Source types: arts: 3. Tertiary sources

Tertiary sources: are documents that summarize or consolidate information on a topic or subject. Tertiary sources can be written based on both primary and secondary sources. These sources often combine the scholarly knowledge on a subject, contributing to a broad and widely accepted understanding of a topic.

Examples of tertiary sources include: 

• bibliographies
• biographies
• dictionaries 
• directories
• encyclopaedias
• indexes
• manuals
• textbooks 

Adapted from: University of Saskatchewan

Common forms of tertiary literature are dictionaries and encyclopaedias. While people generally use the term 'dictionary' to mean 'wordbook,' wordbooks are only one type of dictionary. The term 'dictionary' is essentially a synonym to an 'encyclopaedia.'

Famous examples of dictionaries that are not wordbooks include:

• The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy
• The Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists
• The Oxford Classical Dictionary

Tertiary sources are typically located in a library's reference collection. Books held in these areas are, most often, non-circulating. However, some libraries, such as the University of Waterloo Library will allow patrons to borrow reference items for short periods of time.

Where to find tertiary sources for arts at the University of Waterloo Library:

• The University of Waterloo Humanities and Social Sciences physical reference collection is located on the main floor of the Dana Porter Library. 
• Various tertiary sources can also be found on the Dictionaries, encyclopaedia and more page of the University of Waterloo Library Website. 

Tertiary sources are often referred to as reference works, they are works scholars consult to get a general overview of a topic. Tertiary sources are beneficial as dictionaries and encyclopaedias often have good bibliographies which can guide your research further or act as a great starting point for any literature search.  

Tertiary sources are best used to start a research process, begin a literature search, or gain background information on a given subject. Therefore, depending on the context, they may not end up being a part of your reference list, but instead lead you to other sources that you will eventually cite. 

However, if you have directly cited or used any tertiary source in your assignment, you will need to cite them accurately. Use the following pathways to accurately cite tertiary sources: 

• Use the University of Waterloo's Citation Guide to accurately complete and format your bibliography. 
• Or, use a citation management software such as Endnote, Zotero, or RefWorks outlined in the Reference Management Software Guide by the University of Waterloo Library. 

Useful module created by the University of Waterloo and held within the Online Learning Object Repository (OLOR):

• Waterloo's OLOR for Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Literature