Current Analysis Procedure + Format (new writers please read)

[airfare]

Welcome to the OU Contributions & Corrections subforum, where we write and upload in-depth competitive analyses for every Pokemon viable in OU! This thread will detail how the C&C process itself generally works, and the current OU analysis format used for every Pokemon. Almost all of the discussion regarding OU C&C occurs in the OverUsed Discord in the #analysis-discussion channel, where anyone is free to ask questions or give suggestions regarding OU analyses. Writers are strongly recommended to join the Discord server to ensure easy communication.

1. Reserving a Pokemon
A list of all the current OU Pokemon up for reservation is on the OU C&C Reservation Index. Here, if something is listed under the "Unreserved" section, you can post in the thread to reserve it. While anyone can reserve up to two analyses at a time, badgeholders and members of the QC team can reserve up to four. Please try to reserve Pokemon that you are familiar with and have used extensively, and which you feel comfortable writing in detail about. After your post is edited with approval by a moderator, you are free to create a thread in the OU Analyses subforum.

2. Writing the Analysis
After approval by an OU C&C moderator, you can create a thread in the OU Analyses subforum with the "WIP" prefix under the "Analysis Stages" header. The Current Analysis Format below will help you understand what to write in each of the analysis sections and already has formatting prepared for uploading to the Smogon dex pages, so please don't edit any of the formatting (square brackets, asterisks, equals signs). Any questions about the Pokemon's set or more specific points within the analysis can be directed towards the OU QC Team via the OU Discord. When you have finished writing the analysis, change the prefix for the thread to "Quality Control" and make the title of the thread "Pokemon [QC 0/2]".

3. Quality Control
After the prefix for the thread has been changed, the OU Quality Control Team will check each analysis for content, with the aim to maintain high on-site standards for analyses. After deciding to accept an initial version of the drafted analysis, the QC team will post edits to your draft in the thread for your analysis, which you can implement by manually editing your analysis post in the OP. Please implement these edits as soon as you can, and let the QC team member know when you have finished implementing it either on Discord or in your thread itself. Don't forget to include the QC member's username and user ID at the bottom of the analysis. The QC team (and member checking the analysis) has discretion whether to approve and stamp your analysis with one check or multiple stages of quality checking, before finally stamping, for more in-depth edits. After your analysis has been QC approved/stamped, change the prefix to "Pokemon [QC 1/2]" to reflect this; after receiving two stamps, your analysis is deemed ready content-wise, and you're ready to move onto the GP stage.

4. Grammar and Prose
After receiving two QC stamps, please change your thread's prefix to "Copyediting", change the header to "Pokemon [GP 0/2]", and post in the GP Queue so GP members know to check it. After posting in the GP queue, a GP team member will check your analysis in the exact same way as a QC member would. The GP process can sometimes take a while, so don't be worried if your analysis is still unchecked - if you potsed in the queue, your analysis will be looked at sometime soon. You can choose implement GP checks in a different way, by editing the check itself in a reply, to ensure you catch every edit included in the check and to make implementing everything much easier.

5. Uploading
After receiving two GP stamps, change the prefix of your analysis to "Done" and the title to "Pokemon [GP 2/2]", and preferably contact an OU C&C moderator (ausma, airfare, Clone) so that we can upload it to the Smogon dex page. Congratulations, and thank you for contributing to the C&C forums. Your work is much appreciated!

 

[airfare]

Here's the current format we use for SS OU analyses.

[Overview]

In the Overview you want to generalize what the Pokemon in question accomplishes in the metagame and where it stands. You will also want to cover its drawbacks and anything else that may hold it back. This should be a pretty basic recap of the Pokemon, an overview typically does not need to be much longer than 7 or 8 sentences, though ofcourse this varies from Pokemon to Pokemon and compromises can be made.

[SET]
name:
move 1:
move 2:
move 3:
move 4:
item:
ability:
nature:
evs:

[SET COMMENTS]

The Set Comments section will often consist of 2 paragraphs. In the first paragraph you should go over the specifics of this set. What is the purpose of the moves, item, ability, and nature + evs? There is no need to talk about basic STAB moves, useless abilities, or simple EV spreads like 252/4/252.

In the second paragraph you should talk about potential teammates and what makes them useful. Cover Pokemon that can patch up the analyzed Pokemon's weakness and mention Pokemon that benefit from the analyzed Pokemon's presence. You get the point.

[STRATEGY COMMENTS]
Other Options
====

In the Other Options paragraph you can note any other options that are useable, yet not considered viable enough to be mentioned in the set comments. If there are none, feel free to keep this empty. Trying to fill this paragraph with bad options for the sake of it is detrimental to the user reading the analysis's experience.

Checks and Counters
====

**Insert Threat Here**: You should describe why the Pokemon is a threat. Please do keep in mind that it is often easier to insert whole typings and then specify the Pokemon of such type that are threats; this makes it much easier to keep track of this section for the audience.

**Insert Threat Here**: You should describe why the Pokemon is a threat. Please do keep in mind that it is often easier to insert whole typings and then specify the Pokemon of such type that are threats; this makes it much easier to keep track of this section for the audience.

[CREDITS]
- Written by: [[username1, userid1]]
- Quality checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2], [username3, userid3]]
- Grammar checked by: [[username1, userid1], [username2, userid2]]