This template is used to layout the results of particular ask query. In particular it is used in an ask query in the References template.
The ask query should look something like this:
{{#ask: [[Category:Reference]] [[Reference describes::Dummy application]]
| default=''none specified''
| format = template
| template = Reference/layout
| link = none
|? Author
|? Year
|? Journal
}}
When called that will give the following result: none specified