This template indicates that the article would benefit from the use of named references to avoid repetition of references in the references section.

Usage

The first unnamed parameter will replace the words "section or article" in the template and is not required. The most common usage of this is to use one word or the other, e.g. {{Refimprove|section}} to indicate that only the section is affected by the tagged problem.

A |talk= parameter is allowed; setting this to any value will result in the message "See talk page for details." being included in the tag.

This template also includes support for using the |date= parameter. Adding this parameter sorts the article into subcategories of Category:Articles needing additional references and out of the parent category, allowing the oldest problems to be identified and dealt with first. A bot will add this parameter if it is omitted. Be careful not to abbreviate the date, because then it will automatically add a redlinked category instead of the correct category. The simplest way to use this parameter manually is {{Refimprove|{{subst:DATE}}}} but it can be done more explicitly as {{Refimprove|date=November 2024}} (both result in the same output).

Listed below are three options for usage.

{{Refimprove}}

{{Refimprove|date=November 2024}}

{{Refimprove|article|{{subst:DATE}}|talk=y}}

A user warning template, {{Uw-refimprove}}, is available to notify contributors that an article they created needs its referencing improved.

Differences from related templates

General advantage

• The naming scheme of Refimprove parallels that used for {{Refbegin}}, {{Refend}}, and {{Reflist}}, thereby reducing confusion, in compliance with the KISS principle.
• Refimprove is easy to use.

Differences from {{Primary sources}} and {{Unreferenced}}

• Refimprove uses simple, general wording so that the template can be used any time referencing in an article needs improvement.
• There is also a {{Refimprove|section}} and the normal variations.

Differences from {{Citation style}}

• This template is intended for use in articles that need additional references. In case enough references appear to be present but the style of citation needs to improve, for example if it's not immediately clear which references back which facts, please don't use this template, but use {{Citation style}} instead.

Differences from {{Citation needed}}

• Refimprove works for general and inline references whereas {{Citation needed}} is used for specific controversial statements requiring referencing.
• Unlike {{Citation needed}}, Refimprove places a very conspicuous banner on the article.

Differences from {{No footnotes}}, {{More footnotes}}

• Refimprove can be used when there is not a "References" or "Further reading" section in the article.
• Nofootnotes and Morefootnotes, when used in conjunction with a "References" or "Further reading" section, give clearer instructions on what can be done to improve the referencing of the article.

See also

• {{Refbegin}}
• {{Refend}}
• {{Reflist}}
• Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup/Verifiability and sources