Template:Tertiary source: Difference between revisions

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In [[scholarship]], '''tertiary source''' is a term used to describe a work which is a chiefly selection or compilation of other [[Primary source|primary]] and [[Secondary source|secondary sources]]<ref>See, e.g., University of Maryland Libraries (2001) [http://www.lib.umd.edu/guides/primary-sources.html#tertiary "Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources"]</ref><ref>See, e.g. [http://www.lib.odu.edu/libassist/tutorials/nursing/glossary.html Glossary, Using Information Resources]. ("Tertiary Source" may be defined as "reference material that synthesizes work already reported in primary or secondary sources".) </ref><ref>[http://www.library.jcu.edu.au/LibraryGuides/primsrcs.shtml "Library Guides: Primary, secondary and tertiary sources"]</ref>. The distinction between a secondary and tertiary source is relative<ref>[http://www.lib.umd.edu/guides/primary-sources.html Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources, UM Libraries]</ref><ref>[http://www.library.jcu.edu.au/LibraryGuides/primsrcs.shtml JCU - Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Sources]</ref>, whereas the difference between primary and secondary sources is more absolute in [[historiography]]. As a general rule, however, tertiary sources tend to be more focused on the identification of scholarly work than on the content itself.


In some contexts instances of tertiary sources are [[bibliographies]], [[library catalog]]s, directories, reading lists and survey articles. [[Encyclopedia]]s and [[textbook]]s are examples of written 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. 
The classification of a given source is subjective and contextual.  For example, a modern encyclopedia might be generally considered a tertiary source, but an ancient encyclopedia is generally considered a primary source.  The difference is because the modern encyclopedia is used as a source for information about a topic, and the ancient encyclopedia is understood as a source of information about the state of knowledge in the time period when the encyclopedia was written.  However, even a modern encyclopedia is a primary source for some facts, such as the name of its publisher.
A different definition is used by the [[UNISIST model]] in which secondary sources are understood as bibliographies, while tertiary sources are understood as synthesis of primary literature.
==See also==
* [[Research]]
* [[Historiography]]
* [[Source text]]
* [[Primary source]]
* [[Secondary source]]
* [[UNISIST model]]
==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}
[[Category:Historiography]]
[[Category:Library and information science]]
[[de:Tertiärliteratur]]
[[es:Fuente terciaria]]
[[fi:Tertiäärilähde]]
[[fr:Source tertiaire]]
[[hu:Harmadlagos forrás]]
[[id:Sumber tersier]]
[[mk:Терцијарни извори на информации]]
[[zh:三级文献]]

Revision as of 17:04, 6 December 2010