Template:Self-reference

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This template is used on approximately 2,300 pages and changes may be widely noticed. Test changes in the template's /sandbox or /testcases subpages, or in your own user subpage. Consider discussing changes on the talk page before implementing them.

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The {{Self-reference}} template generates a hatnote that will not appear in any reuse of Wikipedia article content, including the printable version of an article. The template's intended purpose is to display information that is relevant only to a reader viewing the article directly within Wikipedia. Such information might include a disambiguation statement that points to a Wikipedia help page or an instruction to editors. (In Wikipedia terminology, these are forms of self-reference.)

Unlike many hatnote templates, {{Self-reference}} has no preset text, link generation, or formatting other than italics. {{Self-reference|Foo}} simply returns Foo. Many hatnote templates that do contain helpful preset text and linking, such as {{for}} and {{about}}, support a |selfref= parameter that gives them the same functionality as {{Self-reference}}, making them better options in most circumstances.

In most cases, references to the Wikipedia project are discouraged, and the valid uses for this template are rare. Consultation of the list of Self-references to avoid is advisable.

Usage

In most cases, {{Self-reference}} is used to create a disambiguation link to a page in the "Wikipedia:" namespace from article-space; for instance, the page Objectivity (disambiguation) could have a self-referential "hatnote" link at the top: {{Self-reference|For Wikipedia's policy on avoiding bias, see [[Wikipedia:Neutral point of view]].}}.

When using {{Self-reference}} in this way, use the following format:

{{Self-reference|The self-referential notice to display, including [[MOS:LINK|links]].}}

which produces:

italicized (Wikipedia house style for self-referential notes), and both preceded and followed by a linebreak.

For inline use (in body text, mid-sentence, and not in hatnotes), without the indentation and line breaking, use {{Self-reference inline}}:

{{Self-reference inline|the self-referential text to display, including [[MOS:LINKS|links]].}}

which produces: the self-referential text to display, including links. (illustrated here on the same line as other content).

Template {{Self-reference}} also has the parameter |inline:

{{Self-reference|the self-referential text to display, including [[MOS:LINKS|links]].|inline}}

However, as of early 2019,^[update] it does not always function properly, and may cause a line break under some circumstances.

Unprintworthy content

Rarely, there is other, non-self-referential content which shouldn't appear in mirrors, print editions, or other off-Wikipedia reuses of Wikipedia content, and which shouldn't be italicized as a self-reference.

It is preferable to mark such unprintworthy content with the {{Unprintworthy inline}} template (which includes the noprint CSS class, but not the plainlinks class, since links in such content will not be internal self-references). Although not all mirror sites do so, the content in question can be removed by reusers of WP content, without any reformatting, by ignoring or removing content marked up by this template, or more accurately by the selfreference CSS class that it (and some other templates) use.

Note: The following syntax has been obsolete since 2008, and if you see it, replace it as described below.

There was a deprecated, pre-2008 legacy usage of {{Selfref}} that was used for such unprintworthy cases, and pre-dates the {{Unprintworthy inline}} template. This is to simply end the template with a pipe character – |:

~~{{Selfref|the unprintworthy text to display without self-ref styling|}}~~

This method cannot be depended upon. For one thing, many editors would interpret the ending pipe as an error and remove it, turning the template into an indented self-ref hatnote! It also has not been used since 2008. Any remaining uses of it should be replaced with {{Self-reference inline}} (if real a self-references) or {{Unprintworthy inline}} (if simply unprintworthy).

Example

Code	Page on Wikipedia	Page on [some] mirrors
`{{Self-reference\|For the Wikipedia Sandbox, see [[WP:SAND]].}}` `The Wikipedia Sandbox is a page on Wikipedia. {{Self-reference\|(You can edit it by clicking "edit" on the page.)\|inline}} It has been edited many times.`	For the Wikipedia Sandbox, see WP:SAND. The Wikipedia Sandbox is a page on Wikipedia. (You can edit it by clicking "edit" on the page.) It has been edited many times.	The Wikipedia Sandbox is a page on Wikipedia. It has been edited many times.

TemplateData

This is the TemplateData for this template used by TemplateWizard, VisualEditor and other tools. See a monthly parameter usage report for Template:Self-reference in articles based on its TemplateData.

TemplateData for Self-reference

This template generates a hatnote that will not appear in any reuse of Wikipedia article content, including the printable version of an article.

Template parameters[Edit template data]
This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.
Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Text	`1`	The full wikitext. Example For Wikipedia's policy on avoiding bias, see [[Wikipedia:Neutral point of view]].	Content	required

v t e Hatnote templates
Wikipedia:Hatnote Wikipedia:Disambiguation Wikipedia:Redirect
Generic	{{Hatnote}} {{Hatnote group}} {{Self-reference}}
For and about	{{For}} {{For-text}} (for custom text) {{For-multi}} (for multiple uses) {{About}} Variations: {{Other uses}} {{Other uses of}} {{Redirect-distinguish-for}} {{About-distinguish}} {{About-distinguish-text}}
Other topics	{{Other people}} {{About other people}} (adds "about" description) {{Similar names}} {{Other storms}} {{Other places}} {{Other ships}}
Redirect	{{Redirect}} {{Redirect2}} (for two redirects) {{Redirect-multi}} (for multiple redirects) {{Redirect-several}} (for several redirects, without listing each) {{Redirect-synonym}} {{Redirect-distinguish}} {{Redirect-distinguish-text}} {{Redirect-distinguish-for}} {{Technical reasons}}
Distinguish	{{Distinguish}} (supports custom text) {{About-distinguish}} {{About-distinguish-text}} (for custom text) {{Redirect-distinguish}} {{Redirect-distinguish-text}} (for custom text) {{Redirect-distinguish-for}}
For use in sections	{{Main}} {{Main if exists}} {{Main list}} {{Further}} {{Further-text}} (for custom text) {{Further interlanguage link}} {{See also}} {{See also if exists}} {{See also-text}} (for custom text) {{For outline}} {{For timeline}}
Special	{{Broader}} {{For introduction}} {{See Wiktionary}} {{Transcluding article}} {{Transcluded section}}
Subject specific	{{About year}} {{Highway detail hatnote}} {{For LMST}} {{WikiIPA}}
Category:Hatnote templates modules for [family] names for lists hatnote templates for category pages

Template:Self-reference

Usage

Unprintworthy content

Example

TemplateData

See also