Template:Refimprove/doc

This template indicates that the article needs additional references. There is currently no consensus on where to place this template. Many editors understand this template to be redundant when it is used on articles clearly marked as stubs.

For articles about living persons, the more specific template BLP sources should be used instead.

This template should be used only for articles where there are some, but insufficient, references. For articles that have no references at all currently, use Template:Unreferenced.

Usage
The first unnamed parameter will replace the words "section or article" in the template and is not required. The most common usage of this is to use one word or the other, e.g.  to indicate that only the section is affected by the tagged problem.

A talk parameter is allowed; setting this to any value will result in the message "See talk page for details." being included in the tag.

This template also includes support for using the date parameter. Adding this parameter sorts the article into subcategories of Category:Articles needing additional references and out of the parent category, allowing the oldest problems to be identified and dealt with first. A bot will add this parameter if it is omitted. Be careful not to abbreviate the date, because then it will automatically add a redlinked category instead of the correct category. The simplest way to use this parameter manually is  but it can be done more explicitly as   (both result in the same output).

Listed below are three options for usage.

A user warning template, Uw-refimprove, is available to notify contributors that an article they created needs its referencing improved.

General advantage

 * The naming scheme of Refimprove parallels that used for Refbegin, Refend, and Reflist, thereby reducing confusion, in compliance with the KISS principle.
 * Refimprove is easy to use.

Differences from Primary sources and Unreferenced

 * Refimprove uses simple, general wording so that the template can be used any time referencing in an article needs improvement.
 * There is also a and the normal variations.

Differences from Citation style

 * This template is intended for use in articles that need additional references. In case enough references appear to be present but the style of citation needs to improve, for example if it's not immediately clear which references back which facts, please don't use this template, but use Citation style instead.

Differences from Citation needed

 * Refimprove works for general and inline references whereas Citation needed is used for specific controversial statements requiring referencing.
 * Unlike Citation needed, Refimprove places a very conspicuous banner on the article.

Differences from No footnotes, More footnotes

 * Refimprove can be used when there is not a "References" or "Further reading" section in the article.
 * Nofootnotes and Morefootnotes, when used in conjunction with a "References" or "Further reading" section, give clearer instructions on what can be done to improve the referencing of the article.

Redirects
Include:


 * Ri
 * 1) Cite sources
 * 2) Cleanup-cite
 * 3) Cleanup-verify
 * 4) Cleanup cite
 * 5) Few references
 * 6) Few refs
 * 7) Fewreferences
 * 8) Fewrefs
 * 9) Improve-references
 * 10) Improve-refs
 * 11) Improve references
 * 12) Improve refs
 * 13) Improvereferences
 * 14) Improverefs
 * 15) More references
 * 16) More sources
 * 17) Moreref
 * 18) Morereferences
 * 19) Morerefs
 * 20) Moresources
 * 21) Not verified
 * 22) Notverified
 * 23) Ref-improve
 * 24) Ref improve
 * 25) Reference-improve
 * 26) Sources
 * 27) Verification
 * 28) Verify