"WP:TC" redirects here. For WikiProject Tropical cyclones, see
WP:WPTC. For the Wikipedia Triple Crown, see
WP:CROWN.
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This page in a nutshell: Add template messages to inform readers and editors of specific problems with articles or sections, but do not use them as a badge of shame. |
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Template messages may be added to articles needing a cleanup. Their purposes are to foster improvement of the encyclopedia by alerting editors to changes that need to be made. Cleanup tags are meant to be temporary notices that lead to an effort to fix the problem, not a permanent badge of shame to show that you disagree with the article or a method of warning the readers against the article.
Unless otherwise noted, the cleanup messages, or tags, should be placed at the top—before other templates, images, or infoboxes, but after hatnotes (see Wikipedia:Hatnote § Placement). Certain tags can be placed at the top of an individual section, and others can be placed within the text itself (inline).
- Avoid tagging articles if you can easily and confidently fix the problem.
- The goal is an improved article, not a tagged article.
- Avoid "drive-by" tagging
- Tags should be accompanied by a comment on the article's talk page explaining the problem and beginning a discussion on how to fix it, or, for simpler problems, a remark using the reason parameter as shown below; tagging editors must be willing to follow-through with substantive discussion
- Don’t insert tags that are similar or redundant.
- For example, most articles that read like essays have an inappropriate tone, and in fact they end up being automatically grouped in the same category, so it is unnecessary to tag with both {{tone}} and {{essay-like}}.
- If an article has many problems, tag only the highest priority issues.
- A lengthy list is often less helpful than a shorter one. (See also: tag bombing and over-tagging)
- Don't add tags for trivial or minor problems, especially if an article needs a lot of work.
- For example, there is little point in polishing the grammar of a section that needs to be dramatically re-written to comply with content policies. Focus on the biggest one, two, or three problems.
A date parameter is added by a bot, or you can add it yourself with |date=February 2017
.
Does the article meet inclusion requirements?[edit]
Before placing templates on a page it is worthwhile to cast a critical eye over the page to determine whether it should, in fact, be included in Wikipedia. Some articles can be tagged for speedy deletion or nominated for a deletion discussion at article for deletion.
Best practices in obscure or unpopular articles[edit]
On pages that have received little attention from editors or readers, cleanup templates can be used as a way to call attention to problems that need to be addressed by editors. Editors who want to help address these problems should look through the various cleanup categories such as maintenance and articles with content issues and try to address the problems so that the templates can be removed. Editors who do a lot of tagging of articles should also address the backlogs.
Best practices in heavily monitored articles[edit]
On pages that are being edited by a number of users, cleanup templates are used to inform readers and editors of ongoing discussions and attempts to fix the problems on the page. Such templates can be used to attract uninvolved users to discussions and cleanup efforts, and they can also serve as a warning to casual readers that the article may have problems and be subject to dramatic changes. In general, an editor who places a template message to indicate a problem like this should explain their rationale fully on the talkpage of the article. If the consensus of the other editors is that there is a problem or an editorial dispute that deserves such a clean-up template, then the editors should work to fix the problem as quickly and cleanly as possible so the template message can be removed. If the consensus is that there is no problem, then the message can be removed immediately. For heavily monitored articles, please do not add or remove template messages of this sort without using the talk page.
Use in sections[edit]
Many of these cleanup tags require you to place |article
as the first parameter when you use the tag at the top of an article. When you want the template to refer to just one section, however, you replace |article
with |section
(where the |
is a pipe key found on most keyboards as a shift-backslash (\
). See the specific template below to determine if such "section use" is supported and appropriate.
Tag consolidation[edit]
If too many tags are put at the top of an article, the article can become eclipsed by the tags, especially with short or stub articles. Consider consolidating the tags into the {{multiple issues}} template.
Cleanup[edit]
Overarching copyright issues[edit]
Combined message boxes[edit]
Do not use this as the only message box on the article or section; it should be used with at least two other message boxes sandwiched inside it.
General cleanup[edit]
Use one of these general tags when none of the more specific tags fits.
Tag |
Text that will be shown (and usage notes) |
{{cleanup}}
category links talk edit |
- This applies to general problems not addressed by other tags.
- Please consider using specific cleanup tags first, as specific tags help other editors to easily identify problems in an article.
- Use the reason parameter: cleanup|reason= to specify issues identified (it may be a link to comments on the talk page).
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{{cleanup AfD}}
category links talk edit |
- Use this tag where an AFD discussion closes with a consensus of "keep and cleanup."
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{{cleanup remainder}}
category links talk edit |
- Use this tag where the remaining sections of an article need cleanup.
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{{cleanup rewrite}}
category links talk edit |
- Use this tag where the whole article needs extensive revision.
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{{Requires attention}}
category links talk edit |
- Use this tag when one editor needs help from other editors about a certain issue, links to talk page or shows reason in template.
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Copy editing[edit]
Some articles just need someone with a good grasp of editing technique to give them a once-over.
Cleanup of specific subjects[edit]
These templates are all "general cleanup" templates, but tie into a specific subject matter or WikiProjects.
Fiction[edit]
Inline with article text[edit]
Style of writing[edit]
Structure, formatting and sections[edit]
Introduction[edit]
Potentially unwanted content[edit]
Message boxes[edit]
Inline with article text[edit]
Context and detail[edit]
Off-topic[edit]
Articles occasionally contain content which is otherwise valid, but appears unrelated to the nominal topic of the article.
Expand and add[edit]
Expert needed[edit]
Tag |
Text that will be shown (and usage notes) |
{{expert needed}}
category links talk edit |
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This article needs attention from an expert in PROJECTNAME. Please add a reason or a talk parameter to this template to explain the issue with the article. WikiProject PROJECTNAME may be able to help recruit an expert. |
- Before adding this template, start a section on the article discussion page describing what you wish the expert to address, and put the section name in the
|talk= parameter. {{Expert needed talk}} may be used on the talk page for this purpose.
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Time-sensitive[edit]
Inline with article text[edit]
Contradiction and confusion[edit]
- Note: Articles that are confusing or hard to understand due specifically to translation issues can be found at Wikipedia:Template messages/Translation.
Inline with article text[edit]
Content forks[edit]
Importance and notability[edit]
Neutrality and factual accuracy[edit]
Message boxes[edit]
Inline with article text[edit]
Verifiability and sources[edit]
Message boxes[edit]
- For quotations used out of context, references to unrelated material, and other misuse of citations.
- Message boxes may be used at the top of an article, or in a specific section of an article.
- Individual message boxes may be combined.
Individual message boxes: Biographies of living persons[edit]
Individual message boxes: Issues with sufficiency of cites[edit]
Individual message boxes: Issues with style or format[edit]
Inline with article text[edit]
Links for search[edit]
Categories[edit]
Images and other media[edit]
For tips on requesting images see: WP:Requested pictures.
Tag |
Text that will be shown (and usage notes) |
{{cleanup list}}
category links talk edit |
- For use in non-list articles or sections where potentially unwanted lists need to be salvaged before being deleted
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{{create list}}
category links talk edit |
- Use this tag where an article needs to be changed into list format.
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{{disputed list}}
category links talk edit |
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The inclusion of certain items in this list is currently being disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the article's talk page. |
- To identify a list on Wikipedia that has content whose truth, factual nature, and/or relevance to the topic is in dispute.
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{{example farm}}
category links talk edit |
- For use in non-list articles where too much of the content is composed of "examples", "references in popular culture", and the like.
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{{famous}}
category links talk edit |
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This list of "famous" or "notable" persons has no clear inclusion or exclusion criteria. Please help to define clear inclusion criteria and edit the list to contain only subjects that fit those criteria. |
- For use in articles with unclear criteria for a list of "famous" or "notable" persons.
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{{fiction trivia}}
category links talk edit |
- For use in fiction-specific articles that have way too many trivial examples. (Ex.: For an article specifically about famous fictional horses that mentions the fact that Sesame Street once told kids how to spell "horse", or that one of the animals you can kill in an online game is a horse.)
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{{in popular culture}}
category links talk edit |
- For use when a nonfiction article has become overcrowded with too many references to fiction or other pop culture. (Ex.: Article on horses having a long section of TV shows, movies, video games, etc. that have "horse" in the name or feature horses in some way.)
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{{list to table}}
category links talk edit |
- For use where lists could be better presented as tables.
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{{MOSLOW}}
category links talk edit |
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{{prose}}
category links talk edit |
- Use this tag where a list needs cleanup.
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Wiki tech[edit]
Most of these issues are covered in the main Manual of Style.
Infobox needed[edit]
Infobox cleanup needed[edit]
Other article tags[edit]
There are also tags available for:
Open tasks[edit]
Wikipedia backlog by category
Wikipedia:Backlog lists tasks that should be done to improve Wikipedia (assuming the cleanup templates were placed correctly). Helping reduce backlogs is an important issue, so please feel free to help out.
Click any linked number for that category's articles prioritized by their number of incoming links.
- Backlog categories
- Lacking references
- Accuracy
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- Content
- Links
- Layout
- Style
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- File description
- File quality
- Non-free file use
- File licensing
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- Meta
- Quality content
- Other
(refresh)
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See also[edit]
Inline cleanup tags
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Attribution |
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Clarity |
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Miscellaneous |
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Neutrality |
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Precision |
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Time-sensitivity |
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Verifiability |
Dubious |
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Missing or
problematic
reference |
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Incomplete
or broken
citation |
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Wording |
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