Publication Types
Primary literature
In the sciences, the primary literature:
- is a first-hand report of the results of research activities
- often includes analyses of data collected in the field or the laboratory
- is very current (as of the date of publication) and highly specialized.
Examples of primary literature in the sciences include:
Secondary literature
The secondary literature:
- summarizes and synthesizes the primary literature
- is both broader and less current than the primary literature
- is useful for getting an overview of a research area
- is useful for finding citations to more information on a topic.
Examples of secondary literature in the sciences include:
- literature reviews (or review articles) - More about literature reviews
- monographs (books or book chapters dealing with a specific area of research in the sciences)
Tertiary literature
The tertiary literature:
- deals with broad, discipline-level topics in the sciences (like biochemistry or evolution)
- is a useful starting point for background information on a research topic
- reports very well-established facts in the scientific literature
- usually doesn't have an extensive reference list
Examples of tertiary literature in the sciences include:
- encyclopedias
- textbooks
- handbooks
