Template:Example needed

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Use this template in the body text where you believe an example is needed in an article, or that some line of reasoning would greatly benefit from an example. Strongly consider explaining why and how in the |reason= parameter, or on the talk page.

This template is a self-reference and so is part of the Wikipedia project rather than the encyclopedic content. It also adds articles to Category:Articles needing examples or a dated subcategory of it.

Usage

This is an inline template which should be placed immediately after the material in question, as with a footnote. For example:

This sentence needs an example.{{example needed|date=May 2026}} → This sentence needs clarification.

The wikilink on "example needed" is set to WP:AUDIENCE.

(If there already is an example, just not one that meets your standards (in some way), use this template and explain in the reason parameter, an edit summary, or on the talk page. There isn't a specific {{Better example needed}} template for when an example already exists but where you feel it should be improved.)

Parameters

Abbreviated parameter sets

{{example needed|date=May 2026}}

{{example needed|date=May 2026|plural=yes}}

{{example needed|date=May 2026|reason= }}

{{example needed|date=May 2026|reason= |text= }}

Full parameter set

{{example needed|date=May 2026|reason= |text= |pre-text= |post-text= |plural=|link=}}

Parameter descriptions

|plural=

Synonymous with pl, s when used as the unnamed first parameter. Can also be invoked with the named parameter plural=yes

|date=

Like all inline templates, this template allows a date parameter which records when the tag was added. If the date parameter was not included when this template was added, the date parameter will automatically be added soon after by a bot. Alternatively, you may add the date automatically (without requiring bot intervention) by substituting the template. That is: {{subst:Example needed}} is equivalent to {{Example needed|date=May 2026}}. This substitution technique also works if other parameters – |reason= |pre-text= |post-text= – are included.

|reason=

Because it may not be immediately apparent to other readers and / or editors what the specific reason the tagged passage is in need of examples, it is generally helpful to add a brief reason for the tag: {{Example needed|reason=What the problem is}} (this is preferable to using an HTML <!-- comment --> after the tag, as it is tidier to keep all of the {{Example needed}}-related code inside the template). If the request reason would be lengthy, use the article's talk page to address the issue in detail.

As well as being visible in the source code for readers and editors' benefit, the reason parameter is, if provided, displayed as a pop-up when the mouse is hovered over the 'example needed' link in the article.

|text=

The particular text needing examples may be highlighted within the prose by wrapping this template around it:

As an example:

This is some understandable text preceding the template, {{Example needed|text=this is some text needing examples,|date=May 2026}} and this is some understandable text following the template.

produces:

This is some understandable text preceding the template, this is some text needing examples, and this is some understandable text following the template.

Please note: when using this text= parameter, please ensure you leave a space before starting the template code.

|pre-text=

|post-text=

One can specify additional text to appear before and / or after the displayed 'example needed' tag using either (or both) the two parameters listed above.

Examples follow:

1. {{Example needed|pre-text=reference or}}

   will cause the text 'remove or' to appear before 'example needed' like this:

2. {{Example needed|post-text=(obscure)}}

   will cause '(obscure)' to appear after 'example needed' like this:

3. {{Example needed|post-text=(see [[Talk:Example#Example needed|talk]])}}

   can be used to link to a discussion on the article's talk page; this example produces:

|link=

Used to specify the link on the "examples needed" text. For example:

{{Example needed|link=WP:EXAMPLES}}

will produce:

Examples

Responding to the Presidential mandate, professional organizations began to support the effort via further promulgation of Decade of the Brain materials, and Decade of the Brain lectures became commonplace at annual meetings of prominent scientific communities.^{[examples needed]}

Here the example editor likely thinks the article would be improved if at least some Decade of the Brain lectures were added. The talk page or edit summary may contain more.

The alveolar ejective fricative (sʼ) is used in Lakota language words.^{[example needed]}

Here the example editor probably would like to see at least one Lakotan word that uses the alveolar ejective fricative. The talk page or edit summary may contain more.

Redirects

• {{Exemplify}}
• {{For example?}}
• {{Like what?}}
• {{Such as?}}

• Also known as... – list of templates that redirect here and may also be used

TemplateData

Use this inline template to indicate that one or more examples are needed for the preceding statement.

Template parameters[Edit template data]

This template prefers inline formatting of parameters.

Parameter		Description	Type	Status
Plural	1	Specifies whether multiple examples are needed Example s Auto value s	String	optional
Month and year	date	Provides a month and year for categorisation Example January 2013 Auto value {{subst:CURRENTMONTHNAME}} {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}	String	suggested

See also

The above documentation is transcluded from Template:Example needed/doc. (edit | history)
Editors can experiment in this template's sandbox (edit | diff) and testcases (edit) pages.
Add categories to the /doc subpage. Subpages of this template.