Tertiary source

A tertiary source is an index and/or textual consolidation of primary and secondary sources. Some tertiary sources are not to be used for academic research, unless they can also be used as secondary sources, or to find other sources.

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. This causes difficulty in defining many sources as either one type or the other.

In some academic disciplines the distinction between a secondary and tertiary source is relative.

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.

Types of tertiary sources

As tertiary sources, encyclopedias, textbooks, and compendia attempt to summarize and consolidate the source materials into an overview, but may also present subjective commentary and analysis (which are characteristics of secondary sources).