Wikipedia:Metacoverage

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Metacoverage is coverage of coverage. On Wikipedia, it refers to article text that explicitly describes the simple, obvious fact that a given subject had been mentioned in sources or a particular type of source, sometimes without necessarily mentioning what those sources have said about that subject. If a subject has received only trivial mentions in independent, reliable sources, an editor (or AI chatbot) might use metacoverage in an attempt to mask its non-notability.

Examples

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Uncontroversial statements

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N Fastened Loose Holdings was profiled in media outlets like The Foo Chronicle and Raw Bar Digest, which reported that it had earned over $15 million in the third quarter.^[1]^[2]

Y Fastened Loose Holdings earned over $15 million in the third quarter.^[1]^[2]

1 2 Doe, J. "Fastened Loose Makes $15 Million Within Just a Few Months" The Foo Chronicle
1 2 Wright, Edsel "HOLDINGS, FASTENED LOOSE: Corporate Earnings Report - Q3 2025" Raw Bar Digest

Sources should be used to support uncontroversial statements of fact about the subject itself, not statements about the coverage of the subject.

In-text attribution

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N Tales of Adventure was mentioned in a Literature Lodge review, which highlighted the novel's ability to captivate readers.^[1]

Y Jean Doe of Literature Lodge described Tales of Adventure as "a page-turner" that is "difficult to put down".^[1]

1 2 Doe, Jean "'Tales of Adventure' - Book Review" Literature Lodge

Although it is appropriate to attribute reviews to sources, article text should summarize what the critics who made those reviews have said.

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Content additions	Avoid thread mode Copyediting reception sections Coup Don't throw more litter onto the pile Gender-neutral language Metacoverage Myth vs fiction No trojan horses Proseline Reading in a flow state Turning biology research into a Wikipedia article Use our own words We shouldn't be able to figure out your opinions Write the article first Writing about women Writing better articles
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Examples

Uncontroversial statements

In-text attribution

See also