This is an information page. It is not a Wikipedia policy or guideline; rather, its purpose is to explain certain aspects of Wikipedia's norms, customs, technicalities, or practices. It may reflect varying levels of consensus. |
| This page in a nutshell: Add template messages to inform readers and editors of specific problems with articles or sections, but do not use them as a badge of shame. |
Template messages (maintenance tags, cleanup tags, cleanup messages) may be added to articles needing 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 an article, or a method of warning readers about an article.
Unless otherwise noted, cleanup messages should be placed at the top of the page, before other templates, images, or infoboxes, but after hatnotes (see Wikipedia:Hatnote § Placement). Cleanup messages should be placed directly on the article or file, not on its talk page. Certain tags can be placed at the beginning of an individual section, and others can be placed within the text itself (inline).
A date parameter is added by a bot, or you can add it yourself with |date=October 2026.
Before you tag an article, please remember the following:
Before placing templates on a page it is worthwhile to cast a critical eye over the page to determine whether indeed it should be included in Wikipedia. Some articles can be tagged for speedy deletion or nominated for a deletion discussion at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion.
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 frequently tag articles should also address the backlogs.
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 noticeable changes. In general, an editor who places a template message to indicate a problem like this should explain their rationale fully on the talk page 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.
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 ⇧ Shift+\. See the specific template below to determine if such "section use" is supported and appropriate.
Templates in this section identify possible violations of Wikipedia's licensing requirements, as defined in the Wikimedia Terms of use.
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{close paraphrasing}} category |
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| {{Copying within Wikipedia}} category |
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| {{copypaste}} category |
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| {{non-free}} category |
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| {{unattributed translation}} category |
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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.
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| {{multiple issues}} |
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| {{multiple issues| section=yes}} |
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Use one of these general tags when none of the more specific tags fits.
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{cleanup}} category |
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| {{cleanup AfD}} category |
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| {{cleanup MOS}} category |
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| {{cleanup rewrite}} category |
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| {{cleanup merge}} |
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| {{cleanup split}} |
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Some articles just need someone with a good grasp of editing technique to give them a once-over.
| {{copy edit}} category |
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| {{copy edit inline}} category |
[needs copy edit]
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| {{verify spelling}} category |
[spelling?] |
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) | ||
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| {{cleanup biography}} category |
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| {{cleanup higher education}} category |
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| {{cleanup school}} category |
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| {{game guide}} category |
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| {{localist}} category |
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| {{CIA World Factbook only}} category |
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| {{cleanup Congress bio}} category |
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| {{Update-EB}} category |
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| {{all plot}} category |
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| {{long plot}} category |
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| {{improve plot}} category |
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| {{no plot}} category |
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| {{fiction}} category |
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| {{fiction trivia}} category |
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| {{in-universe}} category |
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| {{in popular culture}} category |
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| {{cleanup taxon}} |
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| {{cleanup TLS}} |
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| {{further reading cleanup}} category |
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| {{kayfabe}} category |
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| {{USRD-wrongdir}} category |
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| {{needs IPA}} category |
[needs IPA] |
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{cleanup press release}} category |
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| {{debate}} category |
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| {{dictionary definition}} category |
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| {{directory}} category |
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| {{essay-like}} category |
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| {{obituary}} category |
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| {{research paper}} category |
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| {{resume-like}} category |
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| {{review}} category |
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| {{science review}} category |
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| {{story}} category |
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| {{term paper}} category |
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| {{textbook}} category |
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| {{travel guide}} category |
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| {{abbreviations}} category |
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| {{academic booster}} category |
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| {{anachronism}} category |
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| {{buzzword}} category |
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| {{colloquial}} |
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| {{how-to}} category |
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| {{neologism}} category |
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| {{peacock}} category |
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| {{pro and con list}} category |
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| {{schedule}} |
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| {{self-reference cleanup}} |
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| {{weasel}} category |
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| {{cleanup tense}} category |
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| {{inappropriate person}} category |
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| {{you}} category |
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| {{fan POV}} category |
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| {{technical}} category |
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| {{tone}} category |
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| {{peacock inline}} category |
[peacock prose]
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| {{weasel inline}} category |
[weasel words] |
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{cleanup reorganize}} category |
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| {{sections}} category |
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| {{too many sections}} category |
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| {{trivia}} category |
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| {{rename section}} category |
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| {{television incorrect naming style}} category |
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| {{lead extra info}} 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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| {{summarize section}} category |
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| {{very long}} category |
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| {{duplication}} category |
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| {{overview section}} category |
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| {{bad summary}} category |
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| {{summarize}} category |
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| {{summary style}} category |
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| {{cleanup colors}} category |
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| {{dark mode problems}} category |
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| {{overcoloured}} category |
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| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{AI-generated}} category |
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| {{AI-generated section}} |
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| {{link spam}} category |
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| {{spam link}} category |
[spam link?] |
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{excessive citations}} category |
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| {{excessive examples}} category |
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| {{game trivia}} category |
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| {{overly detailed}} category |
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| {{over-quotation}} category |
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| {{too many charts}} category |
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| {{too many see alsos}} category |
| {{almanac}} category |
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| {{generalize}} category |
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| {{human-centric}} category |
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| {{specific}} category |
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| {{cleanup book}} category |
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| {{context}} category |
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| {{cleanup film}} category |
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| {{time-context}} category |
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Articles occasionally contain content which is otherwise valid, but appears unrelated to the nominal topic of the article.
| {{off topic}} category |
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| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{cleanup ICHD}} category |
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| {{empty section}} category |
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| {{cleanup road junction list}} category |
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| {{kmposts}} category |
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| {{lacking ISBN}} category |
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| {{lacking overview}} category |
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| {{metricate}} category |
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| {{mileposts}} category |
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| {{missing information}} |
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| {{AthAbbr needed}} category |
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| {{cleanup lang}} category |
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| {{expand language}} category |
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| {{expand section}} category |
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| {{formula missing descriptions}} category |
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| {{legend needed section}} category |
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| {{no alt text}} category |
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| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{expert needed}} category |
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| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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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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| {{as of}} category |
As of {{{1}}}[update]
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| {{clarify timeframe}} category |
[timeframe?]
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| {{update after}} category |
[needs update]
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| {{update inline}} category |
[needs update]
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| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{in use}} category |
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| {{recently revised}} category |
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| {{under construction}} category |
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| {{recent death}} category |
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Note: Templates relevant for when articles are confusing or hard to understand due specifically to translation issues can be found at Wikipedia:Template index/Translation.
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{confusing}} category |
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| {{contradicts other}} category |
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| {{contradicts others}} category |
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| {{misleading}} category |
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| {{self-contradictory}} category |
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| {{unclear date}} category |
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| {{unfocused}} category |
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| {{contradictory 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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| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{content}} category |
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| {{importance section}} |
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| {{notability}} category |
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| {{importance inline}} |
[importance?]
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| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{dispute about}} category |
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| {{disputed}} category |
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| {{disputed chem}} category |
This chemical structure or diagram's factual accuracy is disputed. {{{1}}}. Please discuss the issue on this diagram's talk page.See also: Wikipedia structure drawing guide. Usage: {{Disputed chem|why}} – All: Category:Disputed chemical diagrams | ||
| {{disputed map}} category |
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| {{disputed section}} category |
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| {{hoax}} category |
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| {{speculation}} category |
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| {{coatrack}} category |
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| {{cleanup weighted}} category |
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| {{fringe theories}} category |
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| {{geographical imbalance}} category |
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| {{globalize}} category |
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| {{recentism}} category |
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| {{too few opinions}} category |
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| {{unbalanced}} category |
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| {{undue weight}} category |
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| {{autobiography}} category |
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| {{cherry-picked}} category |
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| {{COI}} category |
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| {{criticism section}} category |
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| {{paid contributions}} category |
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| {{political POV}} category |
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| {{POV}} category |
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| {{promotional}} category |
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| {{undisclosed paid}} category |
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| {{according to whom}} category |
For weasel words ("It was said..." It was thought...") [according to whom?] |
| {{clarify}} category |
Do not use without first taking some steps to research the apparent problem [clarification needed] |
| {{contentious label inline}} category |
[contentious label] |
| {{dubious}} category |
[dubious – discuss] |
| {{editorialising}} category |
[editorialising] |
| {{editorializing}} category |
[editorializing] |
| {{excessive citations inline}} category |
For abuse of citations, per Wikipedia:Citation overkill. [excessive citations] |
| {{original research inline}} category |
[original research?] |
| {{POV statement}} category |
[neutrality is disputed] |
| {{unbalanced opinion}} category |
[unbalanced opinion?] |
| {{undue weight inline}} category |
[undue weight? – discuss] |
| {{when}} category |
For ambiguous or vague time references of various kinds. [when?] |
| {{who}} category |
For weasel words ("Many say..." Some people think...") [who?] |
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{BLP living dead}} category |
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| {{BLP more footnotes needed}} category |
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| {{BLP no footnotes}} category |
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| {{BLP one source}} 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 unreferenced}} category |
| {{circular}} category |
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| {{cite check}} category |
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| {{more citations needed}} category |
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| {{no reliable sources}} category |
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| {{no significant coverage}} category |
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| {{old news}} category |
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| {{one source}} category |
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| {{only primary sources}} 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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| {{sources exist}} category |
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| {{spam references}} category |
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| {{synthesis}} 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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| {{unreliable sources}} category |
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| {{user-generated}} category |
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| {{verifiability}} category |
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| {{verify sources}} category |
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| {{media IMDb refimprove}} category |
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| {{more medical citations needed}} category |
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| {{more science citations needed}} category |
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| {{no significant coverage (sports)}} category |
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| {{NRIS only}} category |
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| {{unreferenced law}} category |
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| {{unreferenced medical section}} category |
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| {{biblio}} category |
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| {{citation style}} category |
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| {{citations broken}} 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 |
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| {{parenthetical referencing}} category |
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| {{shallow references}} category |
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| {{text-source}} category |
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| {{find sources}} |
Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL |
| {{search}} | ) |
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{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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| {{unreferenced category}} category |
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For tips on requesting images see: Wikipedia:Requested pictures.
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{improve images}} category |
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| {{cleanup image}} category |
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| {{cleanup image captions}} category |
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| {{cleanup images}} category |
| {{cleanup gallery}} |
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| {{cleanup gallery anatomy}} category |
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| {{too many photos}} category |
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| {{image hoax}} category |
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| {{upscaled images}} category |
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| {{audio requested}} category |
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| {{diagram requested}} category |
Wikipedia requested diagram images | |||
| {{image requested}} category |
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| {{map requested}} category |
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| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{create list}} category |
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| {{list years}} category |
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| {{cleanup list}} category |
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| {{convert to Episode list}} |
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| {{list scope}} category |
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| {{unsorted list}} category |
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| {{famous}} category |
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| {{list missing criteria}} category |
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| {{list to table}} category |
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| {{prose}} category |
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| {{proseline section}} category |
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| {{too many list sections}} category |
| {{disputed list}} category |
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| {{list dispute}} |
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| {{alumni}} category |
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| {{list entry too long}} category |
[List entry too long]
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| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{needs table}} |
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| {{convert to Episode table}} |
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| {{convert to Series overview}} |
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| {{rank order}} |
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| {{table accessibility cleanup}} |
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Most of these issues are covered in the main Manual of Style.
| Tag | Text that will be shown (and usage notes) | ||
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| {{cleanup red links}} category |
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| {{dead end}} category |
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| {{external links}} category |
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| {{overlinked}} category |
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| {{underlinked}} category |
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| {{dablinks}} category |
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| {{disambiguation cleanup}} category |
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| {{incoming links}} category |
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| {{cleanup infobox}} category |
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| {{Infobox too large}} category |
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| {{infobox requested}} category |
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| {{missing fields}} |
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| {{new infobox}} category |
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| {{single infobox request}} category |
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| {{missing taxobox}} |
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| {{mycomorphbox missing}} |
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| {{citations broken from PEIS limit}} category |
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| {{malformed template}} |
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| {{orphan}} category |
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| {{uncategorized}} category |
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| {{cleanup HTML}} category |
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There are also tags available for:
Wikipedia:Backlog lists tasks that should be done to improve Wikipedia (assuming the cleanup templates were placed correctly). Helping reduce backlogs is an important issue, so please feel free to help out.
Click any linked number for that category's articles prioritized by their number of incoming links.
Backlog categories
Lacking references
Accuracy
Content
Links
Layout
Style
File description
File quality
Non-free file use
File licensing
Meta
Quality content
Other
New articles
()
Template:Inline cleanup tags Template:Wikipedia template messages