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Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources
Sources of information or evidence are often categorized as primary, secondary, or tertiary material. These classifications are based on the originality of the material and the proximity of the source or origin. This informs the reader as to whether the author is reporting information that is first hand or is conveying the experiences and opinions of others which is considered second hand. Determining if a source is primary, secondary or tertiary can be tricky. Below you will find a description of the three categories of information and examples to help you make a determination.
Primary Sources
These sources are records of events or evidence as they are first described or actually happened without any interpretation or commentary. It is information that is shown for the first time or original materials on which other research is based. Primary sources display original thinking, report on new discoveries, or share fresh information.
Examples of primary sources: Theses, dissertations, scholarly journal articles (research based), some government reports, symposia and conference proceedings, original artwork, poems, photographs, speeches, letters, memos, personal narratives, diaries, interviews, autobiographies, and correspondence.
Secondary Sources
These sources offer an analysis or restatement of primary sources. They often try to describe or explain primary sources. They tend to be works which summarize, interpret, reorganize, or otherwise provide an added value to a primary source.
Examples of Secondary Sources: Textbooks, edited works, books and articles that interpret or review research works, histories, biographies, literary criticism and interpretation, reviews of law and legislation, political analyses and commentaries.
Tertiary Sources
These are sources that index, abstract, organize, compile, or digest other sources. Some reference materials and textbooks are considered tertiary sources when their chief purpose is to list, summarize or simply repackage ideas or other information. Tertiary sources are usually not credited to a particular author.
Examples of Tertiary Sources: Dictionaries/encyclopedias (may also be secondary), almanacs, fact books, Wikipedia, bibliographies (may also be secondary), directories, guidebooks, manuals, handbooks, and textbooks (may be secondary), indexing and abstracting sources.
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- Tertiary Sources Explained | Quick Guide & Examples
Tertiary Sources Explained | Quick Guide & Examples
Published on May 19, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on November 4, 2022.
A tertiary source , also called a reference work, is a source that gives an overview of information gathered from primary and secondary sources but does not provide original interpretations or analysis. Examples include:
- Dictionaries
- Encyclopedias
- Bibliographies
These sources types compile information from a wide variety of sources. They may also list, summarize, and index sources that provide original data or direct evidence (primary sources) and sources that describe or interpret this evidence (secondary sources).
Table of contents
What is a tertiary source, examples of tertiary sources, how to tell if a source is tertiary, how and when to use tertiary sources, practice questions, frequently asked questions about tertiary sources.
There are three types of research sources:
- Primary sources : These provide direct evidence about the topic of your research question (e.g., newspapers , diary entries, and photographs).
- Secondary sources : These interpret or analyze information from primary sources (e.g., books and journal articles ).
- Tertiary sources: These are reference works that list other kinds of sources and provide background information (e.g., encyclopedias and dictionaries).
You will mainly use primary and secondary sources, as these provide information that you can analyze or use to formulate your own ideas and arguments.
Tertiary sources do not provide original insights or analyses. Instead, they collect, index, and provide an overview of primary and secondary sources. This means that while you might use them to learn more about a topic you’re new to, you’re unlikely to cite them in your paper.
Tertiary sources provide a wide range of helpful information, including key terms, definitions , lists of relevant sources, and broad overviews.
- Bibliographies , databases , directories , indexes , and timelines are tertiary sources that do not provide much textual insight, but rather organize relevant information and help you to find other sources , such as primary and secondary sources.
- Dictionaries , encyclopedias , manuals , and textbooks provide definitions and overviews of a topic based on primary and secondary sources.
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The key difference between a tertiary source and a primary or secondary source is that the tertiary source does not provide any original insights or analysis.
But what constitutes a tertiary source depends on your research problem and how you use the source.
For example, while encyclopedias are typically considered tertiary sources, a research paper focusing on the development of encyclopedic writing since 1900 might use encyclopedia entries as direct evidence and therefore as primary sources.
To determine whether a source is tertiary, ask:
- Am I analyzing the source itself or using it for background information?
- Does the source provide original information (primary) or evaluate other sources (secondary)? Or does it only summarize or catalog information from other sources (tertiary)?
Although tertiary sources are often credible , they’re not typically attributed to a single author and don’t provide the specialized knowledge expected of scholarly sources . For these reasons, you likely won’t cite tertiary sources in your research paper, but you might still use them behind the scenes in your research.
Use tertiary sources in the beginning stages of your research process to:
- Establish background information
- Identify relevant keywords and terms
- Understand current debates in your field
- Identify key scholars
This will lay the foundation for further research and direct you to helpful primary and secondary sources that you will engage with in more detail during the writing process .
A tertiary source may list, summarize , or index primary and secondary sources or provide general information from a variety of sources. But it does not provide original interpretations or analysis.
Some examples of tertiary sources include:
Primary sources provide direct evidence about your research topic (photographs, personal letters, etc.).
Secondary sources interpret and comment on information from primary sources (academic books, journal articles, etc.).
Tertiary sources are reference works that identify and provide background information on primary and secondary sources . They do not provide original insights or analysis.
What constitutes a tertiary source depends on your research question and how you use the source.
- Am I examining the source itself, or am I using it for background information?
- Does the source provide original information ( primary ) or analyze information from other sources ( secondary )? Or does it consolidate information from other sources (tertiary)?
You usually shouldn’t cite tertiary sources as evidence in your research paper, but you can use them in the beginning stages of the research process to:
- Familiarize yourself with current debates in your field
Use tertiary sources in your preliminary research to find relevant primary and secondary sources that you will engage with in more depth during the writing process .
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*Research and Writing: Advanced Skills & Strategies*
- Information Literacy
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Still struggling, material type, primary sources, secondary sources, tertiary sources, a note about websites.
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Conversing with someone else about your research and writing process can be incredibly helpful. Contact staff at McKillop Library or the Writing Center using the links below.
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Categorizing types of material is another way that you can organize information. A source of information can be primary, secondary, or tertiary depending on when it was created, its purpose and scope, and (sometimes) what discipline is using it.
It is essential to understand the differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources of information so that you know when to use each type in your research. Remember, determining what type of material a source is can be challenging as it can vary by academic discipline and use. The sections below will help you recognize the differences between each type of material and provide you with examples of each.
Primary sources provide information in its original or purest form, meaning that the information has not been condensed, filtered, changed, or interpreted.
Many primary sources are created, experienced, or collected simultaneously to the time period or "event" that is being researched. For example, if you were researching music of the 1980s, a song by a famous 1980s performer like Madonna would be a primary source. However, some primary sources, like memoirs and interviews, may be published or provided after the time being researched because they are still reflecting firsthand experiences. Madonna could publish a memoir in 2020 that still counted as a primary source for the above scenario if it provided a firsthand account of her experiences in the 1980s.
Examples of primary source materials vary by discipline. In the physical and social sciences, primary sources include original research studies and data sets (like census data or survey results) in their raw, unanalyzed form. In the arts, original artwork, music, movies, and literature are primary sources. For history, historic speeches, letters, maps, newspapers, physical objects, and government documents are also considered primary sources.
Secondary sources provide information about a primary source or a set of primary sources. These sources restate, rearrange, or interpret the original information provided in a primary source. Secondary sources are often created by experts in the field and address the given subject from a historical or critical perspective. providing discussion or analysis of specific aspects.
Secondary sources include biographies, research articles (for physical and social sciences, this refers to articles that don't include the authors' original research ) , monographs (other than autobiographies and memoirs), commentaries, and criticisms.
Secondary sources may have some overlap with other types of materials. For example, newspaper articles are primary sources in the field of history but secondary in most other disciplines. Encyclopedias and textbooks are sometimes considered secondary sources although they are usually identified as tertiary. Remember, you can always check with a librarian or your professor if you need help identifying the type of source you're using!
Tertiary sources compile, index, or organize information from primary and secondary sources. These sources rarely contain original material and instead typically offer a broad perspective of a topic without any critique or analysis. Tertiary sources sometimes include a bibliography, works cited, or reference list that can act as a directory to important primary and secondary sources.
Because tertiary sources often aim to provide a broad overview, they generally rely on groups of authors for content. Editors then review and organize the material prior to publication.
Some common examples of tertiary sources are encyclopedias, dictionaries, textbooks, bibliographies, and directories. Wikipedia is an example of an online tertiary source.
Tertiary sources occasionally have some overlap with other materials. As seen in "Secondary Sources," encyclopedias are sometimes considered secondary sources. Again, remember that you can always check with a librarian or your professor if you need help identifying the type of source you're using.
Just like other formats of information, websites can be primary, secondary, or tertiary sources depending on what information they're providing. A website that provides interviews with survivors of 9/11 would be a primary source. A website that used interviews with survivors of 9/11 to piece together a story of that day would be a secondary source. A website that linked to other interviews, photographs, news reports, and stories from 9/11 would be a tertiary source.
You might also come across websites that include primary, secondary, and tertiary information. For example, the types of sources listed in the above paragraph could all be part of just one website. In instances like this, remember to look at the individual pieces of information as well as the website as a whole when using it for your research.
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Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Sources: About
- Locating Primary Sources
Identifying Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Sources
What are primary sources .
A primary source is a first hand testimony, document, speech or other evidence that gives insight into a particular person or an event. They are often created during the time period which is being studied but can also be produced later by eyewitnesses or participants.
Secondary sources analyze, review, or summarize information in primary resources or other secondary resources. Even sources presenting facts or descriptions about events are secondary unless they are based on direct participation or observation. Moreover, secondary sources often rely on other secondary sources and standard disciplinary methods to reach results, and they provide the principle sources of analysis about primary sources.
Tertiary sources provide overviews of topics by synthesizing information gathered from other resources. Tertiary resources often provide data in a convenient form or provide information with context by which to interpret it.
The distinctions between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources can be ambiguous. An individual document may be a primary source in one context and a secondary source in another. Encyclopedias are typically considered tertiary sources, but a study of how encyclopedias have changed on the Internet would use them as primary sources. Time is a defining element. While these definitions are clear, the lines begin to blur in the different discipline areas. See box below for examples.
(Adapted from: VirginaTech Library under CCBY 4.0 )
Primary, Secondary & Tertiary Sources (video)
Learn the differences among primary, secondary, and tertiary sources while seeing examples for each type of resource.
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Examples in different discipline areas
- In the Humantities
- In the Sciences
In the humanities and social sciences, primary sources are the direct evidence or first-hand accounts of events without secondary analysis or interpretation. A primary source is a work that was created or written contemporary with the period or subject being studied. Secondary sources analyze or interpret historical events or creative works.
(Adapted from: VirginaTech Library under CCBY 4.0 )
In the sciences, primary sources are documents that provide full description of the original research. For example, a primary source would be a journal article where scientists describe their research on the genetics of tobacco plants. A secondary source would be an article commenting or analyzing the scientists' research on tobacco.
(Source: VirginaTech Library under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License .)
Cycle of Information
- Timing of the event recorded --If the article was composed close to the time of the event recorded, chances are it is primary material. For instance, a letter written by a soldier during the Vietnam War is primary material, as is an article written in the newspaper at the time of the Vietnam War. However, an article written about the Vietnam War in recent years would be secondary material.
- Rhetorical aim of the written item --Often, an item that is written with a persuasive, or analytical, aim is secondary material. These materials have digested and interpreted the event with a certain detachment not characteristic of primary materials.
- Context of the researching scholar --Primary materials for a critic studying the literature of the Vietnam War are different from primary materials for a research scientist studying the affects of Agent Orange syndrome. The critic's primary materials are the poems, stories, and films of the era. The research scientist's primary materials would be the medical records of those person exposed to Agent Orange.
CHART ONE: CYCLE OF INFORMATION
(Source: Guide by UNCW William Madison Randall Library )
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MSSN561 Working Bibliography: Tertiary Sources
- Evaluation Criteria
- Primary Sources
- Secondary Sources
- Tertiary Sources
Proper Citation
Encyclopedia--with signed articles
Smith, J. I. (2005). Afterlife: An overview. In Encyclopedia of religion (Vol. 1, pp. 128-135). Detroit, MI: Macmillian Reference USA.
Smith, Jane I. "Afterlife: An Overview." Encyclopedia of Religion. 2nd ed. Detroit, MI: Macmillian Reference USA, 2005. 1:128-135.
Tertiary sources provide general facts and bibliography about the topic. Examples include encyclopedias, dictionaries, language tools, and textbooks.
Citations must include the authors, titles, and page numbers of the articles within the reference work
Assignment requirements: minumum of three
The following resources are recommended:
Seminary Reference Collection:
- Buddhism -- LC Call Numbers: BQ
- Hinduism -- LC Call Numbers: BL1105
- Islam -- LC Call Numbers: BP1-300
- New Age -- LC Call Numbers: BP601-605
- Religions -- LC Call Numbers: BL31
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How to Evaluate Information Sources: What are tertiary sources?
Tertiary sources.
Tertiary sources of information are based on a collection of primary and secondary sources . Examples of tertiary sources include:
- textbooks (sometimes considered as secondary sources)
- dictionaries and encyclopedias
- manuals, guidebooks, directories, almanacs
- indexes and bibliographies
TIP: What is considered primary, secondary, or tertiary information may vary according to your field of study. When in doubt, ask your professor.
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A tertiary source consolidates and organizes primary and secondary sources together into one source in order to facilitate quick access to information. Tertiary sources are good starting points for research projects because they often extract the essential meaning or most important aspects of large amounts of information into a convenient format.
Value of Tertiary Sources
The distinctions between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources are frequently ambiguous depending upon the context in which an item is used. Some writers don't make the distinction between tertiary and secondary because both types of materials do not represent original works [primary sources]. However, for the purposes of reviewing the literature, it is important to understand how tiertiary sources can contribute to your overall search for relevant information about the research problem.
Reviewing tertiary source material can be of value in improving your overall research paper because they:
- Often compile factual information in one place. Searching for the data in multiple sources takes time but searching for names of heads of state can be found in an almanac.
- Lead the reader to additional sources . For example, rather than citing in your literature review a long list of additional sources on a topic, you can simply cite to a comprehensive bibliography compiled by another researcher.
- Distill large quantities of closely related information or data [e.g., a statistical compendium].
- Often contain references and bibliographies that can point you to key primary and secondary sources.
Examples of tiertiary sources you could review as part of your overall study include: * Abstracts * Almanacs * Bibliographies [also considered secondary] * Chronologies * Dictionaries and encyclopedias [also considered secondary] * Directories * Fact books * Handbooks * Indexes, databases, search engines, and bibliographies used to locate primary and secondary sources * Manuals * Statistical compendiums * Textbooks and course readers [may also be secondary]
Tertiary sources also include any type of user-contributed online resource such as Wikipedia.
Comparison for Sources in Selected Social Science Disciplines
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Identify Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Sources
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What are tertiary sources, where to find tertiary sources, how to use tertiary sources.
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On this page, you'll learn:
what tertiary sources are and what they look like in different disciplines
where to find tertiary sources
how to use tertiary sources
additional tips to help you identify whether a source is tertiary
Tertiary sources provide overviews and context on a topic but generally no original material on that topic. They are often also referred to as "reference sources."
Like primary and secondary sources, tertiary sources may look different depending on your discipline. For example:
- Oxford Reference Online A collection of over 2 million entries from dictionaries, encyclopedias, and companions published by Oxford University Press. The database spans 25 different subject areas and disciplines.
- VCU Libraries Search Search for ‘encyclopedia,’ ‘handbook,’ or ‘textbook’ + your general topic (cartoons, depression, etc.) Remember, VCU Libraries Search contains both print and electronic tertiary sources. No need to leaf through all 30 volumes of Encyclopedia Britannica!
Tertiary sources are mainly used for the following reasons:
to get background information on a topic
to quickly find additional sources about a topic
to learn the meanings of technical language or jargon in other sources on your topic
Tertiary sources are not usually cited in papers because they do not have original ideas. However, you should still provide a quick summary of any background information that is necessary for your reader to understand your argument. They often contain useful statistics or historical data which provide important context to your research topic. Language you can use to provide these summaries include:
A number of __________ have recently suggested that ________.
The standard way of thinking about X has it that ________.
Many people assume that ________.
- Studies of X have indicated ________. It is not clear, however, that this conclusion applies to _______.
You probably already know that Wikipedia is not a scholarly source you should cite in a research paper. However, it can be a great way to introduce yourself to topics with which you are not already familiar. Most Wikipedia articles also contain references to scholarly sources that you can cite in your own paper; just be careful to read the actual cited source to verify the information referenced in Wikipedia is correct.
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Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources: A Quick Guide: Tertiary Sources
- Primary Sources
- Secondary Sources
- Tertiary Sources
Tertiary Sources: Examples
Tertiary sources are publications that summarize and digest the information in primary and secondary sources to provide background on a topic, idea, or event. Encyclopedias and biographical dictionaries are good examples of tertiary sources.
- Access Science [New York]: McGraw-Hill.
- American National Biography [New York]: Oxford UP, 2000- .
- International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences 2nd edition. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 2015- .
- New Dictionary of the History of Ideas New York: Oxford UP, 2013.
- The Oxford Encyclopedia of American Military and Diplomatic History New York: Scribner, 2005.
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Organizing Academic Research Papers: Tertiary Sources
- Purpose of Guide
- Design Flaws to Avoid
- Glossary of Research Terms
- Narrowing a Topic Idea
- Broadening a Topic Idea
- Extending the Timeliness of a Topic Idea
- Academic Writing Style
- Choosing a Title
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- Executive Summary
- Background Information
- The Research Problem/Question
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- Primary Sources
- Secondary Sources
- Tertiary Sources
- What Is Scholarly vs. Popular?
- Qualitative Methods
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- Using Non-Textual Elements
- Limitations of the Study
- Common Grammar Mistakes
- Avoiding Plagiarism
- Footnotes or Endnotes?
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- How to Manage Group Projects
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- About Informed Consent
- Writing Field Notes
- Writing a Policy Memo
- Writing a Research Proposal
- Acknowledgements
Tertiary sources consist of information which is a collection of primary and secondary sources. Tertiary sources are good starting points for research projects because they often distill large amounts of information.
Value of Tertiary Sources
Even more difficult in discerning the difference between a primary and secondary source is reviewing tertiary sources. Some writers don't make the distinction between tertiary and secondary because both types of materials do not represent original works (primary sources). However, for the purposes of reviewing the literature, it is important to understand how tertiary sources can contribute to your overall search for relevant information for your paper.
Reviewing tertiary source material can be of value in improving your overall research paper because they:
- Often compile factual information in one place and to search for the data in multiple sources takes time (e.g., searching for names of heads of state in an almanac),
- Lead the reader to additional sources . For example, rather than citing in your literature review a long list of additional sources on a topic, you can simply cite to a comprehensive bibliography compiled by another researcher,
- Distil large quantities of closely related information or data (e.g., a statistical compendium),
- Often contain references and bibliographies that can point you to key primary and secondary sources.
Examples of tertiary sources you could review as part of your overall study include: * Abstracts; * Almanacs; * Bibliographies (also considered secondary); * Chronologies; * Dictionaries and Encyclopedias (also considered secondary); * Directories; * Fact books; * Handbooks; * Indexes, databases, search engines, and bibliographies used to locate primary and secondary sources; * Manuals; * Statistical compendiums; * Textbooks and course readers (may also be secondary).
Tertiary sources also include user-contributed online resources such as Wikipedia.
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Preparing bibliographies helps researchers keep track of the sources they consulted or cited for their written material and gives readers a framework of how the writers’ arguments were formed.
An authoritative source is one that has been written by an expert who is recognized in his or her field of expertise; some examples include peer-viewed journal articles, government websites, public records and books by reputable, well-known...
A primary source refers to documentation or material presented by parties that were directly present or involved in the referred subject, while a secondary source refers to documentation derived from the opinion or views of primary sources.
These are sources that index, abstract, organize, compile, or digest other sources. Some reference materials and textbooks are considered tertiary sources when
A tertiary source, also called a reference work, is a source that gives an overview of information gathered from primary and secondary sources
A tertiary source is an index or textual consolidation of already published primary and secondary sources that does not provide additional interpretations
Some common examples of tertiary sources are encyclopedias, dictionaries, textbooks, bibliographies, and directories. Wikipedia is an example of
Tertiary sources · Biographies · Dissertations · Indexes, abstracts, bibliographies (used to locate a secondary source) · Journal articles
Tertiary sources provide general facts and bibliography about the topic. Examples include encyclopedias, dictionaries, language tools
Tertiary Sources · textbooks (sometimes considered as secondary sources) · dictionaries and encyclopedias · manuals, guidebooks, directories
A tertiary source consolidates and organizes primary and secondary sources together into one source in order to facilitate quick access to
Tertiary sources are not usually cited in papers because they do not have original ideas. However, you should still provide a quick summary of any background
Tertiary sources are publications that summarize and digest the information in primary and secondary sources to provide background on a topic
Tertiary sources consist of information which is a collection of primary and secondary sources. Tertiary sources are good starting points for