Tertiary Sources
Tertiary sources are introductory resources such as dictionaries and encyclopedias. These resources give students an introduction to their subject, to various subtopics within a larger topic if they are trying to narrow their topic, to the major voices on a topic, and (often) a bibliography with helpful secondary sources. Students should not spend a significant amount of time evaluating tertiary sources, but they should spend enough time on the tertiary sources to feel comfortable with their topic before moving forward to primary and secondary sources.
1. Online Resources
General Tertiary Source Databases
EBSCO E-Books (perform a keyword or title search for eBook dictionaries/encyclopedias, e.g., Bible Dictionary)
Discipline-Specific Tertiary Source Databases
Encyclopedia of African American History
Encyclopedia of Greek Language and Linguistics
Encyclopedia of Hebrew Language and Linguistics
Oxford Encyclopedia of American Literature
Oxford Encyclopedia of Biblical Interpretation
Oxford Encyclopedia of the Books of the Bible
Oxford Encyclopedia of British Literature
Oxford Encyclopedia of the Islamic World
Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation
2. Print Resources Please visit the Reference section on the first floor of the Library to find dictionaries and encyclopedias that are relevant to your research. Please also see our research guides here for lists of tertiary sources in print that are relevant to your research. Additionally, you can search for dictionaries and encyclopedias in WorldCat by doing a Keyword search (e.g., Bible Dictionary).
If you have more questions about accessing tertiary sources, please visit the Reference Desk or setup a Research Appointment.
If you are off-campus, you will need to use your Campusnet login information to access the online resources.