How to Add References to A Wikipedia Page
So, you are done writing a Wikipedia draft that satisfies your need for perfection and Wikipedia’s guidelines. What follows is the rather herculean challenge of citing all the details you have provided on your Wikipedia page. Therefore, we tagged it daunting because we realize that it is one of the most dreary and mentally exhausting stages of work.
That is why we developed this guide for anyone interested in the mechanisms of citation of sources in the context of Wikipedia. Whether you want to , proper citation is
What Are Citations/References?
Before plunging straight into the discussion, let us first try to decipher what references are. For example, when you find an article on Wikipedia and read it, sometimes you find small numbered links attached to the end of some sentences or a certain line of paragraphs. These are citations or references. They serve one purpose: to indicate the source of information that is presented in the article.
Suppose you are a high school student, and you are reading an article about a certain historical period, and you are shocked by a certain fact. Of course, you may ask in response, “Is this true?” That is why citations are used. When you click on the numbered link, you actually go to the source of the information, whether it’s a book, website, or journal article. This allows you to verify the facts for yourself.
Why Citations Are Important?
So now you know what citations are but still don’t understand why they are important. Think of citations as the pillar of a Wikipedia page. They provide credibility and reliability to the content.
They also help moderators as every page is reviewed before it goes live. And these mods go through everything written in the draft. The mods evaluate all the links you added to and determine if they are reliable sources or not. If you submit a page without citations, the mods will reject it, and your page will never see the light of day. Citations are also important for several reasons:
- Credibility: They demonstrate that reliable sources back the information.
- Transparency: They allow readers to trace the origin of the information.
- Verifiability: They enable you to check the accuracy of the content.
Citations are a way of saying, “I did not pluck this information out of the air; this is where I got my information from.” So be sure to add citations; if not, you will be met with a “citation needed” on your page, or your page can actually be deleted.
How to Find Reliable Sources?
Now, let’s move on to choosing sources that you will use to cite. Wikipedia wants its editors to use reliable sources. But what does this mean? Is your Facebook post or your company website considered reliable?
Well, reliable sources are, simply put, those sources that are well-known for their accuracy and thorough fact-checking. These sources typically have an editorial process, meaning experts review the information before it’s published. Examples of reliable sources include: • Academic and peer-reviewed publications • University textbooks • Books published by reputable publishing houses • Mainstream newspapers and news websites (for news, not opinions)
While there are many reliable sources available, there are also sources you should avoid using, like self-published articles or blogs and any links that are promotional as they normally bypass the editorial standards. Wikipedia has a detailed guide on how links are evaluated, which you can find here.
How Many Types of Citations Are There?
Now that you are familiar with citations and what reliable links are, let’s get to the main dish: how to add citations. There are a few different types of citations that you can use. They all have their specific purpose, but their main goal is to provide verifiability. Let’s look at them real quick: • Inline Citations: These are added right after the sentence or paragraph they support, usually as footnotes. They directly link to the source, making it easy for readers to check the information. • In-Text Attribution: In-text attribution references the source directly in the article text. For example, “Rawls argues that X,” followed by a footnote. This is useful for quoting, paraphrasing closely, or presenting opinions. The full source details are in the footnote.
How to Add Inline Citations?
There are a couple of ways that you can use to add inline citations. Some are more complicated than others and can lead to confused head scratching. Let’s learn about these methods:
Using RefToolbar
RefToolbar is a default feature located in the edit window of Wikipedia that intends to ease the process of inserting references. Here’s how to use it:
- Place your cursor after the sentence or fact you want to reference.
- Click “Cite” at the top of the edit window.
- Choose a template from the dropdown menu that fits your source type (e.g., {{cite web}}, {{cite book}}).
- Fill in the source information in the template window.
- Give the reference a unique name in the “Ref name” field.
- Click “Insert” to add the citation.
Manually Adding References
Now for the part that can lead you to the confused head scratching. If you prefer to add references manually, you can do so using <ref>…</ref> tags. Here’s an example: <ref>{{cite web| url = https://example.com | title = Example Page | publisher = Example Publisher | date = 2023-07-09 }}</ref>
Be sure to include as much information as possible about the source.
Using the 2017 Wikitext Editor
We recommend that you use this method as it is visually the easiest. To use the automated tool in the 2017 wikitext editor:
- Enable the 2017 wikitext editor in your preferences.
- Edit the source of the page.
- Insert citations using the automated tool in the visual editor.
It can’t get easier than this, trust us!
Adding a References Section
If you are writing a brand new article, then you do not have the “References” section, so include the one. This can be done easily by copying the following code at the end of the article: == Notes == {{reflist}}
Ensuring Proper Formatting
Correct formatting is essential in these aspects since it will make the document easy to read and have a proper flow. This is the general format for referencing a book: <ref>{{cite book| last = AuthorLastName | first = AuthorFirstName | title = BookTitle | publisher = PublisherName | date = PublicationYear | isbn = ISBNNumber }}</ref>
For web sources: <ref>{{cite web| url = WebsiteURL | title = WebPageTitle | publisher = PublisherName | date = AccessDate }}</ref>
Also, make sure that you: • Use appropriate templates for different types of sources. • Fill in as many details as possible. • Avoid using bare URLs.
Need Help with Citations? Let The Wiki Inc Assist You!
As you would have gathered by now, updating Wikipedia with citations can be a slow process, but at the same time, this is the best way to ensure the information is accurate and trustworthy. You must be feeling confused at the moment, so don’t worry; we have something for you – The Wiki Inc!
At The Wiki Inc, you will work with a team of experts dedicated to helping you, your company, or your organization to build, rewrite, and manage your own Wikipedia page. Experienced editors on our team will be able to work according to Wikipedia’s policies and make sure that your work is of the best quality. Whether you are concerned about Wikipedia page creation cost or the intricacies of how to create a biography page on Wikipedia, we’ve got you covered.
Thus, if you are afraid of the complexities associated with editing in Wikipedia, then this step should not discourage you. Let The Wiki Inc take the hassle out of adding citations and maintaining your Wikipedia page. Contact us today to learn how we can help you make your Wikipedia contributions shine.
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