viitkõlblikud

Viitkõlblikud is a term used in Estonian academic writing to refer to sources that are suitable to cite in scholarly work. A viitkõlblik source provides information that is verifiable, attributable to identifiable authors, and accessible to readers, so others can locate the same material. The concept emphasizes reliability and traceability of the cited content.

Typical criteria for viitkõlblikkus include clear authorship, a publication date, a known publisher or issuing institution, and stable access to the material (for example through a DOI, persistent URL, or an archived version). The source should be considered reliable and appropriate for academic use. Common viitkõlblikud sources are peer‑reviewed journal articles, scholarly books, official statistics, government or institutional reports, conference proceedings, and, when appropriate, well‑curated encyclopedias or standards documents. Primary sources are often preferred, but reputable secondary sources can also be viitkõlblikud when they faithfully present evidence and are properly cited.

Some materials are not viitkõlblikud, such as anonymous or unverified online posts, certain blog entries without authorship or dates, or sources lacking transparent provenance. Researchers assess sources for relevance, accuracy, and evidence, and they typically follow established citation styles (for example APA, MLA, Chicago) or field-specific guidelines. Institutions may provide additional criteria or checklists to determine viitkõlblikkus, but the overarching aim is to ensure that cited information can be independently checked and traced by readers.