Hosta

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=April 2017.

Does the article meet inclusion requirements?

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

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

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

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

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

Overarching copyright issues

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{copypaste}} category links talk

Combined message boxes

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.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes) — multiple issues (top of article)
{{multiple issues}} links talk

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes) — multiple issues (section)
{{multiple issues|section=yes}} links talk

General cleanup

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	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).
{{cleanup AfD}} category links talk	Use this tag where an AFD discussion closes with a consensus of "keep and cleanup."
{{cleanup remainder}} category links talk	Use this tag where the remaining sections of an article need cleanup.
{{cleanup rewrite}} category links talk	Use this tag where the whole article needs extensive revision.
{{Requires attention}} category links talk	Use this tag when one editor needs help from other editors about a certain issue, links to talk page or shows reason in template.

Copy editing

Some articles just need someone with a good grasp of editing technique to give them a once-over.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{copy edit}} category links talk
{{copy edit-section}} category links talk
{{verify spelling}} links talk	[spelling?]

Cleanup of specific subjects

These templates are all "general cleanup" templates, but tie into a specific subject matter or WikiProjects.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{CIA}} category links talk
{{cleanup book}} category links talk
{{cleanup Congress Bio}} category links talk
{{cleanup film}} category links talk
{{cleanup school}} category links talk
{{cleanup university}} category links talk
{{game guide}} category links talk
{{game trivia}} category links talk
{{local}} category links talk
{{metricate}} category links talk
{{USRD-wrongdir}} category links talk

Fiction

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{all plot}} category links talk
{{fiction}} category links talk	This is not for factual or accuracy disputes.
{{in-universe}} category links talk	See template documentation for list of topic-specific sub-templates.
{{More plot}} category links talk
{{No plot}} category links talk
{{plot}} category links talk

Inline with article text

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{need-IPA}} category links talk	[needs IPA]

Style of writing

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{abbreviations}} category links talk
{{advert}} category links talk
{{buzzword}} category links talk
{{cleanup tense}} category links talk
{{crystal}} category links talk
{{debate}} category links talk
{{editorial}} category links talk
{{essay-like}} category links talk
{{example farm}} category links talk
{{howto}} category links talk
{{inappropriate person}} category links talk
{{like resume}} category links talk
{{manual}} category links talk
{{news release}} category links talk
{{cleanup-notnews}} category links talk
{{obituary}} category links talk
{{over-quotation}} category links talk
{{peacock}} category links talk
{{pro and con list}} category links talk
{{repetition}} category links talk
{{research paper}} category links talk
{{review}} category links talk
{{story}} category links talk
{{technical}} category links talk
{{tone}} category links talk	Also accepts |section parameter.
{{travel guide}} category links talk
{{verbosity}} category links talk

Structure, formatting and sections

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup reorganize}} category links talk
{{copy edit}} links talk
{{sections}} category links talk
{{condense}} category links talk
{{duplication}} category links talk
{{importance section}} category links talk
{{organize section}} category links talk
{{overcoloured}} category links talk	{{Overcolored}} for American-style English
{{too many see alsos}} category links talk
{{trivia}} links talk
{{very long}} links talk

Introduction

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{lead missing}} category links talk
{{lead too short}} category links talk
{{lead too long}} category links talk
{{inadequate lead}} category links talk
{{lead rewrite}} category links talk
{{POV-lead}} category links talk

Potentially unwanted content

Message boxes

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup list}} category links talk	For use in articles or sections where potentially unwanted lists need to be salvaged before being deleted
{{cleanup red links}} category links talk
{{close paraphrasing}} category links talk
{{copypaste}} category links talk
{{criticism section}} category links talk
{{external links}} category links talk
{{further reading cleanup}} category links talk
{{in popular culture}} category links talk
{{MOS}} category links talk
{{non-free}} category links talk
{{overlinked}} category links talk
{{schedule}} category links talk
{{trivia}} category links talk

Inline with article text

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{peacock term}} links talk	[peacock term]
{{spam link}} category links talk	[spam link?]
{{weasel inline}} links talk	[weasel words]

Context and detail

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{context}} category links talk
{{generalize}} category links talk
{{overly detailed}} category links talk
{{specific}} category links talk
{{time-context}} category links talk
{{Human-centric}} category links talk	Also takes the "talk" and "sect" parameters

Off-topic

Articles occasionally contain content which is otherwise valid, but appears unrelated to the nominal topic of the article.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{off-topic}} category links talk	Also takes "other article" parameter

Expand and add

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{biblio}} category links talk
{{cleanup biography}} category links talk
{{expand section}} category links talk	When calling this template, you may pass it a parameter. A template call like {{expand section | examples and additional citations}} generates: "This section requires expansion with: examples and additional citations."
{{formula missing descriptions}} category links talk
{{Lacking ISBN}} category links talk	Place {{Lacking ISBN|date=April 2017}} at the head of the relevant section(s). Remember that books published before 1974 may not have ISBNs (though more recent editions should).
{{kmposts}} category links talk	Place above road junction lists that do not contain kilometreposts.
{{lacking overview}} category links talk
{{mileposts}} category links talk	Place above road junction lists that do not contain mileposts.
{{missing information}} category links talk	When calling this template, you must pass it a parameter. A template call like {{Missing information | why bananas are yellow}} generates "This article is missing information about why bananas are yellow."

Expert needed

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{expert needed}} category links talk	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.

Time-sensitive

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{time-context}} category links talk
{{update}} category links talk
{{update|inaccurate=y}} category

Inline with article text

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{clarify timeframe}} links talk	For tagging WP:DATED problems [timeframe?]
{{update after}} category links talk	For facts that need updating now or at a specific future date [needs update]
{{update inline}} links talk	For facts that need updating [needs update]

Contradiction and confusion

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{confusing}} category links talk	Use this tag in articles that need broad cleanup to eliminate confusion and discrepancies.
{{contradict}} links talk
{{contradict-other}} links talk
{{contradict-other-multiple}} links talk	Use these tags in articles that appear to contradict themselves or each other.
{{incomprehensible}} category links talk
{{misleading}} category links talk	Use this tag when the article is not factually wrong, but leads the reader to draw incorrect conclusions.
{{unclear date}} category links talk
{{unfocused}} category links talk	Use this tag when the writing is clear, but the article as a whole doesn't concentrate on a single theme.

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

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{contradiction-inline}} category links talk	[contradictory] Use this for specific sentences which contradict themselves or a nearby sentence.
{{expand acronym}} links talk	[expand acronym] Use this to mark acronyms and abbreviations that are not written in full at first occurrence.
{{inconsistent}} category links talk	[inconsistent] Use this to mark statements that are inconsistent with other parts of the article.
{{vague}} category links talk	[vague] Use this for specific sentences needing clarification.

Content forks

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{bad summary}} category links talk

Importance and notability

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{notability}} category links talk	An optional parameter can be added to specify the applicable guideline; e.g.: {{notability|biographies}}, {{notability|fiction}}. See the template documentation for a list of supported values.
{{importance section}} links talk
{{importance inline}} links talk	[importance?] inline version of {{importance section}}

Neutrality and factual accuracy

Message boxes

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{autobiography}} category links talk
{{cherry picked}} category links talk
{{coat rack}} category links talk
{{COI}} category links talk
{{disputed}} category links talk
{{disputed-section}} category links talk
{{geographical imbalance}} links talk
{{globalize}} category links talk
{{partisan}} category links talk
{{peacock}} category links talk
{{POV}} category links talk
{{POV-check}} category links talk
{{POV-lead}} category links talk
{{POV-section}} category links talk
{{POV-title}} category links talk
{{recentism}} category links talk
{{unbalanced}} category links talk
{{undue weight}} category links talk
{{weasel}} category links talk

Inline with article text

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{according to whom}} links talk	For weasel words ("It was said..." It was thought...") [according to whom?]
{{clarify}} links talk	[clarification needed]
{{dubious}} links talk	[dubious – discuss]
{{editorializing}} links talk	[editorializing]
{{contentious label inline}} links talk	[contentious label]
{{lopsided}} links talk	[unbalanced opinion]
{{OR}} links talk	[original research?]
{{POV-statement}} links talk	[neutrality is disputed]
{{Undue weight inline}} links talk	[undue weight? – discuss]
{{when}} links talk	For ambiguous or vague time references of various kinds. [when?]
{{who}} links talk	For weasel words ("Many say..." Some people think...") [who?]
{{Overcite}} links talk	For abuse of citations, per Wikipedia:Citation overkill. [excessive citations]

Verifiability and sources

Message boxes

• 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

Tag	Individual message boxes, text that will be shown, and usage notes. (Boxes for both the top of an article, or a specific section of an article)
{{BLP IMDb refimprove}} category links talk
{{BLP primary sources}} category links talk
{{BLP self-published}} category links talk
{{BLP sources}} category links talk
{{BLP sources section}} category links talk
{{BLP unsourced}} category links talk
{{BLP unsourced section}} category links talk

Individual message boxes: Issues with sufficiency of cites

Tag	Individual message boxes, text that will be shown, and usage notes. (Boxes for both the top of an article, or a specific section of an article)
{{cite check}} category links talk
{{film IMDb refimprove}} category links talk
{{medref}} links talk
{{one source}} category links talk
{{original research}} category links talk
{{primary sources}} category links talk
{{refimprove}} category links talk
{{refimprove section}} category links talk
{{refimprove science}} category links talk
{{refexample}} category links talk
{{speculation}} category links talk
{{religious text primary}} category links talk
{{self-published}} category links talk
{{user-generated}} category links talk
{{third-party}} category links talk
{{unreferenced}} category links talk
{{unreferenced section}} category links talk
{{unreliable sources}} category links talk

Individual message boxes: Issues with style or format

Tag	Individual message boxes, text that will be shown, and usage notes. (Boxes for both the top of an article, or a specific section of an article)
{{citation style}} category links talk
{{citations broken}} category links talk
{{cleanup-bare URLs}} category links talk
{{duplicated citations}} category links talk
{{format footnotes}} category links talk
{{ibid}} category links talk
{{more footnotes}} category links talk
{{no footnotes}} category links talk
{{page numbers improve}} category links talk
{{page numbers needed}} category links talk

Inline with article text

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{according to whom}} links talk	[according to whom?]
{{attribution needed}} links talk	[attribution needed]
{{better source}} links talk	[better source needed]
{{better source example}} links talk	[better source needed] Links to self-sourcing examples
{{by whom}} links talk	[by whom?]
{{chronology citation needed}} links talk	[chronology citation needed]
{{citation broken}} links talk	[full citation needed]
{{citation needed}} links talk	[citation needed]
{{citation needed span}} links talk	[citation needed]
{{citation needed lead}} links talk	[not verified in body]
{{additional citations needed}} links talk	[additional citation needed]
{{circular reference}} links talk	[circular reference] When the sources copy Wikipedia material directly
{{citogenesis}} links talk	[circular reporting?] For the subtler case when you suspect the sources are based on facts first published at Wikipedia, but they didn't copy it directly
{{cite quote}} links talk	[this quote needs a citation]
{{clarify}} links talk	[clarification needed]
{{copyvio link}} links talk	[copyright violation?]
{{dead link}} links talk	[dead link]
{{disambiguation needed}} links talk	[disambiguation needed]
{{dubious}} links talk	[dubious – discuss]
{{elucidate}} links talk	[further explanation needed]
{{episode needed}} links talk	[episode needed]
{{examples}} links talk	[examples needed]
{{failed verification}} links talk	[not in citation given]
{{full citation needed}} links talk	[full citation needed]
{{how}} links talk	[how?]
{{medical citation needed}} links talk	[medical citation needed]
{{medrs}} links talk	[unreliable medical source?]
{{nonspecific}} links talk	[not specific enough to verify]
{{OR}} links talk	[original research?]
{{page needed}} links talk	[page needed]
{{primary source inline}} links talk	[non-primary source needed]
{{quantify}} links talk	[quantify]
{{registration required}} links talk	(registration required)
{{request quotation}} links talk	[need quotation to verify]
{{season needed}} links talk	[season & episode needed]
{{self-published inline}} category links talk	[self-published source?]
{{self-published source}} category links talk	[self-published source]
{{specify}} category links talk	[specify]
{{synthesis-inline}} links talk	[improper synthesis?]
{{third-party inline}} links talk	[third-party source needed]
{{unreliable medical source}} links talk	[unreliable medical source?]
{{unreliable source?}} links talk	[unreliable source?]
{{update after}} links talk	[needs update]
{{user-generated inline}} category links talk	[user-generated source?]
{{user-generated source}} category links talk	[user-generated source]
{{vague}} links talk	[vague]
{{verify quote}} links talk	[verify]
{{verify source}} links talk	[verification needed]
{{volume needed}} links talk	[volume & issue needed]
{{when}} links talk	[when?]
{{where}} links talk	[where?]
{{which}} links talk	[which?]
{{who}} links talk	[who?]
{{whose quote}} links talk	[who said this?]
{{why}} links talk	[why?]
{{year missing}} links talk	[year missing] Use when the year of publication of a source is needed
{{year needed}} links talk	[year needed] Use when the date of an event is needed

Links for search

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{find sources}} links talk	Find sources: "example" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · HighBeam · JSTOR · free images · free news sources · The Wikipedia Library · NYT · WP reference
{{find sources 3}} links talk	Find sources: Gnews · Gnewspapers · Gbooks · Gscholar · NYT · Wikipedia Reference Search
{{Friendly search suggestions}} links talk
{{search}} links talk

Categories

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{category unsourced}} category links talk
{{check category}} category links talk
{{disputed category}} category links talk
{{improve categories}} category links talk
{{recategorize}} category links talk
{{uncategorized}} category links talk	Place this at the bottom of an uncategorized article/category if you are unsure of which categories apply.
{{uncategorized stub}} category links talk	Place this at the bottom of an article if it is only categorized into a stub category and you are unsure of which categories apply.

Images and other media

For tips on requesting images see: WP:Requested pictures.

• For template messages related to the clean up of images, see: WP:Template messages/File namespace#Format and quality.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup gallery}} links talk
{{cleanup images}} category links talk
{{diagram requested}} links talk	This template should be used on talk pages.
{{image requested}} links talk	This template should be used on talk pages. Please add one or more subject categories into the template. Use of= to add detailed information on the request. Use in= to define locations.
{{map requested}} links talk	This template should be used on talk pages.
{{too many photos}} category links talk
{{audio requested}} links talk

Lists

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup list}} category links talk	For use in non-list articles or sections where potentially unwanted lists need to be salvaged before being deleted
{{create list}} category links talk	Use this tag where an article needs to be changed into list format.
{{disputed list}} category links talk	To identify a list on Wikipedia that has content whose truth, factual nature, and/or relevance to the topic is in dispute.
{{example farm}} category links talk	For use in non-list articles where too much of the content is composed of "examples", "references in popular culture", and the like.
{{famous}} category links talk	For use in articles with unclear criteria for a list of "famous" or "notable" persons.
{{fiction trivia}} category links talk	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.)
{{in popular culture}} category links talk	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.)
{{list to table}} category links talk	For use where lists could be better presented as tables.
{{MOSLOW}} category links talk	Use this tag where a list of works is in reverse-chronological order or otherwise contravenes the WP:Manual of Style (lists of works).
{{prose}} category links talk	Use this tag where a list needs cleanup.

Wiki tech

Most of these issues are covered in the main Manual of Style.

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup HTML}} category links talk	If the article needs HTML changed into wiki-markup
{{cleanup lang}} category links talk	If the article has non-English text but lacks {{Lang}} template(s)
{{dead end}} category links talk	Use this to mark articles or sections that completely lack internal links.
{{disambiguation cleanup}} category links talk	Use this for disambiguation pages not written according to the style in WP:Manual of Style (disambiguation pages). Replace {{disambiguation}} with this.
{{incoming links}} category links talk	Use this to mark disambiguation pages with a large number of incoming links.
{{more-specific links}} links talk	Use this on a page with general links that should be more specific.
{{orphan}} category links talk	Use this for articles that aren't linked to from any other pages.
{{uncategorized}} category links talk	Place this at the bottom of an uncategorized article/category if you are unsure of which categories apply.
{{underlinked}} category links talk	Use this to mark articles or sections with too few internal links.

Infobox needed

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{infobox requested}} category links talk	This template should be used on talk pages. Also has functionality to indicate that only a section in a page needs one. See the template page for more info.
{{new infobox}} category links talk	This template should be used on talk pages.
{{single infobox request}} category links talk	This template should be used on talk pages.

Infobox cleanup needed

Tag	Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{cleanup infobox}} category links talk

Other article tags

There are also tags available for:

• merging articles;
• moving articles;
• splitting articles; and
• translation of articles.

Open tasks

See also

• Wikipedia:Responsible tagging
• Wikipedia:Tagging pages for problems
• Wikipedia:Twinkle
• Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Stub types