Template:Expert needed/doc

This template flags an article for the badly-needed attention of an expert or experts in the subject(s) specified (please use {{Expert needed talk}} on the talk page for non-urgent requests).

This is a documentation subpage for Template:Expert needed. It may contain usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page.

Notes: Important: When adding this template to an article, state the specific issue that you believe a subject-matter expert needs to address – not "the whole page in general". This may be done using the |reason= parameter and/or on the article's talk page. An unexplained or trivial {{expert needed}} tag can be and should be removed by any editor, and is usually replaced with {{expert needed talk}} on the article's talk page if the reason for the request was clear but the issue is minor. Realistically, do not expect a response when posting this tag. It is very rare for any subject-matter expert to respond as a result of seeing these tags. Your issue is far more likely to be addressed by one of the alternative methods listed in When to use.

If you plan to make breaking changes to this template, move it, or nominate it for deletion, please notify Twinkle's users and maintainers at Wikipedia talk:Twinkle as a courtesy, as the standard installation of Twinkle adds and removes this template. Thank you!

Shortcut

• {{Expert}}

The template assigns an article to specific subcategories of Category:Articles needing expert attention, depending on the topic of the article. These subcategories are named after WikiProjects. Find at least one appropriate subcategory when adding this template! Category:Articles needing unspecified expert attention should always remain empty.

Anyone placing this statement must state why an expert is needed, by using either the |reason= or |talk= (to link to a talk page section) parameter. If you place this template without this, any editor may immediately remove it without explanation. Uses of this template with neither a |reason= or |talk= parameter are categorized in Category:Articles needing expert attention with no reason or talk parameter

When to use

Use this tag when you have identified a specific issue that requires help from a subject-matter expert (not a generally knowledgeable Wikipedia editor).

If you want help for most of the page, or if you want help soon, then try these much more effective options:

• Leave a note on the talk page of any relevant WikiProjects.
• Submit the article for Wikipedia:Peer review.
• Take questions to relevant content-related Wikipedia:Noticeboards, such as the Wikipedia:Reliable sources/Noticeboard for questions about whether sources are reliable for the statements they support.
• Start a Wikipedia:Request for comment.
• Ask for help at the Wikipedia:Village pump (miscellaneous).

How to use

{{Expert needed|WikiProject|talk=|reason=|date=}}

Parameters

• The first unnamed parameter accepts the name of the WikiProject from Active WikiProjects
• A second optional unnamed parameter, may be used to override the default "article" text with, for example, "section", "diagram" or "paragraph".
• ex2–ex5: To add additional expert subjects, you can use these parameters to include more names of WikiProjects.
• talk: If you have started a discussion on the article's talk page, you may link to that discussion with |talk=, using the section title of the discussion.
• reason: You may use the |reason= parameter to provide a short explanation describing the issue directly within the template, instead of, or in addition to the talk parameter.

Add |talk=, |reason=, or both. Uses of this template with neither may be removed without further consideration.

• date: The date of adding the template may be used as the next parameter, in the form of Month Year.

Examples

{{Expert needed|technology|documentation|talk=Section title goes here|reason=reason goes here|date=Month Year}}

{{Expert needed|technology|ex2=science|ex3=math|talk=Section title goes here|reason=reason goes here|date=Month Year}}

Follow up

When using this template, it is essential to provide an explanation using either the "reason" or the "talk" parameter. When adding a section on the talk page, you may use {{expert needed talk}} for this purpose. If the issue is of some urgency, you may also post a notice at the WikiProject that was included in the template.

Notes

• This template is a self-reference, and should not be substituted.
• See: WikiProject Council/Directory for a complete list of WikiProjects.
• Where the category name does not match the WikiProject name, including plural words or capitalisation, use the #switch parameter at Template:Expert needed/catcheck. E.g. for WP:WikiProject Radio Stations, the corresponding category is Category:Radio station articles needing expert attention.

See also

• Wikipedia:Template messages/Cleanup
• Wikipedia:Expert help

TemplateData

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

TemplateData for Expert needed

Template parameters

This template prefers block formatting of parameters.

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Field of expertise	1	Field of expertise from which an expert is needed Example Physics	String	suggested
Section needed for	2	no description	String	optional
Field of expertise 2	ex2	Second field of expertise needed	String	optional
Field of expertise 3	ex3	Third field of expertise needed	String	optional
Field of expertise 4	ex4	Fourth field of expertise needed	String	optional
Field of expertise 5	ex5	Fifth field of expertise needed	String	optional
Reason expert needed	reason	The reason an expert is needed	String	optional
Link talk page?	talk	Optionally, a heading of a talk page discussion that needs expert input.	String	optional
Month and year	date	no description Example September 1996 Auto value {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}	Date	suggested

No description.