Forum:CT Archive/Battles and events addition to Layout Guide

I've now spent much of my time on Wookieepedia writing battle and event articles, and I feel that an addition to the Layout Guide for said articles would be appropriate. I've seen this proposed layout a lot throughout our battle articles, and I myself have adopted it when I write history-related articles. I have perhaps seen only one or two Featured or Good articles that do not follow this layout, and that goes for all battles, skirmishes, lightsaber duels, missions, etc. The only layout I have seen, possibly as often as the one depicted here, is the one with the three sections under a "History" header. However, I don't feel that one main section is enough to devote to the event, especially when I look at how many main sections our character, planet, moon, starship, and species articles have.

This is an already-established precedent, and I'm actually surprised that it hasn't already been approved by the community. If it's already in use, it makes sense to simply add it to the Layout Guide. Please note that this is still a guideline, and is not set in concrete, however much it is being used. This should not be reason enough to probe our current Featured and Good articles, although ideally we should try to structure all of our articles the same way.

If you would like to suggest changes in wording, please do so in the discussion section.  CC7567  (talk) 01:51, September 6, 2009 (UTC)

Proposed guideline template
Battle Articles There are some guidelines for the organization of battle and event articles within Wookieepedia. Though there is some flexibility, the following sections are typical:
 * 1) Prelude gives a brief description of the events leading up to the event. The level of detail in this section is up to the author, but should not take away from the article's subject of the actual event.
 * 2) The battle describes the event from all related source material. All information should be written from a neutral perspective, with none of the narrative focusing exclusively on the perspective of one side of the conflict. Alternatively, this section can be renamed to more appropriately reflect on the article's name.
 * 3) Aftermath can be used for any information related to the event that took place after its conclusion. As with the Prelude, however, the level of detail should not take away from the article's subject, which is the event itself.

Each of these sections may be further subdivided as appropriate. Note: if anything in particular is of overwhelming significance concerning the event is available, a section of its own can be created.

In favor of adoption

 *  CC7567  (talk) 01:51, September 6, 2009 (UTC)

Discussion

 * Please note that this is not intended to be a guideline for anything other than battles, missions, duels, skirmishes, or basically anything other than fights. I feel that a guideline for wars would be better established separately from this, as there are too many differences in the span of wars and battles. I could not find any trends for funerals, marriages, or treaties, and I feel a guideline for them is best set on their own when a separate precedent is actually set.  CC7567  (talk) 01:51, September 6, 2009 (UTC)
 * The reason for the inclusion of the note that extra sections can be added is mostly for the "Combatants" section that I've sometimes seen. However, I do not believe that it's right to almost require it out of every event article, as some skirmishes are so minor that there's only a sentence or two that can be said of the participants in relation to the battle.  CC7567  (talk) 01:51, September 6, 2009 (UTC)