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Where a [[primary source]] presents material from a first-hand witness to a phenomenon, and a [[secondary source]] provides commentary, analysis and criticism of primary sources, a '''tertiary source''' is a selection and compilation of primary and secondary sources. While the distinction between  ''primary source'' and ''secondary source'' is essential in [[historiography]], the distinction between these sources of evidence and ''tertiary sources'' is more peripheral.
{{short description|Index or textual consolidation of primary and secondary sources}}
{{Distinguish|Tertiary sector of the economy}}
{{For|Wikipedia's policy on the use of tertiary sources|Wikipedia:No original research#Tertiary}}
A '''tertiary source''' is an index or textual consolidation of already published [[Primary source|primary]] and [[secondary source]]s<ref name="umd">[https://guides.lib.odu.edu/informationliteracytutorials Primary, secondary and tertiary sources.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130703015116/http://www.lib.umd.edu/ues/guides/primary-sources |date=2013-07-03 }}". University Libraries, University of Maryland. Retrieve 07/26/2013</ref> that does not provide additional interpretations or analysis of the sources.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.odu.edu/genedinfolit/1infobasics/tertiary_information_sources.html|title=Tertiary Information Sources|date=September 2012|publisher=Old Dominion University -- ODU Libraries|access-date=20 June 2013|archive-date=6 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190906194053/http://www.lib.odu.edu/genedinfolit/1infobasics/tertiary_information_sources.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=JCU>"[http://libguides.jcu.edu.au/tertiary Tertiary sources] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106174742/http://libguides.jcu.edu.au/tertiary |date=2014-11-06 }}". James Cook University.</ref> Some tertiary sources can be used as an aid to find key (seminal) sources, key terms, general [[common knowledge]]<ref name="newhaven">"[http://libguides.newhaven.edu/content.php?pid=465151&sid=3809011 Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Resources]". University of New Haven.</ref> and established [[mainstream science]] on a topic. The exact definition of ''tertiary'' varies by [[Academic discipline|academic field]].


Typical instances of tertiary sources are bibliographies, library catalogs, directories, reading lists and survey articles. [[Encyclopedia]]s and [[textbook]]s are examples of materials that typically embrace both secondary and tertiary sources, presenting on the one hand commentary and analysis, while on the other attempting to provide a synoptic overview of the material available on the topic.  For instance, the long articles of the ''[[Encyclopædia Britannica]]'' certainly constitute the kind of analytical material characteristic of secondary sources, whilst they also attempt to provide the kind of comprehensive coverage associated with tertiary sources.
[[Research|Academic research]] standards generally do not accept tertiary sources such as [[encyclopedia]]s as citations,<ref name="newhaven" /> although [[survey article]]s are frequently cited rather than the original publication.


Áá==See also==
== Overlap with secondary sources ==
* [[Historiography]]
Depending on the topic of research, a scholar may use a [[bibliography]], [[dictionary]], or [[encyclopedia]] as either a tertiary or a secondary source.<ref name="umd"/> 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.<ref name="umd"/><ref name=JCU />
 
In the [[UNISIST model|United Nations International Scientific Information System (UNISIST) model]], a secondary source is a bibliography, whereas a tertiary source is a synthesis of primary sources.<ref>{{Cite journal | last1 = Søndergaard | first1 = T. F. | last2 = Andersen | first2 = J. | last3 = Hjørland | first3 = B. | doi = 10.1108/00220410310472509 | title = Documents and the communication of scientific and scholarly information: Revising and updating the UNISIST model | journal = Journal of Documentation | volume = 59 | issue = 3 | pages = 278 | year = 2003 | s2cid = 14697793 }}</ref>
 
==Types of tertiary sources==
{{More citations needed section|date=May 2021}}
As tertiary sources, encyclopedias, dictionaries, some [[textbook]]s,<ref name="umd" /> and [[compendium|compendia]] attempt to summarize, collect, and consolidate the source materials into an overview without adding analysis and synthesis of new conclusions.
 
[[Bibliographic index|Indexes]], [[Bibliography|bibliographies]], [[Concordance (publishing)|concordances]], and [[Database#Research|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. [[Almanac]]s, [[guide book|travel guides]], [[field guide]]s, and [[timeline]]s are also examples of tertiary sources.
 
[[Wikipedia]] is a tertiary source.<ref>{{cite web |title=Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources |url=https://crk.umn.edu/library/primary-secondary-and-tertiary-sources |access-date=19 April 2023 |publisher=[[University of Minnesota Crookston]]}}</ref>
 
==See also==
* [[Source text]]
* [[Source text]]
* [[Primary source]]
* [[Third-party source]]
* [[Secondary source]]
 
== References ==
{{Reflist}}


==External links:==
{{Historiography}}
*'''[[:s:|Wikisource]]''' – ''The Free Library'' – is the [[Wikimedia]] project that collects, edits, and catalogues [[Source text|source texts]].
{{Libraries and library science}}


[[Category:Historiography]]
[[Category:Sources| ]]
[[Category:Library and information science]]
[[Category:History resources]]
[[Category:Information science]]


[[es:Fuente terciaria]]
[[de:Sekundärliteratur#Tertiärliteratur]]
[[ja:三次資料]]

Latest revision as of 20:43, 27 September 2025

Template:Short description Template:Distinguish Template:For 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

Template:More citations needed section 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]

See also

References

Template:Reflist

Template:Historiography Template:Libraries and library science

de:Sekundärliteratur#Tertiärliteratur

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Primary, secondary and tertiary sources. Template:Webarchive". University Libraries, University of Maryland. Retrieve 07/26/2013
  2. ↑ Template:Cite web
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Tertiary sources Template:Webarchive". James Cook University.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Resources". University of New Haven.
  5. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ↑ Template:Cite web
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