RetroTechCollection:Citing sources

RTC:CITE

This page is a RetroTechCollection guideline.

Editors should generally follow it, though exceptions may apply. Discuss substantive changes to this page on the Village Pump first.

Citations let readers check the technical information on RetroTechCollection and credit the people who produced it. They are not strictly required for all content, but a cited claim is more credible and points readers to the source for further detail.

When to cite

Strongly recommended

Cite these wherever you can:

technical specifications: voltage levels, timing parameters, component values
safety procedures: high-voltage precautions, chemical handling, discharge procedures
repair procedures: diagnostic steps, calibration methods, troubleshooting flowcharts
historical information: release dates, production numbers, design changes
performance data: benchmark results, compatibility, operating parameters

Required

A citation is mandatory for:

direct quotes: any text copied word for word from a source
copyrighted excerpts used under fair use
controversial claims that might be disputed
safety-critical information: any procedure involving a hazard

How citations are written on this wiki

Put each citation in a <ref>...</ref> tag straight after the claim it supports, and add a references list at the foot of the page:

== References ==
<references />

{{Reflist}} also works in place of <references />.

Manuals hosted on the wiki

Most repair pages cite service manuals and technical references that are already uploaded here. Write the citation as plain text: publisher, title in italics, the chapter, table or page used, and a link to the hosted file. Link the file with a leading colon ([[:File:...]]) so that the link does not embed the PDF.

Apple's voltage check uses test cable 077-0135 on the external floppy port.<ref name="ssplus">Apple Computer,
''Macintosh Plus'' Service Source, Adjustments, Voltage. Hosted as [[:File:Macintosh plus.pdf]].</ref>

Check Category:Service Manuals and Special:ListFiles before uploading a manual; the wiki may already have it. See Help:Uploading service manuals.

Named references

Give a reference a name when you cite the same source more than once. Define it in full once, then reuse it with a self-closing tag:

The +5 V supply is specified at ±3 %.<ref name="iie-ref">''Apple II Reference Manual – For //e Only'',
Apple Computer, Inc., 1982, Table 7-2. Hosted as [[:File:Apple IIe Reference Manual 1982.pdf]].</ref>

Later on the page:
<ref name="iie-ref" />

Defining the same name twice with different text shows a red error message in the references list.

Citation templates

The wiki has simple citation templates that print a formatted line of text. Wrap them in <ref> tags yourself. They accept only the parameters listed below and silently ignore any others, so a page number given as pages= to {{Cite manual}} is lost. Put the page or section after the template, inside the same ref.

Template	Use for	Parameters
{{Cite manual}}	service manuals, technical references, datasheets	title, author, publisher, date, version, url, access-date
{{Cite book}}	published books	title, author, publisher, date, isbn, page, url, access-date
{{Cite web}}	web pages and forum threads	title, author, publisher, date, url, access-date
{{Cite journal}}	journal and conference papers	title, author, journal, volume, issue, pages, date, doi, url, access-date
{{Cite magazine}}	magazine articles	title, author, magazine, issue, volume, date, pages, url, access-date

A web source:

<ref>{{Cite web
 |title=Macintosh Colo(u)r Classic
 |publisher=Recap-a-Mac
 |url=https://recapamac.com.au/macintosh-colour-classic/
 |access-date=2025-01-25
}}</ref>

A book, with the page number:

<ref>{{Cite book
 |title=Revolution in the Valley
 |author=Andy Hertzfeld
 |publisher=O'Reilly Media
 |date=2005
 |isbn=0596007191
 |page=156
}}</ref>

A manual cited by section:

<ref>{{Cite manual
 |title=Macintosh SE/30 Service Source
 |publisher=Apple Computer, Inc.
 |date=1990
}} Specifications chapter.</ref>

There are no templates for forum posts, datasheets or safety notices. Use {{Cite web}} for a forum thread and {{Cite manual}} for a datasheet.

Measurements and original research

There is no template for measurements. Give your own bench measurements in plain text, with the conditions: the machine and board revision, the test point, the load and the meter used. Original research native to the wiki, such as Sad Mac code decoding, bench measurements and 3D-printed replacement parts, needs no external citation, but say that it is original.

Source quality

Preferred sources

In order of preference:

Official service manuals: the manufacturer's repair documentation
Technical datasheets from the component manufacturer
Engineering documentation: schematics, design notes, technical bulletins
Published technical books by recognised authors
Established technical websites with documented expertise and review

Acceptable sources

These may be used with appropriate context:

community forums, where several experienced users confirm the information
technical blogs by recognised experts
videos, when the same information is also documented in writing
personal experience, clearly marked as such and preferably with supporting documentation

Sources to avoid

These are generally not suitable:

social media posts, unless from an official manufacturer account
Wikipedia or other wikis: cite their sources instead
commercial listings: eBay, Amazon or other sales descriptions
unverified claims with no supporting documentation
speculation and rumour

See RetroTechCollection:Reliable technical sources for more detail.

Technical accuracy

When citing technical information:

Cross-check specifications against more than one source where you can.
Where sources disagree, say so and cite both.
Replace superseded data with the current figure.
Give the conditions: operating parameters, tolerances and limits.

Make sure the source actually says what you cite it for.

Special cases

Documents of unclear copyright

Where the copyright holder is unknown, cite the document as fully as you can and state what is not known:

<ref>''Service Guide'', publisher unknown, c. 1985, p. 12.</ref>

Foreign-language sources

Give the original title followed by an English translation in brackets, and name the language:

<ref>Fujitsu, ''コンピュータ修理マニュアル'' (Computer Repair Manual), 1984, in Japanese, p. 30.</ref>

Multiple revisions

Name the revision you used, since figures often change between revisions. {{Cite manual}} takes a version parameter for this.

Links and archives

When including web links:

Prefer permanent or archived URLs.
Check that the link works before saving.
For unstable sources, add an archive.org link as well.
Say if the source needs registration or payment.

Common citation errors

Incomplete information

Missing dates: include the publication date or the date you accessed the page.
Vague titles: use the full title of the document.
No page numbers: give the page, table or section for any long document.
Broken links: check every URL before saving.

Over-citation

These do not need a citation:

common knowledge
basic specifications, such as standard voltages and connector types that are widely documented
simple procedures, such as basic cleaning steps

Under-citation

Always cite:

unusual or surprising specifications
safety procedures
claims that might be disputed