Template:Reference necessary/doc

This is a documentation subpage for Template:Reference necessary. It may contain usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page.

Do not substitute this template.

The {{Reference necessary}} template may be used when there is unsourced text that should be attributed to a reference citation. Unlike the template {{Citation needed}}, this template attaches explicitly to one or more specific sentences of text, by surrounding the text with the template. This is especially useful for flagging multiple facts or multiple sentences as needing citation, and for singling out a specific fact that is unsourced among many sourced ones.

Once a citation is added, please remove this template from the surrounded text.

{{Reference necessary|1=Passage(s) to be sourced|date=August 2026}}

The date is optional, so the minimal syntax is:

{{Reference necessary|1=Passage(s) to be sourced}}

Example of usage

Sourced material. {{Reference necessary|1=Passage to be sourced. Another passage to be sourced.}} More sourced material.

Sourced material. Passage to be sourced. Another passage to be sourced.^[source?] More sourced material.

Sourced material. {{Reference necessary|1=Passage to be sourced. Another passage to be sourced.|date=August 2026}} More sourced material.

Compare usage of {{Citation needed}}

Sourced material. Passage to be sourced.{{Citation needed}} Another passage to be sourced.{{Citation needed}} More sourced material.

Sourced material. Passage to be sourced.^[source?] Another passage to be sourced.^[source?] More sourced material.

There are two parameters to the template:

• |1=, the text needing attribution. The "1=" prefix can be omitted if the quoted material does not (and almost certainly will never) contain an equals sign ("="), including as the result of other, later templates added to the material. Due to the nature of MediaWiki's ParserFunction code, the template will fail if this happens.
• |date=, the date in the form August 2026. If omitted a bot will add it within a day or so.

Adding this template to an article places the article into Category:All articles with unsourced statements, Category:Articles with unsourced statements, and/or dated subcategories thereof.

• {{Citation needed}} - For singular sentences or clauses which need attribution.
• {{Unreferenced section}} – For entire sections requiring verifiable references/citations.
• {{Cn-span}} - Similar, but highlights the surrounded text.