viitemalli

Viitemalli is a Finnish term that refers to a set of conventions used to cite sources in academic writing. It defines how references are presented in the text and in the reference list, with the aim of making sources identifiable and retrievable, giving proper credit to authors, and reducing plagiarism. A viitemalli typically governs both in-text citations (whether parenthetical or narrative) and the bibliographic entries at the end of the work, and it may specify punctuation, capitalization, order of elements, and treatment of multiple authors, editors, and translators.

Different viitemallit exist, of which APA-tyyppinen viitemalli, MLA-tyyppinen, Chicago-tyylin, and Harvard-tyyppinen variants are commonly used in Finnish higher education and publishing. Many universities in Finland publish their own institution-specific viitemalli guides, sometimes aligning with a widely used style but adapting details to local language or house rules. Some disciplines prefer certain styles; instructors may require adherence to a specific viitemalli.

Reference-management tools such as Zotero or EndNote often support multiple viitemallit, enabling automated formatting. In practice, a reader should follow the most current edition of the chosen viitemalli and consult official guidelines if uncertainties arise. The concept of a viitemalli is shared with broader scholarly tradition of standardized citation formats, applicable beyond Finnish-language contexts in international publishing.