Editing Encyclopedia:Citing sources (section)

==Citation templates and tools <span class="anchor" id="generators"></span><span class="anchor" id="Citation generation tools"></span><span class="anchor" id="Duplicate reference finders"></span><span class="anchor" id="Programming tool"></span><span class="anchor" id="Reference management software"></span> ==
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{{see|Wikipedia:Citation templates|Help:Citation tools}}
{{for|a comparison of citations using templates with citations written freehand|Wikipedia:Citing sources/Example edits for different methods#Footnotes}}

[[WP:Citation templates|Citation templates]] can be used to format citations in a consistent way. The use of citation templates is neither encouraged nor discouraged: an article should not be switched between templated and non-templated citations without good reason and consensus – see [[#Variation in citation methods|"Variation in citation methods"]], above.

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If citation templates are used in an article, the parameters should be accurate. It is inappropriate to set parameters to false values to cause the template to render as if it were written in some style other than the style normally produced by the template (e.g., [[The MLA Style Manual|MLA style]]).

===Metadata===
Citations may be accompanied by metadata, though it is not mandatory. Most citation templates on Wikipedia use the [[COinS]] standard. Metadata such as this allow browser plugins and other automated software to make citation data accessible to the user, for instance by providing links to their library's online copies of the cited works. In articles that format citations manually, metadata may be added manually in a span, according to the [https://ocoins.info/ COinS specification].