As an editor, I want a way to add Cite templates, without the surrounding <ref></ref> tags. (or a way to remove them, easily)

See example diff where the template should not have been enclosed within <ref></ref> tags. (subsequently fixed in wikitext).

This style is encouraged at MOS:APPENDIX, "Publications listed in Further reading are cited in the same citation style used by the rest of the article."
and at outreach documentation pages such as https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:The_Wikipedia_Library/GLAMISTS#As_.22Further_reading.22_or_.22Other_sources.22

feature request originally at :en:WP:VEF