The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki is continually revising our policies.
If you locate any unwritten rule that should be clarified, use the talk page to make a proposal

The Manual of Style is a style guide for all Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki articles. It establishes the house style, helping editors produce articles with consistent, clear, and precise language, layout, and formatting. The goal is to create an encyclopedia that is easier and more intuitive to use. Consistency in style, wording and formatting promotes clarity and cohesion; this is especially important within an article and across related media. For all this, edits that ignore this manual can be undone without further reason.

Article Names, Sections, and Headings

Article Names

Every article in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki must have a name, chosen according to the Naming Policy of the wiki. If a name is not provided in any official material, the name of the article can be chosen regarding the exceptions provided in the Conjecture Policy, choosing its name from the Marvel Comics Universe if available.

The following points are critical to formatting article titles:

• "Title Case": The first letter of every word in a title must be capitalized, except for short connectives such as articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, prepositions and the "to" in an infinitive.
• Singular form: Article names should be singular as a general rule, however, some exceptions are accepted, such as members of a particular race ("Humans"), groups ("Avengers"), grouped items ("Infinity Stones") or lists ("List of Powers and Abilities").
• Full names without ranks: Articles about characters should avoid the title or rank, (e.g. General Meade, not General Meade).
• Avoid definite or indefinite articles: The definite article (the) and indefinite articles (a/an) should be avoided in article titles except when part of the proper and official name of a subject, usually a piece of media.
• Displayed Title: The title displayed must coincide with the name of the article, and the Display Title template cannot be used to bypass this except in the following cases:
  • The name has a differentiative that has to be ommitted from the title (either a parenthetical disambiguation or a differentiative for an alternate following a slash).
  • The title needs to be italicized to comply with grammar rules. This includes mainly names of works of art (movies, TV series, etc.), proper names of vehicles, and other words that are mandatorily italicized.
  • Changing the slash ( / ) in certain subpages such as TV seasons or galleries to a vertical dash ( | ).

Article Sections

For a detailed description of how an in-universe article must be written and structured, consult the Layout Guide.

As a general guide, all in-universe articles should be structured as follows:

1. Infobox
2. Quote
3. Description
4. Main Sections
5. Appearances
6. Trivia
7. Behind the Scenes
8. References
9. External Links
10. Categories

Headings

Heading Format

In order to create Sections for an article, the == (heading) markup must be used headings, not the ''' (bold) markup.

Example:

===This is a heading===

which produces:

Using this codes, a table of contents is automatically generated from the headings in an article. Sections can be automatically numbered for users with that preference set and words within properly marked headings are given greater weight in searches. Headings also help readers by breaking up the text and outlining the article.

Heading Rules

• Unlike Wikipedia and many other wikis, the Marvel Cinematic Universe uses the Title Capitalization rules

1. Capitalize from the first to the last word.
2. Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions.
3. Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions.
4. Lowercase the "to" in an infinitive.

• Links within headings should only be applied to the full title of the heading, never to a part of it.
• Headings must not contain images.

Article Bodies

Links

• Internal Links: Any internal article should be linked in every mention in another article's infobox, once upon its first mention in another article's intro, and once upon its first mention in each of other articles' sub-sections.
• Unnecessary Punctuation: Linking unnecesary punctuation should be avoided in the articles. Letters or words touching the link will be included in the link and should avoided as well (e.g. use [[Phil Coulson]]'s instead of [[Phil Coulson|Phil Coulson's]]).
• Redirects and Piped Links: All redirects in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki serve a specific purpose, other than to facilitate searching for articles. Therefore, a redirect that falls in one of the categories considered in the Redirect Policy must be linked as such, instead of circunventing the redirect with a piped link (e.g. use [[Tony Stark]] instead of [[Iron Man|Tony Stark]]).
• Do not add external links to other sites without permission.
• Do not use external links in the body of an article: External Links must be reserved for the trivia, external links, and references sections.

Images

• Images appearing in articles should avoid having external logos of the series/networks where it has aired.
• Avoid having text between two or more images (sandwich effect). or between an image and an infobox.
• Thumbnails shown in the article should generally be 200px/250px. Images containing important detail (e.g. a map, diagram, or chart) may need larger sizes than usual to make them readable.
• To oriente the images, use {{AltFloat}}, which allows the image to automatically align itself on the page as well as automatically sizing itself to 250px (e.g. [[File:"File name"|{{AltFloat}}|"caption"]]). If in certain circumstances a different size other than 250px is required, use "{{AltFloat|s="size needed"}}" (e.g. [[File:"File name"|{{AltFloat|s=200}}|"caption"]]).

Templates

Templates should be added where it is necessary and removed when it is unnecessary. This specially includes the Maintenance templates.

• Specific Wiki templates, such as disambiguation templates (Template:Otheruses and Template:Moreuses) and Maintenance templates (Template:Stub, Template:Imageless, Template:Upcoming, must go at the very top of the article, before the article itself starts. This does not apply to Maintenance templates dedicated to specific sections (Template:Expand or Template:Rewrite).
• Do not add categories to an article that are automatically added by a templates.
• The prefix "Template:" does not need to be added, as long as you are using these form of brackets ({{ }}).
• Infobox templates (such as Template:Character) should always be at the top of the article.

Trivia

Trivia helps readers learn more facts about the subject that is not originally in the main body of the article.

• Avoid opinions (even general opinions), such as "It is widely believed by fans...", as they are not true trivia facts, and this section must adhere too to the Conjecture Policy.
• Avoid redundancy. Always check to see if the article has the fact before adding.
• Decide whether the fact is more relevant in the body or trivia. If the fact is important, or there is a specific section to note it, it should belong in the body of the article. If it is only worth noting, it should belong in the trivia. (e.g. A character displaying a superpower or using a specific weapon belongs to either the "Powers" or "Equipment" section, respectively, not the Trivia section)
• Only post relevant information to the subject of the article. If it belongs on a more specific article or another topic, post it on the other article.
• If a trivia is related to another trivia, add an indented list below the parent trivia. If that should be the case, however, decide whether the facts are enough to generate their own main body paragraph.
• Information relative to the mainstream Marvel Comics Universe counterpart should cover only one trivia fact. Only very justified exceptions may use for than one fact. Information relative to alternate versions of the main Marvel Comics Universe should not be added, unless explictly relevant to the Marvel Cinematic Universe version of the subject. (e.g. Nick Fury's appearance based in the Ultimate version of the character rather than the mainstream Marvel Comics Universe).

Categories

Every article must be categorized, adding one of the existing categories that can be applied to it. Consult the Layout Guide and its derived sub-pages in order to consult the categories that should be applied to each article. A list of categories can be found here.

Due to misunderstandings of the whole purpose of categorizing, we ask that you do not create new categories and add them to articles. Most of the time, if a category does not exist, it is not intended to exist, or there is already an existing category that covers its purpose. Please be sure to ask the Administrators before creating a category.

Perspective

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki presents two types of articles

1. Articles narrating elements, like characters, locations, or items; often called In-Universe articles.
2. Articles about production elements, such as actors, crew members, movies or episodes; often called Out-of-Universe articles.

Each type requires a particular approach.

In-Universe

• If an article is in-universe or described as such, it belongs to the Marvel Cinematic Universe exclusively and not to the real world. Characters, for example, are in-universe, but the actors who play them are out-of-universe.
• Articles about any in-universe subject, such as characters, locations, items, vehicles, organizations or races, should always be written from an in-universe perspective, which means that must be written as if the writer was inside the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
• However, some sections in an in-universe article are out-of-universe per se, such as the Appearances and Behind the Scenes sections.
• Titles of movies, TV series, episodes, comics... should not be referred to in a sentence of an in-universe article.
• Phrases like "It is unknown", "At some point", "Some time later", "Somehow"... are greatly discouraged, and ultimately not allowed to be used in articles, as from an in-universe point of view, for example, the event marked as "It is unknown" is surely known by the people involved in said event, or the point marked as "At some point in his life" can surely be exactly pointed to by someone related to the event.

Out-of-universe

• If an article is Out-of-universe or described as such, it belongs to the real-world, such as actors, crew members, films, TV series and episodes, or comics, and therefore, those articles must acknowledge the fact that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is fictional.
• As such, articles about real-life subject should obviously be written from an out-of-universe perspective.

Bold and Italic Fonts

Bold

When a text is in bold, it appears like this. It can be accomplished by typing three single quotes (') on both ends of a word or phrase.

• The name of the subject of the article must be bolded in its first mention.
• Alternate names for the subject of the article must be bolded in their first mention. This includes names of titles that redirect to said article.

Italics

When a text is in italics, it appears like this. It can be accomplished by typing two single quotes (') on both ends of a word or phrase. Using double quotes will not make the word or phrase italicized.

• Italics must be used for the titles of works of art and literature, such as films, short films, television series, episodes and comics.
• The proper names for a vehicle must be written in italics (e.g. Lemurian Star, Maribel del Mar).

Grammar

Grammar is a writer's toolbox. You can't build good sentences without knowing how to use your tools. Since a wiki article must be as clear as possible for all the people reading it, editors must keep close to correct grammar standards to ensure clear communication.

Three C's

To best achieve a Good Article, writers here generally apply this rule of thumb: language should be clear, consistent, and concise.

• Clarity mandates that the language relay its message sharply, unambiguous, and be wholly self-evident. It is important to be as clear and neutral as possible so as to communicate the idea of a sentence effectively to the reader.
• Consistency ensures article flow, an important aspect in being clear. The article should be easy to read and predictable, while assuming a reasonable comprehension level.
• Concision, or brevity, is the art of using no more words than necessary to convey an idea, though it should not be misunderstood with "leaving out information". It is an important practice when writing so that you do not lose your audience — try to think "get to the point" as much as possible.

Capitalization

Despite unnecessary capitalization should be avoided, it should not be reserved for proper names only.

Links

According to the Naming Policy of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki, every word in an article's name, with few exceptions, must be capitalized. As such, all links must be capitalized even though they describe common names (e.g. "Gamma Radiation" instead of "gamma radiation") either in the first mention and every other subsequent mention. On the other hand, words included in a title must not be capitalized in subsequent mentions (e.g. "The project, initially thought to be researching radiation resistance...")

Capitalization of "The"

In general, do not capitalize the definite article in the middle of a sentence. However, some idiomatic exceptions, including most titles of artistic works, should be quoted exactly according to common usage.

Human and Sentient Species

In all sections of in-universe articles, the word "Humans" or "Human" should be capitalized, just as the name of any other sentient species (Asgardians, Kree, Inhumans). Derived words such as "humanoid", however, should not be capitalized.

Ranks and Titles

Ranks and titles are to be capitalized when they immediately precede an individual's name. Do not capitalize ranks or titles when used as a substitute for the name or in a sentence. (e.g. "Colonel Phillips" or "Agent Romanoff", but "S.H.I.E.L.D. agents" or "United States Army officers")

Locations

Names of institutions, such as Grayburn College or Culver University, are proper nouns and require capitals. However, generic words for institutions (university, college...) do not use take capitals.

Political or geographical units, such as cities, towns and countries, follow the same rules: as proper nouns they require capitals (New York City); but as generic words they do not.

Spelling and Punctuation

This Manual of Style is not intended to be detailed English guide. Knowledge of basic spelling and punctuation is automatically assumed. However, some cases have brought themselves up and are thusly considered noteworthy; and therefore suitable of being listed here.

Run-on Sentences

Aside from obvious, common rules for using full stops (.) and commas (,) there are some instances where you should review a sentence you wrote in "preview mode" to determine whether or not your sentence is a run-on sentence. Run-on sentences aren't good for several reasons, particularly when two separate thoughts (clauses) are not differentiated from each other thus causing a considerable amount of confusion. Similarly, some sentences are a single thought but are really long. Full stops, or periods, can be used to give the reader a resting spot.

However, randomly adding a period or comma in the middle of a sentence does not "fix" a run-on. A clause must still be an independent thought that above all, makes sense. Some users may request peer-review if they are unsure.

Formal Vocabulary

Formal use of language is mandatory on all encyclopedia articles.

• Contractions: Uncontracted forms such as Did not or He would are the default in encyclopedic style; don't and he'd are too informal.
• Contested vocabulary: In encyclopedia articles, avoid such phrases as remember that and note that, which address readers directly in a less-than-encyclopedic tone. Similarly, phrases such as of course, naturally, obviously, clearly, and actually make presumptions about readers' knowledge, and call into question the reason for including the information in the first place. Do not tell readers that something is ironic, surprising, unexpected, amusing, coincidental, unfortunate, etc. This supplies a point of view. Simply state the sourced facts and allow readers to draw their own conclusions.
• Familiar names: Some characters are often referred to using familiar names or nicknames. However, their use in encyclopedic articles must be strictly avoided, and a character must always be referred to by its full name when first mentioned, and surname only in subsequent references. There are three general exceptions to this rule:
  • For characters that use a "codename", the codename is prefered when they are acting analogously to a "costumed hero", while the full name or surname better suits the narrative when they act under their "civilian guise".
  • When a paragraph or section refers to at least two members of the same family, characters can be referred to by their first name, in order to clarify which one of the characters is being discussed.
  • Characters whose naming conventions do not include a surname but instead they use a literal patronimic (translated as "son of"/"daughter of"). While these may sound like surnames of the English language, they are technically not the same, therefore, the grammar rule cannot be applied as if they were. Asgardians use this patronimic formula, and while the full name can be used for a first mention within their article for those whose patronimic has been revealed for the sake of completeness, the patronimic cannot be used the same way a surname would have been.

Language and Spelling

Though the readers and editors of the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki speak many languages, the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki uses standard American English spelling, grammar and punctuation, as it is the variety of English used in the original releases of most official materials.

However, direct quotes should never be altered, even if they do not use American spelling or the English language at all. In cases where the original quote is not easily available, the official direct translation is preferred over leaving the quotation empty.

Tense

As a general rule, every article, both in-universe and out-of-universe, must be written in past tense, as they are considered to narrate past events. Though there could be some exceptions, such as actors or crew members articles about Upcoming content, the initial description of in-universe articles, or the Timeline, that has its particular set of rules.

The articles on the Marvel Cinematic Universe are presented as "historical recordings" of the events that have occurred in realities alternate to our own, with the reality known as "Earth-616" at their core. As such, many details pertaining to this history have not yet been uncovered, and more information may be added at a later date. Keeping articles written in past tense provides consistency and flavor.

Paragraphs and Formatting

Inexperienced writers have a tendency towards "run on" paragraphs. Some of these may number dozens of lines and many column inches without a break. This makes the articles difficult to read as everything seems to flow together. It also makes it tough to quickly skim articles for data points.

A good paragraph (grammatically speaking) is two to five sentences in length on average. It covers one thought or idea or piece of information. Any time there is a change in the thought, idea, or piece of information, there should also be a paragraph change.

When formatting paragraphs, adding an empty line between paragraphs looks better in the articles than the traditional "paragraph indent" on the first line. It makes for a more definite "break point" visually, and allows the reader to more easily see that they are reading a new paragraph at that point.

Also, many writers tend to start paragraphs using the format "After (insert event here)", "When (insert character here)", "During (insert event here)" or similar choices of words. Those formats are greatly discouraged in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki, as the initial context of the event must be referred in the title of the specific subsection in the main Biography / History section. Simply put, do not start any paragraphs with a sentence beginning with "After", especially if it is the first paragraph of a section.

Terminology

Sometimes, the Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki uses very specific words to refer to terms that could be described with different synonyms. In order to maintain consistency among every article, some words must be chosen instead of others that, apparently, had the same meaning:

• Powers and Abilities: The word Powers is specifically used to refer to what is commonly known as "super-powers", such as super-strength, super-speed, flight and many others, while the word Abilities is used to refer to a list of skills that can be learned and include Martial Arts, Marksmanship, Acrobatics, Engineering, Scientific Knowledge, Business Management, Computer Hacking, Espionage, Multilingualism, among others. As such, while redacting an article and making reference to any of them, both words are not interchangeable, and cannot be used indiscriminately in case the word is repeated in a sentence. This is applied even when some Marvel Cinematic Universe media use the word "abilities" as an euphemism for superpowers.
• Agents and Operatives: Clandestine organizations, such as HYDRA, use many different words to refer to its members, such as "members", "agents" or "assets", among others. The usual word that would be used to refer to them would be agents, using the literal etymology of the word, derived from the same root as the verb "to act". However, in order to distinguish its members from members of other organizations referred to as "Agents", understanding the word agent as "official member of an Agency", members of such clandestine organizations should be referred to using the word Operatives.
• Alien: The word "alien" is defined as "A person, animal, plant, or other thing which is from outside the family, group, organization, or territory under consideration. This word is commonly used to refer of individuals or items of extraterrestrial origin. However, applying the principle of a Neutral Point of View, for an extraterrestrial individual, a normal human being would be an "alien". Therefore, it is preferred to use the extraterrestrial in any instance the word alien would be used. The only exception to this are direct quotations or references made explicitly using the word, and always using quotation marks (eg. Alphonso Mackenzie felt uncomfortable with all the things that were being discussed, starting with stealing Janice Robbins' corpse and now hearing claims of "aliens" and resurrecting people.)
• Alternate Universes and Timelines: First off, the definition of "alternate" in the context of the multiverse is as simple as "different to the current one". Considering the main setting of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the default universe, or reality, or timeline; any other will be alternate to it. Starting from there, we can define an alternate universe as a universe similar to the main one, but having a set of differences that make it distinguishable, wether these differences are small or not. An alternate timeline is considered as a specific type of alternate universe created through making a change in a specfic point of time that makes the historical set of events develop differently. With these two definitions, saying that an alternate timeline is an alternate universe is correct, but not the other way around. Therefore, both concepts are not interchangeable, and when in doubt, the broader term is prefered.

Sourcing

Main article: Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki:Sourcing Policy

The Marvel Cinematic Universe Wiki, in order to fullfill its goal of being the ultimate source of knowledge about the MCU franchise, uses many sources for its data.

For that goal, in-universe "main entries" such as movies, TV series, special presentations and short films are the primary source of information. However, other available and accepted sources are additional media such as documentaries, MCU-comics, web-promotional campaigns, artbooks, guidebooks, novel adaptations, and merchandising. Additionally, the actual credits of the movies and TV series constitute an official source as trustworthy as what it is said or seen on-screen. Other official source of information is the given in Marvel's official pages and social media accounts.

Outside of the official media, the usual reliable trades, such as Variety or The Hollywood Reporter is taken into account as it is given, but not as it is interpreted by others. This information may presented in the form of scoops, interviews with cast & crew, or any other formats that do not damage their reliability.