Template:Citation style/doc

This is a documentation subpage for Template:Citation style (see that page for the template itself).
It contains usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page.

When to use

This template should be used only on articles that have sources.

It may be used with {{Refimprove}}

or other check references templates. This template should not be used with XMS Wiki:Stub|stubs.

The most common correct use of this template is to identify an article that uses more than one major citation style (e.g., half the citations use Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Layout#Standard appendices and footers|ref tags]], and half are Wikipedia:Parenthetical referencing|parenthetical citations]]).

Do not place on articles containing all parenthetical citations! They're not as easy to spot with a quick glance as superscripted blue numbers, but they are an acceptable form of Wikipedia:Inline citation|inline citation]]. Wikipedia:Citing sources|Wikipedia's guidelines]] generally prohibit editors from changing from one acceptable form of inline citations to another, especially for reasons of personal preference or to make one article match the style in another article.

This template may be removed by anyone who fixes the problems with confusing citation styles.

How to use

To use this template, place {{Citation style|date=November 2024}} on the article page or talk page in a location that may aid in conveying the message of the template. This template may be used within tl|Multiple issues and placement of this template on the article page is guided by Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup|Template messages/Cleanup]]. The following parameters may be specified for this template:

• |date= should preferably be used to categorize the article in a subcategory of :Category:Wikipedia references cleanup. This helps with addressing aged cleanup messages. (e.g., {{Citation style|date=November 2024}}.)
• |details= may be used to provide more details on some of the aspects that should be addressed for the given article. (e.g., {{Citation style|date=November 2024|details=In particular, citation titles should be specified}})
• | A first unnamed parameter may be used to specify whether the template applies to the entire article or a section of the article (e.g., {{Citation style|section|date=November 2024}}. If not specified, the first unnamed parameter defaults to "article."

Operation

This template will categorise tagged articles into :Category:Wikipedia references cleanup and :Category:Articles covered by WikiProject Wikify.

This template is a Wikipedia:Manual of Style/Self-references to avoid|self-reference]].

This template should not be substituted.

Template data

TemplateDataHeader

This template generates a tag to indicate that the article needs additional inline citations.

Template parameters

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Date	date	The month and year that the need for citations is identified, such as 'June 2013'; may use '{{subst:DATE}}' template instead	String	optional
Section	1	Specifies the region of the page to which this template applies, such as 'section' or 'table'. Omit if the template applies to the whole article.	String	optional
Small	small	Any value (such as 'y') will result in the addition of 'See talk page for details.' to the tag	String	optional
Details	details	A sentence explaining more about the problem.	String	optional

Redirects

• {{Citationstyle}}

• {{Citation-style}}

• {{Cleanup-citation}}

• tl|Cleanup-references}}
• {{Cleanup-refs}}

• {{Reference style}}

• {{Reference-style}}

• {{Refstyle}}

See also

The following templates are useful in cases where there are some sources, but these are inadequate or insufficient

• {{Unreferenced section}}

— Use only when a section contains zero inline citations.

• {{Refimprove}}

— The article needs either more or better sources.

• tl|Primary sources}} — See WP:Party and person]] for the differences between a primary and secondary source.
• tl|Third-party}} — The article needs WP:Independent sources]].
• {{No footnotes}}

— The article contains only Wikipedia:Citing sources#General references|General references]] rather than Wikipedia:Inline citation|Inline citations]]

• {{Format footnotes}}

— The inline citations are badly formatted.

• {{Inconsistent citations}}

• Wikipedia:Template messages/Sources of articles]]
• Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup/Verifiability and sources]]