View source for BattleIntelligence:Template index/Cleanup

{{Information page|shortcut=BTW:TC|shortcut2=BTW:TMC|shortcut3=BTW:CLEANUPTAG|shortcut4=BTW:CTAGS}}
{{Nutshell|Add template messages to inform readers and editors of specific problems with articles or sections, but do '''not''' use them as a badge of shame.}}
{{For|general help on tagging pages|Information:Tagging pages for problems}}

'''Template messages''' ('''maintenance tags''', '''cleanup tags''', '''cleanup messages''') may be added to articles needing [[BattleIntelligence:Cleanup|cleanup]]. Their purposes are to foster improvement of the encyclopedia by alerting editors to changes that need to be made. Cleanup tags are meant to be temporary notices that lead to an effort to fix the problem, not a permanent ''badge of shame'' to show that you disagree with an article, or a method of warning readers about an article.

Unless otherwise noted, cleanup messages should be placed at the top of the page, before other templates, images, or infoboxes, but after hatnotes (see {{Section link|BattleIntelligence:Hatnote|Placement}}). Cleanup messages should be placed directly on the article or file, not on its talk page. Certain tags can be placed at the beginning of an individual section, and others can be placed within the text itself (inline).

Before you tag an article, please remember the following:
;Don't tag an article if you can easily and confidently fix the problem.
: The goal is an improved article, not a tagged article.
;Do some research to attempt to solve the problem before tagging.
: Don't put the burden of doing so on another editor if you are capable of fixing the problem yourself with a simple search or consulting a reference work.
;Don't do "drive-by" tagging.
: Tags must be accompanied by either a comment on the article's talk page explaining the problem and beginning a discussion on how to fix it or, for simpler and more obvious problems, a remark using the ''reason'' parameter (available in all templates, regardless of whether it appears in the documentation) as shown below. At the very least, tagging editors must be willing to follow through with substantive discussion.
;Don't do "drive-by" de-tagging.
:Likewise, please provide a similar rationale for [[BTW:WTRMT|removing a template]], unless your preceding edits have clearly fixed the announced problem. See also [[BTW:WNTRMT|when not to remove a template]].
;Don't insert tags that are similar or redundant.
: For example, most articles that read like essays have an inappropriate tone, and in fact they end up being automatically grouped in the same category, so it is unnecessary to tag with both {{tl|tone}} and {{tl|copy-edit}}.
;If an article has many problems, tag only the highest priority issues.
: A lengthy list is often less helpful than a shorter one. {{crossreference|(See also: [[Information:Tag bombing]] and {{section link|Information:Tagging pages for problems|Over-tagging}})}}
;Don't add tags for trivial or minor problems, especially if an article needs a lot of work.
: For example, there is little point in noting grammatical problems for a section that needs to be completely re-written to comply with content policies. Focus on the biggest one, two, or three problems.

==Best practices==
===Does the page need it?===
Before placing templates on a page it is worthwhile to cast a [[w:Critical thinking|critical]] eye over the page to determine whether indeed it should be included in BattleIntelligence. If you find that the article should be tagged or nominated for deletion, [[Help:Deletion|please see this guideline in doing so]].

===Obscure or unpopular articles===
On pages that have received little attention from editors or readers, cleanup templates can be used as a way to call attention to problems that need to be addressed by editors. Editors who want to help address these problems should look through the various [[:Category:Cleanup|cleanup categories]] such as [[:Category:Maintenance|maintenance]] and [[:Category:Articles with content issues|articles with content issues]] and try to address the problems so that the templates can be removed.

===Heavily monitored articles===
On pages that are being edited by a number of users, cleanup templates are used to inform readers and editors of ongoing discussions and attempts to fix the problems on the page. Such templates can be used to attract uninvolved users to discussions and cleanup efforts, and they can also serve as a warning to casual readers that the article may have problems and be subject to noticeable changes. In general, an editor who places a template message to indicate a problem like this should explain their rationale fully on the [[Help:Talk pages|talk page]] of the article. If the [[BattleIntelligence:Consensus|consensus]] of the other editors is that there is a problem or an editorial dispute that deserves such a clean-up template, then the editors should work to fix the problem as quickly and cleanly as possible so the template message can be removed. If the consensus is that there is no problem, then the message can be removed immediately. For heavily monitored articles, please do not add or remove template messages of this sort without using the talk page.

===Use in sections===
Many of these cleanup tags require you to place <code>|article</code> as the first parameter when you use the tag at the top of an article. When you want the template to refer to just one section, however, you replace <code>|article</code> with <code>|section</code> (where the <code>|</code> is a pipe key {{Key press|pipe}} found on most keyboards as a shift-backslash {{Key press|Shift|\}}. See the specific template below to determine if such "section use" is supported and appropriate.

===Tag consolidation===
If too many tags are put at the top of an article, the article can become eclipsed by the tags, especially with short or stub articles. Consider consolidating the tags into {{tl|multiple issues}}.

==Cleanup==
=== Overarching copyright issues ===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
|-
{{tlrow|copypaste|article|category=Copied and pasted articles and sections}}
|}

=== Combined message boxes ===
Do not use this as the {{em|only}} message box on the article or section; it should be used with at least two other message boxes sandwiched inside it.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes) — multiple issues (top of article)
|-
|{{tlp|multiple issues}}<br />
{{Lts/|Multiple issues}}
|{{multiple issues|
{{POV}}
{{no footnotes}}
{{Confusing}}
{{Incomprehensible}}
}}
|}

{| class="wikitable" align="center"
|align="center" style="background:#F2F2F2;"|'''Tag'''
|width=100% align="center" style="background:#F2F2F2;"|'''Text that will be shown (and usage notes) — multiple issues (section)'''
|-
|{{tlp|multiple issues|section{{=}}yes}}<br />
{{Lts/|Multiple issues}}
|{{multiple issues|section=yes|
{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2008}}
{{Disputed section|date=June 2009}}
{{Expand section|1=examples and additional citations|date=June 2012}}
}}
|}

===General cleanup===
Use one of these general tags when none of the more specific tags fits.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|cleanup|article|category=Cleanup}}
* This applies to general problems not addressed by other tags.
* Please consider using specific cleanup tags first, as specific tags help other editors to easily identify problems in an article.
* Use the ''reason'' parameter: cleanup|reason= to specify issues identified (it may be a link to comments on the talk page).
{{tlrow|cleanup rewrite||article|category=Articles needing rewrite}}
* Use this tag where the whole article needs extensive revision.
{{tlrow|section rewrite||category=Articles needing rewrite}}
* Use this tag where a section needs extensive revision.<br>(This is the same cleanup rewrite tag with section parameter enabled)
{{tlrow|cleanup section|category=Cleanup}}
* Use this tag where the remaining sections of an article need cleanup.
|}

====Copy editing====
Some articles just need someone with a good grasp of editing technique to give them a once-over.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|copy edit|article|category=Articles needing copy edit}}
{{tlrow|copy edit section|category=Articles needing copy edit}}
{{tlrow|verify spelling||category=Articles needing clarification}}
|}

====Inline with article text====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|Copy edit inline|category=Articles needing copy edit}}
* This template tags a statement for basic copyediting, and should be placed after the statement.
|}

===Fiction===
{{See also|BattleIntelligence:Manual of Style/Writing about fiction}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|all plot|article|category=Fiction articles to be expanded}}
{{tlrow|long plot|article|category= Articles with plot summary needing attention}}
{{tlrow|more plot|article|category=Articles with plot summary needing attention}}
{{tlrow|no plot|article|category=Articles without plot summaries}}
|}

===Style of writing===
{{see also|BattleIntelligence:Five pillars|Policy:What BattleIntelligence is not|BattleIntelligence:Words to watch}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|abbreviations|article|category=Articles with style issues}}
{{tlrow|repetition|article|category=Articles with style issues}}
{{tlrow|story|article|category=Articles with style issues}}
{{tlrow|tone|article|category=Articles with style issues}}
{{tlrow|verbosity|article|category=Articles with style issues}}
|}

===Structure, formatting and sections===
{{See also|Help:Section|BattleIntelligence:Manual of Style/Headings|BattleIntelligence:Manual of Style/Layout}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|copy edit|category=Articles needing copy edit}}
{{tlrow|duplication|category=Articles in need of internal merging}}
{{tlrow|sections|category=Articles needing sections}}
{{tlrow|very long|category=Articles that may be too long}}
|}

====Introduction====
{{See also|BattleIntelligence:Manual of Style/Lead section}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|lead missing|category=Introduction cleanup}}
{{tlrow|lead rewrite|category=Introduction cleanup}}
{{tlrow|lead too long|category=Introduction cleanup}}
{{tlrow|lead too short|category=Introduction cleanup}}
|}

===Potentially unwanted content===
{{see also|Policy:What BattleIntelligence is not}}

====Message boxes====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|AI-generated|article or section|category=Articles containing suspected AI-generated texts}}
{{tlrow|cleanup list|article or section|category=list cleanup}}
* For use in articles or sections where potentially unwanted lists need to be salvaged before being deleted
{{tlrow|cleanup red links|article or section|category=Red link cleanup}}
{{tlrow|copypaste|article|category=Copied and pasted articles and sections}}
{{tlrow|criticism section|article|category=neutral point of view disputes}}
{{tlrow|external links|article|category=external links cleanup}}
{{tlrow|MOS|category=articles with style issues}}
|}

===Context, statistics and detail===
{{Anchor|Context and detail}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|context|article|category=Articles needing context}}
{{tlrow|overly detailed|category=Articles that are excessively detailed}}
|}

====Off-topic====
Articles occasionally contain content which is otherwise valid, but appears unrelated to the nominal topic of the article.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|off topic|category=articles that may have off-topic sections}}
* Also takes "other article" parameter
|}

===Expand and add===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|expand section|category=Articles to be expanded}}
* When calling this template, you may pass it a parameter. A template call like {{tlx |expand section | examples and additional citations}} generates: "This section requires expansion with: examples and additional citations."
{{tlrow|lacking overview|category=BattleIntelligence articles needing context}}
{{tlrow|missing information|category=Articles to be expanded}}
* When calling this template, you must pass it a parameter. A template call like {{tlx |Missing information | why bananas are yellow}} generates "This article is missing information about why bananas are yellow."
|}

===Time-sensitive===
{{See also|BattleIntelligence:Manual of Style/Dates and numbers|Category:Temporal templates}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
|-
| {{tlx|update needed|Example}}
| {{update needed|Example}}
{{tlrow|update|category=Articles in need of updating}}
|-
| {{tlx|update|inaccurate{{=}}y}}<br /><small>[[:Category:Articles with obsolete information|category]]</small>
| {{update|inaccurate=y|categories=no|nocat=true}}
|}

====Inline with article text====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|clarify timeframe|category=articles with vague or ambiguous time}}
* For tagging [[BTW:DATED]] problems
{{tlrow|update after|category=Articles in need of updating|nocat=true}}
* For facts that likely will need updating at a specific future date.
{{tlrow|update inline|category=Articles in need of updating}}
* For facts that need updating as soon as possible.
{{tlrow|as of|category=Articles containing potentially dated statements}}
* Used within prose to attribute a specific time to information that may quickly become dated.
|}

===Major edits===

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|under construction|article|category=Pages actively undergoing construction}}
{{tlrow|under development|category=Draft administrative pages}}
{{tlrow|in use|category=Pages actively undergoing a major edit}}
{{tlrow|in creation|category=Pages actively undergoing a major edit}}
|}

===Contradiction and confusion===
:'''Note:''' Templates relevant for when articles are confusing or hard to understand.

{{Tlrowtop}}
{{tlrow|confusing|category=Articles needing clarification}}
* Use this tag in articles that need broad cleanup to eliminate confusion and discrepancies.
{{tlrow|contradicts other|category=Articles contradicting other articles}}
{{tlrow|contradicts others|example|illustration|category=Articles contradicting other articles}}
* Use these tags in articles that appear to contradict themselves or each other.
{{tlrow|incomprehensible|category=articles needing clarification}}
{{tlrow|misleading|category=Misleading articles}}
* Use this tag when the article is not factually ''wrong,'' but leads the reader to draw incorrect conclusions.
{{tlrow|self-contradictory|category=Self-contradictory articles}}
{{tlrow|unfocused|category=Articles lacking focus}}
* Use this tag when the writing is clear, but the article as a whole doesn't concentrate on a single theme.
{{end}}

====Inline with article text====
{{Tlrowtop}}
{{tlrow|contradict-inline|category=Self-contradictory articles}}
* Use this for specific sentences which contradict themselves or a nearby sentence.
{{tlrow|expand acronym}}
* Use this to mark acronyms and abbreviations that are not written in full at first occurrence.
{{tlrow|inconsistent|category=Inconsistent articles}}
* Use this to mark statements that are inconsistent with other parts of the article.
{{tlrow|vague|optional mouseover message|category=rticles needing clarification}}
* Use this for specific sentences needing clarification.
{{end}}

===Content forks===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|bad summary|category=BattleIntelligence articles with content forks}}
{{tlrow|duplication|category=Articles in need of internal merging}}
|}

===Importance and notability===
{{See also2|[[Policy:What BattleIntelligence is not]] (importance conveyed by sources) and [[Policy:Notability]] (coverage by sources).}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|importance inline}}
* inline version of {{tlp|importance section}}
{{tlrow|importance section}}<!--no category-->
{{tlrow|notability|category=Articles with topics of unclear notability}}
* An optional parameter can be added to specify the applicable guideline; e.g.: {{tlp|notability|biographies}}, {{tlp|notability|fiction}}. See the [[Template:Notability/doc|template documentation]] for a list of supported values.
|}

===Neutrality and factual accuracy===
{{see also|Policy:Neutral point of view|Policy:Dispute resolution|Policy:Verifiability}}

====Message boxes====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|COI|category=articles with possible conflicts of interest}}
{{tlrow|disputed|category=Accuracy disputes}}
{{tlrow|disputed section|category=Accuracy disputes}}
{{tlrow|POV|category=Neutral point of view disputes}}
{{tlrow|POV lead|category=Neutral point of view disputes}}
{{tlrow|POV section|category=Neutral point of view disputes}}
{{tlrow|undue weight|section|category=Neutral point of view disputes}}
|}

====Inline with superimposed text====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|according to whom|category=Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases}}
* For weasel words ("It was said..." It was thought...")
{{tlrow|clarify|category=Articles needing clarification}}
* Do not use without first taking some steps to research the apparent problem
{{tlrow|dubious|category=Articles with disputed statements}}
{{tlrow|editorializing|category=Articles with minor POV problems}}
{{tlrow|excessive citations inline|category=Citation overkill}}
* For abuse of citations, per [[BattleIntelligence:Citing sources]].
{{tlrow|POV statement|category=Articles with POV problems}}
{{tlrow|undue weight inline|category=Articles with POV problems}}
{{tlrow|when|category=Vague or ambiguous time}}
* For ambiguous or vague time references of various kinds.
{{tlrow|who|category=Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases}}
* For weasel words ("Many say..." Some people think...")
|}

===Verifiability and sources===
{{See also|Policy:Verifiability|Guideline:Reliable sources|Policy:Citing sources}}

===Categories===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
|-
{{tlrow|improve categories|article|category=Articles needing additional categories}}
|-
{{tlrow|recategorize|category=Too many categories}}
|-
{{tlrow|uncategorized|category=Uncategorized pages}}
* Place this at the '''bottom''' of an uncategorized article/category if you are unsure of which categories apply.
|-
|}

===Lists===
{{see also|BattleIntelligence:Manual of Style/Lists}}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|cleanup list|article or section|category=List cleanup}}
* For use in non-list articles or sections where potentially unwanted lists need to be salvaged before being deleted
{{tlrow|create list|category=List cleanup}}
* Use this tag where an article needs to be changed into list format.
{{tlrow|disputed list|category=Accuracy disputes}}
* To identify a list that has content whose truth, factual nature, and/or relevance to the topic is in dispute.
{{tlrow|list scope|article|category=List cleanup}}
* To identify a list that has entries that may be out of scope.
{{tlrow|list to table|category=List cleanup}}
* For use where lists could be better presented as tables.
{{tlrow|Unsorted list|category=List cleanup}}
* Use this tag where a list is in reverse-chronological order or otherwise contravenes the [[MOS:LISTSORT]].
{{tlrow|prose|article|category=List cleanup}}
* Use this tag where a list may need converting into an article.
|}

===Wiki tech===
Most of these issues are covered in the main [[BattleIntelligence:Manual of Style|Manual of Style]].

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|dead end|article|category=Dead-end pages}}
* Use this to mark articles or sections that completely lack internal links.
{{Replace|{{tlrow|disambiguation cleanup|category=Disambiguation pages in need of cleanup}}|__DISAMBIG__|}}
* Use this for disambiguation pages not written according to the style in [[BattleIntelligence:Manual of Style/Disambiguation]].
* Replace {{tl|disambiguation}} with this.
{{tlrow|orphan|category=Orphaned articles}}
* Use this for articles that aren't linked to from any other pages.
{{tlrow|uncategorized|category=Uncategorized pages}}
* Place this at the '''bottom''' of an uncategorized article/category if you are unsure of which categories apply.
{{tlrow|underlinked|article|category=Articles with too few wikilinks}}
* Use this to mark articles or sections with too few internal links.
|}

====Infobox needed====
{{See also|Help:Infobox|Category:Infobox templates}}
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|infobox requested|category=Articles with an infobox request}}
* This template should be used on talk pages.
* Also has functionality to indicate that only a section in a page needs one. See the template page for more info.
{{tlrow|new infobox|category=Pages needing an infobox conversion}}
* This template should be used on talk pages.
|}

====Infobox cleanup needed====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Tag
!width=100%|Text that will be shown (and usage notes)
{{tlrow|cleanup infobox|category=Infobox cleanup}}
|}

==Other article tags==
There are also tags available for:
* [[BattleIntelligence:Template index/Merging|'''merging''']] articles;
* [[BattleIntelligence:Template index/Moving|'''moving''']] articles;
* [[BattleIntelligence:Template index/Splitting|'''splitting''']] articles;

==See also==
* This essay on [[w:Wikipedia:Responsible tagging|Wikipedia essay about responsible tagging]] includes advice on what sorts of things one can say on to help others see that every tag makes sense for the article.
* [[Information:Tagging pages for problems]]

<noinclude>
{{Inline cleanup tags|state=uncollapsed}}
{{BattleIntelligence templates}}
[[Category:WikiProject Cleanup|*]]
[[Category:Template administration]]
</noinclude>