Help:Explanatory notes

Explanatory or content notes are used to add explanations, comments or other additional information relating to the main content but would make the text too long or awkward to read. Such notes may include supporting references.

Please read Help:Footnotes and Help:Shortened footnotes first, as this guide builds upon the methods described on those help pages. WP:REFGROUP is of particular importance.

Note formats

There are several ways to include notes:

Footnotes mixed with explanatory notes

This example uses list-defined references mixed with explanatory notes.

Markup

Renders as

The Sun is pretty big.<ref name=Foot01/> But the Moon<ref name=Foot02/> is not so big.<ref name=Foot03/> The Sun is also quite hot.<ref name=Foot04/> ==Notes== {{reflist|refs= <ref name=Foot01>{{cite book |author=Miller |title=The Sun |publisher=Oxford |year=2005 |page=23 |mode=cs2}}. But Miller points out that the Sun is not as large as some other stars.</ref> <ref name=Foot02>The Moon goes by other names, such as Selena - see, for example {{cite book |author=Jones |title=The Solar System |publisher=MacMillan |year=2005 |page=623 |mode=cs2}}.</ref> <ref name=Foot03>{{cite book |author=Brown |title=The Moon |year=2006 |publisher=Penguin |page=46 |mode=cs2}}. Historically the Moon was not always considered to be large, see, for example {{cite book |author=Peterson |title=Astronomy |publisher=MacMillan |year=2005 |page=623 |mode=cs2}}.</ref> <ref name=Foot04>{{cite book |author=Smith |title=The Universe |publisher=Random House |year=2005 |page=334 |mode=cs2}}.</ref> }}

The Sun is pretty big. But the Moon is not so big. The Sun is also quite hot. Notes

Footnotes with separate explanatory notes

This example creates a separate notes section by using group names.

Markup

Renders as

The Sun is pretty big.<ref name=Foot01/><ref group=Note name=Note01/> But the Moon<ref group=Note name=Note02/> is not so big.<ref name=Foot02/><ref group=Note name=Note03/> The Sun is also quite hot.<ref name=Foot03/> ==Notes== {{reflist|group=Note|refs= <ref name=Note01>But Miller points out that the Sun is not as large as some other stars.</ref> <ref name=Note02>The Moon goes by other names, such as Selena.</ref> <ref name=Note03>Historically the Moon was not always considered to be large.</ref> }} ==References== {{reflist|refs= <ref name=Foot01>{{cite book |author=Miller |title=The Sun |publisher=Oxford |year=2005 |page=23 |mode=cs2}}.</ref> <ref name=Foot02>{{cite book |author=Brown |title=The Moon |year=2006 |publisher=Penguin |page=46 |mode=cs2}}.</ref> <ref name=Foot03>{{cite book |author=Smith |title=The Universe |publisher=Random House |year=2005 |page=334 |mode=cs2}}.</ref> }}

The Sun is pretty big. But the Moon is not so big. The Sun is also quite hot. Notes References

Shortened footnotes mixed with explanatory notes

Markup

Renders as

The Sun is pretty big.<ref name=Foot01/> But the Moon<ref name=Foot02/> is not so big.<ref name=Foot03/> The Sun is also quite hot.<ref name=Foot04/> ==Notes== {{reflist|refs= <ref name=Foot01>{{harvnb|Mills|2005|p=23}}. But Mills points out that the Sun is not as large as some other stars.</ref> <ref name=Foot02>The Moon goes by other names, such as Selena - see, for example {{cite book |author=Johns |title=The Solar System |publisher=MacMillan |year=2005 |page=623 |mode=cs2}}.</ref> <ref name=Foot03>{{harvnb|Browne|2001|p=46}}. Historically the Moon was not always considered to be large, see, for example {{cite book |author=Petersen |title=Astronomy |publisher=MacMillan |year=2005 |page=623 |mode=cs2}}.</ref> <ref name=Foot04>{{harvnb|Smithe|2005|p=334}}.</ref> }} ==References== {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |author=Browne |title=The Moon |year=2001 |publisher=Penguin |mode=cs2}}. * {{cite book |author=Mills |title=The Sun |publisher=Oxford |year=2005 |mode=cs2}}. * {{cite book |author=Smithe |title=The Universe |publisher=Random House |year=2005 |mode=cs2}}. {{refend}}

The Sun is pretty big. But the Moon is not so big. The Sun is also quite hot. Notes References . . .

Shortened footnotes with separate explanatory notes

This example creates a separate notes section by using group names.

Markup

Renders as

The Sun is pretty big.<ref name=Foot01/><ref group=Note name=Note01/> But the Moon<ref group=Note name=Note02/> is not so big.<ref name=Foot02/><ref group=Note name=Note03/> The Sun is also quite hot.<ref name=Foot03/> ==Notes== {{reflist|group=Note|refs= <ref name=Note01>But Milner points out that the Sun is not as large as some other stars.</ref> <ref name=Note02>The Moon goes by other names, such as Selena - see, for example {{cite book |author=Jonas |title=The Solar System |publisher=MacMillan |year=2005 |page=623 |mode=cs2}}.</ref> <ref name=Note03>Historically the Moon was not always considered to be large, see, for example, {{cite book |author=Peters |title=Astronomy |publisher=MacMillan |year=2005 |page=623 |mode=cs2}}.</ref> }} ==Citations== {{reflist|refs= <ref name=Foot01>{{harvnb|Milner|2005|page=23}}</ref> <ref name=Foot02>{{harvnb|Braun|2001|p=46}}</ref> <ref name=Foot03>{{harvnb|Smyth|2005|p=334}}</ref> }} ==References== {{refbegin}} * {{cite book |author=Braun |title=The Moon |year=2001 |publisher=Penguin |mode=cs2}}. * {{cite book |author=Milner |title=The Sun |publisher=Oxford |year=2005 |mode=cs2}}. * {{cite book |author=Smyth |title=The Universe |publisher=Random House |year=2005 |mode=cs2}}. {{refend}}

The Sun is pretty big. But the Moon is not so big. The Sun is also quite hot. Notes Citations References . . .

Shortened footnotes with separate explanatory notes with references

This method uses {{sfn}} to create the main footnotes, {{refn}} to create the explanatory notes and {{sfn}} to create footnotes in the explanatory notes.

Markup

Renders as

The Sun is pretty big.{{sfn|Muller|2005|p=23}}{{refn|group=lower-alpha|But Muller points out that the Sun is not as large as some other stars.{{sfn|Muller|2005|p=23}}}} But the Moon{{refn|group=lower-alpha|The Moon goes by other names, such as Selena.{{sfn|Broun|2001|p=63}}}} is not so big.{{sfn|Broun|2001|p=46}}{{refn|group=lower-alpha|Historically the Moon was not always considered to be large.}} The Sun is also quite hot.{{sfn|Smiths|2005|p=334}} ==Notes== {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} ==Citations== {{reflist}} ==References== {{refbegin}} * {{citation |last=Broun |title=The Moon |publisher=Penguin |year=2001}} * {{citation |last=Muller |title=The Sun |publisher=Oxford |year=2005}} * {{citation |last=Smiths |title=The Universe |publisher=Random House |year=2005}} {{refend}}

The Sun is pretty big. But the Moon is not so big. The Sun is also quite hot. Notes Citations References

This method uses {{sfn}} to create the main footnotes, {{efn}} to create the explanatory notes, {{sfn}} to create footnotes in the explanatory notes and {{notelist}} to create the notes list.

Markup

Renders as

The Sun is pretty big.{{sfn|Mueller|2005|p=23}}{{efn|But Mueller points out that the Sun is not as large as some other stars.{{sfn|Mueller|2005|p=23}}}} But the Moon{{efn|The Moon goes by other names, such as Selena.{{sfn|Braune|2001|p=63}}}} is not so big.{{sfn|Braune|2001|p=46}}{{efn|Historically the Moon was not always considered to be large.}} The Sun is also quite hot.{{sfn|Schmidt|2005|p=334}} ==Notes== {{notelist}} ==Citations== {{reflist}} ==References== {{refbegin}} * {{citation |last=Braune |title=The Moon |publisher=Penguin |year=2001}} * {{citation |last=Mueller |title=The Sun |publisher=Oxford |year=2005}} * {{citation |last=Schmidt |title=The Universe |publisher=Random House |year=2005}} {{refend}}

The Sun is pretty big. But the Moon is not so big. The Sun is also quite hot. Notes Citations References