Template:Why/doc

Usage

See also: Template:Purpose

To tag a statement as being in need of clarification, add the following code:

{{Why|reason=Your explanation here|date=July 2026}}

• This tag adds pages with tagged statements into Category:Wikipedia articles needing clarification, or a dated subcategory thereof.

• To automatically add the current date, you can use substitution: {{subst:Why?}}.
• The |date= parameter need not be added by the editor: if not entered, a bot will soon add it. The date parameter consists of the full English name of the current month with initial capital, a space, and the year, not full dates; e.g., "January 2013", but not "jan13". Any deviation from these two rules will result in an "invalid date parameter" error.
• The |reason= parameter is optional but often helpful. It is displayed as a tooltip in some browsers (hover the mouse here to check behavior of your browser). For example, the following usage might be appropriate to the claim that "Humphrey Bogart has won several snooker world championships":

  {{Why|reason=This claim isn't clear.|date=July 2026}}

  • Use only plain text for the |reason= parameter. It does not support wiki markup like wikilinks, which can "mess up" the tooltip.
  • Double quotation marks used within the |reason= parameter will likewise "mess up" the tooltip; use single quotes or the HTML code " instead.
• This template should be installed directly after punctuation, such as a full stop (period) or a comma.
• Remove the template when you add an explanation for a statement.

TemplateData

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

TemplateData for Why

A cleanup tag to indicate that a statement is in need of causal clarification.

Template parameters

This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Reason asked	reason	Explanation of why causal clarity is needed Example It's unclear how oil expropriation led to prosperity. Please explain.	String	optional
Month and year	date	Provides the month and year of the citation request; e.g., 'January 2013', but not 'jan13' Auto value {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}	String	suggested