References (refs) on a wiki are important to validate writing and inform the reader. Any editor can remove unreferenced material; and unsubstantiated articles may end up getting deleted, so when something such as a quote is added to an article, it's highly advisable to also include a reference to say from where it came from. Referencing may look daunting, but it's easy enough to do. Here's a guide to getting started.

Good References

A reference must be accurate, i.e. it must prove the statement in the text. To validate "the When Green Flag Clicked block is the most used block", it's no good linking to a page about blocks, if it does not say which is most used; nor to one on the When Green Flag Clicked block, if it does not say that it is most used. You have to link to a source that proves the statement is true. You must use reliable sources, generally a forum topic or an official info page.

Inserting References

To add references, first find the place in the edit window where you wish to add a citation — generally at the end of a sentence, after the period — and select that location. Then click <ref></ref> in the edittools below the edit window. Insert the referenced text, generally a simple link to the source.

Additionally, to make two references refer to the same source, name one reference and repeat with another.

This is some text related to cats.<ref name="cat">This is a reference to cats</ref>

This is some more text related to cats.<ref name="cat"/>

If the article did not have any visible references before you started, check to make sure that there is a references section. If not, add a new section titled "References" at the end of the article, before a see also/external links section, and before any templates/categorization, with the content of <references/> which is where any references in the article will appear.


Profile Comments, Studio Comments and Forum Posts

References to a profile/studio comment or forum post should follow the following format:

Username. (Date). "Relevant part of comment/post." <Link to actual comment/post>

↑ ceebee. (31/3/2016). "They are non-binary."

Other sources

References to other possible sources (such as a project or an entire subforum) can just be a single link:

<Link to source>


Test it Out

Open the edit box for the Sandbox (in a new tab), copy the following text (inserting your own text where indicated), paste it at the bottom of the page, and save the page:

==Reference test==

This is the text which you are going to verify with a reference.<ref>''Reference details go here''</ref>


<references />

Citation Needed

When there is text that should be referenced, but a reference cannot be found, add {{citation needed}} (or its shortcut, {{cn}}) in the place where the reference would go. This lets viewers know that this fact is unreferenced, and may not be accurate. When at least three of these notes are on a page, you should also put {{inaccurate}} at the top of the page.

See Also