Assassin's Creed Wiki:Sourcing

The following is the official Assassin's Creed Wiki attribution policy. The Assassin's Creed Wiki is an encyclopedia dedicated to the documentation of the lore of the Assassin's Creed series and is not a forum for personal or original thought. Any and all information on the wiki must be attributed to a verifiable source.

In particular, editors must provide attribution for any material that is challenged or likely to be challenged, or it may be removed. The burden of evidence lies with the editor wishing to add or retain the material. If an article topic has no reliable sources, the Assassin's Creed Wiki should not have an article on it.

It must also be noted that the following policy applies only to the Wiki's main space articles and not to the associated Forums.

Key principles

No original research

Original research (OR) refers to content for which no reliable, published source exists. They are original in that individual users developed them through their own study and theorizing. This includes unpublished facts, analysis, ideas, and personal opinion regardless of the strength of their arguments or validity. Speculation and fan theories, no matter how likely to be true, are strictly prohibited from inclusion.

By extension, editors are discouraged from synthesizing published material. This refers to combining information from multiple sources to reach or imply a conclusion that is not explicitly stated by any of these sources. Original research may at times be disguised through such synthesis when, in reality, using published sources to formulate and deliver a reasoned and well-supported analysis does not make it any less original.

Aside from ensuring that the material provided by this encyclopedia are supported and verifiable, the principle of NOR also reinforces the policy of neutral point-of-view. It is important to remember that just because material an editor has provided is original research, doesn't mean that it is fallacious, poorly-reasoned, or insignificant. Original research is rejected not because they have no value, but because as an encyclopedia dedicated to compiling and sharing authoritative material, the Assassin's Creed Wiki is not the proper place for it. If an editor so wishes, they may share their analysis or fan theory in their user blog.

Grey areas

There are certain cases situated within grey areas where a degree of leniency may be observed for this policy, namely when discussing philosophy and the personality of characters. Sections like these can pose a challenge because by nature, they incorporate subjective and abstract assessments. At the same time, the wiki cannot do without them because they may provide the audience with critical information. For example, political philosophy is a central element of the series, with its deep commentary on conflicting theories of global politics, and it would be remiss not to explain the perspectives of the two main factions, the Assassins and Templars, on these subjects.

In these scenarios, editors are still expected to be ever vigilant against original research while those reviewing their work should be mindful of the pressures involved in balancing this principle with the necessity of relaying the lore. Certain tactics may be used in navigating this process. These include but are not limited to:

• Attributing an assessment to a specific character, rather than stating it as though it were a fact.
  • Correct: Haytham believed that the Templars stand for "order, peace, stability" while the Assassins had come to forsake peace for freedom.
  • Incorrect: The Templars stand for order, peace, and stability while the Assassins only stand for freedom and has forsaken peace.
  • Correct: An Abstergo Entertainment market analysis disparaged Ezio Auditore as a "man of ugly contradictions".
  • Incorrect: Ezio Auditore was a man of ugly contradictions.
  • Exceptions can be observed, at editors' discretion, when a characterization is so apparent and consistent as to be uncontroversial, such as in describing Cesare Borgia as a sadist. In such cases, supporting evidence should be given for the description.
• Distinguishing an explanation from a personal analysis.
  • Example: Elaborating on the Creed of the Assassins in clearer terms for the audience, as it has been described by the series' characters, without delving into any further personal interpretations.
• Unqualified, subjective statements from authoritative sources such as database entries and reference books can be included with corresponding citation and taken for granted at editors' discretion.

Note that logical deductions such as data derived via mathematical conversions from verified statistical data do not violate the principle of no original research.

Attribution

Information in an article should be attributable to an authoritative source on the Assassin's Creed series. This remains the case even if there appears to be a contradiction between what is true or what one wishes to be true and the authoritative source, such as in the case of an unpopular retcon. The Assassin's Creed Wiki is meant to faithfully document the series' lore through rigorous sourcing, not to enact creative decisions on it.

An authoritative source is normally one that has been licensed by Ubisoft and expressly relates to the Assassin's Creed IP. Official statements by Ubisoft representatives are also accepted. Responses given by such representatives in interviews, podcasts, or when otherwise consulted through social media may also be accepted, but under normal circumstances, are relied upon only for clarification of lore.

Speculation, fan theories, or "news" posted on popular gaming websites do not constitute authoritative sources.

Authoritative sources

A list of reliable sources can be found here.

Canonicity

Owing to the diverse creative minds behind Assassin's Creed works, there is an ever present risk of new information which conflicts with pre-existing lore. Authoritative sources are therefore divided into several informal tiers of canonicity based on the type of media:

1. Main games

Generally, the main line of video games occupy the highest tier of canon because the Assassin's Creed series is primarily a video game franchise. The exception is when a story originated in a novel, such as Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade, in which case the novel takes precedence.

1. Spin-off games

Spin-off games, such as Assassin's Creed: Altaïr's Chronicles, Assassin's Creed II: Discovery, and the Assassin's Creed Chronicles series, occupy the second tier of canon.

1. Transmedia

The third tier encompasses the comics, novelizations of the video games, movies, and reference books, such as Assassin's Creed Encyclopedia and Assassin's Creed: The Essential Guide.

If any information given in a medium explicitly contradicts that given in a higher tier, it is considered non-canon. For example, if Assassin's Creed: Renaissance states that it take an individual three days to travel from Venice to Florence, while Assassin's Creed II clearly indicates it only takes two, the article should prioritize the game's telling over that of the novella.

The novelty of a work should also be taken into consideration; newer sources are generally more reliable than older ones as any conflict between the two normally indicates a retcon. Currently, there is no hard rule which source is more authoritative in the event that a newer source of a lower tier conflicts with an older source of a higher tier. This is determined tentatively on a case-by-case basis, normally by consulting with Ubisoft representatives.

Theoretically, Ubisoft has the ultimate authority to dictate the canonical status of a work, such as in their pronouncement that the novelization of Assassin's Creed: Odyssey contains the canonical story. In practice, the novelization has been taken at most as a rough guide for critical details, such as the identity of the main protagonist, the Eagle Bearer. This is due to the far greater narrative detail in the video game whereas certain events as told in the novel are abridged too the point that internal logic is diminished.

Moreover, while Assassin's Creed: Identity falls under the second tier, because so much of its content conflicts with the essential lore of Assassin's Creed, its first chapter is considered ambiguously canon while its second chapter is decidedly non-canon. Hence, no matter what tier they lie, the proven unreliability of a source may reduce its status.

All this having been said, the tier-based system of canonicity is merely a rough rubric but in actual practice, the reliability of a source depends on a multitude of other factors. When in doubt, consult with the rest of the Assassin's Creed Wiki community.

Whenever possible, editors should look to reconcile sources which seem to conflict, rather than assume that they are irreconcilable. This is because it is not our purview here at Assassin's Creed Wiki to interpret canonicity or assume that a retcon has taken place without confirmation from Ubisoft. By this principle, if it can be found that two sources can in fact be reconciled, even if the scenario seems improbable, then there is technically no conflict and both versions should continue be taken as true based on the reconciled scenario.

General standards

Once information is added to an article, its author must cite it. Unsourced information is subject to immediate removal, especially if its claim is decidedly incredulous or patently false. However, if an editor suspects that it may be truthful, only that its author has neglected to cite the source, it should be left alone for the time being and a {{Fact}} template should be added in place of a citation. This indicates not that the information is almost certainly untrue but that there is reason to believe that an authoritative source can be found for it.

Format

The attribution policy of the Assassin's Creed Wiki requires that all information be properly sourced through inline citations, and these citations must be formatted by the standards outlined below.

In line with conventional Wikipedian practice, an inline citation should take the form of a superscript footnote number which links to its corresponding full citation in a list of references at the bottom of the article.

Placement

Citations go immediately after punctuation and outside of quotation marks, with no space between the end of a sentence and a reference tag. It must be made directly after that which is being cited, so as to prevent confusion to the reader.

If an entire paragraph or section cites information from a single source, then simply place the citation at the end of the paragraph or section.

Specificity

References should be as specific as possible so as to help readers and editors alike to locate the exact source. Simply citing the title of the medium without narrowing the scope down to the exact memory, i.e. game mission, chapter, etc. is often insufficient in informing the audience to where the information can be traced. In the worst case scenario, such as in a game as massive in scope as Assassin's Creed: Odyssey, a citation giving only the main title may be all but useless without additional context. Instead, the mission name or supplementary flavour text should be linked in the references. In the case of novels or comics, the chapter or issue in question should be referenced.

Introduction

Ideally, the introduction or lede section of an article should not contain any references. Most if not all of the information in the introduction is mentioned again later in the article and should be cited within the main text. This helps to limit congestion of the introductory text and keep the overall presentation respectable.

If, however, a piece of information in the introduction is not mentioned again in the main text, its source should be cited where it stands in the introduction.

How to reference

Depending on the type of source, the format for the varies slightly, but they generally follow the same structure.

References are typically composed of two parts. The first part, known as "ref name" is used within an article to easily reference the same specific source on multiple occasions and is written as below:

<ref name="[REF NAME]">

The [REF NAME] requires double quotation marks to function. Otherwise, the name chosen may be any and can vary between different articles, but the wiki has generally standardized the it for most works.

Numbered main games should be named "AC", "AC2", "AC3", etc. respectively, while all other media should use either their subtitles (such as "Project Legacy", "Revelations novel", or "The Chain") or their appropriate acronyms (such as "ACPL", "RBook", or "ACTF"). A full list of the acronyms may be found on the "Variables" section of the Era template.

The second part of the reference needs only be included on the first instance of a given reference being made and is written as below:

[REF ARTICLE] – [MISSION NAME]</ref>

The [REF ARTICLE] must link to the wiki's corresponding article for the source in question. Due to it normally being a main title, it should be italicized accordingly. The [MISSION NAME] must link to the wiki's corresponding article for the source mission in question and should not be italicized.

Once the full reference has been included in an article, it can be easily recalled by simply using the following code at subsequent insertion points:

<ref name="[REF NAME]" />

PLEASE NOTE: Although other wikis typically allow the use of the simpler format <ref>[REF ARTICLE]</ref> which omits the [REF NAME] in the event that the citation is only used once, the Assassin's Creed Wiki prohibits this. It inconveniences subsequent editors who incidentally find that they must reference the source again. Hence, even in those instances where an article uses a specific reference only once, the complete format detailed above should still be used.

Example 1: Video game missions & flavour text

When referencing a video game mission or flavour text, such as database entries, the following format should be used:

<ref name="[REF NAME]">''[REF ARTICLE]'' – [MISSION NAME]</ref>

For instance, when referencing the Assassin's Creed II mission In Bocca al Lupo, use the following:

<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[In Bocca al Lupo]]</ref>

In those cases where the source comes from downloadable content, the above needs to be expanded accordingly:

<ref name="[REF NAME]">''[REF ARTICLE]'' – ''[DLC NAME]'' – [MISSION NAME]</ref>

For instance, when referencing the mission The Land of Turquoise from the The Hidden Ones downloadable content:

<ref name="The Land of Turquoise">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]'' – ''[[The Hidden Ones (DLC)|The Hidden Ones]'' – [[The Land of Turquoise]]</ref>

When referencing a video game mission, the following format should be used:

<ref name="[REF NAME]">''[REF ARTICLE]'' – [MISSION NAME]</ref>

For instance, when referencing the Assassin's Creed II mission In Bocca al Lupo, use the following:

<ref name="AC2">''[[Assassin's Creed II]]'' – [[In Bocca al Lupo]]</ref>

In those cases where the source comes from downloadable content, the above needs to be expanded slightly:

<ref name="[REF NAME]">''[REF ARTICLE]'' – ''[DLC NAME]'' – [MISSION NAME]</ref>

For instance, when referencing the mission The Land of Turquoise from the The Hidden Ones downloadable content:

<ref name="The Land of Turquoise">''[[Assassin's Creed: Origins]]'' – ''[[The Hidden Ones (DLC)|The Hidden Ones]'' – [[The Land of Turquoise]]</ref>

Example 2: Novel & reference guides

When referencing a book, whether a novel or reference guide, use the following format:

<ref name="[REF NAME]">''[REF ARTICLE]'' – Chapter [X]</ref>

For instance, when referencing chapter five of Assassin's Creed: Black Flag:

<ref name="ACBF Chap5">''[[Assassin's Creed: Black Flag]]'' – Chapter 5</ref>

PLEASE NOTE: Because the precise page number the citable material is on can fluctuate dependant on the edition or version of the novel/guide in question, please do not include a page number.

Example 3: Comics

When referencing a comic, use the following format:

<ref name="[REF NAME]">''[REF ARTICLE]'' – Issue #[XXX]</ref>

For instance, when referencing issue #3 of Assassin's Creed: The Fall:

<ref name="The Fall 3">''[[Assassin's Creed: The Fall]]'' – Issue #003</ref>

External sources

While Assassin's Creed Wiki predominantly presents information from an in-universe perspective where only Assassin's Creed sources are attributable, the inclusion of real-world information is not unknown. Most often, such out-of-universe content is found in articles dealing with real-world media or people and in "Trivia" sections. In addition, there is a convention in this wiki to take basic real-world background information for fictional subjects which have non-fictional counterparts and include these into the lede and infobox of their articles.

Under normal circumstances, information external to the Assassin's Creed series should be confined to the "Trivia" section and kept to a minimum in articles not focused on real-world subjects. In some cases, however, editors may find it necessary to draw from real-world information to fill in critical blanks left by Assassin's Creed sources that assumes either familiarity with the setting or events they describe or otherwise leaves it up to their audience to explore the details more thoroughly in their own research. This is a consequence of the franchise being set in a fictional version of the real-world. As a result of this, in articles dealing with events, it may not be possible to write an entirely coherent article without relying on outside information should one abide strictly by the attribution policy. In these rare scenarios, only the minimum amount of external information necessary to fill in the blanks should be included.

Whether the real-world information is present in a "Trivia" section, in an article dealing with a real-world subject, or used in an article written from an in-universe perspective to fill in crucial blanks, the information must still be properly cited to whichever external source, here defined as a non-Assassin's Creed source, that the editor used to find the information. This is still a requirement even if the source in question is not considered credible, such as Wikipedia as is most often the case.

The principle of sourcing is ultimately to be honest and transparent about where one has drawn their information, so that it may be checked, scrutinized, and verified by others for its reliability and veracity. That the source is weak does not exempt editors from this responsibility. Rather, it would be a signal to others that the editor in question should perhaps have used a more credible source. Whenever possible, an editor should seek out the most professional, scholarly, and reliable sources. Reliance on Wikipedia, the most common source used by editors for real-world information, is not prohibited, but should one draw from it, it is advised that they look deeper into the source that Wikipedia itself cites for the information retrieved. This guideline applies all the same with any secondary, tertiary, etc. source.

Citing external sources

Unlike Assassin's Creed sources, external sources must be referenced in full citation format unless the source in question is Wikipedia. Whereas it is more convenient for editors and readers alike for a reference to a Wikipedia article or Assassin's Creed source to be simplified down to just the titles of the works, this is inadequate citation for any other external source. The full breadth of details normally expected in a bibliography of any cited work, be it a book, web page, video, interview, etc., must be provided so that they can be precisely located. These details include author(s), editor(s) if any, edition, publication date, and the publisher.

There is no standardized house style for full citations in this wiki, but they should consistently follow a single style within an article. Some citation styles that editors can choose from include but are not limited to the MLA style, the APA style, the The Chicago Manual of Style, and the ASA style; the only restriction is that one should never create an entirely new, original style. Importantly, editors should not attempt to change an article's established citation style merely on the grounds of personal preference.

Example: Wikipedia

When referencing Wikipedia, use the following format:

<ref name="[REF NAME]">{{wiki|Wikipedia}} – [ARTICLE NAME]</ref>

For instance, when referencing the Wikipedia article for Alamut:

<ref name="Alamut">{{wiki|Wikipedia}} – {{wiki|Alamut}}</ref>

Reference list

Inline citations direct to a list of references at the bottom of every article. Titled "References", this is the very last section of an article and is placed just before categories and appearance templates such as {{ACII}}. The following must be inserted:

==References==
{{Reflist}}

In those instances where the reference list becomes excessively large in relation to the overall size of the article, additional columns can be added by using the following wiki-text:

• {{Reflist|2}} for two columns
• {{Reflist|3}} for three columns
• {{Reflist|4}} for four columns

No more than four columns maximum should be used, if it can be avoided.

Questions?

If you have any questions or concerns about implementing this sourcing policy, feel free to contact one of the site's staff and they will be happy to answer any questions you have.