Editing Referencing Guide

This guide explains how to correctly cite sources on the Formula One Technical Wiki. Proper referencing ensures transparency, technical accuracy, academic integrity, and legal compliance — especially when content includes data, engineering claims, or regulatory analysis.

== 📚 Why Referencing Matters ==

Referencing:
* Validates technical and analytical content
* Allows others to verify claims or examine source data
* Encourages academic collaboration
* Maintains licensing compliance (e.g., Wikipedia CC BY-SA reuse)

== 🧰 Referencing Syntax (Wikitext) ==

Use <code>&lt;ref&gt;</code> tags for inline citations:

<pre>
Modern venturi-style floors contribute over 65% of total downforce.<ref>FIA Technical Regulations 2023, Article 3.9.2</ref>
</pre>

All references must appear in a <code>== References ==</code> section at the end of the article:

<pre>
== References ==
<references />
</pre>

== 📘 Acceptable Sources ==

=== ✅ Recommended Sources ===
* FIA documents:
** [https://www.fia.com/regulations FIA Technical & Sporting Regulations]
** Technical Directives (TDs)
* Team-published technical media (e.g. Mercedes whitepapers)
* Peer-reviewed content:
** SAE Technical Papers
** Academic journals in engineering/motorsport
* Engineering media:
** RaceTech Magazine
** Auto Motor und Sport (AMuS) Tech Archives
** The-Race technical analysis
* CFD and simulation company blogs (AVL, TotalSim)
* Simulator platforms (e.g., AVL VSM, Cosworth Toolbox)

=== ⚠️ Use with Caution ===
* Wikipedia (must be attributed; see below)
* Reddit (only if linking directly to a valid primary source)
* YouTube (only if from FIA or official teams)

=== ❌ Do Not Use ===
* Speculative or fan blogs
* Anonymous tweets or forums without citation
* AI-generated content without source verification

== 📝 Importing from Wikipedia ==

Wikipedia content is published under the '''Creative Commons Attribution–ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)''' license, unless otherwise noted. You may import and adapt content if you meet the following conditions:

* Mention the source in the edit summary, for example:
  <pre>Adapted from Wikipedia:Energy recovery system, CC BY-SA 4.0</pre>

* If reusing a substantial portion, include an attribution section:
<pre>
== Attribution ==
This article includes content adapted from [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_recovery_system Wikipedia], available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
</pre>

* Do not import non-free images or templates with proprietary licensing

== 🔗 External Link Formatting ==

Use square brackets <code>[URL Label]</code> for links:

<pre>
[https://www.fia.com FIA Official Website]
</pre>

Use these primarily in:
* Reference sections
* Resource pages
* Tables

== 📂 Centralising References ==

Whenever possible, add long or frequently reused references to:

* [[Resources:Regulations]]
* [[Resources:Engineering Papers]]
* [[Resources:Technical Archives]]

This prevents redundancy and maintains consistency.

== 🔍 Where to Find Reliable Sources ==

* [https://www.fia.com/regulations FIA Regulations]
* [https://www.racetechmag.com RaceTech Engineering]
* [https://www.motorsport-magazin.com/automobil/technik/ AMuS Tech Archives]
* [https://www.therace.com The-Race — Technical Section]
* [https://www.sae.org SAE Technical Papers Database]

== ✅ Reference Checklist ==

* Is the source verifiable and non-speculative?
* Is the reference placed using <code>&lt;ref&gt;</code> tags?
* Is it listed in a <code>&lt;references /&gt;</code> block?
* Is attribution included when reusing CC-licensed content?

== 🧑‍🔧 See Also ==

* [[Help:Contributing]]
* [[Help:Templates]]
* [[Resources:Regulations]]