Forum:CT:Adding a required "reason" parameter to Template:Expand

Forums > Consensus track archive > CT:Adding a required "reason" parameter to Template:Expand
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The result of the debate was No consensus. DarthRuiz30 (talk) 02:42, 7 January 2022 (UTC)

I don't have enough edits to be able to vote yet, but there doesn't seem to be any policy saying that I can't make proposals, so I am going to propose fixing a serious problem with a widely-used template.

In its current form, Template:Expand is prone to drive-by tagging, or editors leaving the tag with no explanation. When no explanation is given, it is impossible to tell what exactly the tagger wanted expanded and whether those changes have already been made. While the tag does give a link to the talk page, the request for expansion is rarely found there, or at least not under a clearly labelled section.

I propose that a reason= parameter be added and required, similar to the reason= parameter in the cleanup template on Wikipedia. If no reason is specified, the template will not display correctly. This change will affect the thousands of articles that are currently tagged, but these articles are already affected with the issue of being tagged with a useless template that may very well stay there forever. On these pages, the templates can either be removed or have reasons added to them.

I propose that the template should display in a way similar to this:

TPMCGYoda

Master Qui-Gon, more to say, have you?

It is requested that this article, or a section of this article, be expanded.

The specific request is: (The text added to the reason parameter would display here.) Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Once the improvements have been completed, you may remove this notice.

The exact wording can be tweaked. Note that I also removed the mention of the "listing" because no such thing exists.

Adding this parameter would allow editors to actually know what needs to be added, and it could turn this template from a vague notice into a quick way for people to see what exactly should be expanded. Evil Sith Lord (talk) 10:02, 23 December 2021 (UTC)

Support

Oppose

Comments

  • While I understand where you're coming from with this proposal, I think a senate hall thread is in order first; I am predicting some mixed feelings on this. Braha'tok enthusiast Hello there 10:13, 23 December 2021 (UTC)
  • If the article needs to be updated with information from a particular source, {{Update}} is used. Expand is mainly used when the article needs to have an overall expansion. The idea is not bad, though. I agree with Braha'tok that a SH would help. LucaRoR CIS roundel (Talk) 10:18, 23 December 2021 (UTC)
  • I made a Senate Hall thread at Forum:SH:Adding a required "reason" parameter to Template:Expand. Evil Sith Lord (talk) 10:36, 23 December 2021 (UTC)