User:Theleekycauldron/DYK style guide

Thought I'd leave this here for later. Will hopefully start with a hodgepodge of tips 'n' tricks, maybe something more useful over time!

Links
Non-breaking spaces should be inserted – in the form of  or nowrap – wherever it would be unsatisfactory to have a line break in the middle of a link. The link must be piped so that the space can be inserted into the right half. See MOS:NBSP for proper uses of the non-breaking space.

Bolded links
The link brackets should be nested inside of the bold markings. Although the alternative looks the same to the end user, it is not recommended; it is not generally accepted practice, and it is more difficult for scripts to detect the boldlink in this form. If the boldlink also needs to be italicized, the italics should be placed with the bold markings on the outside of the link brackets. An exception arises when only part of the linked term is to be italicized, as in Pronunciation of GIF or A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote. In this case, the link should be piped and the italics placed inside the piped portion. The bold remains on the outside.

If – instead of piping – the boldlink contains text directly after the link with no intervening space, that text should be placed in between the closing brackets and the closing bold marking. An exception arises when the appended text contains an apostrophe. In this case, the apostrophe is placed after the bold markings.

The Ship template should be substed for ease of script detection.

Non-bolded links
Non-bolded links are not as useful to DYK as they are to the project at large. While most areas of the project have no favourites regarding their links, and are happy for readers to click and read wherever they fancy, DYK has a rather attention-driven purpose: to showcase the newly created, improved, and expanded content that is advertised in the boldlinks of every hook. For this reason, non-bolded links should generally be discouraged, as they drive attention away from the bolded article. When crafting a hook, ask whether a non-bolded link is a piece of background that is strictly necessary to understand the hook, and is therefore worth the attention diverted away from the main article. Pedestrian links should be eliminated wherever possible, possibly by rewording the relevant text. Good uses of links extend to people, places, concepts, or things that play a significant role in the hook's story.

WP:EGG and DYK
For most areas of the project, the aim is not to bedazzle, surprise, or entertain. Therefore, we have the principle of least astonishment, as well as its implementation in WP:EGG. EGG is guideline, and should usually be followed in hooks. However, there are certain exemptions that come with DYK's more relaxed, humorous environment. The most obvious example is DYK's observance of April Fools' Day, in which the project airs hooks with humorously misleading links; did you know... That hook links to Zoosphaerium darthvaderi, also known as the Darth Vader giant pill millipede. More benign versions of this phenomenon can also be allowed at the quirky slot; did you know... The bold link points to Hydroelectricity in Turkey, where the kisslip himri's struggles with dams are laid out. As wrote at that article's nomination page: "WP:EGG primarily applies to Wikipedia's article content where first-pass-reader clarity and reproduction of the content (say in print form) are important factors. The DYK section of the main-page is inherently a hooky / interesting / catchy one-liner type of list, with no encyclopedic permanency, so there is leeway and WP:EGG isn't 'strictly' applicable." For all links at DYK – April Fools' or otherwise – it should be immediately clear why the linked bit of text directed the user to the article they landed on. For most links, the user should have a general idea of what article they are reaching before they click on the link; if not, there should be a reasonable justification as to why that disconnect contributes to the overall message and/or temperament of the hook.
 * ... that Darth Vader anal shield has a "pronounced bell shape"?
 * ... that the kisslip himri in Turkey might face a dam problem?

Commas
Unfortunately, there is no simple, mechanical way to determine the quality of a hook's flow. However, I can offer a general of thumb, to be used with only the utmost caution: minimize comma usage where possible.

Commas appear in all shapes and sizes at DYK, and some are easier to weed out than others. Parenthetical commas, particularly ones of the MOS:DATE and GEOCOMMA varieties, make for nice encyclopedic prose – in the way that a winding path makes for a lovely stroll through a park. At DYK, our goal is to make the smoothest and quickest ride possible from the ellipses to the question mark. If you have dates or locations in your hook, consider refactoring your hook to avoid excessive comma usage.

Commas, as well as other mid-sentence punctuation for flow, are not always the enemy. Sometimes, a little stop can help emphasize a twist or punchline; did you know...


 * ... that Nero's divorce of Claudia Octavia caused public outcry – so he had her executed instead?

Image selection

 * Make sure that the image doesn't excessively divert readers to a non-bolded link