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Using Tertiary Sources
For many topics, a tertiary source is a good starting point for your research. You will find topic overviews in encyclopedias and textbooks and on the Internet.
General References
Dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, and other such references summarize topics, providing the most important facts and figures. They serve well as an overview but not for in-depth information.
Do . . . | Don’t . . . |
- use them early in your research to find basic information.
- use them to help formulate your research questions.
| - quote or paraphrase them in your writing.
- include them in your list of citations.
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Note: Information in general reference materials is almost always considered common knowledge. Unless you have a specific reason for citing such a source, avoid doing so.
Common Reference Works
- Dictionaries are alphabetical collections of words and their definitions.
- Encyclopedias are alphabetical collections of topics and their summaries. Some dictionaries and encyclopedias cover only a particular subject (for example, a medical dictionary or encyclopedia).
- Atlases provide maps and other information about geographical areas. Some are devoted to a specific region.
- Almanacs offer charts, graphs, and lists of facts about different topics.
Specific Reference Works
- Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations contains thousands of quotations from ancient history to the present.
- Current Biography, published monthly and annually, focuses on interesting people.
- Facts About the Presidents is a reference book about U.S. presidents.
- Famous First Facts covers “firsts” in all areas of life.
- Who’s Who in America provides short biographies of important people in the U.S., both past and present.
Crowd Sources
Wikipedia, YouTube, and countless online message boards allow everyday people to post information on any number of topics. So do social-media sites like Twitter and Facebook. Depending upon the topic and the source, you may find an encyclopedia-style entry, a video presentation, or a text-based debate. The reliability of that information varies.
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Do . . . | Don’t . . . |
- use crowd sources as an introduction to current discussion on a topic.
- check them for clues to the latest details on a topic.
- check the credentials of the people posting.
- maintain a healthy skepticism about crowd-sourced information.
| - rely upon crowd-sourced information alone for your understanding.
- cite such sources in your own writing (unless you are specifically discussing public opinion).
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Note: When checking credentials, consider the authority of the organization behind a title. (Some well-known people called “Dr.” are not actually doctors. And some may have bought their degrees from unaccredited online businesses.) Also remember that an expert in one field is not necessarily an authority in another.
Search Sites
We have become increasingly dependent upon search sites for our daily information about anything from products to current events to history to trivia. When using search sites, remember how the information is prepared.
Do . . . | Don’t . . . |
- understand that search results are ranked by complex algorithms that attempt to provide the most on-target information.
- note that some Web designers “game” the algorithms to move their sites up your search results.
- recognize that descriptive texts in search results are often written by Web-site owners, specifically to catch your attention.
- know that most search sites reserve space for paid results (advertised sites) at the top of each page and in a sidebar.
- realize that the results you get may change from day to day, reflect similar searches by other people, or be affected by your own search history.
- remember to use advanced search features for best results. (See page 368.)
| - search without first considering the best search terms. (See page 368.)
- stop at the first or even the second page of results—helpful information may be found on the next pages.
- limit yourself to one search engine—other sites use different algorithms than can turn up different results.
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Your Turn Imagine researching a naval battle of the American Civil War. Which tertiary sources would give you a quick overview of the topic, and which would offer the most complete information?
