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Wikipedia talk:Identifying and using tertiary sources

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Blueboar (talk | contribs) at 15:09, 28 May 2015 (→Interpreting NOR differently). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Interpreting NOR differently

Currently, the essay states:

  • The distinction between tertiary and secondary sources is important, because WP:No original research policy states: "Articles may make an analytic or evaluative claim only if that has been published by a reliable secondary source." Thus, such claims cannot be cited to tertiary or primary sources.

I interpret the quoted line from WP:NOR a bit differently, and don't think it intends quite the restriction that is stated in the sentence I put in bold (for emphasis). For one thing, we need to remember that many statements of analysis or evaluation contained in reliable tertiary sources will essentially be summaries of statements of analysis or evaluation published by reliable secondary sources. I think that when a tertiary source is summarizing reliable published sources, then that analysis or evaluation contained in the tertiary source meets the requirement of NOR.

And in the rare cases when the analysis or evaluation isn't simply a summary of what the secondary sources say... there another thing to consider: sources rarely fit into neat little boxes... Just as a reliable secondary source may contain primary data... a reliable tertiary encyclopedia, almanac, etc. can contain Secondary level analysis or evaluation. In other words an encyclopdedia or almanac (etc) may be "mostly tertiary" and yet act as a published secondary source for certain specifics. In which case... when we cite the encyclopedia for those specifics, we are actually citing a published secondary source. Of course, we have to look at the reputation of the "mostly tertiary" source (its editors and its authors) when determining whether it should be considered a reliable secondary source for the parts of it that are secondary... but if deemed reliable, then we can cite the analysis or evaluation as a secondary source.

So, to sum up my thoughts... I think we have two situations where a "tertiary" source can be cited for analysis and evaluation per NOR... 1) where it is summarizing the analysis and evaluation of reliable secondary sources. 2) where it acts as a reliable secondary source itself. Blueboar (talk) 14:59, 28 May 2015 (UTC)[reply]

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