Template:Verify source

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This template is used on approximately 5,500 pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

Shortcut

{{vsTemplate:Vs}}

This {{verify source}} template will automatically place tagged articles into Category: Wikipedia articles needing factual verification.

Usage

Put the following after the reference—after and outside of the closing </ref> tag—to request that someone verify that the cited source supports the material in the passage:

{{Verify source|date=February 2026}}

Please add the {{Verify source}} template only after you have made a good-faith attempt to verify the information yourself, and you still have good reason to question whether the source is correct. For instance, you might not be in a position to verify a given source (perhaps the only source is in a library half-way across the globe, for instance). This alone does not mean you should add this template. Only add it if you have reason to believe checking the source is necessary.

If you did attempt to verify the information, and failed, this template might not be the right one to use. If you think the source might be largely useful, perhaps only with minor mistakes (a page number was entered wrong, for instance), use {{Failed verification}} to indicate that you did attempt to verify the information, but couldn't. If you in good faith believe the source is simply wrong, inappropriate or misplaced, you should consider simply removing it.

If the information in the preceding sentences appears to be verifiable, but lacks proper inline citations, then use {{Citation needed}} (or {{Cite quote}}, for quotations) instead. If the overall article has broader sourcing problems, a banner template like {{More citations needed}} may be more appropriate.

Wikipedia usage of this template

To find all the articles that use this template, visit What links here.

This template is a self-reference, as it is part of the Wikipedia project rather than the encyclopedic content, and it should not be substituted.

If you want to help out, please visit Category: Articles lacking sources for articles which lack sources altogether.

Parameters

|date= – you may append a date to the template in the following format:
{{Verify source|date=February 2026}}
|type= – you may add a type, such as 'reprint', 'URL required,', or 'archive' in the following format:
{{Verify source|type=reprint}} becomes ^{[reprint verification needed]}

{{Verify source|type=URL required,}} becomes ^{[URL required, verification needed]}
|reason= – this parameter can be used to change the text displayed when hovering over the tag.

Related redirects

(These all redirect to Template:Verify source)

{{Check}}
{{Verification needed}}
{{Verify-inline}}
{{Verifysource}}
{{Vn}}
{{VN}}
{{Vs}}

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Verify source in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Verify source

Use this inline cleanup template to request that someone verify that the cited source supports the associated material.

Template parameters
This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Month and year	`date`	The month and year that the template was placed (in full). "{{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}" inserts the current month and year automatically. Example January 2013 Auto value `{{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}`	Line	suggested
Pre-text	`type`	Text to go before "verification needed" Example reprint, archive	Line	optional
Reason	`reason`	Change the text which is displayed when hovering over the tag	String	optional

{{By how much}} {{Definition}} {{Definition span}} {{Definition needed}} {{Example needed}} {{Example needed span}} {{Explain}} {{Explain-wrap}} {{From where}} {{How}} {{How often}} {{Misquoted}} {{More detail needed}} {{Of what}} {{Quantify}} {{Specify}} {{Vague}} {{When}} {{Where}} {{Where-geo}} {{Which}} {{Who else}} {{Why}} {{Year needed}}
Excessive	{{Duplication span}} {{Globalize inline}} {{Importance example}} {{Importance inline}} {{Infobox clutter}} {{List entry too long}} {{Long quote}} {{Off topic paragraph}} {{Off topic sentence}} {{Overly detailed inline}} {{Over-explained}} {{Relevance inline}} {{Undue weight inline}}

Time-sensitivity

Verifiability

Dubious	{{Contradictory inline}} {{Discuss}} {{Disputed inline}} {{Dubious}} {{Dubious span}} {{Inconsistent}} {{Needs independent confirmation}} {{Speculation inline}}
Bare URLs	{{Bare URL inline}} {{Bare URL AV media}} {{Bare URL DOC}} {{Bare URL image}} {{Bare URL non-HTML}} {{Bare URL PDF}} {{Bare URL plain text}} {{Bare URL spreadsheet}}
Incomplete or broken citation	{{Author incomplete}} {{Author missing}} {{Broken footnote}} {{Date missing}} {{Dead link}} {{Dead YouTube link}} {{Deep link needed}} {{Edition needed}} {{Episode needed}} {{Full citation needed}} {{Incomplete short citation}} {{ISBN missing}} {{Missing long citation}} {{Moved resource}} {{Page needed}} {{Pages needed}} {{Permanent dead link}} {{Place missing}} {{Publisher missing}} {{Season needed}} {{Time needed}} {{Title incomplete}} {{Title missing}} {{Unused source}} {{Volume needed}} {{Year missing}}
Missing or problematic reference	{{Additional citation needed}} {{AI-generated inline}} {{AI-generated source?}} {{AI-retrieved source}} {{Better source needed}} {{Better source needed example}} {{Check quotation}} {{Chronology citation needed}} {{Circular reference}} {{Circular reporting}} {{Citation needed}} {{Citation needed span}} {{Citation needed paragraph}} {{Citation not found}} {{Close paraphrasing inline}} {{COI source}} {{Deprecated inline}} {{Excessive citations inline}} {{Failed verification}} {{Failed verification span}} {{Image reference needed}} {{Independent source inline}} {{Irrelevant citation}} {{Marketing material}} {{Medical citation needed}} {{Medical citation needed span}} {{Misplaced footnote}} {{Nonspecific}} {{Not verified in body}} {{Not verified in body span}} {{Obsolete source}} {{Page range too broad}} {{Primary source inline}} {{Promotional source}} {{Quote without source}} {{Request quotation}} {{Request quotation span}} {{Retracted}} {{Scientific citation needed}} {{Self-published inline}} {{Self-published source}} {{Shallow reference inline}} {{Tertiary source inline}} {{Text-source inline}} {{Unreliable source?}} {{Unreliable fringe source}} {{Unreliable medical source}} {{Unreliable scientific source}} {{User-generated inline}} {{User-generated source}} {{Verify quote}} {{Verify source}} {{Whose quote}}

Wording

General advice

The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Verify source/doc.
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox and testcases pages.
Add categories to the /doc subpage. Subpages of this template.