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The following is a proposed Wikipedia policy, guideline, or process. The proposal may still be in development, under discussion, or in the process of gathering consensus for adoption. Thus references or links to this page should not describe it as "policy". |
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The list of featured-article criteria calls for citations "where appropriate". Wikipedia:Verifiability, which is policy, says citations should be provided for material that is "challenged or likely to be challenged", and for quotations. This page clarifies that requirement.
Rule of thumb
Not every statement in an article needs a citation, but if in doubt, provide one.
In science articles, statements based on somebody's work are cited to that author. In practice, this means most statements are backed by a citation. In case of multiple possible references for a statement, the "best reliable sources" should be used.
Examples
This list is not exhaustive, and the examples are suggestions only. Each case must be dealt with on its merits.
When a source is needed
- Material that is challenged or likely to be challenged – material that is actually challenged by another editor requires a source or it may be removed; and anything likely to incur a reasonable challenge should be sourced to avoid disputes and to aid readers. This includes:
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- Quotations – When quoting published material, the quote should be attributed in the text and a citation placed after it.
- Data and statistics – Data and statistics need sources.
- Counter-intuitive statements – Statements likely to surprise the reader should be cited.
- Opinions – Opinions should be cited and attributed in the text.
- Contentious statements about living people – Biographies of living people are held to a high standard. Contentious material must be handled sensitively, and must be cited or removed immediately.
When a source may not be needed
- General common knowledge – Statements that everyone recognizes as true. Example: "Paris is the capital of France."
- Subject-specific common knowledge – Material that anyone familiar with a topic, including laypersons, recognizes as true. Example (from Processor): "In a computer, the processor is the component that executes instructions."
- Plot of the subject of the article – If the subject of the article is a book or film or other artistic work, it is unnecessary to cite a source in describing events or other details. It should be obvious to potential readers that the subject of the article is the source of the information.
Challenging another user's edits
- The right to challenge – Any editor has the right to challenge unsourced material by opening a discussion on the talk page or by tagging it. Material that should be removed without discussion includes contentious material about a living person, clear examples of original research, and anything that is ludicrous or damaging to the project.
- Challenges should not be frivolous – Challenges should not be made frivolously or casually, and should never be made to be disruptive or to make a point. Editors making a challenge should have reason to believe the material is contentious, false, or otherwise inappropriate.
- Responses must be forthcoming – Editors who wish to respond to the challenge should do so in a timely manner. If no response is forthcoming, the challenger may tag or remove the statement in question. Unless the material falls into the class that should be removed without discussion, the challenger should await a timely response prior to removing material.
Citations in leads
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Because the lead will usually repeat information also in the body, editors should balance the desire to avoid redundant citations in the lead with the desire to aid readers in locating sources. Leads are usually written at a greater level of generality than the body, and information in the lead section of non-controversial subjects is less likely to be challenged and less likely to require a source. There is not, however, an exception to citation requirements specific to leads. Complex, current, or controversial subjects may require many citations; others, few or none. Contentious material about living persons must be cited every time, regardless of the level of generality.
Text–source relationship
The distance between material and its source is a matter of editorial judgment. The source of the material should always be clear. If you write a multi-sentence paragraph that draws on material from one source, the source need not be cited after every single sentence unless the material is particularly contentious. Editors should exercise caution when rearranging cited material to ensure that the text-source relationship isn't broken.
See also
Policies
Guidelines
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