All The Tropes:Example Indentation in Trope Lists

There has been some confusion about how a list of examples, or anything else, should be indented/bulleted. Here we go with an answer.

On a works page, for example, we have a list of trope names. These get one bullet (*). If there is more than one example of the trope in the work, each of them gets two bullets (**) on their own line. If there is only one example, it goes on the line with the trope title. For example, this:

* Trope Name: In episode "The Episode" (1x1), Alice uses this trope to ... 
* Another Trope:
** In "Another Episode" (1x2), Alice bangs it out 
** In "Yet Another Episode" (1x3), Bob subverts it 

results in:

• Trope Name: In episode "The Episode" (1x1), Alice uses this trope to ...
• Another Trope:
  • In "Another Episode" (1x2), Alice bangs it out
  • In "Yet Another Episode" (1x3), Bob subverts it

In a situation where the text of a bullet is too long, or needs a paragraph break for some other reason, we don't add the text in with another bullet (**), we use the ":" markup to make the next paragraph indent to match that of the previous. Start a new line to add a new paragraph, and put one colon for each bullet level you need to match on the beginning of the line. Like this:

* Yet Another Trope:
** In "Finale" (1x13), Alice bangs it out at great length.  
::So much length, we need multiple paragraphs to explain the length. 
** In "Finale" (1x13), Bob subverts it. That's what he does. He's subversive.

which produces this:

• Yet Another Trope:
  • In "Finale" (1x13), Alice bangs it out at great length.

So much length, we need multiple paragraphs to explain the length.

• • In "Finale" (1x13), Bob subverts it. That's what he does. He's subversive.

Let's say Carol and Susan and Alice and Bob are two shows. Each should have a separate first-bullet point. Like this:

• Alice and Bob: This trope is used when...
• Carol and Susan: This trope is used when...

On a trope page, you will sometimes run into a situation where you want to list multiple examples from the same media or series. Don't list one example, and then indent the others under it. Instead, use:

• Alice and Bob:
  • In episode 2, this trope occurs when...
  • In episode 21, this trope occurs again when...

Or:

• Alice and Bob Trilogy:
  • In Alice Alone, the trope is seen...
  • In Bob Meets Alice, we see the trope again when...

A three-bullet situation (***) usually indicates a comment on the item above it which has two bullets. This is a sign that that the list is heading toward Thread Mode (discussion). That's not a good thing. The trope lists are not discussions. Discussions take place on the discussion pages or in the forums. However, three-bullet situations sometimes are legit. Rarely. If you find yourself needing a third level of indentation, take a look at using a header, instead.

A legitimate three-bullet situation might look something like this:

• Alice and Bob Franchise:
  • Alice Meets Bob: The trope is in full effect in the opening sequence, when...
  • Alice Vs. Bob: The Reckoning:
    • When Bob is walking up to Alice...
    • In the background of the bar scene, you can see...
  • Alice, Bob, and Carol: In an echo of Alice Meets Bob...

---