Tertiary source

A tertiary source is an index or textual consolidation of already published primary and secondary sources^[1] that does not provide additional interpretations or analysis of the sources.^[2]^[3] Some tertiary sources can be used as an aid to find key (seminal) sources, key terms, general common knowledge^[4] and established mainstream science on a topic. The exact definition of tertiary varies by academic field.

Academic research standards generally do not accept tertiary sources such as encyclopedias as citations,^[4] although survey articles are frequently cited rather than the original publication.

Overlap with secondary sources

Depending on the topic of research, a scholar may use a bibliography, dictionary, or encyclopedia as either a tertiary or a secondary source.^[1] This causes some difficulty in defining many sources as either one type or the other.

In some academic disciplines, the differentiation between a secondary and tertiary source is relative.^[1]^[3]

In the United Nations International Scientific Information System (UNISIST) model, a secondary source is a bibliography, whereas a tertiary source is a synthesis of primary sources.^[5]

Types of tertiary sources

As tertiary sources, encyclopedias, dictionaries, some textbooks,^[1] and compendia attempt to summarize, collect, and consolidate the source materials into an overview without adding analysis and synthesis of new conclusions.

Indexes, bibliographies, concordances, and databases are aggregates of primary and secondary sources and therefore often considered tertiary sources. They may also serve as a point of access to the full or partial text of primary and secondary sources. Almanacs, travel guides, field guides, and timelines are also examples of tertiary sources.

Wikipedia is a tertiary source.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Primary, secondary and tertiary sources. Archived 2013-07-03 at the Wayback Machine". University Libraries, University of Maryland. Retrieve 07/26/2013
^ "Tertiary Information Sources". Old Dominion University -- ODU Libraries. September 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2013.
^ ^a ^b "Tertiary sources Archived 2014-11-06 at the Wayback Machine". James Cook University.
^ ^a ^b "Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Resources". University of New Haven.
^ Søndergaard, T. F.; Andersen, J.; Hjørland, B. (2003). "Documents and the communication of scientific and scholarly information: Revising and updating the UNISIST model". Journal of Documentation. 59 (3): 278. doi:10.1108/00220410310472509. S2CID 14697793.
^ "Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources". University of Minnesota Crookston. Retrieved 19 April 2023.