Dispute templates are used to alert other editors that work is needed on a certain article, and auto-categorize pages so that patrolling editors can add their talent to the problem. The primary purpose of this page is to display and discuss the use of these sometimes controversial aids to joint edit collaboration.

They should normally not be used without a clear description from the applying editor of the rationale, preferably presented in a numbered list form on the article's talk page, in a section which includes the name of the template that was applied. As these items are dealt with, it is suggested each line be struck through. Some guidance should be given by the posting editor as to what action will resolve the matter when using section and article (page) tagging templates.

It is preferable that in-line templates be applied to content that is being objected to on bias or fact grounds. Inline templates are preferred because they can be attached directly to disputed sentences. Section templates follow next in preference to tagging a whole article.

Many editors consider use of any banner template in an article a serious measure of last resort, and would prefer other measures be exhausted before such detractions from the project be used. If one must be used, please make a thorough note listing deficiencies or items being disputed in bulleted or numbered paragraph format under a clear notice section heading on the article's talk page.

Please remember to use these appropriately, and use the most specific messages you can find for the situation.

For placement at top of an article[edit]

What to type What it makes Where it goes
((Autobiography))

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This date-flagged is an autobiography or has been extensively edited by the subject or by someone connected to the subject. It may need editing to conform to Wikipedia's neutral point of view policy. There may be relevant discussion on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Articles which are autobiographies and may not be NPOV because of that, with the date at which they were flagged.
((Self-contradictory))

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This article or section appears to contradict itself. Please see the talk page for more information.
Self-contradicting article
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((Contradicts other|Article))

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This article appears to contradict the article Article. Please discuss at the talk page and do not remove this message until the contradictions are resolved.
One or both contradicting articles
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((Dispute about|'''The topic of dispute'''))

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The factual accuracy of part of this article is disputed. The dispute is about The topic of dispute. Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced. See the relevant discussion on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Disputed articles with list of topics
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((Disputed))

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This article's factual accuracy is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Disputed articles
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((Disputed category))

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The inclusion of one or more of the categories on this page is disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page.
Disputed articles
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((Disputed chem))

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Disputed articles
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((Disputed list))

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The inclusion of certain items in this list is currently being disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the article's talk page.
Disputed articles
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((Neologism))

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This article may document a neologism or protologism in such a manner as to promote it. Please add more reliable sources to establish its current use and the impact the term has had on its field. Otherwise consider renaming or deleting the article. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Possible neologisms
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((Notability|guideline (e.g. "Biographies")))

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The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for biographies. Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. If notability cannot be shown, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted.Find sources: "Disputes" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Non-notable topic, listing the specific guideline at issue
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((Notability))

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The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's general notability guideline. Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. If notability cannot be shown, the article is likely to be merged, redirected, or deleted.Find sources: "Disputes" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Non-notable topic or failing to meet the current notability guidelines (verbose)
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((POV))

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The neutrality of this article is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Disputed articles
top
((Unbalanced))

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This article may be unbalanced toward certain viewpoints. Please improve the article by adding information on neglected viewpoints, or discuss the issue on the talk page.
Articles which contain Unbalanced citations.

For placement at top of article or section[edit]

What to type What it makes Where it goes
((Advert))

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This article contains content that is written like an advertisement. Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links, and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Pages that promote commercial products or services
((Cite check))

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This article may contain citations that do not verify the text. Please check for citation inaccuracies. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
At the top of an article or section where the text misrepresents the sources cited.
((Content))

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The relevance of particular information in (or previously in) this article or section is disputed. The information may have been removed or included by an editor as a result. Please see discussion on the talk page considering whether its inclusion is warranted.
Above the site of dispute in article or section
((Disputed map))

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The factual accuracy of the map included in this page is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help replace the disputed map with another suitable one or improve it if possible. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Article or section that includes a disputed map
((Fanpov))

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This article may be written from a fan's point of view, rather than a neutral point of view. Please clean it up to conform to a higher standard of quality, and to make it neutral in tone. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Pages that read like a fansite instead of the formal tones expected of an encyclopedia.
((Incoherent))

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This article may lack focus or may be about more than one topic. Please help improve this article, possibly by splitting the article and/or by introducing a disambiguation page, or discuss this issue on the talk page.
Section where some sentences in a section or the text as a whole does not relay an understandable message
((Missing information|Info))

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This article is missing information about Info. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the talk page.
Article or section where information not present may be worthy of inclusion
((Multiple issues))

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This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) No issues specified. Please specify issues, or remove this template. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
  • Use the section=y parameter if you use the template for a particular section.
  • To tag a specific issue, set any string of text to the parameter, such as issue=y
  • To specify the month tagged for the categories that sort articles by month, type issue=June 2024 or issue=April 2007
Top of article or section with three or more issues
((Original research))

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This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Possible original research.
((Peacock))

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This article contains wording that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. Please remove or replace such wording and instead of making proclamations about a subject's importance, use facts and attribution to demonstrate that importance. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Article or section that has peacock terms
((Recentism))

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This article appears to be slanted towards recent events. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective and add more content related to non-recent events.
Top of article, or top of section in dispute.
((Refimprove))

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This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "Disputes" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Possibly inaccurate articles
top
((Science review))

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This article reads like a scientific review article and potentially contains biased syntheses of primary sources. Please replace inadequate primary references with secondary sources. See the talk page for details. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Top of articles or sections
((Self-published))

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This article may contain excessive or inappropriate references to self-published sources. Please help improve it by removing references to unreliable sources where they are used inappropriately. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
On an article where self-published (online or in print) sources are cited, which are not legitimately citable as a secondary source, according to WP:Verifiability policy.
((Story))

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This article is written like a story. Please help rewrite this article to introduce an encyclopedic style and a neutral point of view.
Pages that read like a narrative and tell a story rather than providing encyclopedic information.
((Synthesis))

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This article or section possibly contains synthesis of material which does not verifiably mention or relate to the main topic. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Possible unpublished synthesis. (The text in quotation marks is replaced with the title of the article.)
((Tone))

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This article's tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia. See Wikipedia's guide to writing better articles for suggestions. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Pages that tone or style may not reflect the encyclopedic tone used on Wikipedia.
((Undue weight|article))
((Undue weight|section))

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This section may lend undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies. Please help improve it by rewriting it in a balanced fashion that contextualizes different points of view. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Sections or text where a matter such as a controversy or incident has been given more weight than is appropriate in the context of the article or biography as a whole.
((Unreferenced))

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This article does not cite any sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: "Disputes" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Lacks attributions from reliable sources. See template page for special usages.
((User-generated))

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This article may contain improper references to user-generated content. Please help improve it by removing references to unreliable sources, where they are used inappropriately. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
On an article where user-generated content is cited, which is not legitimately citable as a secondary source, according to the WP:Reliable sources guideline.
((Weasel))

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This article contains weasel words: vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information. Such statements should be clarified or removed.
Article or section that has weasel words

For placement in or at top of a section only[edit]

What to type What it makes Where it goes
((Disputed section))

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This section's factual accuracy is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help to ensure that disputed statements are reliably sourced. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Disputed article sections
under section header
((Expand section))

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This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it.
Top of section to be expanded.
((POV lead))

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The neutrality of this article's introduction is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Disputed article intro
top
((POV section))

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The neutrality of this section is disputed. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please do not remove this message until conditions to do so are met. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Disputed article sections
under section header
((Section OR))

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This section possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Section contains possible original research.
((Unreferenced section))

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This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (Learn how and when to remove this message)
Top of section lacking citations

For inline article placement[edit]

What to type What it makes Where it goes
((Citation needed)) or ((cn)) or ((fact))

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[citation needed]

After factual claims that need a citation to back them up.
in-line
((Disputed inline))

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[disputed ]

After a particular disputed statement or alleged fact
in-line
((Dubious))

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[dubious ]

After a specific statement or alleged fact that is sourced but that nevertheless seems dubious or unlikely
in-line
((Failed verification))

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[failed verification]

After factual claims that have been checked and not found in the indicated source. Explain in Talk.
in-line
((Lopsided))

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[unbalanced opinion?]

One-sided statements
in-line
((Nonspecific)) or ((Unverifiable))

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[not specific enough to verify]

After factual claims that could be relevant, but are not cited and are too general for a ((citation needed)).
in-line
((OR))

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[original research?]

After text passages based upon original research
in-line
((POV-statement))
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[neutrality is disputed] After passages that appear to have a non-neutral point of view.
((Peacock term))

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[peacock prose]

After text that promotes the subject in a subjective manner without imparting real information. See Puffery
((Synthesis inline)) or ((syn))

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[improper synthesis?]

After text passages based upon improper synthesis
in-line
((Verify credibility))

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[unreliable source?]

After suspect citations or source references
in-line
((Verify source)) or ((Check))

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[verification needed]

After suspect citations or source references
in-line
((Weasel inline))

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[weasel words]

After text that creates a misleading impression that something specific and/or meaningful has been said. See WP:WEASEL
((Who))

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[who?]

After passages mentioning general groups (such as "many scientists") that could be made more specific by naming (and citing sources for) specific individuals.
in-line

For placement on talk pages of articles[edit]

What to type What it makes Where it goes
((Calm))

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Talk pages which are likely to have incivil or hot-headed disputes.
((Controversial))

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Talk page
top
((Controversial-issues))

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Talk page
top
((Off topic warning))

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Talk pages which are frequently used by inexperienced users as a forum for discussion of things not related to improving the corresponding article.

For placement on talk pages of users[edit]

See also[edit]