Template:Unreliable source?/doc

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

This template is used on approximately 14,000 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.

Redirects

Shortcuts

{{rs?}}
{{rs}}

Usage

This template is intended to be used when a statement is sourced but it is questionable whether the source used is reliable for supporting the statement. It produces a superscripted notation like the following:

It was actually written by Francis Bacon.^[9]^{[unreliable source?]}

Articles tagged with this template will be categorized into Category:All articles lacking reliable references.

Place this template inline, This page is being depreciated following the questionable source. The template should be placed outside and immediately after the reference to the questionable source (<ref> ... </ref>), within the article's text:

Potentially controversial statement.<ref>some alleged source for this</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=December 2025}} Next sentence.

Parameters

The template has the following optional parameters:

date: should be set to the month and year when the article was tagged. Example: This page is being depreciated
reason: a note explaining why you think the source is unreliable as per WP:RS. Displays as a tool tip. Keep it short (one sentence) as longer material belongs on the talk page. It is good to reiterate the reason in your edit summary. Example: This page is being depreciated
sure or certain: if set to "y" or "yes" will remove the question mark from the template's output to denote a degree of certainty that the source is unreliable. Please use this with a |reason= parameter, and only after a good faith attempt to verify the reliability of the source in question. Example: This page is being depreciated NOTE: This parameter has an alias, |failed=, which may make more grammatical sense when used with certain redirects like This page is being depreciated.

When to use and not use this template

This template should be used to express your doubt about the credibility of a source.

This tag should not be used on unreliably sourced contentious statements about living persons; if a source for such a statement is not reliable, the statement and the source should be removed immediately.

For whole articles or article sections that rely on suspect sources, considering using the banner template This page is being depreciated or This page is being depreciated, respectively, rather than individually tagging a large number of statements.

For sources promoting fringe theories and pseudo-science, the more specific template This page is being depreciated can be used. Even more specifically, flag improperly sourced medical claims with This page is being depreciated.

This tag should not be used to indicate that the sourced material could not be found within a given source. In that case, This page is being depreciated is a better template. For statements that have failed verification and have a questionable would-be source, consider removal of the source (and possibly the statement) over using both tags.

TemplateData

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

TemplateData for Unreliable source?

Used when a statement is sourced but it is questionable whether the source used is reliable for supporting the statement.

Template parameters
This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Reason	`reason`	Note explaining why you think the source is unreliable as per WP:RS. Displays as a tool tip	String	optional
Certain?	`certain` `sure` `failed`	If set to "y" or "yes" will remove the question mark from the template's output to denote a degree of certainty that the source is unreliable Default no Example yes	Boolean	optional
Month and year	`date`	Month and year of tagging; e.g., 'January 2013', but not 'jan13' Auto value `{{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}`	String	suggested
Displayed tag text	`name`	Text displayed by the in-line tag between the square brackets Default unreliable source?	String	optional

Template:Unreliable source?/doc

Usage

Parameters

When to use and not use this template

TemplateData

See also

Inline templates

Lists of templates

Policies, guidelines, essays, and WikiProjects