nykäysviittausten

Nykäysviittaukset, sometimes translated as "jerky references" or "twitch citations," is a term used in some academic and technical contexts to describe a specific type of problematic citation practice. It refers to the inclusion of a reference in a bibliography or footnotes that is not directly supported by the text, or where the connection is tenuous and requires the reader to infer a significant link. This can occur intentionally to pad a bibliography or unintentionally due to poor citation management.

The term suggests a citation that is "pulled" into the work without a clear, evidential basis. Unlike a standard citation that directly supports a claim or idea presented in the text, a nykäysviittaus is often included for reasons other than direct substantiation. It might be a tangential work the author is aware of, or a publication that broadly touches upon the subject matter but isn't specifically engaged with by the author's argument. Critics of this practice argue that it can mislead readers about the depth of engagement with the cited literature and can inflate the perceived scholarship of a work.

Identifying nykäysviittaukset can be challenging and often requires close scrutiny of the text and the cited source. It is a nuanced issue, as some degree of contextual understanding is always necessary when interpreting citations. However, when the connection between the text and the reference is conspicuously weak or absent, it may be considered a nykäysviittaus. This practice is generally discouraged in academic writing, which emphasizes clear, verifiable, and directly supportive referencing.