Referaatteja

Referaatteja (plural of referaatti) are concise, written summaries produced by a reader of a source such as a book, article, or lecture. A referaatti presents the central thesis, main arguments, methods or approaches, key findings, and conclusions in the summarizer’s own words. It is primarily descriptive and aims to convey what the original source says; evaluative or critical elements, if included, are typically separated or kept brief.

Usage and purpose

Referaatteja are commonly used in Finnish education and research to demonstrate understanding, practice scholarly writing, and provide peers with a compact overview of a source. They can cover a single article (kirjallisuusreferaatti) or larger works such as chapters or books. The goal is to reproduce the source’s content clearly and accurately, not to argue for a point of view.

Structure and style

A referaatti usually starts with bibliographic details and a brief introduction to the source. The body then summarizes the main thesis, the organization of the work, the key arguments or findings, and any notable methods or evidence. The writing should reflect the source in the author’s ideas, using paraphrase rather than lengthy quotations. Language should be neutral and precise; direct quotes are used sparingly and with page references when necessary.

Relation to other texts

A tiivistelmä (abstract) is often produced by the original author and aims to summarize the work for readers, whereas a referaatti is written by a reader and may emphasize different aspects of the source. A separate arviointi (critical review) may follow to assess strengths and weaknesses.