Template:Why
[why?]
Usage
To tag a statement as being in need of clarification, add the following code:
{{Why|reason=Your explanation here|date=November 2025}}
- This tag adds pages with tagged statements into Category:Wikipedia articles needing clarification, or a dated subcategory thereof.
- To automatically add the current date, you can use substitution:
{{subst:Why?}}. - The
|date=parameter need not be added by the editor: if not entered, a bot will soon add it. The date parameter consists of the full English name of the current month with initial capital, a space, and the year, not full dates; e.g., "January 2013", but not "jan13". Any deviation from these two rules will result in an "invalid date parameter" error. - The
|reason=parameter is optional but often helpful. It is displayed as a tooltip in some browsers (hover the mouse here [why?] to check behavior of your browser). For example, the following usage might be appropriate to the claim that "Humphrey Bogart has won several snooker world championships":{{Why|reason=This claim isn't clear.|date=November 2025}}
- Use only plain text for the
|reason=parameter. It does not support wiki markup like wikilinks, which can "mess up" the tooltip. - Double quotation marks used within the
|reason=parameter will likewise "mess up" the tooltip; use single quotes or the HTML code"instead.
- This template should be installed directly after punctuation, such as a full stop (period) or a comma.
- Remove the template when you add an explanation for a statement.
TemplateData
This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Why in articles based on its TemplateData.
TemplateData for Why
A cleanup tag to indicate that a statement is in need of causal clarification.
| Parameter | Description | Type | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reason asked | reason | Explanation of why causal clarity is needed
| String | optional |
| Month and year | date | Provides the month and year of the citation request; e.g., 'January 2013', but not 'jan13'
| String | suggested |
