Template:Reference necessary/doc

Usage

Do not substitute this template.

The {{Reference necessary}} template (previously known as {{Cfact}}) may be used when there is unsourced text that should be attributed to a reference citation. Unlike the template {{Citation needed}} (previously known as {{Fact}}), this template attaches explicitly to one or more specific sentences of text, by surrounding the text with the template. This is especially useful for flagging multiple facts or multiple sentences as needing citation, and for singling out a specific fact that is unsourced among many sourced ones.

Once a citation is added, please remove this template from the surrounded text.

{{Reference necessary|1=Passage(s) to be sourced|date=February 2023}}

The date is technically optional, so the minimal syntax is:

{{Reference necessary|1=Passage(s) to be sourced}}

Example of usage

Sourced material. {{Reference necessary|1=Passage to be sourced. Another passage to be sourced.}} More sourced material.

Sourced material. Passage to be sourced. Another passage to be sourced.^{[citation needed]} More sourced material.

Sourced material. {{Reference necessary|1=Passage to be sourced. Another passage to be sourced.|date=February 2023}} More sourced material.

Compare usage of {{Citation needed}}

Sourced material. Passage to be sourced.{{Citation needed}} Another passage to be sourced.{{Citation needed}} More sourced material.

Sourced material. Passage to be sourced. Another passage to be sourced. More sourced material.

Parameters

There are two parameters to the template:

• |1=, the sentence(s) needing attribution. The "1=" prefix could technically be omitted, but only if the quoted material does not (and almost certainly will never) contain an equals sign ("="), including as the result of other, later templates added to the material. Due to limitations of MediaWiki's ParserFunction code, the template will break if this happens.
• |date=, the date in February 2023 form. Or just do |{{subst:DATE}}.

Categorization of articles

Adding this template to an article places the article into Category:All articles with unsourced statements, Category:Articles with unsourced statements, and/or dated subcategories thereof.

See also

• {{Citation needed}} - For singular sentences or clauses which need attribution
• {{Unreferenced section}} – For entire sections requiring verifiable references/citations.