User:Phlsph7/AddCitationNeededTagsToUnreferencedParagraphs

User script

Add "Citation needed" tags to unreferenced paragraphs
Description	Inserts "Citation needed" tags to paragraphs lacking references.
Author(s)	Phlsph7
First released	March 16, 2023; 12 months ago (2023-03-16)
Updated	March 19, 2023     (12 months ago)
Browser support	all modern browsers
Skin support	all
Source	User:Phlsph7/AddCitationNeededTagsToUnreferencedParagraphs.js

Add "Citation needed" tags to unreferenced paragraphs is a user script to assist editors in marking unreferenced paragraphs with

Installation

To install this script, go to your common.js and add the following line:

importScript('User:Phlsph7/AddCitationNeededTagsToUnreferencedParagraphs.js'); // Backlink: [[User:Phlsph7/AddCitationNeededTagsToUnreferencedParagraphs.js]]

If you run into problems or have suggestions on how to improve the script, please discuss them at User_talk:Phlsph7/AddCitationNeededTagsToUnreferencedParagraphs.

Usage

After the script is installed, it can be accessed when editing pages via the toolbox by clicking on the link Add "Citation needed" tags. Upon clicking the link, the wikitext in the text editor is changed accordingly and an edit summary is added. A short notification appears to inform the user of how many tags were added and what other tags are already found in the article.

Explanation and limitations

According to WP:Verifiability, "all material must be attributable to reliable, published sources" and "any material challenged or likely to be challenged must be supported by inline citations." Inline citations are usually placed after a passage to support it. This normally happens using the reftags (<ref>...</ref>) or similar templates ({{R}}, {{sfn}}, ...).

The script has various limitations that can result in the addition of tags where they do not belong or in the oversight of unreferenced paragraphs. Because of them, it is essential that the editor previews the added tags and makes the necessary adjustments before publishing the result.

• The script is not able to identify some existing references, such as those using the deprecated
  parenthetical style
  . It tags such paragraphs even though they are already cited.
• It may mistake text in multiline comments or templates for paragraphs and erroneously add tags.
• It also ignores various Wikipedia policies that say some passages do not need inline references. For example, material that is not likely to be challenged is not in need of inline citations, see
  WP:V and WP:You don't need to cite that the sky is blue
  .
• Partially referenced paragraphs and lists are ignored.
• Additionally, the script is unable to detect:
  • whether the cited source actually supports the text, and
  • whether the cited source is reliable.