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The {{Failed verification}} tag is used when an editor tried to verify the information in an article with its sources, but failed to do so. The tag will categorise articles into Category:All articles with failed verification. This template is a self-reference and thus is part of the Wikipedia project rather than the encyclopedic content. This template should only be used with references that exist, but do not support the information they claim to.
When to use
[edit]Use this tag only if:
- an inline citation to a source is given,
- you have checked the source,
- the source does not support what is contained in the article, and
- despite the source not supporting the article, the source still contains useful information on the topic.
For example, if the article says that 26% of statistics are made up, and the source says that statistics are made up without giving a percentage, then that information has failed verification. If you are unable to fix the error, then you should tag the information as not matching the named source. If the discrepancy between the source and the article isn't obvious, then please explain the situation in detail on the talk page.
If the source given is an unreachable website, keep the source and mark it with {{Dead link}} instead. See Wikipedia:Link rot and WP:DEADREF for more information.
If no source is given, and you believe that an inline citation is necessary for that information, then use {{Citation needed}}.
If the source has absolutely no relevance to any part of the article, delete the reference and replace with {{Citation needed}}.
How to use
[edit]Placement
[edit]The template should be placed outside the reference (<ref> ... </ref>), within the article's text:
- ... 26% of statistics are made up.
<ref>some alleged source for this</ref>{{Failed verification|date=July 2025}}Next sentence in the article.
Common form (with current date)
[edit]{{Failed verification|date=July 2025}}
Optional parameters
[edit]Link to the relevant section on the current page's talk page with:
|talk=Section title
or to a discussion elsewhere with:
|talkpage=Talk:Page name
or:
|talkpage=Talk:Page name#Section title
Add a brief note on the nature of the verification failure with:
|reason=A sentence here.
This is displayed as a mouse-over tooltip, and may be of use to later editors trying to resolve the verification issue.
Template data
[edit]TemplateData for Failed verification
The template will categorize articles into [[:Category:All articles with failed verification]].
| Parameter | Description | Type | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month and year | date | Provides the month and year (e.g. 'January 2013', but not 'jan13').
| String | suggested |
| Current page's relevant talk section | talk | Title of the appropriate section of the current page's talk page, for further discussion of the verification failure (e.g. 'Section title'). (No need to add # to '#Section title'). | String | optional |
| Another page's relevant talk section | talkpage | Title of the appropriate section of another page's talk page, for further discussion of the verification failure (e.g. 'Talk:Page name#Section title'). | String | optional |
| Reason | reason | A brief note, displayed as a mouse-over tooltip. May be of use to later editors. | String | optional |
See also
[edit]{{Failed verification span}}: Use when inline citations have been supplied which support some portion of the statement in question, but not all of it.{{Text-source inline}}: Use when multiple inline citations to a source are given, but not all of them support the same information.{{Unreliable source?}}: Use when an inline citation to a source is given, but it is questionable whether the source used is reliable for supporting the statement.{{Unreliable source?|certain=y}}: Use when an inline citation to a source is given, but it is an unreliable source.{{Cite check}}: Use when the article or section may have inappropriate or misinterpreted citations (generates a hatnote).{{Verify source}}- Wikipedia:Citing sources, especially Unsourced material
- Wikipedia:Identifying reliable sources
- Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup#Verifiability and sources
- Wikipedia:Template messages/Sources of articles
- Wikipedia:Verifiability
- Wikipedia:WikiProject Fact and Reference Check
