Wikipedia:WikiProject Disambiguation/Fixing links

Disambiguation
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You may have come to this page by clicking on a superscript link that looks similar to this:

link^{[disambiguation needed]}

The superscript is generated by a {{dn}} tag, like this:

[[link]]{{dn}}

The tag is used on a link to a disambiguation page that needs to be repaired but for some reason is difficult to repair. This page is a short guide to repairing these links.

1. If the tagged link does not go to a disambiguation page, delete the tag.
2. Determine why the link is tagged.
   • Examine the articles listed on the disambiguation page, and check for notes about the link on the article talk page. You may also need to do some research outside of Wikipedia, or improve the disambiguation page (see examples below).
   • It is important to repair links correctly. Usually the intended meaning will be clear from the context in which it used. If it is not clear, do not guess; just leave the tag alone and explain the problem on the article's talk page.
   • If an appropriate link exists but isn't listed on the disambiguation page, consider adding it to the disambiguation page.
3. Fix the link and delete the tag.
   • Fixing a link correctly may require you to make a redlink. In that case you may also want to add the redlink to the disambiguation page.
   • Some links can simply be unlinked, by removing the [[ and ]]. Terms that are not important to the context generally should not be linked.
   • In some cases it may be appropriate to link to Wiktionary, using {{linktext}}.
   • Piping can be used to change the link without changing the displayed text of the link.
   • See also Wikipedia:Manual of Style (links).
4. Consider using an edit summary like this:

   Repairing link to disambiguation page - [[Wikipedia:DPL|You can help!]]

Some links to a disambiguation page are appropriate. Such links usually appear in an article's hatnotes and See also section, and do not merit a {{dn}} tag. Explicitly linking to the disambiguation page is usually done as Link (disambiguation).

In December 2009 an editor found in the article Ashcombe mention of a church with 13th century "lancets". The disambiguation page listed two relevant articles: Lancet arch and Lancet window, the latter being a window (glass) set in the former. To know which article should be linked from Ashcombe, it is necessary to research that church. The editor left a {{dn}} tag on "lancets" and a note on Talk:Ashcombe. A second editor found a reliable source about 13th century lancet windows in this church, and revised the article, fixing the link and removing its tag.

In November 2009 an editor put {{dn}} in the article Anostomidae on the link to Basin. A month later, a second editor repaired the link, changing the surrounding text from

found in the Cuenca basin^{[disambiguation needed]} of Ecuador to

found near Cuenca, Ecuador in the Cuenca basin (a structural basin).

The second editor also added an inline citation to a monograph about the basin, and added two red links to the Cuenca article.

Use of a {{dn}} tag causes an article to be listed in Category:Articles with links needing disambiguation. The tag is intended to be used only when an editor has tried to fix the link but not succeeded.

Most links to disambiguation pages do not have and do not need this tag (see Wikipedia:WikiProject Disambiguation/Fixing a page).

Tools are available to help editors find and fix links to disambiguation pages. For more information and help, see these projects and their talk pages:

• Wikipedia:WikiProject Disambiguation
• Wikipedia:Disambiguation pages with links

• Wikipedia:Citation needed