Tertiary sources survey and organize information on a given topic, without including original research or analysis. They are typically based on secondary sources. You can think of them as overview or background sources. Encyclopedias are the most common tertiary sources you will encounter.
The library has a collection of print encyclopedias and other reference sources on the first floor, right next to the librarians' offices. You can browse for what you need or ask a librarian to point you in the right direction.
Reference sources can help you jumpstart your research project by:
Reference articles typically end with a bibliography or works cited, which you can use to find key books and articles on the topic.
