  Based on the simple and well understood concept of subfields in a finite
field, the technique called `field reduction' has proved to be a very useful
and powerful tool in finite geometry. In this paper we elaborate on this
technique. Field reduction for projective and polar spaces is formalized and
the links with Desarguesian spreads and linear sets are explained in detail.
Recent results and some fundamental ques- tions about linear sets and scattered
spaces are studied. The relevance of field reduction is illustrated by
discussing applications to blocking sets and semifields.
