Hatnotes are short notes placed at the top of an article (hence the name "hat"). Hatnotes help readers locate a different article they might be seeking. Readers may have arrived at the article containing the hatnote because they were redirected, because the sought article uses a more specific, disambiguated title, or because the sought article and the article with the hatnote have similar names. Hatnotes provide links to the possibly sought article or to a disambiguation page.
For more information about methods of disambiguating articles, see Wikipedia:Disambiguation.
Placement
Hatnotes are placed at the very top of the article, before any other items such as images, navigational templates and maintenance templates (like the "cleanup", "unreferenced", and "POV" templates). Text-only browsers and screen readers present the page sequentially. If a reader has reached the wrong page, they typically want to know that first.
Format
In most cases, hatnotes should be created using a standard disambiguation template (as illustrated below). This permits the form and structure of hatnotes to be changed uniformly across the encyclopedia as needed.
Current Wikipedia style is to italicize and indent each note, without a bullet before the item. A horizontal dividing line should not be placed under a note, nor after the final item in a list.
When determining the content of the hatnote, keep in mind that it forms part of the user interface rather than the article content. Two applicable user interface design principles are clarity and conciseness. The hatnote should not overload the user with extraneous information and the content should be imparted quickly and accurately. These design goals are conveyed succinctly in the artistic principle less is more.
Summarize or not?
Some hatnote disambiguation templates include a brief summary of the present article's topic; others do not. For instance, in the article Honey, one might use the template {{about|the insect-produced fluid}} to produce:
- This article is about the insect-produced fluid. For other uses of the term, see Honey (disambiguation).
Alternatively, one might use {{other uses}} to produce:
- For other uses, see Honey (disambiguation).
Either of these two styles is acceptable. The choice of style in a given article is based on editors' preference, and what is likely to be clearer and easier for the reader. Where an article already has a hatnote in one of these styles, editors should not change it to the other style without good reason or broad consensus.
Examples of proper use
Two articles with similar titles
Dunwich (pronounced /ˈdʌnɪtʃ/ DUN-ich) is a town in the county of Suffolk in England, the remnant of what was once a prosperous seaport and centre of the wool trade during the early middle ages, with a natural harbour formed by the mouths of the River Blyth...
- This article is about the village in England. For H. P. Lovecraft's fictional town, see Dunwich (Lovecraft).
When two articles share the same title, except that one is disambiguated and the other not, the undisambiguated article should include a hatnote with a link to the other article. It is not necessary to create a separate disambiguation page. {{about}} may be used for this. In this case the parameterization was {{about|the village in England|H. P. Lovecraft's fictional town|Dunwich (Lovecraft)}}
.
Linking to a disambiguation page
A monolith is a monument or natural feature such as a mountain, consisting of a single massive stone or rock. Erosion usually exposes these formations...
- For other uses, see Monolith (disambiguation).
When a term has a primary meaning and two or more additional meanings, the hatnote on the primary topic page should link to a disambiguation page. {{other uses}} may be used for this.
In many cases the hatnote also includes a brief description of the subject of the present article, for readers' convenience:
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate maze-like structure constructed for King Minos of Crete and designed by the legendary artificer Daedalus to hold the Minotaur...
- This article is about the maze-like labyrinth from Greek mythology. For other uses, see Labyrinth (disambiguation).
The template {{about}} may be used for this. In this case the parameterization was {{about|the mazelike labyrinth from Greek mythology}}
.
Ambiguous term that redirects to an unambiguously named article
{{redirect}}, or a related template, can be used when an ambiguous title is redirected to an unambiguous title or a primary topic article:
Johann Sebastian Bach
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Bach)
- "Bach" redirects here. For other uses, see Bach (disambiguation).
Johann Sebastian Bach (German pronunciation: [joˈhan/ˈjoːhan zeˈbastjan ˈbax]; March 21, 1685 O.S. – July 28, 1750 N.S.) was a prolific German composer...
Examples of improper use
Trivial information, dictionary definitions, and slang
When notes feature a trivial detail or use of a term, or links to overly specific and tendentious material, they are unwarranted.
Investment is a term with several closely related meanings in finance and economics. It refers to the accumulation of some kind of asset in hopes of getting a future return from it...
- During a siege, to invest a town or fortress means to surround it with a contravallation and a circumvallation.
In this case, there is no direct disambiguation, and the note listed is bound to be uninteresting to most readers. The proper disambiguation simply links to a separate Invest (disambiguation) page.
Legitimate information about the topic
A previous version of the Aisha article showed:
Aisha or Ayesha (Arabic عائشه `ā'isha = "she who lives") was a wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad...
- Ayesha is sometimes used as a woman's name. Once popular only among Muslims, it was briefly popular among English-speakers after it appeared in the book She by Rider Haggard.
This is a typical and highly improper misuse of disambiguating hatnotes. Instead, the information belongs in the body of the article, or in the articles about the book, or in a separate article about names, or all three places. Hatnotes are meant to reduce confusion and direct readers to another article they might have been looking for, not for information about the subject of the article itself.
Disambiguation hatnotes are intended to link to separate topics that could be referred to by the same title. They are not intended to link to topics that are simply related to each other, or to a specific aspect of a general topic:
Extraterrestrial life is life that may exist and originate outside the planet Earth. Its existence is currently hypothetical: there is as yet no evidence of extraterrestrial life that has been widely accepted by scientists...
- This article is about the scientific study of extraterrestrial life; for treatment in popular culture, see Extraterrestrial life in popular culture.
Instead of using a disambiguation hatnote in such cases, it is better to summarize Extraterrestrial life in popular culture under a subsection of Extraterrestrial life in conjunction with the {{main}} template. Alternatively, it could be linked to in the See also section.
This guideline does not discourage the use of disambiguation hatnotes in a situation where separate topics are related, but could nonetheless be referred to by the same title and would thus qualify for disambiguation, such as a book and its film adaptation.
Disambiguating article names that are not ambiguous
Tree (set theory)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For other uses, see Tree (disambiguation).
In set theory, a tree is a partially ordered set (poset) in which there is a single unique minimal element (called the root) and in which the set of elements less than a given element is well ordered...
Here, the hatnote is inappropriate because a reader who is following links within Wikipedia or using Wikipedia's own search engine would not have ended up at tree (set theory) if one were looking for other types of trees, since tree does not redirect there.
However, a hatnote may still be appropriate when even a more specific name is still ambiguous. For example, Matt Smith (comics) might still be confused for the comics illustrator Matt Smith (illustrator).
A hatnote may also be appropriate in an unambiguously named article when an ambiguous term redirects to it, as explained in the "Proper uses" section above.
Extraneous links
One should not link terms other than the desired target in the hatnote. For example:
For the New Orleans, Louisiana, United States radio station known as WTIX from 1953 to 2005, see WIST (AM).WTIX (980 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a Sports radio format.
In this case, the link to New Orleans, Louisiana in the hatnote is inappropriate. Only the possible other destination (WIST (AM)) should be linked.
External links
A previous version of the Hurricane Katrina article contained:
Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall near New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2005, was one of the most destructive and expensive tropical cyclones to hit the United States...
- If you are trying to locate someone missing in Hurricane Katrina, or register yourself as found, you can use the site www.disastersearch.org [1]
The use of external help links in Wikipedia, though noble, cannot reasonably be maintained. In special cases, a link to an "External links" section with several links may be appropriate, but POV favoritism can be obstructive. In this case, the hatnote was removed entirely.
Non-existent articles
Hatnotes should not contain red links to non-existent articles since hatnotes are intended to help users navigate to another article they may have intended to find. The exception is if one intends to create the linked article immediately. In that case, consider creating the new article first, before saving the addition of the hatnote.
Hatnote templates
For a summary page on how to use these templates, see the example page here. For the full editing guideline on hatnotes, see Wikipedia:Hatnote.
Generic
- {{Hatnote|CUSTOM TEXT}} →
CUSTOM TEXT
- {{Rellink|CUSTOM TEXT}} →
CUSTOM TEXT
Other uses (of the title)
"This page is about … For other uses …"
{{About}} is the main template for noting other uses.
Note. When used in main namespace, the word "page" in the following hatnotes is replaced by "article".
- {{About|USE1}} →
This page is about USE1. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{About|USE1||PAGE2}} (When the disambiguation page has a different name – Note the empty second parameter) →
This page is about USE1. For other uses, see PAGE2.
- {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2}} (When there is only one other use) →
This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2.
- {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|and|PAGE3}} (Two pages for USE2) →
- {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2#SUBSECTION{{!}}PAGE2TITLE}} (Using the {{!}} template to give the link a different title) →
This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2TITLE.
- {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|USE4|PAGE4|USE5|PAGE5}} (When there are up to four other uses – You should generally create a disambiguation page at this point) →
- {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|other uses}} (When there are several standard other uses and also a disambiguation page with default name – Note that the last page name is not specified) →
This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2. For USE3, see PAGE3. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|other uses|PAGE4}} (When there are several standard other uses and also a disambiguation page with non-default name) →
- {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|other uses|PAGE4|and}} →
This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2. For USE3, see PAGE3. For other uses, see PAGE4 and Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{About||USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|other uses}} (When you don't need to state the focus of this article/page – Note the empty first parameter) →
- {{About|||PAGE1|and|PAGE2}} →
- Note: {{for||PAGE1|PAGE2}} produces the same result.
- {{Other uses-section|USE}} (disambiguous) →
This section is about USE. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- Note: this hatnote says "section", instead of "article" or "page".
"See also …"
- {{See also|OTHER TOPIC|OTHER TOPIC2}} →
See also: OTHER TOPIC and OTHER TOPIC2
- Note: use when OTHER TOPIC is related to that of the current article and already contains a self-explanatory parenthetical.
- {{See also2|[[OTHER TOPIC]]|[[OTHER TOPIC2]]|[[OTHER TOPIC3]] and other text}} →
"For …, see …"
{{For}} can be used instead of {{About}} so as not to display: This page is about USE1. but still specify a specific other use. This effect can also be achieved by using an empty first parameter in {{About}} as in:
- For example: {{for|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}} is the same as {{About||OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}} (note the empty first parameter).
However, it is somewhat clearer when using the {{For}} template, since the word "about" does not appear in the statement.
- {{For|OTHER TOPIC}} (disambiguous) →
For OTHER TOPIC, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}} →
For OTHER TOPIC, see PAGE1.
- {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2}} →
- {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} →
- {{For||PAGE1|PAGE2}} →
- Variations
As with {{Other uses}}, there are a whole family of "for" templates.
- {{For2|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT}} →
For OTHER TOPIC, see CUSTOM TEXT.
"For other uses, see …"
When such a wordy hatnote as {{About}} is not needed, {{Other uses}} is often useful.
- {{Other uses}} (disambiguous) →
For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{Other uses|PAGE1}} →
For other uses, see PAGE1.
- {{Other uses|PAGE1|PAGE2}} →
- Variations
There are, historically, a whole family of "other uses" templates for specific cases. {{About}} is the standard hatnote for "other uses" and many of them can be specified using the {{About}} template. However, the individual templates may be easier to use in certain contexts.
Here are the variations and (when appropriate) the equivalents using the {{About}}, {{Other uses}} or {{For}} templates.
- {{Other uses2|PAGE1}} (disambiguous) →
For other uses, see PAGE1 (disambiguation).
- Note: adds "(disambiguation)" to whatever is input as the PAGE1.
- Note: {{Other uses|PAGE1 (disambiguation)}} produces the same result.
- {{Two other uses|USE1|USE2|PAGE2}} →
This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- Note: same as {{about}}, except it forces a second use to be noted if unspecified by parameters.
- {{Two other uses|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}} →
- {{Three other uses|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}}
This article is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2. For USE3, see PAGE3. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{Three other uses||USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}} →
- {{Three other uses|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|USE4|PAGE4}} →
This article is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2. For USE3, see PAGE3. For USE4, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
"For other uses of …, see …"
- {{Other uses of}} (disambiguous) →
For other uses of "Hatnote", see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{Other uses of|TOPIC}} (disambiguous) →
For other uses of "TOPIC", see TOPIC (disambiguation).
- {{Other uses of|TOPIC|PAGE1}} →
For other uses of "TOPIC", see PAGE1.
"For more details on …, see …"
{{Details}} can supplement {{Main}} in summary sections, or can indicate more details in nonsummary sections:
{{Details3}} allows any text to links:
- {{Details3|[[article 1]], [[article 2]], and [[article 3]]|TOPIC}} →
"… redirects here. For other uses, see …"
- {{Redirect|REDIRECT}} (disambiguous) →
"REDIRECT" redirects here. For other uses, see REDIRECT (disambiguation).
- {{Redirect|REDIRECT||PAGE1}} →
"REDIRECT" redirects here. For other uses, see PAGE1.
- {{Redirect|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1}} →
"REDIRECT" redirects here. For USE1, see PAGE1.
- {{Redirect|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} →
- {{Redirect|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}} →
- {{Redirect|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1|and|PAGE2}} →
- {{Redirect|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|and|PAGE3}} →
- Variations
- {{Redirect-synonym|TERM|OTHER TOPIC}} →
"TERM" redirects here. TERM may also refer to OTHER TOPIC.
- {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2}} (disambiguous) →
"REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For other uses, see REDIRECT1 (disambiguation).
- {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE|PAGE1}} →
"REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For USE, see PAGE1.
- {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} →
- {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3}} →
- {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|USE4|PAGE4}} →
- {{Redirect3|REDIRECT|TEXT}} →
"REDIRECT" redirects here. TEXT.
- {{Redirect4|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2}} (disambiguous) →
"REDIRECT1" and "REDIRECT2" redirect here. For other uses, see REDIRECT1 (disambiguation) and REDIRECT2 (disambiguation).
- {{Redirect6|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1}} (disambiguous) →
"REDIRECT" redirects here. For USE1, see PAGE1. For other uses, see REDIRECT (disambiguation).
- {{Redirect6|REDIRECT|USE1|PAGE1||PAGE2}} →
- {{Redirect7|"REDIRECT1", "REDIRECT2", and "REDIRECT3"|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} →
- Note: If the number of pages redirecting to the target page is two, {{Redirect2}} can be used instead. If the number is three and there are three corresponding disambiguation pages, {{Redirect10}} can be used.
- {{Redirect10|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|REDIRECT3}} (disambiguous) →
"REDIRECT1", "REDIRECT2", and "REDIRECT3" redirect here. For other uses, see REDIRECT1 (disambiguation), REDIRECT2 (disambiguation), and REDIRECT3 (disambiguation).
- ... Not to be confused with ...
- {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1}} →
"REDIRECT" redirects here. It is not to be confused with PAGE1.
- {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} →
- {{Redirect-distinguish2|REDIRECT|TEXT}} →
"REDIRECT" redirects here. It is not to be confused with TEXT.
"Further information: …"
- {{Further|PAGE}} →
Further information: PAGE
- {{Further|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} →
- {{Further2|[[Article 1]], [[Article 2]], and [[Article Something#3|Article 3]]}} →
"… If you are seeking another topic, … consider adding it to …."
- {{Consider disambiguation|USE1|USE2|PAGE2}} (disambiguous) →
This article is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2. If you are seeking another topic, additional searches are listed at Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{Consider disambiguation|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|PAGE3}} →
- Note:USE1 can be omitted, resulting in language like {{For}} above.
Other people, places, etcetera
Other people
- {{Other people}} (disambiguous) →
For other people named Hatnote, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{Other people|NAME}} (disambiguous) →
For other people named NAME, see NAME (disambiguation).
- {{Other people|NAME|PAGE}} →
For other people named NAME, see PAGE.
- {{Other people|NAME|PAGE|named=titled}} →
For other people titled NAME, see PAGE.
- {{Other people2|PAGE}} →
For other people of the same name, see PAGE.
- {{Other people3}} (disambiguous) →
For other people named Hatnote, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- Note: same as {{About}} except uses "other people" instead of "other uses" if only 1 parameter is used
- {{Other people3|PERSON1}} (disambiguous) →
This article is about PERSON1. For other people named Hatnote, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{Other people3|PERSON1|PERSON2}} (disambiguous) →
This article is about PERSON1. For PERSON2, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{Other people3|PERSON1|PERSON2|PAGE2}} →
This article is about PERSON1. For PERSON2, see PAGE2.
- {{Other people3|PERSON1||PAGE2}} →
This article is about PERSON1. For other people named Hatnote, see PAGE2.
- {{Other people5|NAME1|NAME2|NAME3|NAME4}} →
- Note: defaults to "named" as in {{Other people}}, exists for options like "nicknamed", "known as", etc.
Other places
- {{Other places}}, analogous to {{Other uses}} (disambiguous) →
For other places with the same name, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{Other places|PAGE}}, analogous to {{Other uses2}}(disambiguous) →
For other places with the same name, see PAGE (disambiguation).
- {{Other places3|PAGE}}, analogous to {{Other uses}} →
For other places with the same name, see PAGE.
Other hurricanes
For articles on storms:
- {{Other hurricanes}} (disambiguous) →
For other storms of the same name, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
- {{Other hurricanes|PAGE1}} →
For other storms of the same name, see PAGE1.
- {{Other hurricanes|PAGE1|THIS}} →
This page is about THIS. For other storms of the same name, see PAGE1.
- {{Other hurricanes||THIS}} →
This page is about THIS. For other storms of the same name, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
Other ships
For articles on ships:
- {{Other ships|SHIP1}} →
For other ships of the same name, see SHIP1.
Distinguish
"Not to be confused with …"
- {{Distinguish|PAGE1}} →
Not to be confused with PAGE1.
- {{Distinguish|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} →
- {{Distinguish2|TEXT}} →
Not to be confused with TEXT.
"… redirects here. It is not to be confused with …"
- {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1}} →
"REDIRECT" redirects here. It is not to be confused with PAGE1.
- {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} →
- {{Redirect-distinguish2|REDIRECT|TEXT}} →
"REDIRECT" redirects here. It is not to be confused with TEXT.
"Main article: …" etc.
{{Main}} is used to make summary style explicit, when used in a summary section for which there is also a separate article on the subject:
- {{Main|Main Article}} →
Main article: Main Article
- {{Main|Main Article|Article2}} →
Main articles: Main Article and Article2
- {{Main list|Article1}} →
For a more comprehensive list, see Article1.
- {{ArticlePreceding|George Washington}} →
See also the preceding article George Washington.
- {{ArticleSucceeding|Thomas Jefferson}} →
See also the succeeding article Thomas Jefferson.
- {{ArticlePair|George Washington|Thomas Jefferson}} →
See also the preceding article George Washington and the succeeding article Thomas Jefferson.
- {{Cat main|MAIN ARTICLE}} →
The main article for this category is MAIN ARTICLE.
Wikipedia self-reference
- {{Selfref|ANYTEXT}} →
ANYTEXT
- See: Manual of Style (self-references to avoid) for more details.
Categories
Category-specific templates produce bold category names.
- {{Category see also|THIS|THAT|THE OTHER}} →
This is a template for linking categories horizontally. Horizontal linkage is often the right solution when vertical linkage (i.e. as sub-category and parent category) is not appropriate. In most cases, this template should be used on both categories to create reciprocal linkage between the two categories.
- {{Cat main|MAIN ARTICLE}} →
The main article for this category is MAIN ARTICLE.
- {{CatPreceding|OTHER TOPIC}} →
See also the preceding Category:OTHER TOPIC.
- {{CatSucceeding|OTHER TOPIC}} →
See also the succeeding Category:OTHER TOPIC.
- {{Category pair|TOPIC1|TOPIC2}} →
See also the preceding Category:TOPIC1 and the succeeding Category:TOPIC2.
- {{Contrast|OTHERCAT|OTHERCAT2}} →
- {{Contrast|OTHERCAT|OTHERCAT2|plural=yes}} →
Family names
Lists
User pages
- {{This user talk|TOPIC|PAGE1}} →
Notes
Do not use subst: with these templates, as that will prevent:
- propagating changes as the template is modified; and the
- What links here (WLH) listing.
These templates are used in thousands of articles; therefore, changing the syntax could break thousands of articles. If you wish to create or edit a disambiguation or redirection template, first ask yourself the following questions:
- Is there already a template that will do this job? Since many disambiguation and redirection templates have already been created, first check: Category:Disambiguation and redirection templates.
- Do I really need a new template for this? Will it likely be used on any other articles or should I just use {{Hatnote}} instead? Before creating a new template, see the template namespace guideline.
- If I change the parameters around on an existing template, do I know what the result will be? Will it break existing uses of the template and if so, can I fix all of the errors? Before making any changes, see Template sandbox and test cases.
See also
- Wikipedia:Hatnote
- Category:Hatnote templates
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