Viiteehto

Viiteehto is a Finnish term formed from viite, meaning reference or citation, and ehto, meaning condition or term. It is used primarily in formal or technical contexts to denote a requirement relating to references, citations, or provenance within a document or agreement. The phrase is not part of everyday language but appears in templates, policies, contracts, and academic guidelines where the inclusion, format, or verification of sources is mandated.

Typical uses include academic publishing guidelines that require every factual claim to be supported by verifiable sources; procurement or legal documents that demand that cited standards, statutes, or party positions be clearly identified and kept up to date; and metadata schemas in archival work where references must be traceable. In practice, a viiteehto may specify formatting rules for citations, the acceptable types of sources, or the obligation to provide access to cited materials.

The term is often hyphenated as viite-ehto and is translated into English as "citation requirement" or "reference condition," though direct equivalents are uncommon and usage may vary by organization. Because viiteehto is not a universally standardized term, its interpretation depends on context. It is most likely to be encountered in Finnish institutional documents, policy guidelines, or technical templates rather than in casual language.

See also: citation, reference, bibliography, sourcing policies.