Fanverse Wiki:Splitting articles

This is a Fanverse Wiki policy. It is a widely accepted standard that all editors should normally follow. Significant changes to this page should reflect community consensus.

Notice: Page splitting on Fanverse Wiki is an uncommon and deliberate process. Editors should only propose splits when absolutely necessary to preserve clarity, tone, and readability.

Overview

On Fanverse Wiki, splitting articles is a rare editorial measure, only used when the size, scope, or structure of a page severely hinders navigation, storytelling clarity, or usability. Unlike wikis with thousands of micro-articles, Fanverse values cohesion, context, and presentation above page count. The emphasis is on keeping articles comprehensive, cinematic, and well-structured — not fragmented.

Split proposals should not be made casually or due to temporary growth. Instead, splits must reflect long-term editorial need, narrative integrity, and layout cohesion.

General philosophy

• Article splitting is the exception, not the rule.
• Splits should preserve in-universe immersion and out-of-universe professionalism.
• Every split must improve readability, organization, or narrative flow.
• Do not split articles to remove "unwanted" sections or to bury controversial material.

When to consider a split

Fanverse Wiki recommends article splitting only under the following conditions:

• The article has grown beyond 15,000–20,000 words of readable prose, making it difficult to read or maintain.
• A specific section has expanded into a fully distinct subtopic that cannot be effectively summarized (e.g., a character biography overshadowing a team article).
• A film, character, or season article is serving double-duty for unrelated subjects (e.g., combining lore and production in a chaotic structure).
• The article contains extensive list material (e.g., episodes, cast credits, in-universe events) better handled in a dedicated subpage.

When not to split

Avoid splitting if:

• The reason is purely aesthetic or preference-based.
• The resulting subarticle would lack sufficient standalone content.
• The content is trivial or easily summarized in a paragraph or two.
• The page in question is not under strain (length, layout, technical size, or confusion).

Specific DON'Ts

• Don’t split because a section receives heavy editing traffic.
• Don’t split for temporary formatting issues that could be solved with better layout.
• Don’t split development and lore unless absolutely unmanageable.

Summary style usage

If a split is justified, the best approach is to use the summary style method. This involves:

• Creating a clean, titled section in the main article with a short summary of the content.
• Moving the full version of that content to a new standalone article.
• Using {{Main}} or a hatnote at the top of the summary to point to the full article.
• Ensuring both pages remain logically and narratively linked.

Example

If an article like Spider-Verse: Miles includes a sprawling 3,000-word breakdown of Miles’s abilities, that section may be summarized into a few paragraphs, with the detailed breakdown moved to Powers of Miles Morales.

Attribution requirements

Whenever content is moved from one page to another, proper attribution is required per site policy. You must:

• Leave an edit summary in the new article stating the origin (e.g., “Split from Spider-Verse: Miles”).
• Use the {{Split attribution}} template if necessary.
• Maintain the page history in both locations if under dispute.

How to propose a split

Splits should always go through a transparent process:

1. Start a new section on the article’s talk page titled: == Split proposal: [Subarticle name] ==
2. Clearly explain your rationale, including article size, structural issues, and long-term value.
3. Wait for feedback. If there is no response within 7 days and the split is uncontroversial, proceed with caution.
4. If objections arise, build consensus through discussion.
5. Use {{Under discussion}} on the main article until the proposal is resolved.

Executing the split

Once consensus is reached:

• Move the content to the new article using standard wiki markup.
• Add appropriate templates: {{Main}}, {{Split from}}, {{Split attribution}}, or {{Summary style}} where needed.
• Clean up references and navboxes.
• Update the original article’s structure so it no longer feels “empty” or disjointed.

Naming split pages

Follow these conventions for naming split pages:

• Use precise, natural titles: e.g., Miles Morales (biography) or Doctor Doom (development)
• Avoid awkward suffixes like “/Details” or “/Extended”
• Ensure consistency with other articles in the same group or category.

Alternative solutions to splitting

Before initiating a split, consider:

• Collapsing content using {{Collapsible section}} for long lists or minor subtopics.
• Transclusion if content is used in multiple places (especially navboxes or timelines).
• Subpage usage for navigation-heavy tables or appendices (e.g., timelines or credits).

Marking for potential split

If you're unsure whether a split is needed:

• Use {{Split needed}} at the top of the article or section.
• Add a brief note on the talk page with reasoning.
• Do not perform a bold split without discussion unless it’s a clear formatting rescue.

Final note

Fanverse Wiki values structure, not sprawl. Articles are meant to be cinematic, readable, and immersive. Before splitting, always ask:

> “Will this improve the experience of someone reading this article from start to finish?”

If not, don’t split. Refactor, summarize, or reorganize instead.

See also

• Fanverse Wiki:Manual of Style
• Fanverse Wiki:Stub policy
• Fanverse Wiki:Summary style
• Fanverse Wiki:Article size
• Fanverse Wiki:Content policy
• Help:Splitting a page