User:Raven Onthill/sandbox/Notes on Historical Citations

Notes on Historical Citations (A very incomplete list.)

Use the cite templates. They make generating valid citations easier, enable automated indexing, and contain helpful reminders of what is needed for a citation.
Use reference data that describe the cited material, rather than locate it or identify a particular version. URLs, except those of long-standing institutions, have a short half-life. Use a DOI, use the OCLC number, and so on. An ISSN is useful for a journal article. If a valid URL or ISBN is available, give that in addition to a lasting reference. (An ISBN is assigned to each edition and variation of a book; it is too specific.) I am aware this goes against Wikipedia common practice; the common practice gives this researcher, at least, hives.
Give the first edition of a book in a citation, unless there is some reason to specifically cite a subsequent edition. In that case give the citation of the earliest relevant edition of the book. If it is necessary to cite a later edition, explain why ("This was added in the second edition," "The author changed their mind about blahblahblah," etc.) This makes historiography easier.
Comment on your citation. Explain, cite later editions, cite reasons why it matters. Don't just give the bare citation with no hints to the readers.

Example

Notes