These are the Wiki 24 community and inclusion guidelines that will hopefully keep things running smoothly. If you disagree with one of the inclusion guidelines, please feel free to bring it and discuss it with the community.
Also see our Manual of Style for style guidelines.
Don't be a terrorist
This is the only rule that is entirely non-negotiable. Don't be a terrorist means treating your fellow contributors with respect and good humor. You don't have to feel it. You just have to do it. Specifically:
- Be civil. No personal attacks on others. That applies both on talk pages and edit summaries. For instance, when cleaning up a page:
- Instead of: Spelling, grammar, where did you go to school???
- Just say: Fixing spelling and grammar
Also, please be aware that your tone may not come across to people who can't see your face or hear your voice.
If you are the person who is offended, try to assume that the other person is acting in good faith, and respond in kind. That can often defuse arguments before they even begin.
- Treat others' work with respect. Do not belittle or ridicule someone else's work or ideas, and do not delete it capriciously. The exception is obvious vandalism, which should be removed as soon as possible. However, if a person seems to be trying, assume good faith and try to help them.
Rework and rewrite as much as you want, but try to find a place for everything rather than cutting it out completely.
Deletion policy
Rewriting is essential to the building of a wiki database of information. That's why the site is a wiki - we want participation! Rewrite and correct and cite sources as much as you want, that is always worthwhile. Conversely, if someone has rewritten something you wrote, don't take it personally. Everyone is trying to make things better.
However, outright removal of a fact shouldn't be done lightly. Before eliminating something someone else wrote in good faith, ask yourself:
- Can this be rewritten? Try cleaning up the spelling, grammar, and formatting. A little polish can work wonders.
- Can this be moved? There might be a more appropriate name for an article, or a more appropriate article in which to place a fact. Maybe a sentence in an article would work better as a background note, or a background note item should go in the body of the article.
Deleting and reverting should be reserved for patent nonsense and clear vandalism (such as number strings, profanity, and page blanking). Nothing should be removed because it is too trivial, as this is a purely subjective value judgement and violates the Neutral Point of View policy.
Neutral point of view
Wiki 24 has a Neutral Point of View Policy similar to that of Wikipedia.
Although the world of 24 is fictional, it may inspire strong feelings. Some interpretation may be necessary in order to write a thorough and complete article; however, please avoid making value judgements about the characters or events on the show. Instead, report as accurately and completely as possible what happened without taking sides.
- Instead of: Eric Rayburn sneakily withheld the information about the bombing, so he was just as responsible as the terrorists.
- Write something like: Eric Rayburn withheld the information about the bombing because he did not think it could be stopped and wanted to back up CTU's files before they were destroyed.
Writing as accurately and as objectively as possible will make the site more useful for everyone.
Of course 24 does not exist in a vacuum, and it may be appropriate to report on such things as fan response and real-life influences on the creation of the show. When writing on fan response (for instance, the silent clock), it is best to include as many different sides as possible, including that of the show's creative team, if available. Remember that if a controversy is important enough to be included here, it must have at least two strong opposing arguments.
- Instead of: Tony was in every season and his death sucked and everybody loved him. He should have had a silent clock.
- Write something like: Because Tony was in every season and his character was popular, many fans felt that he should have had a silent clock. Others, however, argued that having two silent clock episodes in a row diminished the power of the technique.
However, do not dress up your personal opinion as fact by claiming that "many fans" share it, unless you have a source to back up the claim. Likewise, do not make claims about what the show's creative team thought or intended unless it was stated on the record (interviews, podcasts, and DVD commentary are good sources). If you see a similarity between scenes or to another work, simply note it under "Background information and notes."
- Instead of: The split screen effect might be an homage to Brian DePalma, as he used the technique quite extensively.
- Write something like: The split screen effect has been used in many films, generally to show action occurring in two places at one time. Director Stephen Hopkins stated in an interview that films using a split screen to show both ends of a phone call were the inspiration for using the technique on 24.
Speculation and unknown information
Because of the structure of the show, 24 is prone to leaving a lot of loose ends for plotlines and characters. Sometimes the writers deliberately avoid wrapping up plotlines that aren't useful, sometimes they're restrained from writing conclusions for certain characters, and sometimes scenes get filmed and then deleted for one reason or another.
Outright speculation about events that are unknown or have not yet happened is discouraged, although it may be useful to point out missing information in some cases. For instance, the omission of a connection between Dwayne Thompkins and Ostroff constitutes a sizable plot hole. There are several possible explanations, but all that is known for sure is that their connection is unknown. Sometimes minor characters, such as Mitch Anderson, disappear without explanation. If the missing information is notable, please note it, so that readers don't wonder where the story stopped.
However, if quite a bit is known about the missing information - as with Behrooz Araz, whose disappearance was explained in scenes that were filmed but cut from the finished episodes - it should be explained in the "Background information and notes" section of the article rather than the main body.
Sometimes the characters themselves speculate on what happened or what might happen. In those cases, it is best to state that it is the character's assumption (and not the audience's).
Real-world information
Real-life information that helps explain how the plot works and what the characters do is encouraged on Wiki 24. Any relevant piece of background information is welcome - share your knowledge!
However, because some people may want to know only what was stated on the show, information extrapolated from real life should be set apart from information from the show. Put it under the "Background information and notes" heading instead of in the main article body.
Spoiler policy
Wiki 24 is a reference guide to established facts about 24, however our current policy does not permit the inclusion of information about upcoming episodes, including that from trailers, TV Guide summaries, official press releases, or spoilers leaked from the set of the show. Only once an episode has had its first official airing is it considered fair game for inclusion in the wiki.
Although spoilers can be easily deleted or reverted on Wiki 24, the human brain doesn't have this feature. Unwanted knowledge of spoiler information can be detrimental to the enjoyment of 24 for some people. Because of this, Wiki 24 enforces a strict ban on spoilers. Including such information can result in a permanent ban from the site.
See the Spoiler Policy for more information.
Canon policy
Canon consists of the bodies of work that are considered to be "genuine" or "official" within a certain fictional universe. With 24, as with other license situations, the facts presented in the different tie-in products may not agree with each other or with the show. Since Wiki 24 aims to be a complete reference, please make note of all facts, inconsistent or not. Wiki 24 has established a canon hierarchy as a guideline to determine what information should be given priority in the few cases where it is necessary to choose one source over another. This heirarchy is only a guideline and common sense should always be at the top of the list.
Image use policy
- Obey our copyright policy when uploading images.
- Use the image description page to describe an image and its copyright rules.
- The description entered when uploading an image becomes the default text for the image description page. You can use wiki markup in the image description.
- Use a clear, detailed title for the file. An obscure name like "qua_047.jpg" won't help anyone!
- Don't include any watermarks or text in the image (this includes copyright notices; those belong in the text of the image description page!).
- Use the JPEG format for photographic images such as screenshots, and PNG or GIF for diagrams and other low-contrast images.
Please see Wiki 24:Image use policy for more information on uploading and using images.