Help:References and page numbers
This help page is a how-to guide.
It details processes or procedures of some aspect or aspects of Wikipedia's norms and practices. It is not one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines, as it has not been thoroughly vetted by the community.
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Per the verifiability policy, "Cite the source clearly and precisely (specifying page, section, or such divisions as may be appropriate)."
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Examples[edit]
The manner in which a page number is included depends on the citation style. These examples use Citation Style 1 templates, but these are not required.
Footnotes[edit]
These examples use Footnotes:
This example is the most basic and includes unique references for each citation, showing the page numbers in the reference list. This repeats the citation, changing the page number.
Markup | Renders as |
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The brontosaurus is thin at one end.<ref>{{cite book |last=Elk |first=Anne |title=[[Anne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses]] |date=November 16, 1972 |page=5}}</ref> Then it becomes much thicker in the middle.<ref>{{cite book |last=Elk |first=Anne |title=[[Anne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses]] |date=November 16, 1972 |page=6}}</ref> {{reflist}} |
The brontosaurus is thin at one end.[1] Then it becomes much thicker in the middle.[2]
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Here, the page numbers are shown in the text by using {{rp}}.
Markup | Renders as |
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The brontosaurus is thin at one end.<ref name=elk1972>{{cite book |last=Elk |first=Anne |title=[[Anne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses]] |date=November 16, 1972}}</ref>{{rp|5}} Then it becomes much thicker in the middle.<ref name=elk1972 />{{rp|6}} {{reflist}} |
The brontosaurus is thin at one end.[1]:5 Then it becomes much thicker in the middle.[1]:6
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List-defined references[edit]
Page numbers are shown in-text by using List-defined references and {{r}}.
Markup | Renders as |
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The brontosaurus is thin at one end.{{r|elk1972|page1=5}} Then it becomes much thicker in the middle.{{r|elk1972|page1=6}} {{reflist|refs= <ref name=elk1972>{{cite book |last=Elk |first=Anne |title=[[Anne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses]] |date=November 16, 1972}}</ref> }} {{reflist}} |
The brontosaurus is thin at one end.[1]:5 Then it becomes much thicker in the middle.[1]:6
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Shortened footnotes[edit]
Using Shortened footnotes, showing the page numbers in the notes list and a separate list for the full reference
Markup | Renders as |
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The brontosaurus is thin at one end.<ref>{{harvtxt|Elk|1972|p=5}}</ref> Then it becomes much thicker in the middle.<ref>{{harvnb|Elk|1972|p=6}}</ref> {{reflist}} {{refbegin}} *{{cite book |last=Elk |first=Anne |title=[[Anne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses]] |date=November 16, 1972 |ref=harv}} {{refend}} |
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Markup | Renders as |
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The brontosaurus is thin at one end.{{sfn|Elk|1972|p=5}} Then it becomes much thicker in the middle.{{sfn|Elk|1972|p=6}} {{reflist}} {{refbegin}} *{{cite book |last=Elk |first=Anne |title=[[Anne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses]] |date=November 16, 1972 |ref=harv}} {{refend}} |
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A mix of Footnotes and Shortened footnotes with the full reference in the first footnote and shortened footnotes for subsequent references.
Markup | Renders as |
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The brontosaurus is thin at one end.<ref>{{cite book |last=Elk |first=Anne |title=[[Anne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses]] |date=November 16, 1972a |ref=harv |page=5}}</ref> Then it becomes much thicker in the middle.{{sfn|Elk|1972a|p=6}} {{reflist}} |
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Parenthetical referencing[edit]
Parenthetical referencing (Harvard), showing the page numbers in-text using {{harv}}.
Markup | Renders as |
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The brontosaurus is thin at one end {{harv|Elk|1972b|p=5}}. Then it becomes much thicker in the middle {{harv|Elk|1972b|p=6}}. {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |last=Elk |first=Anne |title=[[Anne Elk's Theory on Brontosauruses]] |date=November 16, 1972b |ref=harv}} {{refend}} |
The brontosaurus is thin at one end (Elk 1972b, p. 5). Then it becomes much thicker in the middle (Elk 1972b, p. 6).
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Other in-source locations[edit]
Often, a page number is not appropriate such as when citing an audio or video source or a book that has no page numbers. The Citation Style 1 templates have an |at=
parameter that can be used to include non-page locators. The Author-date citation templates use |loc=
.
Some example locators: section (sec.), column (col.), paragraph (para.); track; hours, minutes and seconds; act, scene, canto, book, part, folio, stanza, back cover, liner notes, indicia, colophon, dust jacket, verse
Feature requests[edit]
Footnotes do not directly support page numbers; a feature request is logged as T15127.