 | This page is currently inactive and is retained for historical reference. Either the page is no longer relevant or consensus on its purpose has become unclear. To revive discussion, seek broader input via a forum such as the village pump. |
 | This is no longer the recommended method of citing sources (but is still fully operational). An explanation on how to create 'numbered footnotes' is at Help:Footnotes. To use 'linked Harvard references', use {{harv}} + {{note label}}, as explained below. |
This page explains a previously used footnote system, which is totally superseded by the newer footnoting system. Currently, the {{ref}} and {{note}} templates should only be used in specific circumstances, not for general purpose referencing.[1]
The pairs of templates discussed in this guideline are:[2]
| Link in text area | Link in References area |
|---|---|
| {{ref|<name>}} | #{{note|<name>}} - followed by comment or citation |
| {{ref label|<name>|<footnote number>|<backlink label>}} | {{note label|<name>|<footnote number>|<backlink label>}} (follows on the same line as an existing {{note}}, before the formal citation info) |
Not all references are made using footnotes : Please see Wikipedia:Citing sources for guidance on references and alternative markup.
Also, not all footnotes are citations of information sources. They are also used for clarification or other notes about material. Common uses include explaining the meaning of a table header, or an exception regarding a specific entry in a table, etc.