Template:Citation

Template documentation

This template contains one or more optional parameters: see the talk page for details. This template employs some extremely complicated and esoteric features of template syntax. Please do not attempt to alter it unless you are certain that you understand the setup and are prepared to repair any consequent collateral damage if the results are unexpected. Any experiments should be conducted in your user space.

The Citation template is a versatile template for citing books, periodicals, contributions in collective works, patents, and web-sites. Its goal is to be an all-purpose citation template. It also has functionality to aid the use of the Harvard referencing style. The template allows author-date ("Harvard") citations in the main body of text to link to a full citation (generated by this template) in a "References" section at the end of the article via the Template:Harvard citation template. This template creates an HTML anchor to which the Harvard citation and related templates can link.

The template knows whether you are citing a book, periodical, or a chapter in a compilation, depending on which combination of parameters you use. For use with author-date systems such as the Harvard citation template, use of last and date parameters should be considered mandatory, where possible.

Citing books

Parameters (all are optional)

{{Citation | last = | first = | author-link = | last2 = | first2 = | author2-link = | date = | year = | title = | edition = | volume = | place = | publisher = | id = | isbn = | doi = | oclc = | url = | accessdate = }}

last (or last1): The author's surname or last name. first (or first1): The author's first or given name(s). author-link (or author1-link): Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the first author. last2, last3, last4: The second, third, and fourth authors' surname or last name, if applicable. first2, first3, first4: The second, third, and fourth authors' first or given name(s), if applicable. author2-link, author3-link, author4-link: Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the second, third, and fourth author, if applicable. date: Date of authorship or publication. year: Year of authorship or publication. (Mandatory for use with links from Template:Harvard citation. In some situations, the template may be able to derive a year from the full date.) title: Title of the book. edition: Number or name of the edition, if not the first; for example: edition=2nd. volume: The volume number of a multi-volume book. place (or location): The city of publication. If more than one town/city is listed on the title page, give the first one or the location of the publisher's head office. If the city is not well-known, you may add a county, region, or state. States in the U.S. are denoted by a two-letter code; for example: Place=Paris, TX (no period at the end). Where the publisher is a university and the place or location is included in the name of the university, do not use this parameter. publisher: The name of the publisher. Omit terms such as Publishers, Co., Inc., Ltd., etc., but retain the words Books or Press. id: Identifier such as ISBN 1-111-22222-9 isbn: Use this parameter if the book has an ISBN. doi: A digital object identifier such as 10.1016/j.coi.2004.08.001. oclc: Online Computer Library Center ID number, such as 3185581 url: A url of an online location where the book can be found. accessdate: Date when the url was accessed.

Examples

One author	{{ Citation | last=Turner | first=O. | title=History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve | publisher=William Alling | place=Rochester, New York | year=1851 | url = http://olivercowdery.com/ texts/1851Trn1.htm#turn1851 }}.	Turner, O. (1851), History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve, Rochester, New York: William Alling.
Three authors, a volume, and an edition	{{ Citation | last1=Lincoln | first1=A. | last2=Washington | first2=G. | last3=Adams | first3=J. | title=All the Presidents' Names | publisher=The Pentagon | place=Home Base, New York | volume=XII | edition=2nd | year=2007 }}.	Lincoln, A.; G. Washington & J. Adams (2007), All the Presidents' Names, vol. XII (2nd ed.), Home Base, New York: The Pentagon.

Citing journals, newspapers, magazines, or other periodicals

Parameters

{{Citation | last= | first= | author-link= | year= | title= | periodical= | volume= | issue= | pages= | url= | doi= | oclc= }}.

last (or last1): The author's surname or last name. first (or first1): The author's first or given name(s). author-link (or author1-link): Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the first author. last2, last3, last4: The second, third, and fourth authors' surname or last name, if applicable. first2, first3, first4: The second, third, and fourth authors' first or given name(s), if applicable. author2-link, author3-link, author4-link: Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the second, third, and fourth author, if applicable. date: Date of authorship or publication. year: Year of authorship or publication. (Mandatory for use with links from Template:Harvard citation. In some situations, the template may be able to derive a year from the full date.) title: Title of the book. periodical (or journal, newspaper, magazine): Name of the periodical. volume: The volume number of the journal. issue (or number): The issue number of the journal. pages (optional): The pages in the issue where the article may be found. url: A url of an online location where the article can be found. doi: A digital object identifier such as 10.1016/j.coi.2004.08.001. oclc: Online Computer Library Center ID number, such as 3185581 accessdate: Date when the url was accessed.

Examples

Journal article	{{Citation | last=Hill | first=Marvin S. | title=Joseph Smith and the 1826 Trial: New Evidence and New Difficulties | journal=BYU Studies | volume=12 | issue=2 | year=1976 | pages=1–8 | url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/ shop/PDFSRC/12.2Hill.pdf }}.	Hill, Marvin S. (1976), "Joseph Smith and the 1826 Trial: New Evidence and New Difficulties", BYU Studies 12 (2): 1 – 8.
Newspaper article	{{Citation | last=Smith | first=Joseph III | author-link=Joseph Smith III | title=Last Testimony of Sister Emma | newspaper=The Saints' Herald | volume=26 | issue=19 | date=[[October 1]], [[1879]] | year=1879 | month=October | page=289 | url=http://www.sidneyrigdon.com/ dbroadhu/IL/sain1872.htm#100179 }}.	Smith, Joseph III (October 1, 1879), "Last Testimony of Sister Emma", The Saints' Herald 26 (19): 289.

Citing edited books, or parts of edited books, including encyclopedias and encyclopedia articles

Parameters

{{Citation | last= | first= | author-link= | last2= | first2= | author2-link | year= | date= | publication-date= | contribution= | contribution-url= | editor-last= | editor-first= | editor-link= | editor2-last= | editor2-first= | editor2-link= | title= | edition= | place= | publication-place= | publisher= | volume= | pages= | id= | doi= | oclc= | url= }}.

last (or last1): The first author's surname or last name. first (or first1): The first author's first or given name(s). author-link (or author1-link): Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the first author. last2, last3, last4: The second, third, and fourth authors' surname or last name, if applicable. first2, first3, first4: The second, third, and fourth authors' first or given name(s), if applicable. author2-link, author3-link, author4-link: Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the second, third, and fourth author, if applicable. year: Year of authorship or publication. (Mandatory for use with links from Template:Harvard citation. In some situations, the template may be able to derive a year from the full date.) date: Date of authorship or publication. publication-date: Date of publication (if different than date). contribution (or chapter): Title of the contribution or chapter. contribution-url (or chapter-url): URL of the contribution or chapter. editor-last (or editor1-last): The first editor's surname or last name. editor-first (or editor2-first): The first editor's first or given name(s). editor-link (or editor1-link): Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the first editor. editor2-last, editor3-last, editor4-last: The second, third, and fourth editor' surname or last name, if applicable. editor2-first, editor3-first, editor4-first: The second, third, and fourth editors' first or given name(s), if applicable. editor2-link, editor3-link, editor4-link: Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the second, third, and fourth editor, if applicable. title: Title of the book or compilation. edition: Number or name of the edition, if not the first; for example: edition=2nd. volume: The volume number of a multi-volume book or compilation. place (or location): The place where the article, encyclopedia entry, or other included item was created. Usually, this is collective work's city of publication; if not, then use the separate publication-place parameter. If more than one town/city is listed on the title page, give the first one or the location of the publisher's head office. If the city is not well-known, you may add a county, region, or state. States in the U.S. are denoted by a two-letter code; for example: place=Paris, TX (no period at the end). Where the publisher is a university and the place or location is included in the name of the university, do not use this parameter. publication-place. The place where the collective work was published (if different from place or location). publisher: The name of the publisher. Omit terms such as Publishers, Co., Inc., Ltd., etc., but retain the words Books or Press. id: Identifier such as ISBN 1-111-22222-9 isbn: Use this parameter if the book or compilation has an ISBN. doi: A digital object identifier such as 10.1016/j.coi.2004.08.001. oclc: Online Computer Library Center ID number, such as 3185581 url: A url of an online location where the book or compilationcan be found. accessdate: Date when the url was accessed.

Examples

Manuscript published in an edited compilation	{{Citation | last=Bidamon | first=Emma Smith | author-link=Emma Hale Smith | chapter=Letter to Emma S. Pilgrim | date=[[March 27]] [[1876]] | year=1876 | editor-surname=Vogel | editor-first=Dan | title=Early Mormon Documents | volume=1 | publisher=Signature Books | publication-date=1996 | isbn=1-56085-072-8 }}.	Bidamon, Emma Smith (March 27 1876), "Letter to Emma S. Pilgrim", in Vogel, Dan, Early Mormon Documents, vol. 1, Signature Books, 1996, ISBN 1-56085-072-8.
Work with an editor but no author	{{Citation | editor-surname=Vogel | editor-first=Dan | title=Early Mormon Documents | volume=1 | publisher=Signature Books | publication-date=1996 | isbn=1-56085-072-8 }}.	Vogel, Dan, ed. (1996), Early Mormon Documents, vol. 1, Signature Books, ISBN 1-56085-072-8.
Encyclopedia article by a named author	{{Citation | last = Kramer | first = Martin | author-link = Martin Kramer | contribution = Bernard Lewis | editor-last = Boyd | editor-first = Kelley | title = Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writing | volume = 1 | pages = 719–720 | publisher = Fitzroy Dearborn | place = London | publication-date = 1999 | contribution-url = http:// www.geocities.com/martinkramerorg/ BernardLewis.htm }}.	Kramer, Martin (1999), "Bernard Lewis", in Boyd, Kelley, Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writing, vol. 1, London: Fitzroy Dearborn, at 719 – 720.
Encyclopedia article with no named author	{{Citation | contribution = Bernard Lewis | editor-last = Boyd | editor-first = Kelley | title = Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writing | volume = 1 | pages = 719–720 | publisher = Fitzroy Dearborn | place = London | year = 1999 | contribution-url = http:// www.geocities.com/martinkramerorg/ BernardLewis.htm }}.	Boyd, Kelley, ed. (1999), "Bernard Lewis", Encyclopedia of Historians and Historical Writing, vol. 1, London: Fitzroy Dearborn, at 719 – 720.

Citing contributions, republications, or edited quotations in a periodical article

Parameters

{{Citation | last= | first= | author-link= | last2= | first2= | author2-link | year= | date= | publication-date= | contribution= | contribution-url= | editor-last= | editor-first= | editor-link= | editor2-last= | editor2-first= | editor2-link= | title= | periodical= | volume= | issue= | pages= | place= | publication-place= | publisher= | id= | doi= | oclc= | url= }}.

last (or last1): The first author's surname or last name. first (or first1): The first author's first or given name(s). author-link (or author1-link): Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the first author. last2, last3, last4: The second, third, and fourth authors' surname or last name, if applicable. first2, first3, first4: The second, third, and fourth authors' first or given name(s), if applicable. author2-link, author3-link, author4-link: Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the second, third, and fourth author, if applicable. year: Year of authorship or publication. (Mandatory for use with links from Template:Harvard citation. In some situations, the template may be able to derive a year from the full date.) date: Date of authorship or publication. publication-date: Date of publication (if different than date). contribution (or chapter): Title of the contribution or chapter. contribution-url (or chapter-url): URL of the contribution or chapter. editor-last (or editor1-last): The first editor's surname or last name. editor-first (or editor2-first): The first editor's first or given name(s). editor-link (or editor1-link): Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the first editor. editor2-last, editor3-last, editor4-last: The second, third, and fourth editor' surname or last name, if applicable. editor2-first, editor3-first, editor4-first: The second, third, and fourth editors' first or given name(s), if applicable. editor2-link, editor3-link, editor4-link: Title of an existing Wikipedia article about the second, third, and fourth editor, if applicable. title: Title of the book or compilation. periodical (or journal, newspaper, magazine): Name of the periodical. volume: The volume number of the journal. issue (or number): The issue number of the journal. pages (optional): The pages in the issue where the article may be found. place (or location): The place where the article, encyclopedia entry, or other included item was created. Usually, this is collective work's city of publication; if not, then use the separate publication-place parameter. If more than one town/city is listed on the title page, give the first one or the location of the publisher's head office. If the city is not well-known, you may add a county, region, or state. States in the U.S. are denoted by a two-letter code; for example: place=Paris, TX (no period at the end). Where the publisher is a university and the place or location is included in the name of the university, do not use this parameter. publication-place. The place where the collective work was published (if different from place or location). id: Identifier such as ISBN 1-111-22222-9 doi: A digital object identifier such as 10.1016/j.coi.2004.08.001. oclc: Online Computer Library Center ID number, such as 3185581 url: A url of an online location where the book or compilation can be found. accessdate: Date when the url was accessed.

Examples

Manuscript edited and published in a journal	{{Citation | last=Knight | first=Joseph, Sr. | year=1833 | editor-last=Jessee | editor-first=Dean | title=Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon History | journal=BYU Studies | volume=17 | issue=1 | publication-date=1976 | pages=35 | url=https://byustudies.byu.edu/ shop/PDFSRC/17.1Jessee.pdf }}.	Knight, Joseph, Sr. (1833), Jessee, Dean, ed., "Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon History", BYU Studies 17 (1): 35, 1976.
Manuscript written at one date and place, then published in a periodical at a different date and place with commentary by the editor.	{{Citation | last=Klingensmith | first=Philip | contribution=Affidavit | year=1872 | date=[[September 5]] [[1872]] | place=Lincoln County, Nevada | title=Mountain Meadows Massacre | editor-last=Toohy | editor-first=Dennis J. | journal=Corinne Daily Reporter | publication-date= [[September 24]] [[1872]] | publication-place=Corinne, Utah | volume=5 | issue=252 | pages=1 | contribution-url=http:// udn.lib.utah.edu/u?/corinne,5359 }}.	Klingensmith, Philip (September 5 1872), Affidavit, at Lincoln County, Nevada, in Toohy, Dennis J., "Mountain Meadows Massacre", Corinne Daily Reporter 5 (252): 1, Corinne, Utah, September 24 1872.

Tools

See Wikipedia:Citing sources#Tools for a list of tools which can help create a reference in the 'citation' format.