Template:Clarify
Use this template in the body text of an article as a request for other editors to clarify text that is difficult to understand. When the problem is not with the wording, but the sourcing, one may use {{specify}} instead. For dealing with dubious information, please use one of the following: {{citation needed}}, {{verify source}}, or {{disputed inline}}. For sentences that are simply ungrammatical or awkwardly written, rather than unclear in their content, use {{copy edit inline}}. This template is a self-reference.
Usage
This is an inline template which should be placed immediately after the material in question, as with a footnote. For example:
This sentence needs clarification.{{clarify|date=August 2026}}→ This sentence needs clarification.[clarification needed]- The wikilink on "clarification needed" is set to Policy:Please clarify.
Parameters
- Abbreviated parameter sets
{{Clarify|date=August 2026}}{{Clarify|date=August 2026|reason= }}{{Clarify|date=August 2026|reason= |text= }}
- Full parameter set
{{Clarify|date=August 2026|reason= |text= |pre-text= |post-text= }}
- Parameter descriptions
|date=- Like all inline templates, this Clarify template allows a date parameter which records when the clarify tag was added. If the date parameter was not included when this template was added, the date parameter will automatically be added soon after by a bot. Alternatively, you may add the date automatically (without requiring bot intervention) by substituting the template. That is:
{{subst:Clarify}}is equivalent to{{Clarify|date=August 2026}}. This substitution technique also works if other parameters –|reason=|pre-text=|post-text=– are included.
|reason=- Because it may not be immediately apparent to other readers and / or editors what the specific reason the tagged passage is in need of clarification, it is generally helpful to add a brief reason for the Clarify tag:
{{Clarify|reason=What the problem is}}(this is preferable to using an HTML<!-- comment -->after the tag, as it is tidier to keep all of the{{Clarify}}-related code inside the template). If the request reason would be lengthy, use the article's talk page to address the issue in detail. - As well as being visible in the source code for readers and editors' benefit, the
reasonparameter is, if provided, displayed as a pop-up when the mouse is hovered over the 'clarification needed' link in the article.
|text=- The particular text needing clarification may be highlighted within the prose by wrapping this Clarify template around it:
- As an example:
- Understandable text preceding the template,
{{Clarify|text=unclear or ambiguous text,|date=August 2026}}understandable text following the template.
- Understandable text preceding the template,
- produces:
- Understandable text preceding the template, unclear or ambiguous text,[clarification needed] understandable text following the template.
- As an example:
- Please note: when using this
text=parameter, please ensure you leave a space before starting the template code.
|pre-text=|post-text=- One can specify additional text to appear before and / or after the displayed 'clarification needed' tag using either (or both) the two parameters listed above.
- Examples follow:
{{Clarify|pre-text=remove or}}- will cause the text 'remove or' to appear before 'clarification needed' like this:[remove or clarification needed]
{{Clarify|post-text=(complicated jargon)}}- will cause '(complicated jargon)' to appear after 'clarification needed' like this:[clarification needed (complicated jargon)]
{{Clarify|post-text=(see [[Talk:Example#Clarification needed|talk]])}}- can be used to link to a discussion on the article's talk page; this example produces:[clarification needed (see talk)]
TemplateData
TemplateData for Clarify
Use this inline template as a request for other editors to clarify text that is difficult to understand. Place immediately after the material in question.
| Parameter | Description | Type | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reason | reason | A brief reason for the tag. Avoid using wikilinks, as they will be converted to plain text in the output. | String | suggested |
| Text | text | Text fragment containing concerns the tag is supposed to address. | String | optional |
| Date | date | The date the tag was added (this will be added automatically soon by a bot if not added manually).
| String | suggested |
| Pre-text | pre-text | Any string to be added before the "Clarify" tag, such as "?"
| String | optional |
| Post-text | post-text | Any string to be added after the "Clarify" tag, such as "complicated jargon". | String | optional |
Categorization
Adding this template to an article will automatically place the article into Category:Articles needing clarification, or a dated subcategory thereof.
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