Template:Citation needed
[citation needed]
This template is used on 250+ pages. To avoid large-scale disruption and unnecessary server load, any changes to this template should first be tested in its /sandbox or /testcases subpages or in your own user subpage. The tested changes can then be added to this page in a single edit. Please consider discussing any changes on the talk page before implementing them. |
{{Citation needed}}
{{Citation needed}} is a template used to identify claims in articles, particularly if questionable, that need a citation to a reliable source. This template produces the superscripted message [citation needed] and is installed with no spaces directly after punctuation.
Use[edit source]
Notes:
- To automatically add the current date, you can use substitution:
{{subst:Citation needed}}
. - The
|date=
parameter need not be added by the editor: if not entered, it will be worked out for you. The date parameter consists of the full English name of the current month with initial capital, a space, and the year, not full dates; e.g., "January 2013", but not "jan13". Any deviation from these two rules will result in an "invalid date parameter" error. - The
|reason=
parameter is optional but often helpful. It is displayed as a tooltip in some browsers (hover the mouse here[citation needed] to check behaviour of your browser). For example, the following usage might be appropriate to the claim that "Humphrey Bogart has won several snooker world championships":
- Use only plain text for the
|reason=
parameter. It does not support wiki markup like wikilinks, which can "mess up" the tooltip. - Double quotation marks used within the
|reason=
parameter will likewise "mess up" the tooltip; use single quotes or the HTML code"
instead. - Use of this template places the article into Category:All articles with unsourced statements and Category:Articles with unsourced statements from 2024 (example; past years are listed in Category:Articles with unsourced statements).
- This template should be installed directly after punctuation, such as a full stop (period) or a comma.
- Remove the template when you add a citation for a statement.
Examples[edit source]
Example 1[edit source]
This sentence shows the template used at the end.{{Citation needed|reason=Reliable source needed for the whole sentence|date=March 2024}}
This wikitext will be rendered as follows:
- This sentence shows the template used at the end.[citation needed]
Example 2[edit source]
Humphrey Bogart has won several snooker world championships.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
The template indicates that it may be that Humphrey Bogart played snooker at some point and it may be that he won some tournaments at some point but no reliable, published sources were given to verify it and the information is not considered common knowledge.
Example 3[edit source]
If it is considered that he might have won just one tournament, the template may be placed accordingly; and a reason for the need of a citation may be given, displayed when the mouse hovers on "citation needed":
Humphrey Bogart has won several{{Citation needed|date=March 2024|reason=Only aware he won one tournament. Sources for others please.}} snooker world championships.
- Humphrey Bogart has won several[citation needed] snooker world championships.
Tracking categories[edit source]
- Category:Pages containing citation needed template with deprecated parameters (0) – a hidden maintenance/tracking category which is added to pages using this template with unnamed parameter
{{{1}}}
- Category:All articles with unsourced statements (252)
See also[edit source]
The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Citation needed/doc. (edit | history) Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox (create | mirror) and testcases (create) pages. Please add categories to the /doc subpage. Subpages of this template. |
The "Citation needed" template tag marks a statement that needs a citation, but doesn't yet have one. If you want, you can explain the reason why the statement needs a citation.
Parameter | Description | Type | Status | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Explain why this statement needs a citation. | reason | Explain why this statement needs a citation.
| String | suggested |
Current date | date | The current date will be automatically specified. If you wish, you can specify another date.
| Date | suggested |