Wikipedia:References dos and don'ts

This is an information page. It is not one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, but rather intends to describe some aspect(s) of Wikipedia:Citing sources. It may reflect varying levels of consensus and vetting.

Shortcut WP:REFDD

When working with references:

DO: Use inline citations (either footnotes or shortened footnotes). Keep citations near the material they support, e.g. after the sentence. Say where in the source the information came from. Use a consistent reference style within each article. Consider using citation templates to create a consistent style. Tag under-sourced material with an appropriate inline tag. Tag under-sourced articles with an appropriate header.

DON'T: Don't rely on unreliable sources. Don't cite a source you haven't seen for yourself. Don't add material that's not supported by sources. Don'tplace external links in the body of articles. Don't add references for obvious information. Don't use all-numeric date formats other than YYYY-MM-DD. Don't change an established reference style without consensus.

See also [ edit ]

• Help:Referencing for beginners
  • Help:Referencing for beginners without using templates
  • Help:Referencing for beginners with citation templates
  • Editing references in VisualEditor
• Help:Introduction to referencing
• Help:References and page numbers
• Wikipedia:Citation templates