example:
{{PageButtons|title=company name|Logo Variations=1}},
{{PageButtons|title=company name|Trailers=1}},
If using this template, be sure to put it on all the pages you added buttons for to ensure coherent and smooth navigation between them.
Credits
See AVID:Adding Credits for guidelines on how to add credits. An example is provided below:
Descriptions by
The people who wrote the descriptions for the logos.
Captures by
The people whose image captures are included on the page.
Editions by
The people who made small edits to the page over time.
Video captures courtesy of
The people whose videos are included in the page.
The people who wrote the descriptions for the logos.
Captures by
The people whose image captures are included on the page.
Editions by
The people who made small edits to the page over time.
Video captures courtesy of
The people whose videos are included in the page.
The following syntax was used:
{{PageCredits|description=The people who wrote the descriptions for the logos.|capture=The people whose image captures are included on the page.|video=The people whose videos are included in the page.|edits=The people who made small edits to the page over time.}}
Infobox
(optional element)
Infoboxes are used to give the reader bite-sized information about the company being described in the article. Remember, not all articles have infoboxes, as some companies do not have sufficient information to warrant it.
Example
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Description Elements
Background
(optional element)
This is the background. The paragraph you type here will describe the history of the company whose logos you're describing. Talk about information such as who founded the company, when it was founded, the company that owns it, any subsidiaries they have, and more. It's a good section to write for those who may not know about the company's backstory, and we recommend to write this for many articles. Remember, it is required to bold any company name the first time it is mentioned. Also, if the background needs to be split into multiple paragraphs, you are able to do so.
Example
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Background
In 1914, Famous Players was renamed Paramount Pictures Corporation. Lasky left Paramount in 1932, with Zukor blaming him for the studio's financial issues at the time. In 1948, Paramount was taken to the United States Supreme Court. This case, known as United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc., resulted in studios being forced to divest themselves of their theater holdings and, in addition to the concurrent rise of television, would mark the beginning of the end for the old "studio system". In 1959, Adolph Zukor stepped down from running the studio and assumed the role of chairman, which he held until 1964. On March 24, 1966, Paramount was acquired by Gulf+Western Industries, which later became Paramount Communications on June 5, 1989. As part of the acquisition by Gulf+Western, Lucille Ball's Desilu Productions and the Desilu lot were brought under Paramount's control and, in 1967, Desilu was renamed to Paramount Television. On March 11, 1994, Paramount Communications was merged with Viacom. On December 31, 2005, Viacom split into two companies: one retaining its original name (inheriting Paramount, MTV Networks and BET Networks) and the other being named CBS Corporation (inheriting Paramount's television production and distribution arms, currently known as CBS Studios, CBS Media Ventures and Paramount Global Content Distribution, respectively), with both companies owned by National Amusements. Television rights to Paramount's library are currently handled by Trifecta Entertainment & Media. Paramount relaunched its Paramount Television division (now known as "Paramount Television Studios") on March 4, 2013. On August 13, 2019, it was announced that Viacom and CBS would reunite and merge to form ViacomCBS; the merger was completed on December 4, 2019. On February 16, 2022, ViacomCBS was renamed Paramount Global (or simply Paramount for short), named after the studio. |
Table of Contents
(optional element)
When an article has more than three separate sections, a Table of Contents is automatically included for easier navigation on the page. Typically, they look like this:
However, there are cases where visual previews of the logos may be desired. For that, the ImageTOC template is available, which supports up to a hundred different logos. An example of it is below:
The following syntax was used:
{{ImageTOC
|Dot.png|1st Logo
|Dot.png|2nd Logo
|Dot.png|3rd Logo
|Dot.png|4th Logo
|Dot.png|5th Logo
|Dot.png|6th Logo
|Dot.png|7th Logo
|Dot.png|8th Logo
}}
Sometimes, when a company has gone through one or more name changes, the SeparateTOC template may be of use instead, which supports up to ten name changes. An example of it is below:
The following syntax was used:
{{SeparateTOC
| Old Name|
{{ImageTOC
|Dot.png|1st Logo
|Dot.png|2nd Logo
|Dot.png|3rd Logo
}}
| New Name|
{{ImageTOC
|Dot.png|1st Logo
|Dot.png|2nd Logo
|Dot.png|3rd Logo
}}}}
Header
At the top of a logo description, you will see this header. This is an example of what it looks like:
??? Logo/ID/Open/Trailer/Tag (????) (????-????)
The header provides some info about the logo's lifespan: The first set of question marks are used to identify if the logo is the 1st in the article, 2nd, 3rd, and so on. The second set is used to signify any official nicknames for the logo.
The third set is to signify what year the logo is introduced. Remember, if specific dates are available, use those. If the logo is still being used today, omit the fourth question mark set, otherwise insert the year/date the logo was last used. Additionally, the set has to cover the logo's official lifespan, meaning where the logo officially debuted and ended. The following will not factor into the logo's lifespan:
- Trailers and TV spots
- Premieres at film festivals and other similar events
- Home media releases (for film and television only)
- Unreleased media (e.g. beta builds of video games)
- A news article, webpage, or video revealing the new logo
However, if the logo made its only appearance on any of the above options, then they can be counted into their lifespans. They are also permitted to be mentioned in the Availability section if necessary. Also, dates in which the logo was used or revived for a brief period of time should not be included unless if it has seen normal use since. If the dates are close to each other in terms of time, then they can be consolidated into one lifespan. A logo that briefly returned 10 years after the time it was retired will not include the newer date in the header.
There is a simplified way to do this; the {{Ordinal}} template. When adding logos, simply add the number you're up to into this template (1, 2, etc.) and it will automatically change to 1st, 2nd, etc. This template simplifies the process of re-adding the suffixes (st, nd, rd, th) to the numbers if a logo is removed or relocated on the page for some reason.
Examples
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Header for only one logo:
2nd Logo (1994-2012, November 25-27, 2021)
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Gallery
(optional element)
This is where images and videos of the logos will be displayed, for readers to get an idea of what the logo looks like, as well as to view videos of the logo's full animation. Galleries are recommended for a vast majority of logos on the wiki. For more specific info, see AVID:Adding Captures.
Description Sections
Visuals: The heart of it all. This is used to describe what happens in the visual identity. Start by stating what the background looks like, and then describe any animations that happen during the sequence. Be very descriptive on this part - try to describe some smaller details if possible. This section should be written in a neutral point-of-view (NPOV) and in third-person; avoid using first-person pronouns.
- If the visual is a still image, describe it as best as possible, including the background and objects depicted in the image.
- Take your time on these, and make sure you revise. Leaving certain details out may lead to discrepancies between the description and the actual visuals.
- You can also list what specific font(s) a logo uses if you're able to identify it, which we recommend using MyFonts' WhatTheFont tool for. Simply upload the capture containing the font you want to identify, click on one of the highlighted texts containing the desired font, and review the results from there. Make sure to check for any design inconsistencies between the original logo's font and the results before adding.
Examples
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Animated logo example: Still logo example: The logo is within a thin white border with two vertical columns with the inverted "T" symbol on top, a pattern of downward triangles and two bottom dots below the "T" and two outer white outlines spaced slightly away from the columns.
Paramount Pictures Corporation below the logo. The logo is also inside of a frame. Paramount
Pictures Multiple logos example:
FOX Then, each letter of the word "VIDEO" pops in one by one below "FOX".
Visuals: Here are the main variants of this logo:
Incorrect example - Description is written in a conversational tone (first-person plural is used to address the logo): Incorrect example - The appearance of the actual logo is not described: |
Trivia (optional): If there is some trivia about the logo, put them in this section. Examples include: the person/company that designed the logo, what software was used, some behind-the-scenes facts, official or notable nicknames the logo was given, etc.
- Avoid putting information that is pop culture related/doesn't relate directly to the logo or its production. We recommend putting those in our dedicated pop culture logos page instead.
Examples
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Single trivia examples: Multiple trivia examples:
Incorrect example - Trivia does not relate to the logo directly: |
Byline(s) (optional): If the logo uses multiple bylines during its period of use, add them here.
Example
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Bylines:
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Variant(s) (optional): If there are different variants of a logo (such as a prototype or an extended variation), add and describe them here. It's suggested to underline key portions of the variant being described, to make locating it easier.
- Do not describe one-off variations here. In other words, the variant is specific to only one movie/show. These should go on a separate logo variations page.
Examples
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If the logo has only one variant: If the logo has multiple variants: Variants:
Variants:
Variants:
Variants:
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Technique: This is a short section. State the animation technique and/or the type of effects being used in the logo. These are some of the usage examples:
- Analog computer/Scanimate animation/switcher/effects: This logo was animated using effects from an analog device, such as Scanimate or switcher. This animation style can be characterized by the use of trail effects, shines, panning/zooming, etc.
- (2D/3D) CGI/computer animation/effects: This logo was made using computer software, either in 2D or 3D. Some examples of 2D software include Adobe-Animate (formerly Flash) and Toon-Boom.
- Live-action: This logo was produced entirely using live-action footage.
- Motion/Camera-controlled animation: This logo was designed/animated using a computerized stop-motion camera. More often than not combined with cel animation.
- Traditional/Cel animation: This logo was drawn traditionally using ink and/or animated frame-by-frame on cel sheets. Recent logos with this technique would colorize the drawings digitally, via digital ink-and-paint.
For a comprehensive guide on identifying more of these animation techniques, visit this page.
If two or more of these techniques are combined, you can put both in this manner: "A mix of (TECHNIQUE) and (TECHNIQUE)."
You may not redirect Techniques to another logo in this manner: "Same as Example Productions".
If the logo is still, you may not put "None" as the Technique, as that implies identities are made out of thin air. Instead, you may describe that the technique of a still logo includes digital graphics, superimposed, a cel sheet, etc.
Examples
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Single animation technique example:
Multiple animation technique examples:
Incorrect example - Not specific enough:
Incorrect example - Describing what moves in the logo:
Incorrect example - Unnecessarily praising the logo's animation:
Incorrect example - Redirecting the Technique to another logo which encourages misuse:
Incorrect example - Implies the identity is made with nothing:
Incorrect examples - No. Too lazy. You can do better.
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Audio: Describe the music theme played, whether as a genre (e.g., rock) or as specific instruments (e.g., guitar and drums), and/or the type of sounds are being used in the logo.
- If possible, also mention how the theme or sound is made and who made it.
- If a specific piece of music is used, identify it and consider inserting a link to an upload of the music on YouTube, Vimeo or a similar site if available, in cases where the music and/or artist is less well-known.
- One way you can try identifying specific pieces of music is to use the Google app's Voice Search function (specifically "Search a song") and playing the logo's audio for Google to identify. You may also visit this page to identify other commonly used instruments and techniques used to compose the audio.
- If a logo doesn't contain audio or is silent, put "None".
Examples
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Logo only used one music track in its lifetime: Logo used multiple music tracks in its lifetime:
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Audio Trivia (optional): If there is some interesting trivia about the logo theme or sounds, such as who composed it, add them in this section.
Example
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Audio Trivia: The music, taken from the beginning of Franz von Suppé's "Leichte Kavallerie: Ouverture", was used at the beginning of some old Hong Kong movies. |
Audio Variant(s) (optional): If there are one or more variants of the logo theme or sound, add them here. Again, underline key parts of the variant to make locating it easier.
Examples
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Single variant example: Multiple variants example:
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Availability: This section is important - gather all of the information about where this logo can be found. State any programs, movies, etc. the logo is found in and/or where it was last seen. Don't forget to italicize titles (or use "quotation marks" for episode names of television shows) from where the logo can be found.
- Do not use terms like "common" or "rare", they are subjective and violate the AVID:POV policy. If you think a rarity of a logo is notable, don't mention it here. Mention it in the Legacy section below, though it may need a form of community consensus.
- If there is little to no information to which films/shows the logo has appeared, you may want to use the "Unknown" label at the beginning of the section.
- This section is optional for identities that fall under the "television idents" or "cinema trailers" categories. If there is no extra information regarding its availability (e.g. revivals, home media releases), then omit this section.
- Do not state the lifespan of when the identities are seen, whenever in theaters or airing on television. The header already stated the obvious on when the identities were used for.
- When describing where logos are found, include specific examples. Add a table where you can find everywhere you can find the logo.
- Also specify if something that should have the logo doesn't for some reason.
- Personal online uploads of logos are not credible sources. The point of Availability is to describe what primary sources the logo appeared on, such as movies or television shows. However, if the logo upload came from the company itself and/or the person/studio that created it, it is acceptable to include that in the section.
- Don't just say "found on the company's releases at the time", name at least some of the releases the logo is known to be on.
- Don't make predictions on any upcoming shows or films that you think new logos will appear on, as they may not even use them.
- For similar reasons, do not attempt to predict when a logo will make its final appearance. This also includes saying "this logo's days are numbered".
- If a logo had been spotted on a certain source in the past or now, avoid using the word "recent" to ensure the timeliness of the descriptions.
Examples
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Single availability source example: Multiple availability sources example:
Availability: It can be seen on the earliest films under the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer name. Some films were still around, while others are destroyed.
Availability: Seen on films of the era, such as Freaks (1932), Grand Hotel (1932), Manhattan Melodrama (1934), The Thin Man films from 1934 to 1947, The Girl From Missouri (1934), Riptide (1934), A Night at the Opera (1935), Fury (1936), Libeled Lady (1936), Camille (1936), Romeo and Juliet (1936), The Good Earth (1937), Captains Courageous (1937), Topper (1937), A Day at the Races (1937), the Andy Hardy films from 1937 to 1946, The Wizard of Oz (1939), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939), Ninotchka (1939), The Philadelphia Story (1940), Ziegfeld Girl (1941), Mrs. Miniver (1942), Gaslight (1944), The Asphalt Jungle (1950), The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), Pat and Mike (1952), as well as the 1930s The Captain and the Kids cartoons.
Availability:
Incorrect example - Uses a personal YouTube channel as a source: Incorrect example - Does not mention any specific sources: Incorrect example - Uses uninformative phrases: Incorrect example - Predicts when a logo will debut: Incorrect example - Predicts when a logo will retire: Incorrect example - Adds a retired "Tier": |
Legacy (optional): Write about how the logo has affected the logo community and/or broader popular culture and how much of an impact it's left on them (i.e. if the logo is well-liked or disliked by the community, such as for the visuals, music, or it appearing on a specific program). If not that important, omit this section.
- Do not add comments that are opinionated and are only based on your sole judgement, as it violates the AVID:POV policy. All statements added to Legacy need some form of community consensus. If you think the reception of a logo is notable, consensus should be required as well. You are also required to cite sources about a reception of a logo to provide points as well.
- Legacy is also not a place to be talking about how similar it looks or sounds to a specific logo, or how that logo was the first/last appearance of a specific element. Those are more trivial statements and thus should be in Trivia.
- Legacy also doesn't allow what the community speculates for a logo, as it has nothing to do with its reception.
Examples
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Correct examples:
Incorrect examples - Opinionated comments:
Incorrect examples - Irrelevant trivia about the logo:
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Final Note
(optional element)
This can be used on defunct company pages. Here, describe the fate of the company and/or how it became defunct, whether if it merged with another company or if it filed for bankruptcy.
Examples
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Final Note From 2017 onwards, HIT Entertainment programming now has the Mattel Creations (and later the Mattel Television) logo instead of the HIT logo. However, the 2007 HIT logo is still used on DVD releases and trade ads. Final Note: Between 1920 and 1921, films from Universal would either have an in-credit notice, or none at all. It won't be until 1922 that Universal have an on-screen logo again. |
External Links
(optional element)
If there is a site you believe will further inform our readers on the history and/or branding of the company, you can create an external links section. Examples of what you might list here include:
- A relevant Wikipedia article
- An IMDB filmography for the company
- The company's official website
- A site or article discussing the branding of the company, e.g. a page on TVARK or a similar branding compilation site/forum, an article about how the logo was made.
If you have level 2 headings on your page, this should be a level 2 heading to ensure the table of contents is formatted properly. Otherwise, a level 3 heading is acceptable.
Example
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External Links
External links
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Chronology
(optional element)
The chronology template is used for linking defunct companies to their successors (i.e. Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures, & Louis B. Mayer Pictures link to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios), or for linking major rebrands (i.e. MGM/CBS Home Video links to MGM/UA Home Entertainment and CBS/Fox Video). Two examples are provided below:
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'Company' Other company (for mergers.) |
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'Old Name' |
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(optional element)
You can add a Navbox to the bottom of your page for easy navigation between related pages. You can add more than one Navbox if you choose, though typically an article would have a section Navbox, e.g. TV, Film, Home Entertainment and a company navbox, e.g. Warner Bros. Discovery, Sony, Disney, Comcast, Amazon, Paramount Global. For a full list of currently available Navbox templates, see Category:Navboxes. Two examples are below:
Categories
Once you've finished your page, you should add it to our category system. You can add a page to a category by adding [[Category:Your Category Here]]. You can see this in action at the bottom of this page, where you will note that this page is in the "Tutorials" Category.
Alternatively, you can turn on HotCat, which can be found on the Gadgets section of your Preferences. This will enable buttons to remove, change or add categories on the category bar.
Which categories do I use?
- Logos appearing in film, including theatrical film, short film, direct-to-video film and newsreels are categorized into Category:Film logos.
- Logos appearing in television series and films are categorized into Category:Television logos.
- Television idents are categorized into Category:Television idents.
- Idents are considered distinct from television logos; therefore they are not categorized into Category:Television logos.
- Logos appearing in home entertainment (VHS, DVD, Blu-ray, etc.) are categorized into Category:Home entertainment logos.
- Direct-to-video films should have both Category:Home entertainment logos and Category:Film logos.
- Logos used by animation studios are categorized into Category:Animation logos.
- Logos (trailers) used by movie theaters/cinemas are categorized into Category:Cinema trailers.
- Logos appearing in music entertainment are categorized into Category:Music entertainment logos.
- Logos appearing online are categorized into Category:Online logos.
- Logos appearing in educational media, including classroom films and educational videos, are categorized into Category:Education logos
- Logos appearing in video games are categorized into Category:Video game logos.
- Logos and trailers used by technology companies are categorized into Category:Technology logos.
After adding the section categories, be sure to add the country categories according to the company's country of origin, and if available, the company category. For example, the categories for Solax Studios are as follows:
[[Category:American film logos]]
[[Category:Film logos]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]]
[[Category:Amazon Inc.]]
Description Tips
With that, we conclude the article elements section. However, we would like to provide some other tips to remember when writing an article:
- When creating a new page, you can load a standard template to simplify the editing process. When creating a new page, a box will appear above the editor asking you to choose a boilerplate. Ensure that you have selected the appropriate page template, then click Load. This will load in a blank description template that you can use to build your page. We currently have boilerplates for Standard Pages and Logo Variations.
- When writing two or more logo descriptions, make sure you add a line break in between each one so each description will have enough breathing room.
- When listing name changes for a company, use a level two heading for each name.
- If your page mentions a company which has its own article on this wiki, please add a link to said article by wrapping the name in square brackets - for example: [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios]] produces Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. This allows users to browse through the wiki more effectively and helps tie our site together.
Other Tips & Tricks
Page Templates
Adding Citations
If there is a statement written in an article that some are likely to challenge, why not back it up with a reputable source? That is where the References feature comes in. To add references, simply type the following code:
<ref>[URL]</ref>
[1]
The code is to be written directly after the statement in the article in which you want to add a citation. The reference will automatically be listed at the bottom of the page, like so:
- ↑ [URL]
You can also add text sources if you really wanna go there. Write the reference in the following format:
<ref>Author, ''Title'', (Publisher, YEAR), Pg#-Pg#</ref>
[1]
- ↑ Author, Title, (Publisher, YEAR), Pg#-Pg#
Moving Pages
If your page title has a typo in it or the subject of your page has changed their name, you may wish to move your page to a new title. To do this, simply go to the "More" menu at the top of the page and select the move button. You will be prompted to provide your changed title. If you are simply moving your page to a new namespace, click on the dropdown that says (Main) and select the namespace you want.
Once you have made the desired change, click the button to confirm your change and the page will be moved. Your original title will be preserved as a redirect, so you won't need to update any wikilinks to your page. If your move was to correct a typo in the title, please blank the resulting redirect page and mark the page for speedy deletion using {{SpeedyDelete|Typo}}. An admin will then delete your page promptly.
Creating Redirects
If the subject of your page is known by another title or an abbreviation, you might like to create a redirect so that any user who searches or links using this alternate name will easily find your page. To make one, simply create a new page with the desired alternate name and put the following on the page:
#REDIRECT [[Your Title Here]].
The markup should produce something like this:
Once you save your redirect page, any user who follows a link to this alternate title will be sent directly to your page.
If your page has Level 2 headings, you might want to use this markup to create a redirect to a certain section of a page:
#REDIRECT [[Your Title Here#Section Name Here]].
The markup should produce something like this:
Alternatively you can use Special:CreateRedirect to make a redirect in a more user-friendly manner. This page also allows you to create multiple redirects at once.
Conclusion
We've reached the end of this comprehensive tutorial guide! We hope this has quelled a few questions regarding how to write articles on the wiki.
Provided are three different demo pages containing examples of proper formatting. They are simply shorter excerpts of an AVID page, but demonstrate good examples of following the Tutorial Guide.
That's about it. Have fun!
The
Team
