Wikipedia:Spoiler: Difference between revisions
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'read below for specifics' isn't a weaker wording, it's neutral and only appropriate - it's only a few more paragraphs to read before getting to the information. |
rewritten to conform to reality (no spoiler warnings except for {{current fiction}}) |
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{{subcat guideline|style guideline|Spoiler|WP:SPOILER|WP:SPOIL|WP:SW}} |
{{subcat guideline|style guideline|Spoiler|WP:SPOILER|WP:SPOIL|WP:SW}} |
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{{nutshell|Wikipedia contains revealing plot details of fictional works; this is expected. |
{{nutshell|Wikipedia contains revealing plot details of fictional works; this is expected. Concerns about spoilers must not interfere with article quality.}} |
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A '''[[spoiler (media)|spoiler]]''' is a piece of information in an article about a narrative work (such as a book, feature film, television show or video game) that reveals [[plot (narrative)|plot]] [[event]]s or [[twist ending|twist]]s. |
A '''[[spoiler (media)|spoiler]]''' is a piece of information in an article about a narrative work (such as a book, feature film, television show or video game) that reveals [[plot (narrative)|plot]] [[event]]s or [[twist ending|twist]]s. |
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Spoilers on the Internet are sometimes preceded by a spoiler warning.<ref>Examples include [[IMDB]], [[GameFAQs]], [[Television Without Pity]], and [[TV.com]].</ref> In Wikipedia, however, it is generally expected that the subjects of our articles will be covered in detail. |
Spoilers on the Internet are sometimes preceded by a spoiler warning.<ref>Examples include [[IMDB]], [[GameFAQs]], [[Television Without Pity]], and [[TV.com]].</ref> In Wikipedia, however, it is generally expected that the subjects of our articles will be covered in detail. Therefore, Wikipedia carries no spoiler warnings except for the [[Wikipedia:Content disclaimer|Content disclaimer]]. |
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As an exception, some recently released work of fiction may carry a {{tl|current fiction}} tag, which is usually removed a certain period of time (approximately 2 months, but this is disputed) after the work has been published. |
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Spoiler tags are an exception to our general guideline [[wikipedia:no disclaimers in articles|no disclaimers in articles]], and the weight and significance of the disclaimers guideline should be considered when trying to form a consensus for their use. Concerns about revealing spoilers in an article's lead should be governed by the [[Wikipedia:Lead section|lead section style guideline]]. There are additional considerations for deciding whether to include spoiler tags or not, editors should read below for specifics. |
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It is not acceptable to delete information from an article about a work of fiction because you think it spoils the plot. Such concerns must not interfere with [[ |
It is not acceptable to delete information from an article about a work of fiction because you think it spoils the plot. Such concerns must not interfere with [[WP:NPOV|neutral point of view]], encyclopedic tone, completeness, or any other element of article quality (for example, [[WP:LEAD]]). |
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==When spoiler warnings should not be used== |
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*Spoiler warnings are usually inappropriate in articles discussing classical works of literature, poetry and theatre. In grey areas, editors placing spoiler templates should use the article's talk page to discuss the matter. |
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*Spoilers and spoiler warnings should not be used in articles on non-fictional subjects. If explicit spoilers<ref>An explicit spoiler mentions the work of fiction concerned.</ref> are mentioned in non-fiction articles (''e.g.'' articles on authors, actors, real-life locations in which fictional texts are set, or literary concepts like [[climax]]), consider whether the spoiler improves the encyclopedic quality of the article. It may be better to remove the example. |
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*Spoiler warnings are usually redundant when used to cover an entire "Plot" or "Synopsis" heading, or fictional "History" headings of any sort in articles whose subject is fictional, since spoilers are to be expected in a plot summary. If readers can easily deduce what is to be covered within a titled section, then there is no need to insert additional warning tags. If a section is not explicitly tagged as a plot section, and it contains an unexpected spoiler, consider whether the article can be improved by better section titling. |
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*Spoiler warnings should not be used when they can be replaced by more accurate heading information. If a "Themes" heading starts with a plot description, the best thing to do is break the plot description into a separate heading. If there are no headings, it is usually better to add them. |
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*Articles about fictional characters, objects, or places can be expected to include significant elements of the story. They should only contain spoiler warnings around specific details that a reader might not expect to come across. |
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==When spoiler warnings may be appropriate== |
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* Spoiler notices may be appropriate when significant plot revelations appear in unexpected places. |
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* Spoiler notices are more likely to be appropriate in newer works than in older works. But consider using instead the {{tl|current fiction}} tag, which is consistent with the {{tl|current}} tag on current real-world events. |
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* Very rarely, a spoiler warning may appear in the article lead. Plot details that are not significant from an ''out-of-universe'' perspective should not be found in the lead at all. See [[Wikipedia:Manual of Style (writing about fiction)]] |
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==How to add or remove spoiler warnings== |
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* Where it is appropriate, a '''{{[[Template:Spoiler|Spoiler]]}}''' tag can be used to mark spoiler sections, with '''{{[[Template:Endspoiler|Endspoiler]]}}''' to mark the end. Whether one is adding or removing, be sure to do both. Do not improvise such warnings in plain text. |
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* When adding a spoiler notice to a plot section of an article that has a clear section heading indicating it is a plot section, it is best to use the {{[[Template:Spoiler|Spoiler]]}} and {{[[Template:Endspoiler|Endspoiler]]}} templates to bracket only the portion of the plot that includes the spoilers. That way readers can benefit from the other parts of the plot summary that do not include spoilers, while knowing which sections to skip if they wish to avoid the spoilers. |
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* A reminder: before adding or removing a tag it is helpful to check the talk page; others may already be discussing the tag in question, or may have consensus as to its presence or absence. |
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==Notes== |
==Notes== |
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Revision as of 12:02, 13 September 2007
 | This page documents an English Wikipedia style guideline. Editors should generally follow it, though exceptions may apply. Substantive edits to this page should reflect consensus. When in doubt, discuss first on the talk page. |
 | This page in a nutshell: Wikipedia contains revealing plot details of fictional works; this is expected. Concerns about spoilers must not interfere with article quality. |
A spoiler is a piece of information in an article about a narrative work (such as a book, feature film, television show or video game) that reveals plot events or twists.
Spoilers on the Internet are sometimes preceded by a spoiler warning.[1] In Wikipedia, however, it is generally expected that the subjects of our articles will be covered in detail. Therefore, Wikipedia carries no spoiler warnings except for the Content disclaimer.
As an exception, some recently released work of fiction may carry a {{current fiction}} tag, which is usually removed a certain period of time (approximately 2 months, but this is disputed) after the work has been published.
It is not acceptable to delete information from an article about a work of fiction because you think it spoils the plot. Such concerns must not interfere with neutral point of view, encyclopedic tone, completeness, or any other element of article quality (for example, WP:LEAD).
Notes
- ^ Examples include IMDB, GameFAQs, Television Without Pity, and TV.com.