Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.[citation needed]
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The {{citation needed span}} template may be used when there is unsourced text that should be attributed to a reference citation. Unlike the template {{citation needed}}, this template attaches explicitly to a portion of text, for example one or more specific sentences, by surrounding the text with the template. This is especially useful for flagging a block of multiple facts or multiple sentences as needing citation, and for singling out a specific fact that is unsourced among many sourced ones.
Usage
Avoid use for multiple paragraphs or around a list; this causes linting errors and may disrupt the page display. Instead, consider tagging each paragraph or list item. If a whole section is affected, use {{unreferenced|section}} or {{more citations needed|section}}.
Once a citation is added, please remove this template from the surrounded text.
{{citation needed span|date=June 2026|Passage(s) to be sourced}}, or:{{citation needed span|date=June 2026|text=Passage(s) to be sourced}}
The date is optional, so the minimal syntax is:
{{citation needed span|Passage(s) to be sourced}}
Example of usage:
Sourced material.{{citation needed span|date=June 2026|Passage to be sourced. Another passage to be sourced.}}More sourced material.
- Sourced material. Passage to be sourced. Another passage to be sourced.[citation needed] More sourced material.
Compare usage of {{citation needed}}:
Sourced material. Passage to be sourced.{{Citation needed}}Another passage to be sourced.{{Citation needed}}More sourced material.
- Sourced material. Passage to be sourced.[citation needed] Another passage to be sourced.[citation needed] More sourced material.
Parameters
There are three parameters to the template:
|text=(or no parameter)- The unreferenced content that needs a citation.
|date=- The date in the form
June 2026. If omitted, AnomieBOT will add it if there are no new edits for a few minutes. |reason=- The reason for the citation request. If omitted, "This claim needs references to reliable sources." will be used. This text is shown as a tooltip.
TemplateData
TemplateData for Citation needed span
Marks a specific piece of text as needing a citation.
| Parameter | Description | Type | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Text | text 1 | The text needing a citation
| Content | required |
| Date | date | Month and year the tag was added
| Date | suggested |
| Reason? | reason | Reason the text needs a citation; shown in a tooltip
| String | suggested |
Categorization of articles
Adding this template to an article places the article into Category:All articles with unsourced statements, Category:Articles with unsourced statements, and/or dated subcategories thereof.
Redirects to this template
- {{cns}}
- {{cspan}}
- {{cnspan}}
- {{fact span}}
- {{citation span}}
- {{citations needed span}}
- {{Reference necessary}}
See also
- {{Citation needed}} – equivalent which does not precisely identify the problematic text
- {{Unreferenced section}} – for entire sections requiring verifiable references / citations
