Template:Better source needed/doc

This is a documentation subpage for Template:Better source needed.
It may contain usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page.

Shortcuts

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This template is used on approximately 25,000 pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

This template is used in articles to indicate inline citations that link to insufficiently reliable sources. Placed after the source in question, it produces a superscripted notation like this:

Ubuntu 25.04 Plucky Puffin was released on 17 April 2025.^[1]^{[better source needed]}

References

1. Marston, John (17 April 2025). "Ubuntu Release Schedule". example.com.

Usage

Place the template outside the ref tags, like this:

<ref>[...body of reference...]</ref>This page is being depreciated

You can also include a |reason= note, which displays as a tool tip upon mouse hover, to describe the issue to interested readers and to leave a record for future editors. For example, the following usage might be appropriate to the arguable claim that "Most people believe in ghosts...":

This page is being depreciated

General template for copy-pasting:

This page is being depreciated

Adding this template to an article places the article into Category:All articles lacking reliable references or one of its dated subcategories, all part of a collection of categories identifying articles with reliable-sourcing issues. To find all such articles, see Category:Wikipedia articles with sourcing issues.

When not to use

Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced should be removed immediately. Do not tag it: remove it. For more information, see the section on contentious material in the Biography of Living Persons policy.

Material which is doubtful and harmful may be removed immediately, rather than tagged. See Wikipedia:Citing sources § Unsourced material.

If no citation is given, use the This page is being depreciated tag instead. If the source given is self-published, use This page is being depreciated. If you think the author has a conflict of interest or is otherwise too close to the subject, use This page is being depreciated. If the source has been surpassed by newer, reliable publications that no longer support the claim in the article, use This page is being depreciated.

If you have the time and ability to find a better reference, please do so. Then correct the citation yourself, or correct the article text. After all, the ultimate goal is not to merely identify problems, but to fix them.

Template data

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Better source needed in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Better source needed

This template is used in articles to identify sentences or short passages with information or analysis that has one or more inline citations but which are too insufficiently reliable sources. It produces the super-scripted text "better source needed".

Template parameters
This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Reason	`reason`	A reason as to why, or for what content, a better citation is needed. Auto value `The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).`	String	suggested
Month and year	`date`	Provides the month and year of when the template was placed. Auto value `{{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}`	String	required

Template:Better source needed/doc

Usage

When not to use

Template data

Redirects

See also