Citation needed


The tag "" is added by Wikipedia editors to unsourced statements in articles requesting citations to be added. The phrase is reflective of the policies of verifiability and original research on Wikipedia and has become a general Internet meme.

Usage on Wikipedia

The tag was first used on Wikipedia in 2006, and its template created by user Ta bu shi da yu. According to Wikipedia's policy, editors should add citations for content, to ensure accuracy and neutrality, and to avoid original research. The on needed tag is used to mark statements that lack such citations. Wikipedia editors may use tools like Citation Hunt to address these uncited statements., there were more than 604,000 pages on Wikipedia containing at least one instance of the tag. Users who click the tag will be directed to pages about Wikipedia's verifiability policy and its application using the tag.
A parody of the tag,, is used for missing images on Wikipedia's list of cetaceans page.

Usage outside Wikipedia

In 2008, Matt Mechtley created stickers with "", encouraging people to stick them on advertisements.
In 2010, American television hosts Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert led the Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear at the National Mall in Washington, D.C., where some participants held placards with "".
Randall Munroe has frequently used "" tags for humorous commentary in his writings, including in his 2014 book What If?.
The podcast "Citations Needed" is a Webby-nominated media criticism podcast, hosted by journalists Nima Shirazi and Adam Johnson to explore the intersection of media, PR, and power.
Wikipedian Molly White publishes a newsletter covering the cryptocurrency and technology industries called Citation Needed.