Template:MOS
 | This article needs editing to comply with Wikipedia's Manual of Style. (December 2025) |
This template should be used when the article appears to use styles that may be confusing to the layman, or even to everyone.
Unless the tag is being placed in response to a discussion already underway, it is advisable to add a new topic to the talk page explaining the problem so editors will know what to address, and when to remove this tag.
Usage
- Simple
{{MOS|{{subst:DATE}}}}
- Giving a reason
{{MOS|{{subst:DATE}}|reason=not using logical quotation}}
Placement
Place at the top of the article to alert editors that the article needs one or more kinds of non-trivial style cleanup throughout:
{{MOS|{{subst:DATE}}}}
For articles needing only minor clean-up, place {{MOS|{{subst:DATE}}}} at the top of the article's talk page to alert editors.
- Sections
- To mark specific sections instead of the whole article, place
{{MOS|section|{{subst:DATE}}}}at the top of the section.
Parameters
section
|sectionor|1=sectionor|section=y— changes the word "article" to "section" in the first sentence of the template.
reason
|reason=Template:Varor|2=Template:Var(or|for=Template:Var, as used by{{Copyedit}}) — gives a particular reason in the form "In particular, it has problems with Template:Var.", e.g. "using unexplained acronyms", "capitalizing things that are not proper names", "US/UK spelling consistency", etc.
subpage and subsection
|subpage=Template:Varor|subpage=Template:Varor|3=Template:Varor|3=Template:Var— extends the MOS link to go directly to a more specific MOS subpage and/or subsection. Examples: To have the template link to WP:Manual of Style/Icons, use|subpage=/Icons; for WP:Manual of Style#Ampersand use|subpage=#Ampersand; for WP:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Proper names use|subpage=/Capital letters#Proper names. Note: Because subpages and section titles are case-sensitive, this parameter is as well. The proper/and#characters must be included for the link to work.
shortcut
|shortcut=Template:Var— for the rare case that a provision in the Manual of Style has a shortcut to it, but is not the subject of its own subpage or subsection for linking (i.e., there is no other way to link to it directly). E.g., for the advice about capitalization of doctrines, at the bottom of the WP:Manual of Style/Capital letters#Religions, deities, philosophies, doctrines and their adherents section, use|shortcut=MOS:DOCTCAPS.
Notes
- This template will add tagged articles to Category:Wikipedia articles with style issues.
- This template is a self-reference.
- Please do not subst: this template.