Template:Unreliable source?/doc

Usage

This template is intended to be used when a statement is sourced but it is questionable whether the source used is reliable for supporting the statement. It produces a superscripted notation like the following:

It was actually written by Francis Bacon.

Articles tagged with this template will be categorized into Category:All articles lacking reliable references.

Place this template inline, {{Unreliable source?|date=December 2024}} following the questionable claim (and any punctuation attached to it). The template should be placed outside the reference (<ref> ... </ref>), within the article's text:

Potentially controversial statement.<ref>some alleged source for this</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=December 2024}} Next sentence.

Parameters

The template has the following optional parameters:

• date: should be set to the month and year when the article was tagged. Example: {{Unreliable source?|date=December 2024}}
• reason: a note explaining why you think the source is unreliable as per WP:RS. Displays as a tool tip. Keep it short (one sentence) as longer material belongs on the talk page. It is good to reiterate the reason in your edit summary. Example: {{Unreliable source?|reason=Your WP:RS-based reason here.|date=December 2024}}
• sure or certain: if set to "y" or "yes" will remove the question mark from the template's output to denote a degree of certainty that the source is unreliable. Please use this with a |reason= parameter, and only after a good faith attempt to verify the reliability of the source in question. Example: {{Unreliable source|sure=y|reason=Your WP:RS-based reason here.|date=December 2024}} NOTE: This parameter has an alias, |failed=, which may make more grammatical sense when used with certain redirects like {{verify credibility}}.

When to use and not use this template

This template should be used to express doubt about the credibility of a source.

This tag should not be used on unreliably sourced contentious statements about living persons; if the source is not reliable, the statement should be removed immediately.

For whole articles or article sections that rely on suspect sources, considering using the banner template {{More citations needed}} or {{refimprove section}}, respectively, rather than individually tagging a large number of statements.

For sources promoting fringe theories and pseudo-science, the more specific template {{Unreliable fringe source}} can be used. Even more specifically, flag improperly sourced medical claims with {{Unreliable medical source}}.

This tag should not be used to indicate that the sourced material could not be found within a given source. In that case, {{failed verification}} is a better template. For statements that have failed verification and have a questionable would-be source, consider removal of the source (and possibly the statement) over using both tags.

Redirects

The following may presently be used as shortcuts and aliases for this template:

1. {{Reliable source}}
2. {{rs}}
3. {{rs?}}
4. {{vc}}
5. {{Unreliable source}}
6. {{Unreliable source inline}}
7. {{Verify credibility}}

See also

Inline templates

• {{Better source}}, an alternative to {{Unreliable source|certain=y}}; especially useful for tagging sources that are low-quality but not necessarily wrong
• {{Obsolete source}}, for when a source has been surpassed by more recent works
• {{Unreliable fringe source}}, for fringe sources
• {{Unreliable medical source}}, for fringe medical sources in particular
• {{Primary source inline}}, for misuse of primary source material
• {{Dubious}}, for questionable claims that seem unlikely to be properly sourceable

More templates

• {{Refimprove}}, a banner template for flagging an entire article or section as needing better sourcing
• Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup/Verifiability and sources
• Wikipedia:Template messages/Sources of articles

Policies, guidelines, essays, and wikiprojects

• Wikipedia:Verifiability
• Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources
• Wikipedia:Citing sources, especially § Unsourced material
• Wikipedia:Independent sources
• Wikipedia:Third-party sources
• Wikipedia:WikiProject Fact and Reference Check

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData documentation for this template used by VisualEditor and other tools; see the monthly error report for this template.

TemplateData for Unreliable source?

Used when a statement is sourced but it is questionable whether the source used is reliable for supporting the statement.

Template parameters

This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Reason	reason	Note explaining why you think the source is unreliable as per WP:RS. Displays as a tool tip	String	optional
Certain?	certain sure failed	If set to "y" or "yes" will remove the question mark from the template's output to denote a degree of certainty that the source is unreliable Default no Example yes	Boolean	optional
Month and year	date	Month and year of tagging; e.g., 'January 2013', but not 'jan13' Auto value {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}	String	suggested