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UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN FINLAND
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Business School
INSTRUCTIONS FOR WRITTEN WORKS
Last updated on 26 June 2015
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1 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
Different kinds of written works, such as essays and theses, are an important part of your studies.
This guide briefly describes the written works you will complete during your studies at the
Business School and provides general instructions on how to draft these works. These
instructions can and should be used in the case of any written works. This way, you will
familiarise yourself with the instructions even before starting to write your Master's thesis. Any
instructions given by your teacher during a course or in a study group always take precedence
over these instructions. Follow the instructions in this guide if your teacher does not provide any
instructions.
When you start to write something, you always have a goal. You could, for example, determine
the goals when writing an essay as follows:
- Getting to know a specific subject matter in the field of business
- Learning how to outline a research topic (= determine a research question)
- Learning how to read scholarly articles and previous empirical studies, as well as how to use
research sources
- Learning how to simultaneously understand the key contents of several reference books,
compare them, analyse them and put them into perspective when compared to other available
information and your own thoughts
- Practicing academic writing
- Developing your critical reading and writing skills, logical thinking and expressing of your
own thoughts
- Practicing how to complete a solid essay within a reasonable timeframe
There are many ways of citing other work and drafting a reference list. This guide illustrates the
Harvard system. You are allowed to use any other standard you have learned before, provided
that you are consistent. If you need further instructions on how to write, Tutki ja kirjoita by
Hirsjärvi, Remes and Sajavaara (several editions, the latest in 2014) is an excellent source.
Technical writing instructions in a nutshell:
· Page size: A4, portrait for text pages; landscape may be used for tables and images, if
necessary.
· Margins: 2.5 cm on all sides.
· Font size 12, font type Times New Roman.
· Line spacing: text 1.5; abstract, cover page and table of contents 1.
· One column.
· Text alignment: justified.
· Use syllabification.
· Page numbers: at the top of the page in the middle; count the pages starting from the
cover page, but do not let the numbers show until starting from the abstract page.
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·
·
·
·
·
·
When numbering appendices, do not continue the numbering of the text pages. Instead,
number the appendices separately. If an appendix consists of several pages, place the
number of the appendix and the page number at the top right-hand corner of each page.
Blank lines: separate paragraphs from each other with blank lines.
Separate images and tables from the text with one blank line.
A paragraph may not be a single sentence.
In theses, a main chapter must always start at the top of a new page.
There must be more than one subchapter.
Thesis scope:
Bachelor's thesis
Written by a single person: 25–35 pages
Written by two people: 40–50 pages
Master's thesis
Written by a single person
65 –120 pages
Written by two people
120–160 pages
2 WRITTEN WORKS DURING YOUR STUDIES AT THE BUSINESS SCHOOL
Written works you will complete during your studies at the Business School include papers,
study journals, essays, synopses, maturity examinations, a Bachelor's thesis and a Master's thesis.
These are described in brief in this chapter. You will receive more specific instructions during the
courses in which you will write the works, and you will receive more instructions on how to write
your Bachelor's thesis and Master's thesis in seminars.
2.1 Paper
The term "paper" refers to a task given to you by your teacher during a course. The scope and
format of papers may vary a great deal, depending on the course and the teacher. When grading
papers, teachers mostly pay attention to how you have studied the subject matter or how well you
have answered the question given to you. Matters of form, such as the number of reference books
used or the structure of the paper, are not as important as in the case of a thesis.
2.2 Study journal
A study journal is a tool you can use to assess and develop yourself. It is intended to direct your
attention to the learning process instead of just the completion of the course. In a study journal,
you formulate and process your thoughts about what you have been taught and the teaching event
itself. You can keep a study journal to write down your thoughts, feelings and any unclear issues
right after a lecture, for example. A good study journal includes not only lecture notes but also
observations about the subject matter being taught and the teaching. It need not form a wellstructured whole: instead, it can be a collection of thoughts and observations. On the other hand,
writing down your thoughts and processing them further is a key part of the drafting of a study
journal, which means that a mere list of things from your stream of consciousness is not a study
journal. A good study journal discusses the subject matter from several viewpoints and probably
also revisits the subject matter later.
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To complete a study journal, you will have to study your notes from the course or on the
literature that is part of the course before the end of the course. This means that you will have to
write text for your study journal separately after each lecture or task. A study journal that has
been written on the last night before it has to be turned in does not describe the learning process
during the course.
A study journal will assist you in developing your self-assessment and self-reflection skills.
When you think about your learning and any links between what you have learned or read before,
you might find some gaps in your knowledge that you should fill. This means that a study journal
allows you to systematically assess what you learned and what you did not learn, as well as what
you should study and learn in the future. The way you study is also part of your learning skills,
and a study journal allows you to study your learning skills as a process. You can assess and
develop your skills by thinking about and writing down what you study, what kind of results you
get from your studies and whether there are any other ways in which you could study.
2.3 Essay
An essay is a well-argued paper about a specific issue. It shows the personal touch of the author.
An essay allows you to practice your academic thinking skills, ponder problems in your own field
and resolve them with the help of relevant literature, draft an academic paper, find information
about your own field, as well as learn how to critically select and use academic information. A
good essay is consistent, logical and well-balanced in terms of thoughts, argumentation and
format. An essay is always a task involving both thinking and writing. You put yourself and your
thoughts on the line. You will decide what you want to say and then say it.
2.3.1 Contents of an essay
Essay
- Includes a research question (i.e. the issue that is being studied)
- For example, Development of the stakeholder theory as part of the economic revolution
- Responds to a question based on previous research
- For example, includes a review of three different approaches to stakeholder theory and
also includes some criticism of these approaches. Provides some examples based on
empirical studies and possibly also the author's own experience of each approach.
- Is based on several sources but is not a mere summary of these sources
- Needs a research approach that requires a critical approach, logical justification, presentation
of key concepts and careful marking of source references
- Should be written for your fellow students instead of your teacher > concepts must be
explained
- Your personal touch and own thinking may also be visible in the essay
Features of an excellent essay
- You have clearly outlined your subject matter, i.e. determined a clear-cut research question
- You discuss the issues highlighted in the literature and/or during lectures in a versatile,
analytical, thoughtful and original manner
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- You show that you have excellent knowledge of the related theories and previous empirical
studies
- You excellently justify your opinions based on previous research and your own experience
- You also discuss the subject matter in a critical manner
- You consider what you have learned and how your understanding has increased
- You clearly and logically discuss the subject matter in a well-structured manner
- You draft an excellent summary where you combine what you have read and experienced with
your own arguments
2.3.2 Structure of an essay
An essay consists of an introduction, the body of text and a conclusion. The introduction presents
and defines the subject matter to the readers, as well as motivates them to find out more about it.
The introduction whets the readers' appetite and provides them the background information they
will need when discussing the subject matter. The text and the subject matter are defined by
describing the problem at hand and listing the questions that the essay attempts to answer.
Furthermore, the introduction determines the viewpoints and goals of the text to justify the
content of the essay. In the case of a more extensive essay, the introduction also says what the
body of text includes and the order in which the issues are discussed.
The body may consist of several subchapters. Subheadings should not be used in short essays.
The body provides well-justified and well-thought-out answers to the questions posed in the
introduction. It offers the reader information, argumentation and justification. The sources
support or echo the author's views. You can also allow your sources to discuss or debate an issue
in order to provide the reader with well-justified information about and experience of the problem
at hand.
The structure of the body of text in an essay is free-form, but the text should always proceed
systematically and have a clear theme. The text should be clear, consistent, concise and
interesting. You should use a comparative and appraising approach to the subject matter, meaning
that you should use several sources. You must justify your statements in a manner suitable for
academic argumentation. What is most essential is giving pertinent information in order to
resolve the problem or question at hand and creating new information by combining information
gleaned from several sources. An essay should include the following three parts, which are
typical of academic writing: a question, an answer to the question or assertion, and
justification for the answer.
In the conclusion, you should return to the introduction to expand the subject at hand and connect
it to the issues mentioned in the introduction. Furthermore, the conclusion provides justification
of the significance of the subject at hand. An essay usually ends with a brief conclusion about the
problem at hand. The conclusion can offer deductions, outline further ideas, discuss the practical
significance of the issue and recommend further measures, for example. In addition, it usually
offers information about the future outlook of the problem at hand and may include a reference to
the sources or provide a new proposition and justify it. The conclusion may also include a wish or
plea like a think piece, or the essay may conclude with a question or comparison.
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2.3.3 Essays in exams
A good essay given as an answer to a question in an exam shows that the student understands the
issue, associations with related issues, causes and effects. This means that the answer should
provide more than just a definition of the issue mentioned in the question. A good essay answer
may also include examples and comparisons. In a good essay answer, the student applies and
combines information and provides practical examples in a clear and well-structured manner. The
structure should be that of an essay: an introduction, the body of text and a conclusion.
The criteria for a good answer in an exam vary from one subject to another, but there are some
general instructions that apply to any subject. The answer should be an answer to the heading of
the essay, i.e. the exam question – and only the exam question. Do not write down everything
you know just to be on the safe side; try to confine your answer to the essential. If you do not
know the answer, leave the field blank. That indicates good judgement. An answer in an exam
should be well-structured. You should provide the information in a logical order (this also applies
to mathematics: the reader must be able to identify the different stages of the work). You should
outline your answer on a piece of scrap paper before writing your actual answer. A good answer
is concise, logical and clear. Do not ramble on: the length of your answer is not the decisive
factor. Explain the issue using clear language and always use the key concepts and theories of the
field. Keep your handwriting legible!
2.4 Synopsis
A synopsis is a summary where you explain the key points of a text, such as an article or book, in
your own words. A synopsis must be actual text instead of a list of topics. Some of the important
basic skills of academic writing include knowing how to separate the essential from the
irrelevant, how to sum up the essential and how to explain it in your own words. A person will
understand a good synopsis even if they have not read the text being summarised. You can start
your synopsis with a key assertion from the text, such as research results.
You should provide as exact information about the source text as possible at the beginning of the
synopsis. The heading can be, for example: Synopsis of the article "Things fall apart? Discourses
on agency and change in organizations" by Raymond Caldwell. Read the source text with care,
underline or write down keywords and find the most important sentence of each paragraph, i.e.
the key issues. This is how you separate the essential from the irrelevant.
You should explain things in your own words in a synopsis but still use the key concepts used in
the source text. The synopsis should mirror the emphases of the source text. A synopsis retains
the associations of the source text, i.e. it does not change or interpret the meaning of the text. It
presents all the concepts and key assertions of the source text without changing their meaning. In
other words, you can change the structure of the text you are summarising, but not its content. A
synopsis must be able to stand on its own.
You cannot include all of the details or examples from the source text. Present each new issue as
a separate sentence. The length of the synopsis naturally depends on the length of the source text.
You should not condense the text too much in order to make sure that it is still understandable.
The goal of a synopsis should be clarity and intelligibility.
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2.5 Maturity examination
The maturity examination proves that the student is familiar with the subject matter of the thesis
and is proficient in their native language. You can take your maturity examination on any of your
department's exam days. Please contact the office or your seminar mentor to verify the enrolment
procedure.
You only need to take the maturity examination once. A student who has already taken the
maturity examination as part of any Finnish university degree need not take it again. The
previous maturity examination will be verified as approved at the latest right before graduation
when you submit a copy of your previous diploma to the department assistant.
You can be exempted from the maturity examination if you have received your previous
education in a language other than Finnish or Swedish, or if you have studied abroad. You must
apply for the exemption in writing and enclose with the application all the necessary diplomas
regarding your previous education. You must deliver the application to the department assistant.
You must take the maturity examination in connection with your Bachelor's degree. You must
pick one from a list of issues related to your thesis and write an essay about the selected subject
matter. The essay must be one concept sheet (i.e. four pages) in length. The essay must be an
independent piece of writing that is well-structured. It must include text instead of tables, etc.
because the legitimacy of tables cannot be verified in connection with the examination.
The essay must have a heading. You may not assume that the reader is familiar with your thesis;
instead, the essay must be completely understandable by itself. In addition to having academic
content, the wording of the essay must be proper. The handwriting must be clear: all words as
well as upper- and lower-case letters must be clearly distinct. Writing a clean copy of the
maturity examination is recommended.
With the maturity examination, you will demonstrate how profoundly you have learned the issue
that you have been researching, i.e. how well you have allowed it to "mature" in your head. In
other words, the maturity examination is a reflective essay. It must comply with the structure of
an essay that was highlighted above: an introduction, the body of text and a conclusion.
The content of the maturity examination will be checked by your thesis mentor and the language
of the maturity examination will be checked by a lecturer in your native language
(Finnish/Swedish) and communication. The maturity examination will be graded as
approved/rejected. If you fail your maturity examination, you are entitled to receive feedback
before retaking it.
2.6 Bachelor's thesis
The degree of Bachelor of Science (Economics and Business Administration) includes a thesis
called the Bachelor's thesis. The Bachelor's thesis must be 25–35 pages in length if you write it
alone or 40–50 pages if two people write it together. You will receive more instructions on the
Bachelor's thesis in your Bachelor's thesis seminar.
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The objectives of the thesis are to develop your academic writing skills, data acquisition and
processing skills and argumentation skills in your field, as well as your academic thinking and
working skills. Your thesis may be in Finnish or English, but you will always take your maturity
examination in your native language (Finnish/Swedish).
A key feature of research in the field of economics is finding a solution to a problem faced by a
company or another organisation. The goal of a Bachelor's thesis is to resolve the studied
problem with the help of research literature and small-scale empirical research. The thesis will
provide you with an idea of the different stages of a research process so that you will be ready to
complete more demanding research tasks. The research will create a foundation for your future
Master's thesis. In some majors, the Bachelor's thesis is a literary review only and does not
include any empirical research.
The thesis should include the following: a cover page, an abstract, a table of contents, the actual
body of text, references and appendices. For more specific instructions, please see Chapter 3,
Matters of form.
2.7 Master's thesis
The degree of Master of Science (Economics and Business Administration) includes a thesis
called the Master's thesis. The Master's thesis must be 65–120 pages in length if you write it
alone or 120–160 pages if two people write it together. These lengths include the list of
references.. You will receive more instructions on the thesis in the Master's thesis seminar.
The goal of a Master's thesis is to develop your basic research abilities, which are:
1) Ability to acquire information on your own
2) Ability to critically analyse already existing information
3) Ability to plan and carry out research
4) Ability to independently produce and apply information
The thesis will be written in Finnish or English. The mentor may make a decision on using
another language (based on a decision of the dean on delegation on 17 May 2011).
With your Master's thesis, you will prove that you can define a research problem and process it,
and that you have the preconditions needed for academic thinking and communication. You will
also show that you have mastered the necessary theories and research methods, as well as show
that you have familiarised yourself with the subject matter and the literature (books and research
articles). Writing a thesis requires persistent work and the ability to perceive issues in their
entirety. The thesis will provide you with an idea of the different stages of a research process so
that you will be ready to complete more demanding research tasks.
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There is a Master's thesis grading form on the website of the Business School. You can use the
form to study which issues will be taken into account when grading your thesis. The issues to be
assessed are also described in the study guide.
The thesis should include the following: a cover page, an abstract, a table of contents, the actual
body of text, references and appendices. For more specific instructions, please see Chapter 3,
Matters of form.
3 MATTERS OF FORM
3.1 Cover page
In addition to the title, the cover page of a piece of written work must include the name of the
course or thesis, the name of the author, the name of the opponent (if any), the name of the
mentor/teacher, as well as the presentation or completion date. The teacher may also sometimes
request that the number of words in the piece be given on the cover page (in the case of an essay,
for example). Such information must be added to the bottom right-hand corner of the cover page.
The name of the thesis or paper must be centred in the middle of the cover page in block letters.
The rest of the information must be given in the bottom right-hand corner of the cover page. The
following must be added to the top left-hand corner of the cover page: University of Eastern
Finland, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies, Business School.
The line spacing of the cover page must be 1.
Please note: the opponent is not to be named in the final version of a Bachelor's or Master's
thesis.
See the cover page template in Appendix 1.
3.2 Abstract
The abstract is a concise, objective and independent presentation of the study. It can be published
separately, if necessary. Both a Bachelor's thesis and a Master's thesis include an abstract. The
abstract is also a communication tool: it can be sent to international databases and published on
the university's website. Furthermore, the abstract of a Master's thesis is also a maturity
examination.
The abstract must be right after the cover page and before the table of contents. There is an
abstract form on the website of the department (see Appendix 2). You can also use the template
below.
Add the following information at the top of the abstract page:
UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN FINLAND
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Business School
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Your study line
YOUR FIRST NAME, LAST NAME: Title of the thesis in Finnish. Title of the thesis in English
(PLEASE NOTE: have your mentor check the English name)
Master's thesis, XX p. X appendices (X pages)
Mentor: N.N.
Month Year
Keywords: Four or five key concepts of your thesis that people can use when searching for theses
from databases, for example.
The abstract must be understandable as it is, without reading the thesis itself. Write the abstract
using complete sentences. Do not use subheadings. Do not include any references or quotes in the
abstract, or any information or assertions that are not included in the thesis itself. Do not use any
non-standard abbreviations, symbols or terms without explaining them. Do not include references
to the thesis in the abstract.
The abstract must be one page in length. It must include at least the following:
· Research question and goals
· Research object, population, area, etc.
· Research methods used
· Key research results as well as deductions and recommended measures (if any) based on
the deductions Any new phenomena or observations that have practical significance or
theoretical novelty value should be mentioned first as the results.
If the thesis has been written in English, an abstract in Finnish must also be written if the
student's native language is Finnish. An abstract in English is not required for a thesis written in
Finnish. The abstract in the language of the thesis itself should be placed first in the thesis. The
line spacing of the abstract must be 1.
See the abstract template in Appendix 2.
3.3 Table of contents
The table of contents consists of main chapters and subchapters. You should try to limit the
number of main chapters. You may add as many subchapters in each chapter as necessary. If you
add subchapters, however, you must add a minimum of two. There may also be sub-subchapters.
The same rule applies to them. Do not use too many subchapters, however, because it can make
your thesis seem fragmented.
Don't forget the heading of the table of contents ("CONTENTS" or "TABLE OF CONTENTS").
Use UPPER CASE for main chapters and sentence case for subchapters, as in the text itself. Add
a heading for the references ("REFERENCES" or "LIST OF REFERENCES") and
APPENDICES at the end. Don't forget to number the appendices and add a name to describe the
content of each appendix.
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Indent the chapters and subchapters as in the table of contents of this guide. The numbers of the
subchapters should start where the writing of the main chapter starts, i.e. the number 3 for
Chapter 3.1 should be aligned with the letter M in "Matters of form". Right-align the page
numbers.
See the table of contents of this guide.
3.4 Figures and tables
You can illustrate or liven up the text of a thesis or paper with figures or tables. The figures and
tables must always have something to do with the text. You should highlight key issues in the
content of the figure or table in the text, i.e. the issues to which you want the reader to pay
attention.
The figures or tables must, however, be clear enough that the reader will understand them even
without reading the text. The language used in the figures or tables must be consistent with the
language used in the body of text.
Each figure or table must be numbered and given a heading. Use consecutive numbering starting
from the beginning. The heading should answer the following questions: what, where and when.
Place the heading of a table above the table and the heading of a figure below the figure. Add the
source reference (if any) below the table or figure.
Table 12: Number and portion of companies paying normal and surplus dividend in 2004-2011.
Year
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
Total
Normal dividend
<9%
N
%
4260
5254
5078
5238
5035
4647
4713
4642
38867
55,05 %
61,88 %
60,84 %
62,62 %
60,50 %
56,68 %
58,00 %
57,25 %
Surplus dividend
>9%
N
%
3479
3236
3268
3127
3288
3551
3413
3466
26828
44,95 %
38,12 %
39,16 %
37,38 %
39,50 %
43,32 %
42,00 %
42,75 %
Total
7739
8490
8346
8365
8323
8198
8126
8108
65695
Source: Mättö 2012, 49.
A figure may be a drawing, diagram, map or any other figure that illustrates the research account.
Figures must be numbered and given headings. There must be a reference to each figure in the
text (such as "See Fig. 3") and the content must be commented on in the text. It is easy to create
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different kinds of arrows, etc. with modern technology, but keep in mind that clarity is the key
and your figure must be legible in black and white.
Example of a figure:
Figure 1. Research structure (Ryytty 2013, 10)
3.5 Source references in the text (citations)
Careful selection, careful interpretation and accurate marking of source references in the text are
part of careful research (Hirsjärvi, Remes & Sajavaara 2014, 349–350). When you report and
assess studies made by other people, you are creating a frame of reference for your study and also
recognising the other people's work (Hirsjärvi et al. 2014, 349). Clearly mark your references so
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that the reader can immediately see which are your own thoughts and which ideas come from
your sources. It is better to be too meticulous than too casual. All of the sources mentioned in the
text must also be included in your list of references.
There are several methods of adding source references and creating a reference list, such as the
American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style and the Harvard referencing
system. These instructions are based on the Harvard system. However, if you have already
learned another referencing method, you may use it as long as you are consistent.
You may add information from previously conducted studies to your text as indirect or direct
quotes. You must always provide the exact page number where the quote can be found if you use
a direct quote. You should use direct quotes sparingly, however, and keep them as short as
possible. You can use a direct quote if (i) the style of the source text is so excellent that you want
to offer the reader a sample, (ii) the source is so crucial or controversial that you should retain the
text unchanged, or (iii) the source is so prestigious that you want to make sure that the
information does not change. Don't forget to use quotation marks with a direct quote. If you leave
any words or sentences out of a quote, replace them with an ellipsis (...). If you have anything to
add to or comment about the text, place your additions or comments in the citation using square
brackets (for example, if you notice an error in the text, add "[!]" or "[sic]" after the error). Add
short quotes (max. three lines) with quotation marks in the same format as in the source text.
Indent longer citations (four lines or more). Quotation marks are not needed, since the indentation
shows that the text is a direct quote. (Hirsjärvi et al. 2014, 120, 357–360.)
You should avoid using several long quotes from the same source because they might give the
reader the idea that you are only summarising a book instead of reporting a study with several
references. If the same issue has been discussed in several of your reference books, you should
create a synthesis of these and mention all of the sources that influenced the creation of the
synthesis.
Source references must be added in parentheses in the text with the authors' last names.
The same rules apply to electronic references, but more information is needed due to the nature of
electronic sources. There is a separate chapter in this guide on referencing electronic sources and
adding them to the reference list.
An example of a reference linked to one or several sentences in the text:
"Analysis" means breaking down a whole into its components (Niiniluoto 1983, 156–165;
Uusitalo 1991, 23).
This example cites two sources. When you are citing more than one source, place the
sources in chronological order starting from the oldest one. If several of your sources are from
the same year, give them in alphabetical order.
The border between case studies and process analyses is often changeable (Yin 1984,
Stenhouse 1988).
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The reference in this example applies to one sentence.
There are many ways in which you can add source references. This book offers one good,
logical way of indicating the sources you have used. (Virtanen 1986, 25–26.)
This example reference applies to both sentences. Note that the full stop is placed inside
the parenthesis.
An example of a citation where the author of the reference book is the subject of the sentence:
Ketonen (1976, 16–20) has emphasised the striving in academic thinking to separate the
essential from the irrelevant.
In the case of such a reference, you must add the source reference alongside the author's
name. Do not use the author's first name or title.
An example of a reference to a source with two authors:
(Strauss & Gorbin 1990, 15)
Strauss and Gorbin (1990, 15) propose that...
When there are two authors, both of their names must be mentioned. Use the ampersand
symbol (&) for references in parentheses and the word "and" in the actual text.
An example of a reference to a source with three or more authors:
Hirsjärvi et al. (2014, 353) point out that there is no need to use the foreign language
marking "et al." in a text written in Finnish – the Finnish equivalent "ym." should be used
instead.
There is no need to use the foreign language "et al." marking in a report written in Finnish
and the Finnish equivalent "ym." should be used instead (Hirsjärvi et al. 2014, 353).
If there are three or more authors, you must use the name of the first author mentioned in
the source followed by the abbreviation "et al." (or "ym." in a text written in Finnish). However,
when referring to the reference book for the first time, mention the last names of all the authors.
An example of a reference to an article:
(Achrol 1991)
Achrol (1991) proposes that...
When you are referring to an article, you only need to add the author's name and the
year. No reference to a page or pages is necessary, except if you are using a direct quote.
An example of a reference to a secondary source:
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In the model presented by Koivula (see Timonen 1981, 12–14)...
Kuusinen (1980) has stated that development of adult education is absolutely necessary
(Naukkarinen 1982, 71).
You may use a secondary source reference if you have overwhelming difficulties in trying
to find the original reference book or if you do not speak the language in which it has
been written. Secondary references should only be used in exceptional cases, however.
This kind of reference must clearly indicate that the reference is to a secondary source.
An example of references to both a primary and a secondary source in the same text:
Empirical research operates in a triangle composed of problems, data and methods
(Pönttinen 1990; ref. Uusitalo 1991, 49).
The difference is emphasised with the abbreviation "ref."
An example of a reference to a statement made during an interview:
Consciously separating the generation and appraisal of thoughts from each other is a key
part of creative advertising design (Heikkinen, interview).
The reference mentions the interviewee's name and the word "interview".
An example of a direct quote:
"Tutkimuksenteko on kiehtovaa ja kiinnostavaa mutta samalla monin tavoin
ongelmallista" (Hirsjärvi et al. 2014, 3).
Hirsjärvi et al. (2014, 3) state that "tutkimuksenteko on kiehtovaa ja kiinnostavaa mutta
samalla monin tavoin ongelmallista".
3.6 Plagiarism and detection of plagiarism
UEF uses an electronic plagiarism detection system. All theses are tested with this system. In
practice, you must submit your thesis to the Turnitin box in Moodle. The software will compare
your thesis with a variety of online sources and provide "similarity percentages". You will
receive a report when you turn in your thesis. If necessary, you will be able to correct or
supplement your work and resubmit it. For more information on how to interpret the report,
please contact your course teacher or mentor.
The University of Eastern Finland Ethical Guidelines for Teaching and Studying (2010)
determine the good academic practices to be used at the university. Good academic practices
include, for example, proper references to previous research results, correctly reported results and
methods, as well as always using observations or results that are based on reliable research
instead of fabricated observations or results. A research plan, manuscript, article or any other text
written by another person may never be presented as your own, and no text from the internet may
16
be used without stating the source. Naturally, you may never turn in any work created by another
person as your own work, and you may not obtain credit for the same paper in several courses.
PLEASE NOTE: You may quote people and use direct quotes, but you must always state the
source and author. Don't forget to add the page number to all citations so that people will be able
to find your sources.
3.7 List of references
The reference list indicates the literature and studies on which your work is based. The reference
list proves that you have properly familiarised yourself with the subject matter and provides the
reader with a general idea on what you are writing about. Furthermore, the reference list will
guide the reader to the source of information: if they wish, they may find the listed articles, books
and other source materials to check whether you correctly understood them or because they want
to know more about the subject matter. This is why you must add complete information about
your sources in the list of references. Include in the list all publications that you have actually
used, i.e. to which you refer in the text: as stated by Hirsjärvi et al. (2014, 349), a reference and
the list of references must correspond to each other.
The reference list will be easier to compile if you start when you begin your research process.
You may need the following information for your reference list:
Author(s), editor(s)
Year of publication (copyright)
Name of the publication
The edition you used (if there are several editions)
Registered office of the publisher
Name of the publisher or conference arranger
Editor of the complete publication
Name of the complete publication
Page numbers of the work in the edited book or journal
Name of the series and the publication's number in the series
Name of the journal
Number of the volume
Number of the journal (which is often given after the volume)
Name, location and date of the conference
Include all the sources you have used in the list of references in alphabetical order (based on the
first author). If there are several authors, list their names in the same order as in the source. If
you have used several publications from the same author, list them in order of publication starting
with the oldest. Use letters to separate any publications by a single author published during the
same year, such as 2014a, 2014b and 2014c.
Do not separate books and articles into two lists; add them all in the same reference list. Below is
more information on some source types for the sake of clarity.
3.7.1 Articles
17
Articles published in international journals (also called periodicals) are some of the most
important sources for written work done in universities. You can find these articles via electronic
databases available at the university library (such as Business Source Elite, Scopus and Google
Scholar). Use the format below when adding articles to your reference list:
Author(s)
Year of publication
Name of the article
Name of the journal (in italics)
Volume number
Issue number
Page numbers
Date accessed/retrieved
DOI number (if known)
ISSN number(s) (if known)
Article type
Examples
Article in a journal,
one author
Savolainen, T. 2013. Change implementation
in intercultural context: a case study of
creating readiness to change. Journal of Global
Business Issues 7(2), 51–58.
Article in a journal,
several authors
Lappalainen, J. & Niskanen, M. 2014.
Behavior and attitudes of small family firms
towards different funding sources. Journal of
Small Business and Entrepreneurship 26(6),
579–599.
Montonen, T. & Eriksson, P. 2013. Teaching
and learning innovation practice: a case study
from Finland. International Journal of Human
Resources Development and Management
13(2–3), 107–118.
Puusa, A., Mönkkönen, K. & Hytti, U. 2014.
Narratiivisuus organisaatiotarinan
rakentamisessa. Hallinnon Tutkimus 33(2),
18
112–120.
Reijonen, H., Párdányi, S., Tuominen, S.,
Laukkanen, T. & Komppula, R. 2014. Are
growth-oriented SMEs more likely to adopt
market and brand orientations? Journal of
Small Business and Enterprise Development
21(2), 250–264.
Please note the following: use of the ampersand symbol ("&") when there are several
authors.
Indicate the name of the journal in italics and use the original name of the journal.
In the case of a journal (periodical), indicate the volume if mentioned in the journal, the
number of the journal and the pages on which the article can be found.
Indicate the names of the authors in the order they were given in the journal, even if that
is not alphabetical order (see the example of Puusa et al. above).
Article in an edited
book
Piekkari, R. & Welch, C. 2011.
Tapaustutkimuksen erilaiset tyypit. In Puusa.
A. & Juuti, P. (eds.) Menetelmäviidakon
raivaajat: perusteita laadullisen
tutkimuslähestymistavan valintaan. Helsinki:
Johtamistaidon opisto JTO, 183–195.
Please note the following: when you are referring to an article published in an edited
work, use the names of the article's authors in the text and include in the reference list
the editor(s) of the entire compilation, the name of the work and the pages on which the
article can be found.
Newspaper article
(printed)
Niskanen, J. 2013. Yritysverokosmetiikkaa
Suomeen. Savon Sanomat 6 April 2013, 21.
Article in an online
newspaper
Maksimainen, H. 2014. Suomen parhaat
bloggaajat tienaavat kuin lääkärit. Helsingin
Sanomien verkkolehti 6 September 2014.
Accessed 2 December 2014.
http://www.hs.fi/raha/a1409891882856
Please note the following: If you download the article from the online newspaper onto
your computer or print it on paper, use the following note: Retrieved on 2 December
2014. Since you will not be able to print or download everything every time, you can use
the following note: Accessed on 2 December 2014. This tells the reader that the article
19
was available at the given web address at least on that day.
20
3.7.2 Books and monographs
Author(s), editor(s)
Year of publication
Heading
The edition you used (if there are several editions)
Registered office of the publisher: Publisher
ISBN (if known)
Type of book/monograph
Examples
Book, one author
Yin, R. K. 1984. Case study research: Design
and methods. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
Book, several authors
Eriksson, P. & Kovalainen, A. 2008.
Qualitative methods in business research.
London: Sage.
Please note the following: use of the ampersand symbol ("&") when there are several authors.
The place of publication and the publisher's registered office are not necessarily the same;
remember to include the publisher's registered office in the reference list. Indicate the publisher
as briefly as possible but always in a way that is clearly understandable.
Edited books
Gabrielsson, M. & Kirpalani, M. (eds.) 2012.
Handbook of research on born globals.
Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar.
Serial publications
Julkunen, S. 2010. Kauppiasyhteistyön
muuttuvat merkitykset – narratiivinen
näkökulma. Publications of the University of
Eastern Finland. Dissertations in Social
Sciences and Business Studies, No 7.
Please note the following: if the name of the series indicates the location and university, you
need not add them.
Theses
Savolainen, T. 2014. Ryhmän viestinnän yhteys
innovatiivisuuteen. Tapaustutkimus
asiakaspalveluryhmässä. University of Eastern
Finland. Business School. Master's thesis.
21
Please note the following: be especially critical about using theses as your sources. Make sure
that the thesis is a Master's thesis at the very minimum and only use a reference to a thesis if it is
crucial for your own work.
3.7.3 Other potential sources
Source type
Examples
Conference presentations
Kantanen, H. & Manninen, J. 2014. Learning
in professional virtual communities. Paper
presented at the 7th EARLI SIG 14 Conference,
27–29 August 2014, Oslo, Norway.
Please note the following: there are many different types of conference presentations. Some are
available as articles in a conference publication, and others are available on the conference's
website. For some conferences, only abstracts are published. If the presentation is available as a
complete article, the instructions on articles above apply.
Reports and committee deliberations
Mannermaa, M. & Mäkelä, K. 1994.
Tulevaisuusbarometri 1993.
Yhteiskuntakehityksen ja koulutuksen
tulevaisuudennäkymiä vuoteen 2017.
Opetusministeriön suunnittelusihteeristön
keskustelumuistioita 21. Helsinki.
Naisten tutkijanuran ongelmat ja esteet.
Komiteanmietintö 1982:33. Helsinki: Ministry
of Education.
Laws and statutes
Universities Act 2009. 558/2009.
Valtioneuvoston asetus korkeakoulujen
yhteishausta 2014. 293/2014.
Interviews
Heikkinen, H., Design Director, Argument
Advertising Oy, Helsinki, 12 September 2014
Name of the interviewee
Their title
Name of the organisation
Interview location
Interview date
22
Please note that interviews must be included in the reference list after written sources.
3.8 Electronic references
An example of a reference to a thesis:
Citation:
Reference list:
(Korpelainen 2014)
Korpelainen, A. 2014. Aikaperusteisen toimintolaskennan
käyttöönotto pk-yrityksen huollon kustannuslaskennassa. Jyväskylä
University School of Business and Economics.
Master's thesis. Accessed on 13 April 2015.
http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:jyu-201410092957
An example of a reference to a particular section of a company's website:
Citation:
Reference list:
(Ponsse 2015)
Ponsse 2015. Sijoittajat. [On Ponsse website] Accessed on 13 April
2015. http://www.ponsse.com/investors
An example of information on a company's secure intranet:
The intranet of the University of Eastern Finland includes a partnership agreement. In this
example, UEF is considered the author:
Citation:
Reference list:
(University of Eastern Finland 2012)
University of Eastern Finland. Sopimus yhteistoiminnasta [On the
intranet of the University of Eastern Finland] Accessed on 13 April
2015. Available at: Only for internal use of the university;
password required.
3.9 Appendices
In some cases, some materials are best presented in appendices. Appendices can be used to
supplement the text without disturbing the train of thought. Appendices can include equations,
diagrams, drawings, etc. that are not absolutely necessary in connection with the text but to which
there are references in the text. Extensive further studies, large tables as well as tables that are
often referenced in the text should be included as appendices, but information (figures, equations,
tables) that is an integral part of the text and is interpreted must be placed in the body text.
Each appendix must have a heading, and the appendices must be consecutively numbered. The
heading must be placed at the top of each page. The list of appendices must be placed in the
thesis after the table of contents (as in the table of contents for this guide). Appendix pages are
not to be numbered like the text. The text should include a reference to each appendix (such as
"see Appendix 1") so that the reader will be able to see the correct appendix at the correct point
and the appendices will become a part of the text.
23
4 REFERENCES
Hirsjärvi, S., Remes, P. & Sajavaara, P. 2014. Tutki ja kirjoita. Porvoo: Bookwell.
Mättö, M. 2012. Verotuksen vaikutus yksityisen osakeyhtiön pääomarakenteeseen – Vuoden 2005
verouudistus Suomessa. University of Eastern Finland. Business School. Master's thesis.
Ryytty, M. 2013. Lasten brändisuhteet ja brändien arvo. University of Eastern Finland. Business
School. Master's thesis.
UNIVESRITY OF EASTERN FINLAND
APPENDIX 1 (1/3)
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Business School
REWARDS-BASED CROWDFUNDING
AS A SPECIAL CASE ON CUSTOMER VALUE
Bachelor's thesis
Management, Innovations and Marketing
Simo Nuolemo (student number)
16 March 2015
UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN FINLAND
(2/3)
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Business School
MANAGEMENT PRACTICES SUPPORTING WELLBEING AT WORK
IN EVERYDAY SUPERVISORY WORK
Case study
Early support approach
Master's thesis, Innovation Management
Anne Katisko (student number)
30 April 2013
UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN FINLAND
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Business School
(3/4)
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AS A PROCESS OF ORGANIZATIONAL
BECOMING
A Multidimensional View of Appreciative Intelligence©
Master's Thesis, Innovation Management
Ida Parkkinen (student number)
30 April 2015
APPENDIX 2
(1/2)
UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN FINLAND
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Business School
Marketing and International Business of SMEs
RYYTTY, MINTTU M. M.: Lasten brändisuhteet ja brändien arvo. Childrens Brand
Relationships and the Value of Brands.
Master's thesis, 81 pages and 3 appendices (3 pages)
Mentor: Doctor of Economic Sciences Teuvo Kantanen
April 2012
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Keywords: children, children as consumers, brands, brand relationships, value
The purpose of this study was to study the relationship between children and brands, as well as to
find out what kind of value brand consumption offers to them. The research studied the operating
environment and world of consumption in which children create their brand relationships, the
value offered by the consumption of brands to children, the brand relationships children form and
how they form them, as well as what kind of value the consumption of brands offers to children.
The theoretical goal was to expand discussion on the relationship between children and brands.
This was achieved by studying the value experienced by children. The empirical goal of the study
was to interpret and describe the relationship of Finnish children with brands based on the data
collected.
Key issues included children as consumers, the relationship between consumers and brands, as
well as the value experienced by consumers. The theoretical part studied these theories from the
viewpoint of children.
Ten children between the ages of nine and eleven living in a town in Western Finland were
interviewed for the empirical part. The research data was collected by means of interviews. The
interviewees were selected based on their age, gender and place of residence. The study utilised
qualitative methods. The empirical data was analysed by interpreting it.
It was noted that brands becoming part of the life of children is a process that is guided by their
hobbies, parents, siblings, friends and the media (the TV and internet, in particular). Brands are
used to create and communicate personal identity, group identity, image and lifestyle. It was
noted that the children create several brand relationships of different types both consciously and
unconsciously. Only some of the children's brand relationships are so strong that they could be
described using the metaphor of a love affair. Children mostly create brand relationships that are
like friendship or that are superficial. It was also noted that the brand relationships of children can
be studied in more detail by studying the value they experience when consuming brands.
Children receive many types of value. Key viewpoints that were observed included functionality
of children's value generation and it being directed to themselves.
The study is useful for marketers, people interested in studying children's consumption, parents,
education experts and anybody else who is interested in the subject matter.
Abstract
2/2
UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN FINLAND
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies
Department
Business School
Author
Anna Mömmö
Supervisor
Tommi Laukkanen
Title
Antecedents of brand loyalty and the role of multigroup moderation of hedonic value: An exploration of
chocolate
Main subject
Marketing
Level
Master's degree
Date
3 October 2011
Number of pages
83 + 8
Abstract
The objective of this study is to investigate the antecedents of brand loyalty within the chocolate industry. In
addition the goal is to examine the role of hedonic value within the brand loyalty experience. This study aims to
create a path model that explains the impact of brand satisfaction, brand equity, brand value and brand trust to
behavioral and attitudinal aspects of brand loyalty.
In marketing literature, there are a variety of different studies concerning the antecedents of loyalty; however, it is
important to recognize that there is not a single brand loyalty model that would suit all industries. Furthermore,
different antecedents of loyalty may affect various products and brands in dissimilar ways. The research of brand
loyalty antecedents within the chocolate industry is lacking profound research. Current branding literature
suggests that more conclusive research is necessary to understand the role of hedonic consumption and value to
brand loyalty.
The data of this research was collected through an electronic questionnaire link that was posted on a Finnish
confectionery company’s Facebook wall in May 2011. There were 927 questionnaires collected for research of
which 808 were included for further analysis. The analysis started with reporting the mathematical mean and
standard deviations of the measure items. Next, the principal component analysis was conducted. Based on the
loadings of the principal components, two measure items were excluded from the data. After creating the
modified measurement model, structural equation modeling was conducted.
The findings of this research propose that brand satisfaction, brand equity, brand value and brand trust all
contribute to brand loyalty within the chocolate industry. The most affecting antecedents are brand satisfaction
and brand value, which have an impact on both behavioral and attitudinal brand loyalty. The least significant
antecedent is brand trust, which has a weak effect solely on attitudinal loyalty. As for the moderating effect of
hedonic value, the findings suggest that the difference between low and high hedonic groups exists. The higher is
consumers' hedonic value toward chocolate, the stronger is the effect of brand satisfaction to attitudinal brand
loyalty. The moderating effect was non-significant between other paths in the model.
The purpose of the thesis was to study the antecedents of brand loyalty and the effect of hedonic value in the
process. The findings consolidate to earlier research that indicates loyalty antecedents may vary across industries.
Based on the results, companies in the chocolate industry should focus greater attention to brand satisfaction and
brand value since they are the strongest factors to achieve brand loyal customers. Satisfaction has even a stronger
role in attitudinal loyalty development if the consumer has high hedonic value toward chocolate.
Keywords
Brand, brand loyalty, hedonic consumption, hedonic value