Jalkiviite

Jalkiviite is a bibliographic annotation used in academic and journalistic writing to provide source information or commentary attached to a specific point in the text. The term is derived from Finnish components "jälki" meaning after and "viite" meaning reference. In practice, jalkiviitteet can appear as footnotes at the bottom of a page or as endnotes gathered at the end of a chapter or document. The choice between a footnote and an endnote depends on the style guide, publication type, and reader needs; both serve to credit sources and offer clarifications without interrupting the main narrative.

Usage and conventions: They are usually marked in the text by a numbered reference or symbol, which corresponds to a note text that contains the bibliographic citation or explanatory material. In some styles, jalkiviite entries include the author, title, publication details, and page number; in others, they may provide concise citations with full details in a bibliography.

Relation to other notes: Jalkiviitteet are distinct from in-text parenthetical citations; they allow longer commentary. They are also distinguished from marginal notes that appear in the margin rather than at the page bottom.

Formatting challenges: Consistency is important; numbering may restart with each chapter in some layouts. Style guides (APA, Chicago, MLA) have specific rules about punctuation and order of information.

See also: Footnote, Endnote, Citation style.