Unlike many hatnote templates, {{Self-reference}} has no preset text, link generation, or formatting other than italics. {{Self-reference|Foo}} simply returns Foo. Many hatnote templates that do contain helpful preset text and linking, such as {{for}} and {{about}}, support a |selfref= parameter that gives them the same functionality as {{Self-reference}}, making them better options in most circumstances.

In most cases, references to the Wikipedia project are discouraged, and the valid uses for this template are rare. Consultation of the list of Self-references to avoid is advisable.

In most cases, {{Self-reference}} is used to create a disambiguation link to a page in the "Wikipedia:" namespace from article-space; for instance, the page Objectivity (disambiguation) could have a self-referential "hatnote" link at the top: {{Self-reference|For Wikipedia's policy on avoiding bias, see [[Wikipedia:Neutral point of view]].}}.

When using {{Self-reference}} in this way, use the following format:

{{Self-reference|The self-referential notice to display, including [[MOS:LINK|links]].}}

which produces:

italicized (Wikipedia house style for self-referential notes), and both preceded and followed by a linebreak.

For inline use (in body text, mid-sentence, and not in hatnotes), without the indentation and line breaking, use {{Self-reference inline}}:

{{Self-reference inline|the self-referential text to display, including [[MOS:LINKS|links]].}}

which produces: the self-referential text to display, including links. (illustrated here on the same line as other content).

Template {{Self-reference}} also has the parameter |inline:

{{Self-reference|the self-referential text to display, including [[MOS:LINKS|links]].|inline}}

However, as of early 2019, it does not always function properly, and may cause a line break under some circumstances.

Rarely, there is other, non-self-referential content which shouldn't appear in mirrors, print editions, or other off-Wikipedia reuses of Wikipedia content, and which shouldn't be italicized as a self-reference.

It is preferable to mark such unprintworthy content with the {{Unprintworthy inline}} template (which includes the noprint CSS class, but not the plainlinks class, since links in such content will not be internal self-references). Although not all mirror sites do so, the content in question can be removed by reusers of WP content, without any reformatting, by ignoring or removing content marked up by this template, or more accurately by the selfreference CSS class that it (and some other templates) use.

Note: The following syntax has been obsolete since 2008, and if you see it, replace it as described below.

There was a deprecated, pre-2008 legacy usage of {{Selfref}} that was used for such unprintworthy cases, and pre-dates the {{Unprintworthy inline}} template. This is to simply end the template with a pipe character – |:

{{Selfref|the unprintworthy text to display without self-ref styling|}}

This method cannot be depended upon. For one thing, many editors would interpret the ending pipe as an error and remove it, turning the template into an indented self-ref hatnote! It also has not been used since 2008. Any remaining uses of it should be replaced with {{Self-reference inline}} (if real a self-references) or {{Unprintworthy inline}} (if simply unprintworthy).

• Wikipedia:Self-references to avoid
• {{Self-reference inline}}
• {{Crossreference}}, for an inline (not block-level) "(See also ...)"
• {{Self-reference link}}, for the opposite case when you want a link to the Wikipedia: namespace that does show in mirrors without breaking (for instance when writing an article about Wikipedia or something connected to it).
• {{Printworthy self-reference}} – for cases of self-references that are printworthy and may or may not be desired by reusers of WP content, depending upon whether they are mirroring or just using single articles
• {{Unprintworthy inline}} – for unprintworthy inline material that isn't technically a self-reference