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Help:Referencing for beginners

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Need for references

A cartoon of a political rally, with someone in the crowd holding up a banner reading "[Citation needed]"
"Wikipedian protester" by Randall Munroe, xkcd. Wikipedians famously demand citations for claims!

One of the key policies of Wikipedia is that all article content has to be verifiable. This means that reliable sources must be able to support the material. All quotations, any material whose verifiability has been challenged or is likely to be challenged, and contentious material about living persons (whether negative, positive, or neutral) must include an inline citation to a source that directly supports the material. This also means that Wikipedia is not the place for original work, archival findings that have not been published, or evidence from any source that has not been published. An example of usage in a published source is not of itself valid as a citation, because your selection of that example constitutes original work.[clarify]

If you are adding new content, it is your responsibility to add sourcing information along with it. Material provided without a source is significantly more likely to be removed from an article. Sometimes it will be tagged first with a "citation needed" template to give editors a chance to find and add sources, but some editors will simply remove it because they question its veracity.

This tutorial will show you how to add inline citations to articles, and also briefly explain what Wikipedia considers to be a reliable source.

Inline citations

Shortcut

Inline citations are usually small, numbered footnotes like this.[1] They are generally added either directly following the fact that they support, or at the end of the sentence that they support, following any punctuation. When clicked, they take the reader to a citation in a reference section near the bottom of the article.

While editing a page that uses the most common footnote style, you will see inline citations displayed between <ref>...</ref> tags.

If you are creating a new page, or adding references to a page that didn't previously have any, remember to add a References section like the one below near the end of the article: 

==References==
{{reflist}}

Note: This is by far the most popular system for inline citations, but sometimes you will find other styles being used in an article. This is acceptable, and you shouldn't change it or mix styles. To add a new reference, just copy and modify an existing one.

References
  1. ^ Wales, Jimmy (2025). What is an inline citation?. Wikipublisher. p. 6.

RefToolbar

Shortcut
This screencast walks through how to use RefTools

Manually adding references can be a slow and tricky process. Fortunately, there is a tool called "RefToolbar" built into the Wikipedia edit window, which makes it much easier.

To use it, click on  Cite at the top of the edit window, having already positioned your cursor after the sentence or fact you wish to reference. Then select one of the 'Templates' from the dropdown menu that best suits the type of source. These are:

  • {{cite web}} for references to general websites
  • {{cite news}} for newspapers and news websites
  • {{cite book}} for references to books
  • {{cite journal}} for magazines, academic journals, and papers

A template window then pops up, where you fill in as much information as possible about the source, and give a unique name for it in the "Ref name" field. Click the "Insert" button, which will add the required wikitext in the edit window. If you wish, you can also "Preview" how your reference will look first.

Some fields (such as a web address, also known as a URL) will have a icon next to them. After filling in this field, you can click it to handily autofill the remaining fields. It doesn't always work properly, though, so be sure to double check it.

Often, you will want to use the same source more than once in an article to support multiple facts. In this case, you can click Named references   in the toolbar, and select a previously added source to re-use.

[1] Omura, T., Sato, R. (April 1962).“A new cytochrome in liver microsomes”. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 237:1375-1376. PMID:14482007 [2] Tsyrlov, I.B., Lyakhovich, V.V. (June 1972). “Damage effect of chronic intoxication by CCl4 on structural organization of liver microsomes and cytochromes (b)5 and P-450”. Biochemical Pharmacology. 21:2540-2542. DOI:10.1016/0006-2952(72)90429-7 [3] Tsyrlov, I.B., Lyakhovich, V.V. (May 1975). “ Rate-limiting steps in drug metabolism by microsomes from CCl4-cirrhotic rat liver”. Chemico-Biological Interactions 10:77-89. DOI: 10.1016/0009-2797(75)90102-7 [4] Tsyrlov, I.B., Mishin, V.M., Lyakhovich, V.V. (November 1972). “Resistance of microsomes from CCl4-cirrhotic rat liver to lipoperoxidation activity”. Life Sciences 11(21):1045-1054. DOI: 10.1016/0024-3205(72)90206-8. [5] Fleischer, S., Brierley, G., Klouwen, H., Slautterback, D. B. (October 1962). “Studies of the electron transfer system. XLVII. The role of phospholipids in electron transfer”. The Journal of Biological Chemistry. 237:3264-3272. PMID: 13945466 [6] Mitchell, P. (February 1970). "Aspects of the chemiosmotic hypothesis". The Biochemical Journal. 116 (4): 5P–6P. DOI:10.1042/bj1160005p [7] Tsyrlov, I.B., Gromova, O.A., Lyakhovich, V.V. (October 1976). “Mechanism of inhibition by carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrozone and sodium deoxycholate of cytochrome P-450-catalyzed hepatic microsomal drug metabolism”. The Biochemical Journal. 160(1):75-83. DOI:10.1042/bj1600075 [8] Mishin, V., Tsyrlov, I., Gromova, O., Lyakhovich, V. (May 1974). “Phospholipids as cinchocaine action site during inhibition of lipoperoxidative reactions in rat liver microsomes”. Hoppe-Seyler’s Zeitschrift fur Physiologische Chemie. 355:626-632. ISSN: 0372-9672 [9] Lyakhovich, V.V., Tsyrlov, I.B., Mishin, V.M., Weiner, L.M., Rumyantseva, G., Eremenko, S.I., Budker, V.G. (July 1979). “ Activated forms of oxygen in metabolism of xenobiotics catalyzed by cytochrome P-450”. Acta Biologica et Medica Germanica 38:201-206. Berlin: Akademie-Verlag. (OCoLC)1027710611. ISSN: 0001-5318. [10] Tsyrlov, I.B., Zakharova-Polyakova, N.E., Gromova, O.A., Pospelova, L.N., Lyakhovich, V.V. (October 1978). “An in vivo – in vitro comparison of the effects of bile acids on the structural organization and functional activity of liver microsomal monooxygenases”. Experimental and Molecular Pathology. 20:131-143. DOI:10.1016/0014-4800(78)90033-3 [11] Tsyrlov, I.B., Mishin, V.M., Gromova, O.A., Zakharova-Polyakova, N.E., Lyakhovich, V.V. (November 1977). “Preparation of a high-active microsomal monooxygenase system reconstituted by means of self-assembly”. Biochemical Pharmacology 26:2060-2163. DOI: 10.1016/0006-2952(77)90017-x PMID: 921816. [12] Lyakhovich, V.V., Tsyrlov, I.B., Gromova, O.A., Rivkind, N.B. (April 1978). “Activities of 3,4-benzpyrene hydroxylase systems reconstituted by means of self-assembly from control and 3-methylcholanthrene induced liver microsomes of “susceptible” and “unsusceptible” mice”. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 81:1329-1335. DOI:10.1016/0006-291X(78)91281-0 [13] Lyachovich, V.V., Tsyrlov, I.B. “Структурные Аспекты Биохимии Монооксигеназ» [Russian]. ”Structural Aspects of Monooxygenase Biochemistry” (July 1978). Novosibirsk, Nauka Publishing House. Ed. Academician Rudolf Salganik. 242 pp. ISBN:21003-743/686-78 [14] Lewis, D.F., Jacobs, M.N., Dickins, M. “Compound lipophilicity for substrate binding to human P450s in drug metabolism”. (June 2004). Drug Discovery Today 9:530-537. PMID: 15183161 [15] Hansch, C. (February 1972). “Quantitative relationships between lipophilic character and drug metabolism”, Drug Metabolism Reviews 1:1-14. DOI: 10.3109/03602537208993906 [16] Tsyrlov, I.B., Zakharova, N.E., Gromova, O.A., Lyakhovich, V.V. (January 1976). “ Possible mechanism of induction of liver microsomal monooxygenase by phenobarbital”. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 421:44-56. DOI: 10.1016/0304-4165(76)90168-9

[17] Tsyrlov, I.B., Polyakova, N.E., Gromova, O.A. Rivkind, N.B., Lyakhochovih, V.V. (March 1979). “Cholestasis as an in vivo model for analysis of the induction of liver microsomal monooxygenases by sodium phenobarbital and 3-methylcholanthrene”. Biochemical Pharmacology 28:1473-1478. DOI: 10.1016/0006-2952(79)90460-X [18] Anshitz, A.G., Sokolovsky, V.D., Burilin, S.Yu., Lyakhovich, V.V., Tsyrlov, I.B. (January 1979). “Influence of inducer structure on catalytic activities of microsomal enzymes”. Kinetics and Catalysis (Science Press) 20(4):865-869. UDK: 577.15.02:577.158 [19] Freudenthal, R. I., Carroll F. I. October 1973). “Metabolism of certain commonly used barbiturates”. Drug Metabolism Reviews 2:265–278. DOI:10.3109/03602537409030012. [20] Tsyrlov, I.B., Gerasimov, K.G. (May 1986). “New Approach to Production of Prolong Acting Medicines Facilitating Hepatic Drug Detoxification System“. Patent SU/EP: 1457593 A1 4 G 01 N 33/48 [21] Tsyrlov, I.B., Gerasimov, K.G. (June 1991). “Aminopyrine-N-demethylase I. Directed modification of substrates' structure as a way of production of inducer of the monooxygenase isoform P-450b”. European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics 16(3):207-212. DOI:10.1007/BF03189961 [22] Nebert, D.W. (July 2017). "Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR): "pioneer member" of the basic-helix/loop/helix per-Arnt-sim (bHLH/PAS) family of "sensors" of foreign and endogenous signals". Progress in Lipid Research. 67: 38–57. DOI:10.1016/j.plipres.2017.06.001 [23] Tsyrlov, I.B., Chasovnikova, O.B., Grishanova, A.Yu., Lyakhovich, V.V. (March 1986). “Reappraisal of the liver benzpyrene hydroxylase synthesized de novo after treatment of rats with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and 3-methylcholanthrene”. FEBS Letters 198:225-228. DOI:10.1016/0014-5793(86)80410-0 [24] Tsyrlov, I.B., Duzchak, T.G. (November 1990). “Interspecies features of hepatic cytochromes P450 IA1 and P450 IA2 in rodents”. Xenobiotica 20(11):1163-1170. DOI:10.3109/00498259009046836 [25] Chaloupka, K., Santostefano, M., Goldfarb, I.S., Liu, G., Myers, M.J., Tsyrlov, I.B., Gelboin, H.V., Krishnan, V., Safe, S. (December 1994). “Aryl hydrocarbon (Ah) receptor-independent induction of Cyp1a2 gene expression by acenaphthylene and related compounds in B6C3F1 mice”. Carcinogenesis 15:2835-2840. DOI:10.1093/carcin/15.12.2835 [26] Tsyrlov, I.B., Lyakhovich, V.V. (April 1979). “A comparison of the activities of aryl hydrocarbon monoooxygenase in liver microsomes from mice of different strains during prolong 3,4-benzo(a)pyrene administration”. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 584:11-20. ISSN: 0304-4165 

[27] Kessova, I.G., Sedova, K., Tsyrlov, I.B. (December 1990). Evaluation of Monooxygenases Catalizing Activation of Carcinogens, and Evaluation of Mutagenic Effects of Benzo[alpha]pyrene in Blood Lymphocytes from Workers of Aluminum Industry”. Oncology 13:12-15. ISSN:0378-584X 
 [28] Tsyrlov, I.B., Ostashevsky, V., Gerasimov, K.E., Rumak, V.S. (July 1990). “Characteristics of hepatic and lymphocyte monooxygenases in South Vietnam’ people with chlorophenoxy herbicides exposure”. Organohalogen Compounds 1:305-308. ISSN:1026-4892
 [29] Lyakhovich, V.V., Tsyrlov, I.B. (February 1981). “Индукция Ферментов Метаболизма Ксенобиотиков” [Russian]. “Induction of Xenobiotic Metabolizing Enzymes”. 239 pp. Ed. Academician Antanas Yasaitis. Novosibirsk, Nauka Publishing House. ISBN:MH-05082
 [30] Tsyrlov, I.B. (December 1990). «Хлорированные Диоксины: Биологические и Медицинские Аспекты» [Russian]. “Polychlorinated Dioxins: Biological and Medical Aspects”. 216 pp., Ed. Academician Valentin Vlassov. Novosibirsk, Nauka Publishing House. ISBN:MH-10270
 [31] Tsyrlova, I.G., Kozlov, V.A., Tsyrlov, I.B. (April 1986). “A new experimental model for studying bone marrow cells participation in antibody genesis”. “Цитология» (Cytology) 28:102-106. UDC:57.083.3:612.419
 [32] Nebert, D.W., Shi, Z., Galvez-Peralta, M., Uno, S., Dragin, N. (September 2013). “Oral benzo[a]pyrene: understanding pharmacokinetics, detoxication, and consequences – Cyp1 knockout mouse lines as a paradigm”. Molecular Pharmacology 84:304-313. DOI:10.1124/mol.113.086637
 [33] Till, J.E., McCulloch, E.A. (February 1961). “A direct measurement of the radiation sensitivity of normal mouse bone marrow cells”. Radiation Research 14:213-222. DOI:10.2307/3570892
 [34] Jaiswal, S., Natarajan, P., Silver, A.J., , Gibson, C.J., … Ebert, B.L. (totally 22 authors) (July 2017). “Clonal hematopoiesis and risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease”. The New England Journal of Medicine 377:111-121. DOI:10.1056/NEJMoa170119	
[35] Tsyrlov, I.B., Gonzalez, F.J., Korzekwa, K.R., Mikhailenko, V.M., Gelboin, H.V. [collaborators: Kagan, V.E, Weiner, L.M.]. (February 1993). “Izozyme-specific inhibition of cDNA-expressed and liver microsomal P450s”. Summary of Research 1990-1993. Chemical and Physical Carcinogenesis Program. Division of Cancer Etiology. NCI/NIH. I:66-76.

[36] Tsyrlov, I.B., Goldfarb, I.S., Gelboin, H.V. (December 1993). “Enzyme-kinetic and immunochemical characteristics of mouse cDNA-expressed, microsomal, and purified CYP1A1 and CYP1A2”. Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics 307:259-266. DOI:10.1006/abbi.1993.1588 [37] Tsyrlov, I.B., Mikhailenko, V.M., Gelboin, H.V. (March 1994). “Isozyme- and species-specific susceptibility of cDNA-expressed CYP1A P-450s to different flavonoids”. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta 1205:325-335. DOI: 10.1016/0167-4838(94)90252-6 

[38] Goldman, R., Tsyrlov, I.B., Grogan, J., Kagan, V.E. (March 1997). “Reaction of phenoxyl radicals with NADPH-cytochrome P-450 oxidoreductase and NADPH: reduction of the radicals and inhibition of the enzyme”. Biochemistry 36:3186-3192. DOI: 10.1021/bi9621728
[39] Sinclair, P.R., Gorman, N., Tsyrlov, I.B., Fuhr, U., Walton, H.S., Sinclair, J.F (October 1998). “Uroporphyrinogen oxidation catalyzed by human cytochromes P450”. Drug Metabolism and Disposition 26:1019-1025. Print ISSN: 0090-9556. PubMed: 9763408
[40] Salmela, K.S., Kessova, I.G, Tsyrlov, I.B., Lieber, C.S. (December 1998). “Respective roles of human cytochrome P4502E1, 1A2 and 3A4 in the hepatic microsomal ethanol oxidizing system”. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research 22:2125-2132. DOI: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1998.tb05926.x
[41] Tsyrlov, I.B., Salmela, K.S., Lieber, C.S. (December 1996). “Inhibitory effect of 3-methylcholanthrene on hepatic microsomal ethanol inducible cytochrome CYP2E1 in rats”. Mount Sinai Journal of Medicine. A Journal of Translational and Personalized Medicine 64(1):30-31. ISSN:0027-2507
[42] Lieber, C.S. (October 2004). “The Discovery of the Microsomal Ethanol Oxidizing System and Its Physiologic and Pathologic Role”. Drug Metabolism Reviews 36:511-529. DOI: 10.1081/dmr-200033441

[43] Pokrovsky, A.G., Chernykh, A.I., Yastrebova, O.N., Tsyrlov, I.B. (August 1991). “2,3,7,8-tetrochlorodibenzo-p-dioxin as a possible activator of HIV infection”. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 179:46-51. ISSN: 0006-291X [44] Tsyrlov, I.B., Pokrovsky, A.G. (August 1993). “Pleiotropic trans-activating effects of TCDD, B[a]A and B[a]P on structural genes of CYP1A1 and HIV-1 in human CD4+ lymphoid cells”. Organohalogen Compounds 13:179-182. ISSN:1026-4892 [45] Tsyrlov, I.B., Pokrovsky, A.G. (September 1993), “Stimulatory effect of the CYP1A1 inducer 2,3,7,8-tetrochlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on the reproduction of HIV-1 in human lymphoid cell culture”. Xenobiotica 23:457-467. DOI: 10.3109/00498259309057034 [46] Tsyrlov, I.B. (July 2006). “ The role of body burden 2,3,7,8-TCDD in triggering malignancy-associated human viruses: from early data to mechanistic concept”. Organohalogen Compounds 68:552-555. ISSN:1026-4892 

[47] Tsyrlov, I.B. (November 2016). “Human viruses: a novel target for bHLH/PAS dioxin receptor Arnt transcriptional factor”. Journal of Antivirals and Antiretrovirals 8:5 (suppl). ISSN:1948-5964

[48] Murayama, T., Inoue M., Nomura, T., Mori, S., Eizuru Y. (August 2002). “2,3,7,8-Tetrachlodibenzo-p-dioxin is a possible activator of human cytomegalovirus replication in human fibroblast cell line”. Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 296:651-656. DOI: 10.1016/s0006-291x(02)00921-x [49] Fujii-Kuriyama, Y., Sogawa, K., Mizukami, Y., Suwa, Y., Muramatsu, M., Kawajiri, K., Gotoh, O., and Tagashira, Y. ( May 1985). “Molecular multiplicity and gene structure of microsomal cytochrome P-450 in rat liver”. Gann Monograph on Cancer Research 30, 157-169. ISBN-10: 0306421232 [50] Kasai, A., Hiramatsu, N., Hayakawa, K., Yao, J., Kitamura, M. (March 2008). “Direct, Continuous Monitoring of Air Pollution by Transgenic Sensor Mice Responsive to Halogenated and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons”. Environmental Health Perspectives 116:349-354. DOI:10.1289/ehp. [51] Oshchepkov, D.Yu., Vitiaev, E.E., Grigorovich, D.A., Ignatieva, E.V., Khlebanova, T.M. (July 2004). “SITECON; a tool for detecting conservstive conformational and physicochemical properties in transcription factor binding site alignments and for site recognition”. Nucleic Acids Research 32:208-212. DOI:10.1093/nar/gkh474; [52] Beischlag, T.V., Morales, J.L., Perdew, G.H. (May 2008). “The Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Complex and the Control of Gene Expression”. Critical Reviews in Eukaryotic Gene Expression 28:207-250. ISSN‎: 10454403 [53] Nedosekina, E.A., Oshchepkov, D.Yu., Mordvinov, V.A., Katokhin, A.V., Kuznetsova, T,N., Shamanina, M., Tsyrlov, I.B. (August 2007). “Detection of new potentially active DRE sites in regulatory region of human genes encoding components of Ah receptor cytosolic complex”. Organohalogen Compounds 69(2):1890-1894. ISSN:1026-4892. [54] Murray, I.A., Patterson, A.D., Perdew, G.H. (December 2014). “Aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands in cancer: friends and foe. Nature Reviews (Cancer) 14:801-814. DOI:10.1038/nrc3846 [55] Tsyrlov, I.B., Pokrovsky, A.G., Wu, J., Shur, I.N. (September 2015). “Multidisciplinary approach to the trans-activation of human Hepatitis B Virus by body burden dioxin or dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls”. Journal of Viral Hepatitis 22(Suppl 3-P40):27-28. Online ISSN:1365-2893 [56] Wu, J., Pokrovsky, A.G., Rumak, V.S., Tsyrlov, I.B. (July 2007). “Regulation of human gene of Influenza A virus-associated NS1-binding protein by 2,3,7,8-TCDD: mechanistic data and epidemiological findings”. Organohalogen Compounds 69(2):1885-1889. ISSN:1026-4892. [57] Tsyrlov, I.B., Shur, I.N., Wu, J., Roumak, V.S. (September 2016). “A Decade Later, Another Look at What Role in 2005-2007 Global Spread of H5N1 Played an Up-regulation by Host Cell Dioxin of Gene Encoding Type A Influenza Virus NS1 Binding Protein”. OA Journal of Infectious Diseases and Therapy 4:133-8. DOI:10.4172/2332-0877.C1.013 

[58] Tsyrlov, I.B., Shur, I.N., Roumak, V.S. (August 2017). “The NS1A binding protein in alveolar epithelial cells as centerpiece of Influenza virus A lung injury mechanism mediated via AhR/Arnt signaling pathway”. European Respiratory Journal 50:PA352. DOI:10.1183/1393003.congress-2017.PA352
[59] Wu, J., Shur, I.N., Tsyrlov, I.B. Current human body burden of dioxins might upregulate DRE-containing cytomegalovirus (CMV) linked to inflammation and malignancy pathways. (July 2008) Organohalogen Compounds 70: 1471-1474 (2008). ISSN:1026-4892
[60] Oshchepkova, E.A., Oshchepkov, D.Y., Katokhin, A.V., Furman, D.P., Shamanina, M.Y., Mordvinov, V.A., Tsyrlov, I.B. (July 2008). “Regulatory regions of human genes encoding macrophageal transcription factors possess multiple potential dioxin response elements”. Organohalogen Compounds 70:1467-1470 (2008). ISSN:1026-4892 
[61] Tsyrlov, I.B., Shur, I.N., Wu, J., Furman, D.N., Oshchepkov, D.Yu. (August 2014). A proposed mechanism of transactivation by body burden dioxin of Herpes Simplex Virus genes might be responsible for weakening the host antiviral defense”. Organohalogen Compounds 76:2b9-292. ISSN:1026-4892
[62] Itzhaki, R.F. (August 2017). “Herpes simplex virus type 1 and Alzheimer’s disease: possible mechanisms and signposts”. The FASEB Journal. Alzheimer’s Disease Review Series 31:3216-3226. DOI: 10.1096/fj.201700360
[63] Tsyrlov, I.B. (January 2010). Project: “Xenobiotical Virology: Mechanistic Insights, Epidemiological and Clinical Implications”. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ilya_Tsyrlov
[64] Tsyrlov, I.B., Wu, J., Oshchepkov, D.Yu. (June 2017). “Transactivation by Body Burden Dioxin of Herpes Simplex Virus Genes and Cytokines Genes can Weaken the Host Antiviral Defense”. MO Journal of Cell Science & Report 4:89-95. DOI: 10.15406/mojcsr.2017.04.00089
[65] Tsyrlov, I.B., Wu, J., Shur, I.N., Oshchepkov, D.Yu. (July 2016), “Alzheimer’s disease causative viruses HSV-1 and CMV are highly susceptible targets for bHLH/PAS dioxin receptor-Arnt transcription pathway in glial cells”. Alzheimer's and Dementia. The Journal of the Alzheimer Association 12(7):P632-633. DOI:10.1016/j.jalz.2017.06.2252
[66] Tsyrlov, I.B., Shur, I.N., Appelbaum, J., Wu, J. (June 2017). “AhR-ARNT signaling pathway mediates transcriptional activation of HSV-1 in glial cells: a pathogenic factor that might affect AD development”. Alzheimer's and Dementia. The Journal of the Alzheimer Association 13(7):P1438-P1439. DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2017.06.2252
[67] Tsyrlov, I.B., Krivoschekov, S.G. (July 2016). “Higher rate of Alzheimer’s disease among Arctic populations is due to activation of braim inflammatory pathways by elevated dioxin body burden: mechanistic approach to the problem”. Alzheimer's and Dementia. The Journal of the Alzheimer Association 12(7):P3-112-114. DOI:10.1016/j.jalz.2016.06.1770
[68] Chokshi, D.A., Farley, T.A. (July 2012). “The cost-effectiveness of environmental approaches to disease prevention”. The New England Journal Of Medicine 367:295-297. DOI:10.1056/NEJMp1206268

Reliable sources

Shortcut

Wikipedia articles require reliable, published sources that directly support the information presented in the article. Now you know how to add sources to an article, but which sources should you use?

The word "source" in Wikipedia has three meanings: the work itself (for example, a document, article, paper, or book), the creator of the work (for example, the writer), and the publisher of the work (for example, Cambridge University Press). All three can affect reliability.

Abstract graphic depicting referencing

Reliable sources are those with a reputation for fact-checking and accuracy. They tend to have an editorial process with multiple people scrutinizing work before it is published. Academic and peer-reviewed publications are usually the most reliable sources. Other reliable sources include university textbooks, books published by respected publishing houses, magazines, journals, and news coverage (not opinions) from mainstream newspapers.

Self-published media, where the author and publisher are the same, are usually not acceptable as sources. These can include newsletters, personal websites, press releases, patents, open wikis, personal or group blogs, and tweets. However, if an author is an established expert with a previous record of third-party publications on a topic, their self-published work may be considered reliable for that particular topic.

Whether a source is usable also depends on context. Sources that are reliable for some material are not reliable for other material. For instance, otherwise unreliable self-published sources are usually acceptable to support uncontroversial information about the source's author. You should always try to use the best possible source, particularly when writing about living people.

These are general guidelines, but the topic of reliable sources is a complicated one, and is impossible to fully cover here. You can find more information at Wikipedia:Verifiability and at Wikipedia:Reliable sources. There is also a list of commonly used sources with information on their reliability.

Try it! Take a quiz on reliable sources

See also

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