Molecular Ecologist is a blog sponsored by the journal Molecular Ecology (Wiley). Its purpose is to cover research and news in the field of molecular ecology. The content is contributed by students and scientists.
Small Things Considered is a blog sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM). Its purpose is to share appreciation for microbial activities by selecting items from the current literature that are unusual and exciting. The content is contributed by students and scientists.
Both secondary and tertiary sources are second hand accounts (versus primary sources which are first hand accounts) in that they convey the findings, experiences, and opinions of others. Tertiary sources are further removed from the original information than secondary sources. Determining if a source is secondary (summarizes research) or tertiary (summarizes knowledge) can sometimes be tricky.
Tertiary sources may be used to:
Source: Dance, J. (2011, July 8). Wikipedia is the first place to look and the
last place to source [Infographic]. Retrieved from https://www.freshconsulting.com
/wikipedia-is-the-first-place-to-look-and-the-last-place-to-source/
Can you identify sources by their level in the scientific literature cycle and their document type? Take this pop quiz to find out. The answers are on the last tab in this box.
Instructions
Review the three sources using the corresponding tabs in this box.
Match the sources to one of these levels and one of these types.
1 = Primary
2 = Secondary
3 = Tertiary
A = Research Article
B = Summary / News Article
C = Web Page
World Mosquito Program. (n.d.). Wolbachia. Retrieved from http://www.eliminatedengue.com/our-research/wolbachia
Farnesi, L. C., Belinato, T. A., Gesto, J. S. M., Martins, A. J., Bruno, R. V., & Moreira, L. A. (2019). Embryonic development and egg viability of wMel-infected Aedes aegypti. Parasites & Vectors, 12(1), 211. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-019-3474-z
Le Page, M. (2019, July 17). Parasite brings down mosquito numbers in parts of Guangzhou. New Scientist. Retrieved from https://www.newscientist.com/article/2210190-parasite-brings-down-mosquito-numbers-in-parts-of-guangzhou/
Source 1
3 = Tertiary
C = Web Page
Source 2
1 = Primary
A = Research Article
Source 3
2 = Secondary
B = Summary / News Article