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{{short description|Short navigational notes in Misplaced Pages articles}}
{{proposed}}
{{Redirect2|WP:HN|Hatnote|text= It should not be confused with ], ], or ]}}
'''Hatnotes''' are short notes placed at the top of an article before the primary topic, generally to provide 1) disambiguation of closely related terms or 2) to summarise a topic, and explain its boundaries.
{{redirect|WP:HAT|other uses|WP:HAT (disambiguation)|and|WP:Hatnote (disambiguation)}}
"Hatnote" is also a polite term to refer to '''improper disambiguation links''' which exceed standard length, link directly to trivial topics (ie on "War" "''For the band, see '''War (band)'''''") instead of a disambiguation page, ] to Misplaced Pages, or otherwise misuses of the disambiguation scheme which can be regarded as link-].
{{subcat guideline|editing guideline|Hatnote|WP:HN|WP:HAT}}
{{nutshell|''Hatnotes'' provide ] at the top of an ] or a ] to help readers locate a different article if the one they are viewing is not the one they're looking for.}}
{{Linking and page manipulation|linking and diffs}}

'''Hatnotes''' are short notes placed at the top of a page or a ], in the way that a hat is placed on top of one's head. For an example, see the notes in italics immediately preceding the boxes above. The purpose of a hatnote is to help readers locate a different article if the one they are at is not the one they're looking for. Readers may have arrived at the article containing the hatnote because:
* They were ].
* They may be seeking an article that uses a more specific, ] title.
* They may be seeking an article with a similar name to, or that otherwise might be confused with, the article with the hatnote.

Hatnotes provide ] to the possibly sought article or to a ].

{{Anchor|Rules}}{{Shortcut|WP:HATNOTERULES|WP:HRULES|WP:HATNOT|WP:HNR}}
The six basic rules of hatnotes are:

# Link directly to other articles; do not ] non-disambiguation links. With regard to linking to redirects, follow any applicable rules in the ]. For example, ] should always end in "(disambiguation)".
# Keep explanations to a minimum; explain vital information only, letting the ] and ] to clarify things for the reader.
# Mention other topics and articles only if there is a reasonable possibility of a reader arriving at the article either by mistake or with another topic in mind.
# However, if a ] topic X is commonly referred to as "Foo", but the article "Foo" is not about X, there {{em|must}} be a hatnote linking to the article on X or linking to a ] that contains a link to the article on X.
# Ideally, limit hatnotes to just one at the top of the page or section. Multiple hatnotes may be appropriate when they serve different purposes, such as ] and ]. (In such cases, consider using {{tlx|hatnote group}}.)
# Refrain from having ] in your hatnotes. As opposed to having redlinks in the writing of the article, redlinks in hatnotes do not help and add to a ].

For more information about methods of disambiguating articles, see ].

==Placement==
{{See also|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Lead section#Elements}}
{{shortcut|WP:HATNOTEPLACE|WP:HNP}}
Hatnotes are placed at the top of an article or section. When used at the top of an article, hatnotes are placed immediately following a ] but strictly before any other content including protection icons or ]. For the specific order of placing hatnotes with respect to other article elements, see ]. ]s and ]s present the page sequentially. Placing hatnotes immediately after the title ensures that readers are promptly directed to related or alternative articles if they have arrived at the page unintentionally. This placement enhances navigation and improves the overall user experience.<!-- In the Misplaced Pages iOS app, there is a known bug whereby hatnotes fail to appear anywhere on the page. RESOLVED: {{phab|T240721|Resolved}} -->


'''Note:''' The dispute regarding the proper usage of summaries and extended disambiguation notes, is currently unresolved (see ] below). Most agree that they should be limited to the simplest possible form, preferably only linking to a standard ''<nowiki>]</nowiki>'' page, allowing slightly more extensive hatnotes are warranted in certain cases.
This style guideline is intended to make this process more efficient by giving article pages a consistent look, and avoiding distracting information (such as extraneous links).
__TOC__
== Format == == Format ==
In most cases, hatnotes should be created using a standard hatnote template, as illustrated in {{section link|#Hatnote templates}} below. This permits the form and structure of hatnotes to be changed uniformly across the encyclopedia as needed, and the templates to be excluded in print.
In most cases, a standard ] template should be used. This permits the form and structure to change gracefully and uniformly over time. Currently, each note should be italicized and indented, 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.


Current style on the English Misplaced Pages is to italicize and to indent each note, without a bullet before the item. A horizontal dividing line should not be placed either under a note or after the final item in a list. Links to articles should follow the ]&nbsp;– typically ], not all lower case.
== Summarize or not? ==
There is an ongoing dispute as to whether hatnote disambiguation templates should include a brief summary of the article's topic in their first sentence if they refer to "other uses". For instance, consider the article ]. One type of hatnote, exemplified by {{]}}, would be along the lines of:


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 ] 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 principle ].
:''This article is about the insect-produced fluid. For other uses of the term, see ].''


=== Length and number ===
The other type, exemplified by {{]}}, would omit the first sentence, leaving the hatnote like:
{{shortcut|WP:1HAT|WP:ONESHORTHAT|WP:HATLENGTH}}
{{see|WP:SUMMARYHATNOTE}}
As hatnotes separate the reader from the content they are looking for, hatnotes should generally be as concise as possible. Long explanations are generally discouraged; the article's lead text, not the hatnote, should explain what the article is about. In almost all cases, the hatnote is intended only to direct readers to other articles in case they were actually looking for something they will not find in the article containing the hatnote.


If a disambiguation page exists for a given term, then linking to it should be enough. For example, if the article is ] then its hatnote will link to ]; it should not have entries for other topics known as ''X'', like ] or ], because they are already listed in the disambiguation page. However, such an article may be linked if it could be expected by a significant number of readers to be at the title in question: for instance, ] is about the country, but many readers expect to find the article about the bird at that title; therefore, the hatnote there correctly reads
:''For other uses of the term, see ].''


:{{xt|<nowiki>{{about|the country|the bird|Turkey (bird)|other uses}}</nowiki>}}
Pro-summarizers argue that it's confusing and bad style to write the hatnote such that the reader must read the words "other uses", look down a line, and read the first sentence or paragraph before being able to understand what the "other uses" actually refers to. Anti-summarizers feel, on the other hand, that it's pointless and annoying to duplicate a description that should be in the lead paragraph anyway.


which renders
Note that this argument is inapplicable to cases where only one other use exists. If the phrase "other uses" does not exist, it would appear no one would strongly favor including an article summary, so it's best to use a template such as {{]}}. (See, for instance, ].)


{{about|the country|the bird|Turkey (bird)|other uses|Turkey (disambiguation)}}
At present, this dispute is unresolved. Therefore, according to general Misplaced Pages precedent, it would be best to avoid changing over the style used in any given article until consensus is reached (if it ever is; see the AD-CE dispute for a case where this situation is perpetual).


There should be as few hatnotes as possible. One single hatnote, which can accommodate several links, is greatly preferable to two or more. Multiple hatnotes may however be appropriate when each serves a different purpose, such as ] or ].<ref>The acceptability of multiple hatnotes was clarified in ].</ref>
==Placement==


== Summarize or not? ==
Place hatnotes at the very top of the article, before images and templates (like navigational and "series" templates). For example, ''don't'' do this:
{{shortcut|WP:HNS}}
<pre>
Some hatnote disambiguation templates include a brief summary of the present article's topic; others do not have a summary. For instance, in the article ], one might use the template {{tlx|about|the insect-produced fluid}} to produce:
] <-- article content
{{otheruses}} <-- meta content
A '''frog''' is an animal <-- article content
</pre>


{{about|the insect-produced fluid|other uses|Honey (disambiguation)}}
*In terms of document structure, it is awkward to have article content, then meta content, then article content again. Analogously, in HTML it would be bad form to put <tt><title></tt> and <tt><meta></tt> tags within <tt><body></tt>.

*In terms of accessibility, not everyone is using or has the CSS functionality that "floats" images and templates to the right or left, which in turn gives many people the perception that a hatnote placed after an image or template looks OK. Imagine if someone without CSS landed on but happened to be in the wrong place. They'd have to scroll, or perhaps in the case of a blind user, have their screen reader trodge through a long "cuisine" template before reaching the navigation aid they desire. Likewise, those who redistribute Misplaced Pages content may choose to change or eliminate CSS entirely. (To test the CSS-less realm in Firefox, go to View, Page Style, No Style.)
Alternatively, one might use {{tlx|other uses}} to produce:
*Similarly, Wikipedians may decide to change the look of the hatnote templates in the future, like ]. If such a change were made, hatnotes that look fine now despite not being at the very top of the article would visually clash with proximate images and templates.

{{other uses|Honey (disambiguation)}}

Either of these two styles is acceptable. The choice of style in a given article is based on editors' preferences and on what is likely to be clearer and easier for the reader. (In this particular instance, most English speakers will know what honey is, and the second, more concise hatnote is preferable.) Where an article already has a hatnote in one of these styles, editors should not change it to the other style without good reason.


== Examples of proper use == == Examples of proper use ==


=== Two articles with the same title === === Two articles with similar titles ===
{{shortcut|WP:SIMILAR}}
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: black; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">
{{See also|WP:PRIMARYTOPIC|WP:TWODABS}}
:''This article is about the village in England. For H. P. Lovecraft's fictional town, see ].''
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: green; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">
'''Dunwich''' (pronounced ''Dun-Itch'') is a town in the county of ] in ], the remnant of what was once a prosperous seaport and centre of the wool trade during the early ], with a natural harbour formed by the mouths of the ]...
{{about|the village in England|H. P. Lovecraft's fictional town|Dunwich (Lovecraft)}}
'''Dunwich''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|d|ʌ|n|ɪ|tʃ}}) is a town in the county of ] in ], the remnant of what was once a prosperous seaport and centre of the wool trade during the early ], with a natural harbour formed by the mouths of the ]. ...
</blockquote> </blockquote>


When two articles share the same title, the unambiguated article should include a hatnote with a link to the other article. It is not necessary to create a separate disambiguation page. When two articles share the same title, except that one title is disambiguated and the other is not, and it is not appropriate to change the undisambiguated article's title {{crossref|pw=y|(see {{section link|WP:Disambiguation#Primary topic}})}}, the undisambiguated article should include a hatnote with a link to the other article. It is not necessary to create a separate disambiguation page. The {{tlx|about}} template may be used for this. In this case, the parameterization was <code>{{tlx|about|the village in England|H. P. Lovecraft's fictional town|Dunwich (Lovecraft)}}</code>.

===Terms that can cause confusion with another topic===
{{shortcut|WP:HATCONFUSE|WP:HATMISSPELL}}
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: green; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">
{{distinguish|Pearl}}
'''Perl''' is a family of ], ], ], ]s. ...
</blockquote>

{{tlx|Distinguish}} or a related template can be used when there can be confusion with a similar term. They are typically used when readers have misspelled their desired title, and the error would be apparent by simply displaying the alternative term without further explanation. These hatnotes should only be used when the ambiguity exists for a significant portion of the readership.

However, they are not suitable when the difference is not readily apparent without additional details. In those cases, use {{tlx|about}}, {{tlx|for}} or {{tlx|other uses}} instead, as the differences in the suggested article are explained upfront without requiring the reader to click through and differentiate the terms on their own.


=== Linking to a disambiguation page === === Linking to a disambiguation page ===
{{shortcut|WP:HATDAB}}
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: black; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: green; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">
:''For other uses, see ].''
{{other uses|Monolith (disambiguation)}}
A '''monolith''' is a ] or natural feature such as a ], consisting of a single massive ] or rock. ] usually exposes these formations...
A '''monolith''' is a ] or natural feature, such as a ], consisting of a single massive ] or rock. ] usually exposes these formations. ...
</blockquote> </blockquote>


When a word has a primary meaning and two or more additional meanings, the hatnote should show a link to a disambiguation page. 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. {{tlx|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:
=== Proper noun linking to a disambiguation page ===
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: black; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;"> <blockquote style="background-color: white; color: green; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">
:''This article is about the mazelike labyrinth from Greek mythology. For other uses of the term, see ].'' {{about|the maze-like labyrinth from Greek mythology|other uses|Labyrinth (disambiguation)}}
In ], the '''Labyrinth''' was an elaborate ]-like structure constructed for King ] of ] and designed by the legendary artificer ] to hold the ]... In ], the '''Labyrinth''' was an elaborate ]-like structure constructed for King ] of ] and designed by the legendary artificer ] to hold the ]. ...
</blockquote> </blockquote>


The template {{tlx|about}} may be used for this. In this case the parameterization was <code>{{tlx|about|the mazelike labyrinth from Greek mythology}}</code>.
When a word is a proper noun but has two or more additional meanings, the hatnote may include a brief description and a link to a disambiguation page.

=== Ambiguous term that redirects to an unambiguously named article ===
{{shortcut|WP:AMBIGTERM|WP:HATREDIR}}
{{tlx|redirect}}, or a related template, can be used when an ambiguous title is ] to an unambiguous title or a ] article:

<blockquote style="margin-bottom: 0pt; background-color: white; color: green; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">

<big>'''Johann Sebastian Bach'''</big>
----

<br/><small>(Redirected from {{querylink|Bach|qs=title=Bach&redirect=no}})</small><br/>

{{redirect|Bach}}
'''Johann Sebastian Bach''' ({{OldStyleDate|31 March|1685|21 March}}{{spaced ndash}}28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late ]. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ...
</blockquote>

=== Hatnotes above maintenance tags===
{{Further information|Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Layout#Order of article elements}}
Always place a hatnote above ], but below ]. See ] for specific details regarding the placement of hatnotes.
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: green; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">
{{For|the 2014 film adaptation|The Giver (film){{!}}''The Giver'' (film)}}
{{ambox
| name = Refimprove
| type = content
| class = ambox-Refimprove
| image = ]
| issue = This article '''needs additional citations for ]'''.
| fix = Please help by ]. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
| date = October 2014
}}
'''''The Giver''''' is a 1993 American ] ] by ]. It is set in a society which at first appears as ], but is later revealed to be a ] one as the story progresses. The novel follows a boy named Jonas. ...
</blockquote>

===Hatnotes with italics in the links===
{{shortcut|WP:ITHAT}}
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: green; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">
{{Redirect |Spotted angle |the other butterfly with this name |Caprona alida{{!}}''Caprona alida''}}
'''''Caprona agama''''', the '''spotted angle''', is a ] belonging to the family ]. ...
</blockquote>

Words or phrases that are italicized within a normal sentence should be unitalicized within a hatnote. Since all words in a hatnote are italicized, the specific text will not stand out if the italics are not disabled.

Italics are cancelled by the parameterization:

<code>{{tlp |Redirect |Spotted angle |the other butterfly with this name |Caprona alida<nowiki>{{!}}&apos;&apos;Caprona alida&apos;&apos;</nowiki>}}</code>

Many hatnote templates found below section headers, such as {{tlx|Main}}, {{tlx|See also}}, {{tlx|Further}}, and others have label parameters to customize the italicization of the output text:

<code>{{tlp |See also |Caprona alida |label1<nowiki>=''Caprona alida''</nowiki>}}</code>

In this instance, the rendered term will stand out unitalicized.


== Examples of improper use == == Examples of improper use ==
<!-- Examples for which permalinks are given are taken verbatim from said revisions. Do not perform any copy editing on such examples without discussing it first on the talk page. -->


===Trivial information, dictionary definitions, and slang=== ===Trivial information, dictionary definitions, and slang===
{{Shortcut|WP:TRHAT|WP:NOTHATNOTE}}
When notes feature a trivial detail or use of a term, or links to overly specific and ] material, they are unwarranted. When notes feature a trivial detail or use of a term, or links to overly specific and ] material, they are unwarranted.


A ] of the article ] showed:
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: black; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">

:''During a ], to '''invest''' a town or fortress means to surround it with a ] and a ].''
<blockquote style="border:1px solid #AAA;padding:1em">
'''Investment''' is a ] with several closely-related meanings in ] and ]. It refers to the accumulation of some kind of ] in hopes of getting a future ] from it...
<div style="background:#FCC">{{Hatnote|During a ], to '''invest''' a town or fortress means to surround it with a ] and a ].}}</div>
'''Investment''' is a ] with several closely related meanings in ] and ]. It refers to the accumulation of some kind of ] in hopes of getting a future ] from it.&nbsp;...
</blockquote> </blockquote>
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 ] page. 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 ] page.


===Legitimate information about the topic=== ===Legitimate information about the topic===
{{Shortcut|WP:LEGITHAT}}
A previous version of the '']'' article showed:
A ] of the ] article showed:
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: black; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">

:''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 '']'' by ].''
<blockquote style="border:1px solid #AAA;padding:1em">
'''Aisha''' or '''Ayesha''' (]&#1593;&#1575;&#1574;&#1588;&#1607; ''`&#257;'isha'' = "she who lives") was a wife of the ]ic ] ]...
<div style="background:#FCC">{{Hatnote|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 '']'' by ].}}</div>
'''Aisha''' or '''Ayesha''' (] {{lang|ar|عائشه}} {{lang|ar-Latn|`ā'isha}} = 'she who lives') was a wife of the ]ic ] ].&nbsp;...
</blockquote> </blockquote>


This is an improper use of disambiguating hatnotes. Instead, the information belongs in the body of the article, or in the article 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.
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.


===Linking to articles that are highly related to the topic=== ===Linking to articles that are related to the topic===
{{Shortcut|WP:RELATED}}
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: black; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">
Disambiguation hatnotes are intended to link to separate topics that could be referred to by the same title, of the article or any of its redirects. They are not intended to link to topics that are simply related to each other, or to a specific aspect of a general topic:
:''This article is about the scientific study of extraterrestrial life; for treatment in popular culture, see ].


<blockquote style="border:1px solid #AAA;padding:1em">
'''Extraterrestrial life''' is ] that may exist and originate outside the planet ]. Its existence is currently hypothetical: there is as yet no evidence of extraterrestrial life that has been widely accepted by scientists...
<div style="background:#FCC">{{About|the scientific study of extraterrestrial life|treatment in popular culture|Extraterrestrial life in popular culture}}</div>
'''Extraterrestrial life''' is ] that may exist and originate outside the planet ]. Its existence is currently hypothetical: there is as yet no evidence of extraterrestrial life that has been widely accepted by scientists.&nbsp;...
</blockquote> </blockquote>


Instead of using a hatnote, it is better to ] ] under a subsection of ] in conjunction with the {{tl|main}} template. Alternatively it could be linked to in the See also section. Instead of using a disambiguation hatnote in such cases, it is better to ] the topic ] under a subsection of ] in conjunction with the {{tlx|main}} template.


Similarly, do {{em|not}} use the {{tlx|see also}} or {{tlx|main}} templates on top of a page, as they are meant only for sections; templates {{tlx|other uses}} and {{tlx|broader}} might be more appropriate alternatives.
===Disambiguating article names that are not ambiguous===


This guideline does {{em|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. (e.g. the article '']'' is about the novel and has a hatnote leading to ].)
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: black; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">
<div style="border-bottom:1px solid black; font-size:170%;">Tree (set theory)</div>
that anyone can edit.


===Disambiguating article names that are not ambiguous<span class="anchor" id="NAMB"></span>===
:''For other uses, see ].''
{{Shortcut|WP:NAMB|WP:NOTAMB|WP:NOHAT|WP:NOHATNOTE}}
In ], a '''tree''' is a ] (]) 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 ]...
It is usually preferable not to have a hatnote when the name of the article is not ambiguous.

<blockquote style="border:1px solid #AAA;padding:1em">
<big>'''Water (''wuxing'')'''</big>
----
<div style="background:#FCC">{{Other uses|Water (disambiguation)}}</div>
In Chinese philosophy, '''water''' ({{zh|c=水|p=shuǐ}}), is the low point of matter. It is considered matter's dying or hiding stage.&nbsp;...
</blockquote> </blockquote>


Here, the problem is that the user would not have ended up at ] if they were interested in other types of trees, as ] does not redirect there. Here, the hatnote can be removed. A reader who is following links within Misplaced Pages is unlikely to end up at ] if they were looking for other meanings of water, since ] does not redirect there.


A hatnote may still be appropriate when even a more specific name is still ambiguous. For example, ] might still be confused with ].
===External links===
A previous version of the '']'' article contained:


The presence or absence of hatnotes in articles with disambiguated titles has been a contentious issue. There are cases where some editors strongly believe that such hatnotes should be included, such as the various articles about treaties called ].
<blockquote style="background-color: white; color: black; border:1px solid black; padding: 1em;">

:'' If you are trying to locate someone missing in Hurricane Katrina, or register yourself as found, you can use the site ''
A hatnote {{Strong|may be appropriate}} in an unambiguously named article {{Strong|when an ambiguous term redirects to it}}, as explained in {{Section link|#Ambiguous term that redirects to an unambiguously named article}} above.
'''Hurricane Katrina''', which made ] near ], on ], ], was one of the most destructive and expensive ] to hit the ]...

=== Extraneous links<span class="anchor" id="HATEXTRA"></span> ===
{{Shortcut|WP:HATEXTRA}}
Each additional link in the hatnote besides the ambiguous or confusable topic(s) makes it more difficult to find the desired target. For example, in a ] of the article ] under a former callsign:

<blockquote style="border:1px solid #AAA;padding:1em">
<div style="background:#FCC">{{Hatnote|For the ], United States radio station known as WTIX from 1953-2005, see ].}}</div>
'''WTIX''' (980 ]) is a ] broadcasting a ] format.&nbsp;...
</blockquote> </blockquote>


In this case, the link to ], in the hatnote, leads to an article that is not ambiguous with the title. Keeping only the second link to the possible other destination (]) makes it easier to find the proper link:
The use of external help links in Misplaced Pages, 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.

<blockquote style="border:1px solid #AAA;padding:1em">
<div style="background:#CFC">{{Hatnote|For the New Orleans, Louisiana, United States radio station known as WTIX from 1953-2005, see ].}}</div>
'''WTIX''' (980 ]) is a ] broadcasting a ] format.&nbsp;...
</blockquote>

=== External links ===
{{Shortcut|WP:ELHAT}}
A previous version of the ] article contained:

<blockquote style="border:1px solid #AAA;padding:1em">
<div style="background:#FCC">{{Hatnote|1=If you are trying to locate someone missing in Hurricane Katrina, or register yourself as found, you can use the site }}</div>
'''Hurricane Katrina''', which made ] near ], on August 29, 2005, was one of the most destructive and expensive ] to hit the United States. ...
</blockquote>

The use of external help links in Misplaced Pages cannot reasonably be maintained. In special cases, a link to an "External links" section may be appropriate, but POV favoritism can be obstructive. In this case, the hatnote was removed entirely.

=== Non-existent articles ===
{{Shortcut|WP:NOARTICLE|WP:REDHAT}}
{{For|the guideline on when to create standalone articles versus sections|WP:NOPAGE}}

Hatnotes should not contain ] (links to ]), since hatnotes are intended to help users navigate to another article they may have intended to find.

== <span class="anchor" id="Templates"></span>Hatnote templates ==

===Generic hatnote===
{{tlx|Hatnote}} allows general text to be shown in hatnote format. It is appropriate when none of the other specific templates listed below includes the combination of parameters needed, or to combine several of them in a single hatnote.

* {{tlx|Hatnote|CUSTOM TEXT}} → {{Hatnote|CUSTOM TEXT}}
** {{tlx|Hatnote|For other senses of this term, see <nowiki>]</nowiki>}} → {{Hatnote|For other senses of this term, see ]}}
* {{tlx|Self reference}} (a generic template for self-references to Misplaced Pages material)

===Other uses of the same title ("''For ..., see ...''")===
Per ], it is usually preferable {{em|not}} to have a hatnote when the name of the article is not ambiguous.

===="''This article is about ... For other uses, see...''"====
{{tlx|About}} is the main template for noting other uses.

{{em|Note: When used in ] (a.k.a. mainspace), the word "page" in the following hatnotes is replaced by "article".}}

* {{tlx|About|TOPIC}} → {{About|TOPIC}}
* {{tlx|About|USE1<nowiki>||</nowiki>PAGE2}} (When the disambiguation page has a different name – Note the empty second parameter) → {{About|USE1||PAGE2}}
* {{tlx|About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2}} (When there is only one other use) → {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2}}
* {{tlx|About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|and|PAGE3}} (Two pages for USE2) → {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|and|PAGE3}}
* {{tlx|About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2#SUBSECTION{{tlf|!}}PAGE2TITLE}} (Using the {{tlx|!}} magic word to give the link a different title) → {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2#SUBSECTION{{!}}PAGE2TITLE}}
* {{tlx|About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|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) → {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|other uses}}
* {{tlx|About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|other uses|PAGE3}} (When there are several standard other uses and also a disambiguation page with non-default name) →{{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|other uses|PAGE3}}
* {{tlx|About|<nowiki>|</nowiki>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||USE2|PAGE2|USE3|PAGE3|other uses}}
* {{tlx|About|<nowiki>||</nowiki>PAGE1|and|PAGE2}} → {{About|||PAGE1|and|PAGE2|_nocat=1}}
* Note: {{tlx|for|<nowiki>|</nowiki>PAGE1|PAGE2}} produces the same result.
* {{tlx|About|TOPIC|<nowiki>section=yes</nowiki>}} → {{About|TOPIC|section=yes}}
** Note: this hatnote says "section", instead of "article" or "page".
* {{tlx|About|USE1|text{{=}}TEXT}} → {{About|USE1|text = TEXT}}

===="''This page is about ... It is not to be confused with ...''"====
{{tlx|About-distinguish}} is a template for noting other uses when there could be confusion with another topic.

* {{tlx|About-distinguish|USE1|PAGE1}} → {{About-distinguish|USE1|PAGE1}}
* {{tlx|About-distinguish2|USE1|TEXT}} → {{About-distinguish2|USE1|TEXT}}

===="''For ..., see ...''"====
{{tlx|For}} can be used instead of {{tlx|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 {{tlx|About}} as in:

For example: {{tlx|For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}} is the same as {{tlx|About|<nowiki>|</nowiki>OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}} (note the empty first parameter).

However, it is somewhat clearer when using the {{tlx|For}} template, since the word "about" does not appear in the statement.

* {{tlx|For|OTHER TOPIC}} → {{For|OTHER TOPIC}}
* {{tlx|For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}} → {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1}}
* {{tlx|For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2}} → {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2}}
* {{tlx|For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → {{For|OTHER TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}}

;Variations
:As with {{tlx|Other uses}}, there is a whole family of "for" templates. {{tlx|For-text}} allows custom text, such as quotation marks or a link from part of the "CUSTOM TEXT", but does not supply automatic wikilinking
:* {{tlx|For-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT}} → {{for-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT}} (note how CUSTOM TEXT isn't bluelinked)
:It also supports up to three topics:
:* {{tlx|For-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT|OTHER TOPIC 2|CUSTOM TEXT 2}} → {{for-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT|OTHER TOPIC 2|CUSTOM TEXT 2}}
:* {{tlx|For-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT|OTHER TOPIC 2|CUSTOM TEXT 2|OTHER TOPIC 3|CUSTOM TEXT 3}} → {{for-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT|OTHER TOPIC 2|CUSTOM TEXT 2|OTHER TOPIC 3|CUSTOM TEXT 3}}

===="''For other uses, see ...''"====
When such a wordy hatnote as {{tlx|About}} is not needed, {{tlx|Other uses}} is often useful.

* {{tlx|Other uses}} → {{Other uses|Hatnote (disambiguation)}}
* {{tlx|Other uses|PAGE1}} → {{Other uses|PAGE1}}
* {{tlx|Other uses|PAGE1|PAGE2}} → {{Other uses|PAGE1|PAGE2}}

;Variations
:There are, historically, a whole family of "other uses" templates for specific cases. {{tlx|About}} is the standard hatnote for "other uses" and many of them can be specified using the {{tlx|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 {{tlx|About}}, {{tlx|Other uses}} or {{tlx|For}} templates.

;"''For other uses of ..., see ...''"
:* {{tlx|Other uses of|TOPIC}} → {{Other uses of|TOPIC|Topic (disambiguation){{!}}TOPIC (disambiguation)}}
:* {{tlx|Other uses of|TOPIC|PAGE1}} → {{Other uses of|TOPIC|PAGE1}}

===Redirect===
===="''... redirects here. For other uses, see ...''"====
* {{tlx|Redirect|REDIRECT1}} → {{Redirect|REDIRECT1}}
* {{tlx|Redirect|REDIRECT1<nowiki>||</nowiki>PAGE1}} → {{Redirect|REDIRECT1||PAGE1}}
* {{tlx|Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1}} → {{Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1}}
* {{tlx|Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} → {{Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}}
* {{tlx|Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1|and|PAGE2}} → {{Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1|and|PAGE2}}

;Variations:
* For two sources:
** {{tlx|Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2}} → {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2}}
** {{tlx|Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE}} → {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE}}
** {{tlx|Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2<nowiki>||PAGE1</nowiki>}} → {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2||PAGE1}}
** {{tlx|Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE|PAGE1}} → {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE|PAGE1}}
** {{tlx|Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} → {{Redirect2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}}
* For three or more sources:
** {{tlx|Redirect-multi|2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2}} → {{Redirect-multi|2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2}}
** {{tlx|Redirect-multi|3|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|REDIRECT3}} → {{Redirect-multi|3|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|REDIRECT3}}
** {{tlx|Redirect-multi|2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE|PAGE}} → {{Redirect-multi|2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE|PAGE}}
** {{tlx|Redirect-multi|2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|and|PAGE3}} → {{Redirect-multi|2|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2|and|PAGE3}}
** {{tlx|Redirect-several|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|REDIRECT3}} → {{Redirect-several|REDIRECT1|REDIRECT2|REDIRECT3}}
* To specify the text following "redirects here.":
** {{tlx|Redirect|REDIRECT|text{{=}}TEXT}}→ {{Redirect|REDIRECT|text = TEXT}}
** {{tlx|Redirect-synonym|TERM|OTHER TOPIC}} → {{Redirect-synonym|TERM|OTHER TOPIC}}

===="''For technical reasons, ... redirects here. ... ''====
* {{tlx|Technical reasons|REDIRECT}} → {{Technical reasons|REDIRECT}}
* {{tlx|Technical reasons|REDIRECT|PAGE}} → {{Technical reasons|REDIRECT|PAGE}}
* {{tlx|Technical reasons|REDIRECT|DESCRIPTION|PAGE}} → {{Technical reasons|REDIRECT|DESCRIPTION|PAGE}}
* {{tlx|Technical reasons|REDIRECT|DESCRIPTION1|PAGE1|DESCRIPTION2|PAGE2}} → {{Technical reasons|REDIRECT|DESCRIPTION1|PAGE1|DESCRIPTION2|PAGE2}}

====''... redirects here. Not to be confused with ...''====
* {{tlx|Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1}} → {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1}}
* {{tlx|Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}}
* {{tlx|Redirect-distinguish2|REDIRECT|TEXT}} → {{Redirect-distinguish2|REDIRECT|TEXT}}

===Similar proper names ("''For other people named ...''")===

====Other people====
* {{tlx|Other people}} → {{Other people}}
* {{tlx|Other people|NAME}} → {{Other people|NAME}}
* {{tlx|Other people|NAME|PAGE}} → {{Other people|NAME|PAGE}}
* {{tlx|Other people|<nowiki>|PAGE</nowiki>}} → {{Other people||PAGE}}
* {{tlx|Other people|NAME|PAGE|named{{=}}titled}} → {{Other people|NAME|PAGE|named=titled}}
* {{tlx|About other people|PERSON1}} → {{About other people|PERSON1}}
* {{tlx|About other people|PERSON1|NAME}} → {{About other people|PERSON1|NAME}}
* {{tlx|About other people|PERSON1|NAME|named{{=}}titled}} → {{About other people|PERSON1|NAME|named=titled}}
* {{tlx|About other people|PERSON1|NAME|PAGE}} → {{About other people|PERSON1|NAME|PAGE}}
* {{tlx|About other people|PERSON1<nowiki>||</nowiki>PAGE}} → {{About other people|PERSON1||PAGE}}
* {{tlx|About other people|PERSON1||PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → {{About other people|PERSON1||PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}}
* {{tlx|Similar names|NAME1|NAME2|NAME3|NAME4}} → {{Similar names|NAME1|NAME2|NAME3|NAME4}}
*:Note: defaults to "named" as in {{tlx|Other people}}, exists for options like "nicknamed", "known as", etc.

====Other places/ships/hurricanes====
* {{tlx|Other places}}, analogous to {{tlx|Other uses}} → {{Other places|Hatnote (disambiguation)}}
* {{tlx|Other places|PAGE}}, analogous to {{tlx|Other uses}} → {{Other places|PAGE}}
* {{tlx|Other ships|SHIP1}} → {{Other ships|SHIP1}}
* {{tlx|Other hurricanes|HURR}} → {{Other hurricanes|HURR}}

===Distinguish===

===="''Not to be confused with ...''"====
* {{tlx|Distinguish|PAGE1}} → {{Distinguish|PAGE1}}
* {{tlx|Distinguish|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} → {{Distinguish|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}}
* {{tlx|Distinguish|text {{=}} TEXT}} → {{Distinguish|text = TEXT}}
* {{tlx|Distinguish|text {{=}} TEXT1 ]]] TEXT2}} → {{Distinguish|text = TEXT1 ] TEXT2}}

===="''... redirects here. It is not to be confused with ...''"====
* {{tlx|Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1}} → {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1}}
* {{tlx|Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}} → {{Redirect-distinguish|REDIRECT|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3|PAGE4}}
* {{tlx|Redirect-distinguish-text|REDIRECT|TEXT}} → {{Redirect-distinguish2|REDIRECT|TEXT}}

===Family names===
{{shortcut|WP:HATPAT|WP:HATFAM}}
{{further|:Category:Hatnote templates for names}}
Family names ] via {{tlx|Family name footnote}}.

===For use in sections===
{{See|WP:SUMMARYHATNOTE}}
===="''Main article: ...''"====
{{tlx|Main}} is used to make ] explicit, when used in a summary section for which there is also a separate article on the subject:
* {{tlx|Main|Main Article}} → {{Main|Main Article}}
* {{tlx|Main|Main Article|Article2}} → {{Main|Main Article|Article2}}
* {{tlx|Main list|Article1}} → {{Main list|Article1}}
* {{tlx|Main category|Category name}} → {{Main category|Category name}}

===="''Further information: ...''"====
{{tlx|Further}} can supplement {{tlx|Main}} in summary sections, or can indicate more details in nonsummary sections:
* {{tlx|Further|PAGE}} → {{Further|PAGE}}
* {{tlx|Further|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → {{Further|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}}
* {{tlx|Further|topic{{=}}TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → {{Further|topic=TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}}
* {{tlx|Further2|<nowiki>], ], and other text</nowiki>}} → {{Further2|], ], and other text}}
* {{tlx|Further ill}} may be used to link to articles containing further information on a topic, where English Misplaced Pages does not yet have an article, but another language Misplaced Pages does.

===="''See also ...''"====
{{tlx|See also}} can be used at the head of a section.
* {{tlx|See also|TOPIC PAGE|OTHER TOPIC PAGE}} → {{See also|TOPIC PAGE|OTHER TOPIC PAGE}}
:Note: use {{em|only}} when OTHER TOPIC PAGE is {{em|related}} to current article and contains a self-explanatory parenthetical.

* {{tlx|See also2|<nowiki>]|]|] and other text</nowiki>}} → {{See also2|]|]|] and other text}}

====Article or section transclusions====
* {{tlx|Transcluding article|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3...}} (used when ] 1 or more entire articles into a target article) → {{Transcluding article|PAGE1|PAGE2|...}}
* {{Tlx|Transcluded section|PAGE}} (used when ] from one article into a section of the target article) → {{Transcluded section|PAGE}}
* {{Tlx|Transcluded section|PAGE|part{{=}}yes}} (used when selectively transcluding a section into part of a section on the target page) → {{Transcluded section|PAGE|part=yes}}

===<span id="Categories">For category pages</span>===
{{Category see also|Hatnote templates for category pages}}
Category-specific templates:
* {{tlx|Category see also|THIS|THAT|THE OTHER}} → {{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 {{em|both}} categories to create ''reciprocal linkage'' between the two categories.

* {{tlx|Cat main|MAIN ARTICLE}} → {{Cat main|MAIN ARTICLE}}
* {{tlx|Category explanation|colourless green ideas}} → {{Category explanation|colourless green ideas}}
* {{tlx|Category pair|TOPIC1|TOPIC2}} → {{Category pair|TOPIC1|TOPIC2}}
* {{tlx|Preceding category|OTHER TOPIC}} → {{Preceding category|OTHER TOPIC}}
* {{tlx|Succeeding category|OTHER TOPIC}} → {{Succeeding category|OTHER TOPIC}}
* {{tlx|Contrast|OTHERCAT1|OTHERCAT2}} → {{Contrast|OTHERCAT1|OTHERCAT2}}
* {{tlx|Contrast|OTHERCAT1|OTHERCAT2|plural{{=}}yes}} → {{Contrast|OTHERCAT1|OTHERCAT2|plural=yes}}

===Correct titles===
"''The correct title of this article is ... The substitution or omission of the (or, without a reason: "It appears incorrectly here") ... is due to technical restrictions.''"
{{main|Template:Correct title}}

===Lists===
{{further|:Category:Hatnote templates for lists}}

==What to do before editing or creating a template<span class="anchor" id="Notes"></span>==
{{strong|Do not use ] with these templates}}, as that will prevent:

# Propagating changes as the template is modified
# '']'' (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: ].
# Do I really need a new template for this? Will it likely be used on any other articles or should I just use {{tlx|Hatnote}} instead? Before creating a new template, see the ] 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 ].

==See also==
* ]
* ]


==Templates == ==References==
{{Reflist}}


{{Hatnote templates|state=collapsed}}
{| class="wikitable" align="center"
{{Misplaced Pages templates}}
|+ '''Templates which standardise and shorten the disambiguation hatnotes'''
{{Misplaced Pages policies and guidelines}}
|-
! Template
! Syntax
! Expansion
! Usage
|-
| {{tl|Distinguish}}
| <nowiki>{{Distinguish}}</nowiki>
| <nowiki>Not to be confused with ].</nowiki><br />{{Template:Distinguish|Headwarenotes}}
| Useful when two pages have confusingly similar names (such as ] and ])
|-
| {{tl|Distinguish2}}
| <nowiki>{{Distinguish2}}</nowiki>
| <nowiki>Not to be confused with {{{1}}}.</nowiki><br />{{Template:Distinguish2|], a type of ]}}
| As above, but when a further explanation seems useful (such as ] and ]); or there is more than one similar name (such as ], ], etc).
|}
{{otheruses templates}}


]
===See also===
]
* ] (])
* ] (])
* ] (])
* ] (])

Latest revision as of 18:09, 24 December 2024

Short navigational notes in Misplaced Pages articles "WP:HN" and "Hatnote" redirect here. It should not be confused with Misplaced Pages:Help namespace, Headnote, or Hat notation. "WP:HAT" redirects here. For other uses, see WP:HAT (disambiguation) and WP:Hatnote (disambiguation).
Blue tickThis page documents an English Misplaced Pages editing guideline.
Editors should generally follow it, though exceptions may apply. Substantive edits to this page should reflect consensus. When in doubt, discuss first on this guideline's talk page.		Shortcuts
This page in a nutshell: Hatnotes provide links at the top of an article or a section to help readers locate a different article if the one they are viewing is not the one they're looking for.
Linking and
page manipulation
Linking and diffs
Categorization
Moving and redirecting
Merging
Splitting
Importing and copying
Protecting
Additional

Hatnotes are short notes placed at the top of a page or a section, in the way that a hat is placed on top of one's head. For an example, see the notes in italics immediately preceding the boxes above. The purpose of a hatnote is to help readers locate a different article if the one they are at is not the one they're looking for. Readers may have arrived at the article containing the hatnote because:

  • They were redirected.
  • They may be seeking an article that uses a more specific, disambiguated title.
  • They may be seeking an article with a similar name to, or that otherwise might be confused with, the article with the hatnote.

Hatnotes provide links to the possibly sought article or to a disambiguation page.

Shortcuts

The six basic rules of hatnotes are:

  1. Link directly to other articles; do not pipe non-disambiguation links. With regard to linking to redirects, follow any applicable rules in the disambiguation guideline. For example, links to disambiguation pages should always end in "(disambiguation)".
  2. Keep explanations to a minimum; explain vital information only, letting the lead section and body of the article to clarify things for the reader.
  3. Mention other topics and articles only if there is a reasonable possibility of a reader arriving at the article either by mistake or with another topic in mind.
  4. However, if a notable topic X is commonly referred to as "Foo", but the article "Foo" is not about X, there must be a hatnote linking to the article on X or linking to a disambiguation page that contains a link to the article on X.
  5. Ideally, limit hatnotes to just one at the top of the page or section. Multiple hatnotes may be appropriate when they serve different purposes, such as disambiguating topics with similar names and explaining redirects. (In such cases, consider using {{hatnote group}}.)
  6. Refrain from having redlinks in your hatnotes. As opposed to having redlinks in the writing of the article, redlinks in hatnotes do not help and add to a large backlog.

For more information about methods of disambiguating articles, see Misplaced Pages:Disambiguation.

Placement

See also: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Lead section § Elements Shortcuts

Hatnotes are placed at the top of an article or section. When used at the top of an article, hatnotes are placed immediately following a short description template but strictly before any other content including protection icons or maintenance tags. For the specific order of placing hatnotes with respect to other article elements, see MOS:SECTIONORDER. Text-based web browsers and screen readers present the page sequentially. Placing hatnotes immediately after the title ensures that readers are promptly directed to related or alternative articles if they have arrived at the page unintentionally. This placement enhances navigation and improves the overall user experience.

Format

In most cases, hatnotes should be created using a standard hatnote template, as illustrated in § Hatnote templates below. This permits the form and structure of hatnotes to be changed uniformly across the encyclopedia as needed, and the templates to be excluded in print.

Current style on the English Misplaced Pages is to italicize and to indent each note, without a bullet before the item. A horizontal dividing line should not be placed either under a note or after the final item in a list. Links to articles should follow the naming conventions for capitalization – typically sentence case, not all lower case.

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 principle less is more.

Length and number

Shortcuts Further information: WP:SUMMARYHATNOTE

As hatnotes separate the reader from the content they are looking for, hatnotes should generally be as concise as possible. Long explanations are generally discouraged; the article's lead text, not the hatnote, should explain what the article is about. In almost all cases, the hatnote is intended only to direct readers to other articles in case they were actually looking for something they will not find in the article containing the hatnote.

If a disambiguation page exists for a given term, then linking to it should be enough. For example, if the article is X then its hatnote will link to X (disambiguation); it should not have entries for other topics known as X, like X (Grafton novel) or X (charge), because they are already listed in the disambiguation page. However, such an article may be linked if it could be expected by a significant number of readers to be at the title in question: for instance, Turkey is about the country, but many readers expect to find the article about the bird at that title; therefore, the hatnote there correctly reads

{{about|the country|the bird|Turkey (bird)|other uses}}

which renders

This page is about the country. For the bird, see Turkey (bird). For other uses, see Turkey (disambiguation).

There should be as few hatnotes as possible. One single hatnote, which can accommodate several links, is greatly preferable to two or more. Multiple hatnotes may however be appropriate when each serves a different purpose, such as disambiguating the title or distinguishing similar terms.

Summarize or not?

Shortcut

Some hatnote disambiguation templates include a brief summary of the present article's topic; others do not have a summary. For instance, in the article Honey, one might use the template {{about|the insect-produced fluid}} to produce:

This page is about the insect-produced fluid. For other uses, 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' preferences and on what is likely to be clearer and easier for the reader. (In this particular instance, most English speakers will know what honey is, and the second, more concise hatnote is preferable.) Where an article already has a hatnote in one of these styles, editors should not change it to the other style without good reason.

Examples of proper use

Two articles with similar titles

Shortcut See also: WP:PRIMARYTOPIC and WP:TWODABS
This page is about the village in England. For H. P. Lovecraft's fictional town, see Dunwich (Lovecraft).

Dunwich (/ˈdʌnɪtʃ/) 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. ...

When two articles share the same title, except that one title is disambiguated and the other is not, and it is not appropriate to change the undisambiguated article's title (see WP:Disambiguation § Primary topic), the undisambiguated article should include a hatnote with a link to the other article. It is not necessary to create a separate disambiguation page. The {{about}} template may be used for this. In this case, the parameterization was {{about|the village in England|H. P. Lovecraft's fictional town|Dunwich (Lovecraft)}}.

Terms that can cause confusion with another topic

Shortcuts
Not to be confused with Pearl.

Perl is a family of high-level, general-purpose, interpreted, dynamic programming languages. ...

{{Distinguish}} or a related template can be used when there can be confusion with a similar term. They are typically used when readers have misspelled their desired title, and the error would be apparent by simply displaying the alternative term without further explanation. These hatnotes should only be used when the ambiguity exists for a significant portion of the readership.

However, they are not suitable when the difference is not readily apparent without additional details. In those cases, use {{about}}, {{for}} or {{other uses}} instead, as the differences in the suggested article are explained upfront without requiring the reader to click through and differentiate the terms on their own.

Linking to a disambiguation page

Shortcut
For other uses, see Monolith (disambiguation).

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. ...

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:

This page is about the maze-like labyrinth from Greek mythology. For other uses, see Labyrinth (disambiguation).

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. ...

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

Shortcuts

{{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


(Redirected from Bach)

"Bach" redirects here. For other uses, see Bach (disambiguation).

Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March  1685 – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and musician of the late Baroque period. He is known for his orchestral music such as the ...

Hatnotes above maintenance tags

Further information: Misplaced Pages:Manual of Style/Layout § Order of article elements

Always place a hatnote above maintenance tags, but below short description templates. See above for specific details regarding the placement of hatnotes.

For the 2014 film adaptation, see The Giver (film).
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2014)

The Giver is a 1993 American young-adult dystopian novel by Lois Lowry. It is set in a society which at first appears as utopian, but is later revealed to be a dystopian one as the story progresses. The novel follows a boy named Jonas. ...

Hatnotes with italics in the links

Shortcut
"Spotted angle" redirects here. For the other butterfly with this name, see Caprona alida.

Caprona agama, the spotted angle, is a butterfly belonging to the family Hesperiidae. ...

Words or phrases that are italicized within a normal sentence should be unitalicized within a hatnote. Since all words in a hatnote are italicized, the specific text will not stand out if the italics are not disabled.

Italics are cancelled by the parameterization:

{{Redirect|Spotted angle|the other butterfly with this name|Caprona alida{{!}}''Caprona alida''}}

Many hatnote templates found below section headers, such as {{Main}}, {{See also}}, {{Further}}, and others have label parameters to customize the italicization of the output text:

{{See also|Caprona alida|label1=''Caprona alida''}}

In this instance, the rendered term will stand out unitalicized.

Examples of improper use

Trivial information, dictionary definitions, and slang

Shortcuts

When notes feature a trivial detail or use of a term, or links to overly specific and tendentious material, they are unwarranted.

A previous version of the article Investment showed:

During a siege, to invest a town or fortress means to surround it with a contravallation and a circumvallation.

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. ...

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

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A previous version of the Aisha article showed:

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.

Aisha or Ayesha (Arabic عائشه `ā'isha = 'she who lives') was a wife of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. ...

This is an improper use of disambiguating hatnotes. Instead, the information belongs in the body of the article, or in the article 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.

Linking to articles that are related to the topic

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Disambiguation hatnotes are intended to link to separate topics that could be referred to by the same title, of the article or any of its redirects. They are not intended to link to topics that are simply related to each other, or to a specific aspect of a general topic:

This page is about the scientific study of extraterrestrial life. For treatment in popular culture, see Extraterrestrial life in popular culture.

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. ...

Instead of using a disambiguation hatnote in such cases, it is better to summarize the topic Extraterrestrial life in popular culture under a subsection of Extraterrestrial life in conjunction with the {{main}} template.

Similarly, do not use the {{see also}} or {{main}} templates on top of a page, as they are meant only for sections; templates {{other uses}} and {{broader}} might be more appropriate alternatives.

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. (e.g. the article Where the Crawdads Sing is about the novel and has a hatnote leading to Where the Crawdads Sing (film).)

Disambiguating article names that are not ambiguous

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It is usually preferable not to have a hatnote when the name of the article is not ambiguous.

Water (wuxing)

For other uses, see Water (disambiguation).

In Chinese philosophy, water (Chinese: 水; pinyin: shuǐ), is the low point of matter. It is considered matter's dying or hiding stage. ...

Here, the hatnote can be removed. A reader who is following links within Misplaced Pages is unlikely to end up at Water (wuxing) if they were looking for other meanings of water, since water does not redirect there.

A hatnote may still be appropriate when even a more specific name is still ambiguous. For example, Tree (set theory) might still be confused with Tree (descriptive set theory).

The presence or absence of hatnotes in articles with disambiguated titles has been a contentious issue. There are cases where some editors strongly believe that such hatnotes should be included, such as the various articles about treaties called Treaty of Paris.

A hatnote may be appropriate in an unambiguously named article when an ambiguous term redirects to it, as explained in § Ambiguous term that redirects to an unambiguously named article above.

Extraneous links

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Each additional link in the hatnote besides the ambiguous or confusable topic(s) makes it more difficult to find the desired target. For example, in a previous version of the article WTOB (AM) under a former callsign:

For the New Orleans, Louisiana, United States radio station known as WTIX from 1953-2005, 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, leads to an article that is not ambiguous with the title. Keeping only the second link to the possible other destination (WIST (AM)) makes it easier to find the proper link:

For the New Orleans, Louisiana, United States radio station known as WTIX from 1953-2005, see WIST (AM).

WTIX (980 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports radio format. ...

External links

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A previous version of the Hurricane Katrina article contained:

If you are trying to locate someone missing in Hurricane Katrina, or register yourself as found, you can use the site www.disastersearch.org.

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. ...

The use of external help links in Misplaced Pages cannot reasonably be maintained. In special cases, a link to an "External links" section may be appropriate, but POV favoritism can be obstructive. In this case, the hatnote was removed entirely.

Non-existent articles

Shortcuts For the guideline on when to create standalone articles versus sections, see WP:NOPAGE.

Hatnotes should not contain red links (links to non-existent articles), since hatnotes are intended to help users navigate to another article they may have intended to find.

Hatnote templates

Generic hatnote

{{Hatnote}} allows general text to be shown in hatnote format. It is appropriate when none of the other specific templates listed below includes the combination of parameters needed, or to combine several of them in a single hatnote.

  • {{Hatnote|CUSTOM TEXT}} → CUSTOM TEXT
    • {{Hatnote|For other senses of this term, see ]}} → For other senses of this term, see etc...
  • {{Self reference}} (a generic template for self-references to Misplaced Pages material)

Other uses of the same title ("For ..., see ...")

Per Misplaced Pages:Hatnote#Disambiguating article names that are not ambiguous, it is usually preferable not to have a hatnote when the name of the article is not ambiguous.

"This article is about ... For other uses, see..."

{{About}} is the main template for noting other uses.

Note: When used in main namespace (a.k.a. mainspace), the word "page" in the following hatnotes is replaced by "article".

  • {{About|TOPIC}} → This page is about TOPIC. 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) → This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2 and PAGE3.
  • {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2#SUBSECTION{{!}}PAGE2TITLE}} (Using the {{!}} magic word to give the link a different title) → This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2TITLE.
  • {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|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 other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • {{About|USE1|USE2|PAGE2|other uses|PAGE3}} (When there are several standard other uses and also a disambiguation page with non-default name) →This page is about USE1. For USE2, see PAGE2. For other uses, see PAGE3.
  • {{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) → For USE2, see PAGE2. For USE3, see PAGE3. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
  • {{About|||PAGE1|and|PAGE2}} → For other uses, see PAGE1 and PAGE2.
  • Note: {{for||PAGE1|PAGE2}} produces the same result.
  • {{About|TOPIC|section=yes}} → This section is about TOPIC. For other uses, see Hatnote (disambiguation).
    • Note: this hatnote says "section", instead of "article" or "page".
  • {{About|USE1|text=TEXT}} → This page is about USE1. TEXT.

"This page is about ... It is not to be confused with ..."

{{About-distinguish}} is a template for noting other uses when there could be confusion with another topic.

"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.

Variations
As with {{Other uses}}, there is a whole family of "for" templates. {{For-text}} allows custom text, such as quotation marks or a link from part of the "CUSTOM TEXT", but does not supply automatic wikilinking
  • {{For-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT}} → For OTHER TOPIC, see CUSTOM TEXT. (note how CUSTOM TEXT isn't bluelinked)
It also supports up to three topics:
  • {{For-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT|OTHER TOPIC 2|CUSTOM TEXT 2}} → For OTHER TOPIC, see CUSTOM TEXT. For OTHER TOPIC 2, see CUSTOM TEXT 2.
  • {{For-text|OTHER TOPIC|CUSTOM TEXT|OTHER TOPIC 2|CUSTOM TEXT 2|OTHER TOPIC 3|CUSTOM TEXT 3}} → For OTHER TOPIC, see CUSTOM TEXT. For OTHER TOPIC 2, see CUSTOM TEXT 2. For OTHER TOPIC 3, see CUSTOM TEXT 3.

"For other uses, see ..."

When such a wordy hatnote as {{About}} is not needed, {{Other uses}} is often useful.

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.
"For other uses of ..., see ..."

Redirect

"... redirects here. For other uses, see ..."

  • {{Redirect|REDIRECT1}} → "REDIRECT1" redirects here. For other uses, see REDIRECT1 (disambiguation).
  • {{Redirect|REDIRECT1||PAGE1}} → "REDIRECT1" redirects here. For other uses, see PAGE1.
  • {{Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1}} → "REDIRECT1" redirects here. For USE1, see PAGE1.
  • {{Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1|USE2|PAGE2}} → "REDIRECT1" redirects here. For USE1, see PAGE1. For USE2, see PAGE2.
  • {{Redirect|REDIRECT1|USE1|PAGE1|and|PAGE2}} → "REDIRECT1" redirects here. For USE1, see PAGE1 and PAGE2.
Variations

"For technical reasons, ... redirects here. ...

... redirects here. Not to be confused with ...

Similar proper names ("For other people named ...")

Other people

Other places/ships/hurricanes

Distinguish

"Not to be confused with ..."

"... redirects here. It is not to be confused with ..."

Family names

Shortcuts Further information: Category:Hatnote templates for names

Family names can also be clarified using inline footnotes via {{Family name footnote}}.

For use in sections

Further information: WP:SUMMARYHATNOTE

"Main article: ..."

{{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:

"Further information: ..."

{{Further}} can supplement {{Main}} in summary sections, or can indicate more details in nonsummary sections:

  • {{Further|PAGE}} → Further information: PAGE
  • {{Further|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → Further information: PAGE1, PAGE2, and PAGE3
  • {{Further|topic=TOPIC|PAGE1|PAGE2|PAGE3}} → Further information on TOPIC: PAGE1, PAGE2, and PAGE3
  • {{Further2|], ], and other text}} → Further information: PAGE1, PAGE2, and other text
  • {{Further ill}} may be used to link to articles containing further information on a topic, where English Misplaced Pages does not yet have an article, but another language Misplaced Pages does.

"See also ..."

{{See also}} can be used at the head of a section.

Note: use only when OTHER TOPIC PAGE is related to current article and contains a self-explanatory parenthetical.

Article or section transclusions

For category pages

See also: Category:Hatnote templates for category pages

Category-specific templates:

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.

Correct titles

"The correct title of this article is ... The substitution or omission of the (or, without a reason: "It appears incorrectly here") ... is due to technical restrictions."

Main page: Template:Correct title

Lists

Further information: Category:Hatnote templates for lists

What to do before editing or creating a template

Do not use subst: with these templates, as that will prevent:

  1. Propagating changes as the template is modified
  2. 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:

  1. Is there already a template that will do this job? Since many disambiguation and redirection templates have already been created, first check: Category:Hatnote templates.
  2. 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.
  3. 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 Misplaced Pages:Template sandbox and test cases.

See also

References

  1. The acceptability of multiple hatnotes was clarified in a 2016 discussion.
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