Aegyptiaca: style manual
From Encyclopaedia Aegyptiaca
Welcome to the Encyclopaedia Aegyptiaca style manual. Please take a few moments to read this before plunging in to any editing work, as it will save a lot of grief in the long run.
Contents |
Writing Style and Content
- An academic writing style, aimed at an undergraduate reading and understanding level is preferred.
- It is assumed that most readers have a reasonable familiarity with Egyptian religion and culture already, and are seeking specific insights into particular practices or aspects.
- However, be sure to include elementary or introductory sections to any entry involving a highly specialist area, paticularly issues such as language, or ancient crafts, industries etc.
Language and Grammar
- Create all entries in English. Regional variations in spelling (UK, US, Asian, Australian etc.) are unimportant and all regarded as acceptable, but please use standard grammar, and avoid local variations as far as possible (i.e. the Singaporean/Malaysian use of “finished” over “sold out”).
- Always assume an adult, educated audience.
- Always spell and grammar check entries in a word processor (Word, Open Office, Tempus, Papyrus etc.) before posting
General Formatting Rules
- Capitalise all proper names
- Keep paragraphs and sentences short. Remember that reading on screen is harder than from paper. Leave adequate white space.
- If a paragraph is beginning to read like a list, it is preferable to present the data in a table.
- Double digit (or longer) numbers such should be written numerically, single digit numbers written as words.
- The recommended maximum length for a subsection within an entry is approx. 500 words. If a sub-section is significantly above this, consider using sub-sub sections, or splitting the overall topic into multiple entries, and treating it as a separate topic.
- Do not place links or citations in sub-headings.
- Images should be relevant to the entry and question, and always labelled. The graphic file itself should have licensing/attribution information clearly recorded on the file page.
- Transliterations of Egyptian characters should be rendered according to the MdC convention and formatted in italics
Point of View / Specific Editing Conventions
Encyclopaedia Aegyptiaca is not Neutral Point of View. As such, although we strive to allow editors a good degree of freedom in the way they present their entries, the following should be borne in mind.
- Conventional chronology is used on Encyclopaedia Aegyptiaca. Please keep this in mind when giving approximate or absolute dates in entries. Whilst talk of alternate chronologies is not forbidden, references to alternate chronologies should be by means of comparison rather than an attempt at rewriting history according to a system not accepted by the vast majority of scholars.
- Encyclopaedia Aegyptiaca only uses the BCE/CE convention in writing dates, as modern academic practice and a lack of hypocrisy both dictate. Do not use BC/AD. However in articles where only obviously BCE dates are being discussed, it is acceptable to simply write the year with no qualifiers.
- Do not write disrespectfully of Egyptian Gods, culture and Pharaohs. This is different to writing honestly (The First Intermediate Period, the Hyksos, Amarna all happened, we must admit). However, specific attacks or disparaging terms (i.e. “False God”, “Idol Worship” etc.) are not acceptable terms, unless quoting in an appropriate manner or context. Use your discretion and common sense.
- Do not write directly about modern Recon/Revival Egyptian religion. Though this project is meant to inform them, it is not about them. As such articles on HoN/KO, Per Ankh, Per Heh etc. (along with details of modern offerings, rituals etc.) do not fall within the scope of Encyclopaedia Aegyptiaca.
- The “Exodus” myth is beyond the scope of Encyclopaedia Aegyptiaca, and contrary to it’s aims and objectives. If it is essential to the writing of an otherwise in-scope entry, place a draft of the article within your userspace/sandbox and contact an admin/moderator to discuss wording before moving it to the main space. We love and revere our Gods, and see them branded as evil in pop culture and Judeo-Christian apologetics all the time. We don’t want to read it here too.
Egyptian vs. Hellenic names/terms
- Always use the form most widely used in contemporary academic literature, regardless of whether it is Greek or Egyptian. I.e. Khufu has now largely replaced Cheops/Kheops in modern literature, but Isis is still used in place of Iset/Aset.
- In case of both forms being almost equally used (Thutmose and Tutmosis, for example) then use the Egyptian first, followed by the Greek version in brackets the first time it occurs in the text, then only use the Egyptian thereafter.
Referencing
- Encyclopaedia Aegyptiaca takes referencing seriously. Please cite as if you were submitting a university/college assignment. Please use inline citations referring to a complete bibliographic reference. Examples are below. There is no hard and fast rule about exactly what facts need citing, and patently obvious things like like “The Nile runs through Egypt” are hardly contentious or specialist issues. Use your initiative and intellect, and if in doubt, cite anyway. An article can lack citations, but very rarely do people complain of too many! In addition, references are useful, providing a handy starting point for anyone wanting to research an article further.
Example 1: Citing from a book
Frankfort, H (1978), Kingship and the Gods: A Study of Ancient Near Eastern Religion as the Integration of Society and Nature, University of Chicago Press, Chicago
Example 2: Citing from a book with multiple authors
Simpson, W K, et al. (2003), The Literature of Ancient Egypt, Yale University Press, New Haven and London
Example 3: Citing from a edited compilation
A book with a single editor and various contributors to individual chapters. The initial author is the author of the chapter/section, the (Ed.) refers to the editor of the entire publication.
Wildung, D (2002), Eternal Presence – The Image of the Pharaoh in Egyptian Sculpture in: (Ed.) Ziegler C, The Pharaohs, Thames and Hudson, London
Example 4: Citing from a journal
Cline, W (1948), Cultural Innovations in Dynastic Egypt, Southwestern Journal of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Vol. 4 No. 1 pp 1-30
- Reference Google Books E-books as the original publication.
- When referencing Project Gutenberg books, include the original publication name and author, and simply add “Project Gutenberg E-book number xxxx”. There is no need to include the URL.
- If retrieving Ejournals such as Oriental Institute or Jstor publications, cite as for the original journal.
- Avoid citing websites except where absolutely necessary. When you do so, restrict yourself as far as practical to established academic and research sites such as UCL Digital Egypt, University of Manchester Virtual Kahun, museum and university sites, or project/mission sites such as the Theban Mapping Project. Include authors name (if not known, institution’s name), date article was published/created (if known), page title, date accessed and the complete URL.
- TourEgypt is not acceptable as a source.
- André Dollinger’s site is acceptable as a source.
Page Naming Conventions
- Initial upper case only, any other words in lower case (Ramesses the great, NOT Ramesses The Great)
- In cases where both Greek and Egyptian names are known then use the name most widely used in contemporary academic literature (Khufu not Cheops/Kheops, but Isis not Aset/Iset).
- Where both Egyptian and Greek forms are more or less equally used (I.e. Thutmose and Tutmosis), use the Egyptian for the main article, and create a redirect page for the Greek form.
Prohibitions
- No foul language, no pornography, no illegal content or information of any kind. We don’t want to go to court. You don’t want to go to court. Let’s keep us all happy and out of court.
- No hate speech of any kind. This includes religion, race, gender, sexuality etc.
- The above points apply to usernames and talk page comments as well as encyclopaedia entries.
- No cyber-bullying, vandalism, edit warring, trolling, spamming etc.
