View source for Template:Dubious/doc

{{Documentation subpage}}

Add {{Tl|Dubious}} after ''a specific statement or alleged fact'' that is sourced but that nevertheless seems dubious or unlikely. Most commonly, this involves uncertainty regarding [[Wikipedia:Verifiability#Sources that are usually not reliable|the veracity or accuracy of the given source]], or of an editor's interpretation of that source.

== Purpose ==
The purposes of this template are:
* to point out uncertainty over conflicting sources
* to question the veracity, accuracy, or methodology employed by a given source
* to express concerns that the source may have been misinterpreted
* to alert editors that additional sources need to be found, to ascertain the statement's validity

'''Note:''' Refer to the [[#Incorrect uses|Incorrect uses]] section below for examples of inappropriate uses, and suggested alternatives.

== Usage ==
When using this template, it is strongly suggested to simultaneously discuss the dubious statement on the article's talk page – ''and'' to point this template to a specific talk page section (either new or existing) which contains that discussion. To do so, use the following syntax:

:;{{Tlx|Dubious |{{var|Talk section name}} |4=date={{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}}}
:: Note, do ''not'' include <nowiki>Talk:PAGE#</nowiki>, just the section title.

Do not add this template to a page more than a reasonable number of times. Please consider using one of the other templates mentioned below instead.

== Parameters ==
* {{Para|1|{{var|Talk section name}}}} – the first field should point to the section name on the talk page which contains the discussion.
** If the section name contains an equal sign, use the following syntax: {{Tlx|Dubious|2=1=Does x = 5?}}.
** Other special characters used in section names (such as brackets, "[" and "]") may need to be encoded. For example, the markup:
::: {{Tlx|Dubious|K%5BX%5D is NOT integral}}
:: would produce:
:::{{Tlx|Dubious|K[X] is NOT integral}}.
* {{Para|date}} – the month and year when the template was added. Example: {{Para||date{{=}}{{CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{CURRENTYEAR}}}}.
* {{para|reason}} – Because it may not be immediately apparent to other editors what about the tagged passage is questionable, it may be helpful to add a brief reason for the tag: <code><nowiki>{{Dubious|reason=</nowiki><var>What the problem is</var><nowiki>}}</nowiki></code> (this is preferable to using an HTML <code>&lt;!-- comment --&gt;</code> after the tag, as it is tidier to keep all of the {{Tlx|Dubious}}-related code inside the template). If the explanation would be lengthy, use the article's talk page. As well as being visible in the source code for editors' benefit, the <code>reason</code> parameter is, if provided, displayed as a tooltip when the mouse is hovered over the "clarification needed" link in the article.

== Incorrect uses ==
This template is ''not'' to be used
* to directly challenge a sourced statement as being incorrect (with sources to back up your claim). Use {{tl|Disputed-inline}} instead.
* to flag unsourced statements, unless you think they are incorrect. Use {{Tl|Citation needed}} instead.
* to question the reliability&nbsp;/ verifiability of a source. Use {{Tl|Unreliable source?}} instead.
* to request verification whether the source in fact says as the statement claims. Use {{Tl|Verify source}} instead.
* to request that a difficult-to-understand statement be re-written. Use {{Tl|Clarify}} instead.

If you believe that a statement is both unverifiable and probably wrong, then you should consider [[WP:CHALLENGE|removing it from the article]] (and perhaps copying it to the talk page with an explanation) instead of tagging it.

== TemplateData ==
{{TemplateData header}}
<templatedata>
{
	"description": "Use this template to tag a specific statement or alleged fact that is sourced but which nevertheless seems dubious or unlikely to be correct.",
	"format": "inline",
	"params": {
		"1": {
			"label": "Section name on talk page",
			"description": "Section name on talk page where further information or discussion can be found",
			"type": "string"
		},
		"date": {
			"label": "Month and year",
			"description": "Month and year of tagging; e.g., 'January 2013', but not 'jan13'",
			"type": "string",
			"autovalue": "{{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}",
			"example": "January 2013",
			"suggested": true
		},
		"reason": {
			"description": "A brief summary of the problem, to be displayed on hover",
            "type": "string"
		}
	},
	"paramOrder": [
		"1",
		"date",
		"reason"
	]
}
</templatedata>

== See also ==
* [[Template:Dubious span]]
{{Dispute templates}}
{{Inline tags}}

<includeonly>{{Sandbox other||
[[Category:Inline citation and verifiability dispute templates]]
}}</includeonly>