User:Phlsph7/ListUnreferencedParagraphs

List Unreferenced Paragraphs is a user script to find articles with unreferenced paragraphs. The user enters a list of article titles and the script determines for each one how many paragraphs in it lack references. Its goal is to help editors improve verifiability. The script can also be used on a single article to highlight the paragraphs that lack references.

Not all paragraphs require references. For example, paragraphs in the lead do not need references if they only summarize material in the body of the article (see MOS:CITELEAD). And plot summaries of works of fiction do not require references (see MOS:PLOTSOURCE). The script ignores lead paragraphs and paragraphs in sections called "Plot" and "Synopsis". False detection can also happen for paragraphs that are artificially split into two parts because they use mathematical formulas.

The script only takes regular paragraphs into account. It ignores lists, tables, and similar elements. The script only counts paragraphs that have no reference at all. It ignores paragraphs in which only part of the material is referenced. The script also ignores very short paragraphs (less than 100 characters). The script is not able to identify some existing references, such as those using the deprecated parenthetical style. This means that if a paragraph uses only parenthetical style references then it will be falsely counted as unreferenced. The script cannot distinguish between references and explanatory footnotes. If a paragraph contains a footnote but no references, it will not be counted.

Installation and Usage


To install this script, go to your common.js and add the following line:

After installation, the script can be accessed via the toolbox on the right side by clicking on the links "List Unreferenced Paragraphs" or "Highlight Unreferenced Paragraphs". The first link opens a new page where a list of articles can be entered. The second link stays on the current page and highlights its paragraphs. Paragraphs without references are red. Paragraphs with references are green. Paragraphs ignored by the script, like lead paragraphs or plot summaries, remain white.

If you run into problems or have suggestions on how to improve the script, please discuss them at User_talk:Phlsph7/ListUnreferencedParagraphs.