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A `!tertiary source`! is an index or textual consolidation of already published `F33f`_`[primary`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Primary_source]`_`f and `F33f`_`[secondary sources`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Secondary_source]`_`f`:cite-ref-umd-1-0[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-umd-1]`_`f] that does not provide additional interpretations or analysis of the sources.`:cite-ref-2[`F5bf`_`[2`#cite-note-2]`_`f]`:cite-ref-jcu-3-0[`F5bf`_`[3`#cite-note-jcu-3]`_`f] Some tertiary sources can be used as an aid to find key (seminal) sources, key terms, general `F33f`_`[common knowledge`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Common_knowledge]`_`f`:cite-ref-newhaven-4-0[`F5bf`_`[4`#cite-note-newhaven-4]`_`f] and established `F33f`_`[mainstream science`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Mainstream_science]`_`f on a topic. The exact definition of `*tertiary`* varies by `F33f`_`[academic field`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Academic_discipline]`_`f.

`F33f`_`[Academic research`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Research]`_`f standards generally do not accept tertiary sources such as `F33f`_`[encyclopedias`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Encyclopedia]`_`f as citations,`:cite-ref-newhaven-4-1[`F5bf`_`[4`#cite-note-newhaven-4]`_`f] although `F33f`_`[survey articles`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Survey_article]`_`f are frequently cited rather than the original publication.

>>Contents

• `F0af`_`[Overlap with secondary sources`#overlap-with-secondary-sources]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[Types of tertiary sources`#types-of-tertiary-sources]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[See also`#see-also]`_`f

• `F0af`_`[References`#references]`_`f

-─

>>Overlap with secondary sources

Depending on the topic of research, a scholar may use a `F33f`_`[bibliography`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Bibliography]`_`f, `F33f`_`[dictionary`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Dictionary]`_`f, or `F33f`_`[encyclopedia`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Encyclopedia]`_`f as either a tertiary or a secondary source.`:cite-ref-umd-1-1[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-umd-1]`_`f] 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.`:cite-ref-umd-1-2[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-umd-1]`_`f]`:cite-ref-jcu-3-1[`F5bf`_`[3`#cite-note-jcu-3]`_`f]

In the `F33f`_`[United Nations International Scientific Information System (UNISIST) model`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=UNISIST_model]`_`f, a secondary source is a bibliography, whereas a tertiary source is a synthesis of primary sources.`:cite-ref-5[`F5bf`_`[5`#cite-note-5]`_`f]

>>Types of tertiary sources

As tertiary sources, encyclopedias, dictionaries, some `F33f`_`[textbooks`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Textbook]`_`f,`:cite-ref-umd-1-3[`F5bf`_`[1`#cite-note-umd-1]`_`f] and `F33f`_`[compendia`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Compendium]`_`f attempt to summarize, collect, and consolidate the source materials into an overview without adding analysis and synthesis of new conclusions.

`F33f`_`[Indexes`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Bibliographic_index]`_`f, `F33f`_`[bibliographies`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Bibliography]`_`f, `F33f`_`[concordances`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Concordance_(publishing)]`_`f, and `F33f`_`[databases`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Database]`_`f 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. `F33f`_`[Almanacs`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Almanac]`_`f, `F33f`_`[travel guides`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Guide_book]`_`f, `F33f`_`[field guides`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Field_guide]`_`f, and `F33f`_`[timelines`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Timeline]`_`f are also examples of tertiary sources.

`F33f`_`[Wikipedia`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Wikipedia]`_`f is a tertiary source.`:cite-ref-6[`F5bf`_`[6`#cite-note-6]`_`f]

>>See also

• `F33f`_`[Source text`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Source_text]`_`f

• `F33f`_`[Third-party source`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Third-party_source]`_`f

>>References

`:cite-note-umd-1`!1.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-umd-1-0]`_`f Primary, secondary and tertiary sources. Archived 2013-07-03 at the `F33f`_`[Wayback Machine`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Wayback_Machine]`_`f". University Libraries, University of Maryland. Retrieve 07/26/2013

`:cite-note-2`!2.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-2]`_`f "Tertiary Information Sources". Old Dominion University -- ODU Libraries. September 2012. Retrieved 20 June 2013.

`:cite-note-jcu-3`!3.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-jcu-3-0]`_`f "Tertiary sources Archived 2014-11-06 at the `F33f`_`[Wayback Machine`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Wayback_Machine]`_`f". James Cook University.

`:cite-note-newhaven-4`!4.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-newhaven-4-0]`_`f "Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Resources". University of New Haven.

`:cite-note-5`!5.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-5]`_`f `:citerefs-ndergaardandersenhj-rland2003`aSøndergaard, 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. `F33f`_`[doi`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=Doi_(identifier)]`_`f:10.1108/00220410310472509. `F33f`_`[S2CID`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=S2CID_(identifier)]`_`f 14697793.

`:cite-note-6`!6.`! `F0af`_`[↑`#cite-ref-6]`_`f "Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources". `F33f`_`[University of Minnesota Crookston`:/page/wikibook/entry.mu`zim=wikipedia_en_all_nopic_2025-08.zim|entry_path=University_of_Minnesota_Crookston]`_`f. Retrieved 19 April 2023.

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