In this article we will be addressing the topic of Template:Unreliable source?, which has aroused great interest in today's society due to its relevance and impact in various areas. Template:Unreliable source? is a topic that has generated controversy and debate, as well as aroused the interest of experts and specialists in the field. Along these lines, we will explore different aspects related to Template:Unreliable source?, examining its origins, evolution, implications and possible solutions. There is no doubt that Template:Unreliable source? represents a topic of great importance in the current context, so it is essential to deepen its understanding and analysis.
| This template is used on approximately 14,000 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. |
This template is intended to be used when a statement is sourced but it is questionable whether the source used is reliable for supporting the statement. It produces a superscripted notation like the following:
Articles tagged with this template will be categorized into Category:All articles lacking reliable references.
Place this template inline, {{Unreliable source?|date=December 2025}} following the questionable source. The template should be placed outside and immediately after the reference to the questionable source (<ref> ... </ref>), within the article's text:
<ref>some alleged source for this</ref>{{Unreliable source?|date=December 2025}} Next sentence.The template has the following optional parameters:
{{Unreliable source?|date=December 2025}}{{Unreliable source?|reason=Your WP:RS-based reason here.|date=December 2025}}|reason= parameter, and only after a good faith attempt to verify the reliability of the source in question. Example: {{Unreliable source?|sure=y|reason=Your WP:RS-based reason here.|date=December 2025}} NOTE: This parameter has an alias, |failed=, which may make more grammatical sense when used with certain redirects like {{verify credibility}}.This template should be used to express your doubt about the credibility of a source.
This tag should not be used on unreliably sourced contentious statements about living persons; if a source for such a statement is not reliable, the statement and the source should be removed immediately.
For whole articles or article sections that rely on suspect sources, considering using the banner template {{More citations needed}} or {{More citations needed section}}, respectively, rather than individually tagging a large number of statements.
For sources promoting fringe theories and pseudo-science, the more specific template {{Unreliable fringe source}} can be used. Even more specifically, flag improperly sourced medical claims with {{Unreliable medical source}}.
This tag should not be used to indicate that the sourced material could not be found within a given source. In that case, {{failed verification}} is a better template. For statements that have failed verification and have a questionable would-be source, consider removal of the source (and possibly the statement) over using both tags.
TemplateData for Unreliable source?
Used when a statement is sourced but it is questionable whether the source used is reliable for supporting the statement.
| Parameter | Description | Type | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reason | reason | Note explaining why you think the source is unreliable as per WP:RS. Displays as a tool tip | String | optional |
| Certain? | certain sure failed | If set to "y" or "yes" will remove the question mark from the template's output to denote a degree of certainty that the source is unreliable
| Boolean | optional |
| Month and year | date | Month and year of tagging; e.g., 'January 2013', but not 'jan13'
| String | suggested |
| Displayed tag text | name | Text displayed by the in-line tag between the square brackets
| String | optional |
{{Better source needed}}, an alternative to {{Unreliable source?|certain=y}}; especially useful for tagging sources that are low-quality but not necessarily wrong{{Dubious}}, for questionable claims that seem unlikely to be properly sourceable{{Obsolete source}}, for when a source has been surpassed by more recent works{{Primary source inline}}, for misuse of primary source material{{Unreliable fringe source}}, for fringe sources{{Unreliable medical source}}, for fringe medical sources in particular