Wikipedia:Template index/Cleanup/sandbox
 | This page in a nutshell: Add template messages to inform readers and editors of specific problems with articles or sections. Do not use them as a badge of shame. |
The following 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 a possible hatnote (see WP: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 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
- 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=July 2025.
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.
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| {{multiple issues}} |
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Cleanup
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 |
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| {{cleanup AfD}} category |
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| {{cleanup-remainder}} category |
Template:Cleanup-remainder
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| {{cleanup-rewrite}} category |
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| {{copy edit}} category |
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| {{copy edit-section}} category |
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| {{verify spelling}} |
[spelling?] | ||
| {{CIA}} category |
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| {{cleanup-book}} category |
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| {{cleanup Congress Bio}} category |
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| {{cleanup-film}} category |
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| {{cleanup-school}} category |
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| {{cleanup-university}} category |
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| {{game guide}} category |
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| {{local}} category |
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| {{metricate}} category |
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| {{USRD-wrongdir}} category |
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| {{all plot}} category |
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| {{fiction}} category |
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| {{in-universe}} category |
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| {{More plot}} category |
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| {{No plot}} category |
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| {{plot}} category |
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| {{need-IPA}} category |
[needs IPA] | ||
| {{abbreviations}} category |
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| {{advert}} category |
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| {{buzzword}} category |
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| {{cleanup-tense}} category |
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| {{crystal}} category |
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| {{debate}} category |
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| {{editorial}} category |
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| {{essay-like}} category |
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| {{howto}} category |
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| {{inappropriate person}} category |
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| {{like resume}} category |
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| {{news release}} category |
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| {{obituary}} category |
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| {{over-quotation}} category |
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| {{peacock}} category |
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| {{pro and con list}} category |
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| {{repetition}} category |
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| {{review}} category |
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| {{story}} category |
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| {{technical}} category |
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| {{tone}} category |
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| {{travel guide}} category |
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| {{cleanup-reorganize}} category |
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| {{condense}} category |
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| {{duplication}} category |
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| {{importance-section}} category |
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| {{organize section}} category |
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| {{overcoloured}} category |
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| {{sections}} category |
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| {{spacing}} |
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| {{too many see alsos}} category |
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| {{trivia}} |
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| {{very long}} |
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| {{inadequate lead}} category |
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| {{lead missing}} category |
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| {{lead rewrite}} category |
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| {{lead too long}} category |
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| {{lead too short}} category |
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| {{POV-lead}} category |
Template:POV-lead | ||
| {{cleanup-list}} category |
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| {{cleanup red links}} category |
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| {{cleanup-spam}} category |
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| {{close paraphrasing}} category |
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| {{copypaste}} category |
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| {{criticism section}} category |
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| {{external links}} category |
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| {{further reading cleanup}} category |
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| {{in popular culture}} category |
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| {{MOS}} category |
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| {{non-free}} category |
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| {{overlinked}} category |
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| {{schedule}} category |
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| {{trivia}} category |
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| {{peacock term}} |
[peacock prose] | ||
| {{spam link}} category |
[spam link?]
Remove all and change | ||
| {{weasel-inline}} |
[weasel words] | ||
| {{context}} category |
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| {{generalize}} category |
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| {{overly detailed}} category |
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| {{specific}} category |
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| {{time-context}} category |
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| {{off-topic}} category |
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| {{biblio}} category |
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| {{cleanup-biography}} category |
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| {{expand section}} category |
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| {{formula missing descriptions}} category |
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| {{ISBN}} category |
ISBN article Parameter error in {{ISBN}}: invalid character
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| {{kmposts}} category |
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| {{lacking overview}} category |
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| {{mileposts}} category |
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| {{missing information}} category |
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| {{expert-subject}} category |
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| {{recently revised}} category |
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| {{time-context}} category |
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| {{update}} category |
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{{update|inaccurate=y}}category |
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| {{clarify timeframe}} |
For tagging WP:DATED problems [timeframe?] | ||
| {{request quotation}} |
For something that needs a quotation [need quotation to verify] | ||
| {{update after}} category |
For facts that need updating now or at a specific future date [needs update] | ||
| {{update inline}} |
For facts that need updating [needs update] | ||
| {{who}} |
For something that needs an attribution [who?] | ||
| {{confusing}} category |
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| {{contradict}} |
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| {{contradict-other}} |
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| {{contradict-other-multiple}} |
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| {{incoherent}} |
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| {{misleading}} category |
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| {{unclear date}} category |
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| {{contradiction-inline}} category |
[contradictory]
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| {{expand acronym}} |
[expand acronym]
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| {{inconsistent}} category |
[inconsistent]
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| {{vague}} category |
[vague]
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| {{bad summary}} category |
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| {{notability}} category |
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| {{importance-section}} |
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| {{importance-inline}} |
[importance?]
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| {{autobiography}} category |
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| {{cherry picked}} category |
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| {{coat rack}} category |
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| {{COI}} category |
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| {{disputed}} category |
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| {{disputed-section}} category |
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| {{excessive advocacy}} category |
Template:Excessive advocacy | ||
| {{geographical imbalance}} |
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| {{globalize}} category |
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| {{partisan}} category |
Template:Partisan | ||
| {{peacock}} category |
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| {{POV}} category |
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| {{POV-check}} category |
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| {{POV-lead}} category |
Template:POV-lead | ||
| {{POV-section}} category |
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| {{POV-title}} category |
Template:POV-title | ||
| {{recentism}} category |
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| {{unbalanced}} category |
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| {{undue}} category |
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| {{weasel}} category |
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| {{according to whom}} |
For weasel words ("It was said..." It was thought...") [according to whom?] | ||
| {{clarify}} |
[clarification needed] | ||
| {{dubious}} |
[dubious – discuss] | ||
| {{editorializing}} |
[editorializing] | ||
| {{lopsided}} |
[unbalanced opinion?] | ||
| {{OR}} |
[original research?] | ||
| {{POV-statement}} |
[neutrality is disputed] | ||
| {{undue-inline}} |
[undue weight? – discuss] | ||
| {{when}} |
For ambiguous or vague time references of various kinds. [when?] | ||
| {{who}} |
For weasel words ("Many say..." Some people think...") [who?] |
![[icon]](/wiki/File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg?lang=en){kind=small}
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 |
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| {{BLP primary sources}} category |
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| {{BLP self-published}} category |
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| {{BLP sources}} category |
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| {{BLP sources section}} category |
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| {{BLP unreferenced}} category |
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| {{BLP unreferenced section}} category |
|
Individual message boxes: Issues with citations and sources
| 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 |
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| {{cite check section}} category |
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| {{media IMDb refimprove}} category |
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| {{more citations needed}} category |
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| {{more citations needed section}} category |
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| {{more medical citations needed}} category |
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| {{more science citations needed}} category |
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| {{old news}} category |
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| {{one source}} category |
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| {{original research}} category |
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| {{primary sources}} category |
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| {{religious text primary}} category |
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| {{self-published}} category |
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| {{self-sourcing examples}} category |
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| {{speculation}} category |
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| {{tertiary sources}} category |
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| {{third-party}} category |
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| {{unreferenced}} category |
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| {{unreferenced category}} category |
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| {{unreferenced section}} category |
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| {{unreliable sources}} category |
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| {{user-generated}} category |
|
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 |
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| {{citations broken}} category |
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| {{citations broken from PEIS limit}} category |
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| {{cleanup bare URLs}} category |
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| {{duplicated citations}} category |
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| {{format footnotes}} category |
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| {{full citations needed}} category |
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| {{ibid}} category |
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| {{more footnotes needed}} category |
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| {{no footnotes}} category |
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| {{page numbers improve}} category |
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| {{page numbers needed}} category |
|
Tags inline with article text
Links for search
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) |
|---|---|
| {{find sources}} |
Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL |
| {{search}} |
() |
| Main namespace | |
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| Other namespaces | |
| All namespaces | |
| Navboxes with templates |
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| Inline images | |
| Help pages | |
| Related topics | |
| Search | |
Categories
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| {{category unsourced}} category |
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| {{check category}} category |
Template:Check category | ||
| {{disputed-category}} category |
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| {{improve categories}} category |
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| {{recategorize}} category |
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| {{uncategorized}} category |
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| {{uncategorized stub}} category |
|
Images
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}} |
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| {{cleanup-images}} category |
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| {{diagram requested}} |
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| {{image requested}} |
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| {{map requested}} |
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| {{too many photos}} category |
|
Lists
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| {{cleanup-list}} category |
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| {{create-list}} category |
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| {{disputed-list}} category |
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| {{example farm}} category |
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| {{famous}} category |
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| {{famous players}} category |
Template:Famous players
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| {{fiction trivia}} category |
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| {{in popular culture}} category |
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| {{list to table}} category |
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| {{MOSLOW}} category |
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| {{prose}} category |
|
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 |
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| {{cleanup-lang}} category |
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| {{dead end}} category |
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| {{disambiguation cleanup}} category |
 This page is a list of project pages associated with the same title or shortcut. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended page. Note: This page may need to be cleaned up to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. Further information might be found on the talk page. 
| ||
| {{incoming links}} category |
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| {{more-specific-links}} |
Template:More-specific-links
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| {{orphan}} category |
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| {{uncategorized}} category |
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| {{underlinked}} category |
|
Infobox needed
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| {{infobox requested}} category |
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| {{new infobox}} category |
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| {{single infobox request}} category |
|
Infobox cleanup needed
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| {{cleanup-infobox}} category |
|
Other article tags
There are also tags available for:
- merging articles;
- moving articles;
- splitting articles; and
- translation of articles.
See also
- Wikipedia:Responsible tagging
- Wikipedia:Tagging pages for problems
- Wikipedia:Twinkle
- Wikipedia:WikiProject Stub sorting/Stub types
| Main namespace | |
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| Other namespaces | |
| All namespaces | |
| Navboxes with templates |
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| Inline images | |
| Help pages | |
| Related topics | |
| Search | |