Academic research standards generally do not accept tertiary sources such as encyclopedias as citations,[4] although survey articles are frequently cited rather than the original publication.
Depending on the topic of research, a scholar may use a bibliography, dictionary, or encyclopedia as either a tertiary or a secondary source.
In some academic disciplines, the differentiation between a secondary and tertiary source is relative.
[5] As tertiary sources, encyclopedias, dictionaries, some textbooks,[1] and compendia attempt to summarize, collect, and consolidate the source materials into an overview without adding analysis and synthesis of new conclusions.
They may also serve as a point of access to the full or partial text of primary and secondary sources.